Spreading Positivity

Cap: Captain Kuba Szymanski, InterManager Secretary General

Shipping has long complained about negative perceptions and a general focus on all that is bad. Now shipmanagement association InterManager is attempting to address this by running its own global “positivity campaign”.

Using social media to spread the word, InterManager is urging members of the maritime community – including seafarers, shore workers, and their families – to post a positive image of shipping alongside the hashtag #shippositive, tagging InterManager too.

Up for grabs are FIVE brand new iPad devices which will be awarded to the five photographs which the judges decide best demonstrate a positive image of shipping. The judges are drawn from across the international shipping community and include: Associate Professor Lars Lippuner, Director Warsash Maritime School; Christina Liviakis, Director of Business Development, American Ship Repair and President WISTA USA; Bjorn Jebsen, ship and crew manager and former InterManager President; and Jean Pontila, Second Officer sailing with Jebsen PTC Maritime, alongside InterManager Secretary General Capt Kuba Szymanski.

The competition starts NOW! All you have to do is share a photograph which illustrates a positive image of the shipping industry or life at sea. Post your image on either Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or TikTok using the competition hashtag #shippositive as well as #intermanager or @intermanager.

The photo can show anything positive about shipping, such as how great a life at sea can be, happy colleagues, workplace satisfaction, an enjoyable meal, fabulous scenery, awe-inspiring weather, wildlife . . . whatever you think illustrates the positive reasons you enjoy being in shipping.

Of course there are some rules – in particular entrants must ensure they take their photos carefully and don’t breach any of their employer’s regulations regarding confidentiality or social media.

Urging members of the maritime community to take part, Capt Kuba Szymanski, who began his seagoing career in 1985 and has enjoyed a long maritime career ashore since then, enthused: “I’ve been involved in the shipping industry for my whole working life and can honestly say that shipping has consumed me. I am proud of my industry and, while I acknowledge that like all businesses there are sometimes mistakes made, I believe that shipping has much to be proud of – after all we are a crucial part of global trade and deliver 90% of all goods consumed. I think the pandemic hammered home that point when ships kept sailing and seafarers worked above and beyond in order to keep the world supplied with trade and aid.”

By demonstrating shipping’s positive side, particularly the camaraderie and opportunities of a life at sea, Capt Szymanski believes the industry can reach out to the next generation of seafarers: “Shipping has to fight for the talent of tomorrow against strong competition from shore-based industries like IT. We need to show young people that we can offer an exciting, interesting, and rewarding career path beginning at sea and progressing to shore if they choose. There are many roles and opportunities available to motivated men and women and our #shippositive campaign gives us an opportunity to highlight the plus side of our amazing industry.”

InterManager’s #shippositive competition runs to June 30th and the iPad winners will be announced during London International Shipping Week (#LISW23) in September.

Full details are available on the InterManager website: www.intermanager.org.

Marex Media