MTM Seminar Held in Indian Capital

Delphine Estibeiro

Do your work with pride and put safety in every stride, this safety slogan encourages individuals to take pride in their work and prioritize safety in all aspects of their job to create a safe and productive work environment. With a strong commitment to this motto, the two-day seminar hosted by MTM Ship Management (India) Pvt Ltd., focused on maritime safety, including safe operations at sea, safe cargo delivery, and safe commercial outputs.

On November 28 and 29, the safety conference took place at the upscale and trendy Hotel Ibis in New Delhi’s Aerocity. Senior management comprising of Mr Tim Coffin, CEO, Tristar Ship Management; Mr Sanjay Sachdev, Technical Director, Tristar; Mr Parag D Joshi, Head of Technical, Lila Global; Capt Rajiv Singhal, Managing Director, MTM Ship Management; Capt Girish J Phadnis, Director-Country Head, MTM India; and Mr Ajit George, Head of Crew Operations and almost 100 attendees of MTM Shore and sailing employees were present. The crew and management engaged in lengthy discussions about how to fulfil their commitment to work together and adhere to safety regulations without compromise.

Capt Phadnis welcomed all the dignitaries and the sea staff present to the seminar and emphasized on the Safety culture which was the theme of this seminar. He said, “MTM is deeply devoted to safety, from the top management level down to the seafarers onboard and all of our stakeholders. Our primary focus at each seminar is on continuing to adapt and sustain the safety culture. After thoroughly following the safety rules, we should concentrate on finishing the task at hand. Remember that our holistic programmes are focused on your health in body, mind, and spirit in a proactive approach to safety culture.”

Capt Phadnis appreciated the hard work of MTM New Delhi team and expressed his gratitude to Mr Manoj Sharma, Deputy GM/Branch Head; Mr Mayank Gogia, Mr Arvind Katoch, Ms Rashmi Dhauni, Mr Cyril Das, Ms Tanushri and Mr Himanshu Kumar who worked tirelessly in organizing flawless annual MTM meet.

At the helm on safety, Capt Rajiv Singhal, Managing Director, MTM underlined that safety always comes first; even when there is pressure to finish the task at hand. The following issues were discussed throughout the course of the two days: Human Behaviour Safety Training, Energy Management Plan, Safe Mooring Practice, Contravention of IMO Routeing Guidelines, Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) & Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR).

After a long day of talks, the officers and management unwound to some exciting entertainment.

Takeaways
The seminar’s key takeaway was that safer workplaces have fewer accidents, which leads to lower occupational health expenditures, higher employee retention and satisfaction, less employee downtime, and less retraining time.

Marex Media

Seafarers are enablers of global trade

Mr Tim Coffin, Chief Executive Officer – Maritime Logistics, Tristar,
Tim joined the shipping industry by chance in 1996. He now has over 25 years of maritime expertise, most recently as the chairman of a Norwegian vessel-holding firm. Tim has managed both privately held and publicly-traded shipping companies in a variety of nations. He has an MA from St Andrews University and an MBA from Bayes Business School.
Excerpts from Talks….

About Tristar
Tristar is situated in Dubai, and is a significantly larger firm that specialises in petroleum logistics. We are the UN’s largest gasoline supplier; for the United States Public Defence we maintain the world’s largest fuel storage facility. Our third largest customer is Shell, with whom we normally work in a variety of verticals such as chemicals, fuel storage, shipping, and road transportation, among others. So Shell, BP, and Total are our customers, and what we’re looking for is long-term reliable cash flow from Triple A customers.

The shipping business, formerly known as Eships, was purchased by Tristar in 2016, and they have been operating and expanding their fleet since then. I started here in March 2023.

Joint Venture with MTM
We are aware that our sector is rapidly evolving; regulations are changing, as are the requirements for how we operate as owners and how our ships must function. In the last 40 or 50 years, third-party ship management has grown to deliver a specific type of quantifiable service to ship owners, which I believe it is no longer a viable business practise.

It is critical to get closer to our crew in order to comprehend new regulations, new technology, and to be close to our technical manager in order to create a relationship where we can smell the next challenge coming around the corner. Getting close to our crew means that these individuals are our Ambassadors; they are customer-facing individuals, and for these reasons, it is necessary to establish a successful in-house ship management business.

Rather than starting our own company, we chose to form a joint venture with Capt Rajiv Singhal of MTM and Mr Eugene Mayne, Founder & Group CEO, Tristar to address this issue. The amazing thing about MTM is that, while they conduct some third-party management, they are primarily the managers of shipowners. Their primary business aids us, which is the ship manning business, therefore it is the correct DNA for us.

So we formed a joint venture called Tristar MTM Ship Management, which is situated in Mumbai, which is really convenient for us because Dubai is just 2 hours away. So we can pass back and forth. So far, we have transferred four ships, and we are observing how that goes, hoping that it goes well, and then thinking about transferring additional fleet in January.

Experience with Indian Seafarers
They are the backbone of their profession. India has an exceptional seafaring culture. It’s long-term and dependable, but as India becomes wealthier, less people will want to go out at sea. As a result, we are bound to lose such high-quality mariners. Primary education is at a reasonable higher standard. However, there are many recognised training institutes that know how to train a seafarer. So these men and women come in with a solid foundation and are thoroughly trained.

Balance Safety with cost
It is impossible to reconcile safety and affordability. Your top priority must be safety. You can’t quantify safety, and you can’t say, “We’ll consider a dual priority of 60% safety and 40% cost.” That can’t be right.

The major issue is that in terms of the environment, we are talking about net zero, which implies that you may still consume fossil fuels while planting a lot of trees to get net zero. However, when it comes to safety, we think of absolute zero. We aim for safety in our shareholder meetings. We must discover a method to operate securely while simultaneously remaining economically viable.

Why choose MTM
Rajiv drives a very close culture, its family-like. And I like this as you have more confidence in these people because they look after each other. Their safety culture is well organised.

Message
Seafarers are the most important workers in society. They are the enablers of global trade, therefore their safety is more than simply a concern for them. We all know that seafaring is risky, and that seafarers are often distant from home, making it a challenging task. The type of labour that sailors conduct is completely reliant on them. But their safety comes first. And MTM is very aware of that safety culture.

Avoid adopting a blame-game mentality

Mr Parag Dilip Joshi, Head of Technical, Lila Global,
A versatile and tenacious Marine Engineer – First Class (Motor) and Ship Management Professional with 30 years total experience at sea and ashore in Gas (including LPG/LEG/LNG), VLCC, Chemical, Oil & Product Tankers/ Dry bulk/ and OBO technical operations. He has an extensive knowledge of technological advances, marine risk management, quality assurance, safety culture enhancement, and process control. Close involvement in commercial activities have enabled him to get a broader perspective and better comprehension of the entire value chain. A Customer-centric manager who successfully contributes to company earnings by increasing team efficiency and productivity.
Excerpts from Talks….

Relationship with MTM
We have a wide range of vessels that MTM handles well. Among all of our managers, MTM ranks high in the ratings due to their safety culture and their past relevance in terms of responses, queries, and reports that we are required to provide. So, from the owner’s standpoint, we have no complaints about MTM because they rigorously adhere to the ship management agreement. They are, however, more like our partners than contractual suppliers. Even if they are a third-party ship manager, they will not think that way. They are more like partners in charge of the ships.

Complying with the regulations
As owners, we support our managers in their efforts to comply with the regulations. MTM, being a foresighted manager, is already prepared to comply with the regulations. MTM ensures that all regulations are followed on behalf of the owners. Technically, as of today, all of our ships are in complete compliance with the present regulations.

We don’t have brand new ships, but the trading ships we have are in compliance with all regulations. No shipowner is yet prepared to comply with 2050 standards. But they are all aiming towards 2050 compliance.

Opinion on Future Fuels
I previously worked in the gas industry as the head of Norgas. Coming from the gas sector, I can tell you that the new fuels are still in their infancy. There is no maturity in fuel supply, no maturity in fuel laws, and no maturity in fuel usage. And, if all of these fuels are so popular, why isn’t methanol or any other fuel the norm?

The new contracts continue to be for conventional fuel or, at most, dual fuel ships. As a result, the new fuels are worth investigating, although they are not yet available. Coming from a gas background, there is a lot of regulation that has to go around the fuel. There are numerous safety risks associated with ammonia, and the infrastructure to support ammonia is lacking. So, in my opinion, standing up today and declaring that this is the best fuel would be premature.

Open door policy
We do receive input from seafarers. We need to establish an environment where we can offer them a safe pace to commit and where they can give us feedback.

And MTM is a partner in providing that gateway since we are not here to punish someone who reports something. Of course, we accept the feedback, examine it, and if it is incorrect, we must go back to them objectively and say, “Yes, we respect your input, but it is not correct in the sense for these specific reasons.” However, declaring that we are not open to feedback is not the way to go. We have an open door policy, which I believe is the best way ahead.

Woman Seafarers
In GMS, we do not have any female seafarers. I don’t believe in prejudice, and I don’t think a woman is any less qualified or unsuited for the position. I believe we need to open ourselves and shed our stigma.

To encourage women to join shipping without reluctance, we actually need to make sailing safer. We need to create an atmosphere where a girl’s mother feels content enough to send her daughter out to sea. I would prefer to enter academia and increase the quota for female applicants. Though there is a gestation time, will eventually get there.

Message
Yes, continue with your work in a secure manner. Return home on schedule. And we are here to encourage you in the things you do well. Our purpose is not to punish you for your wrongdoings, but to encourage you in your righteous deeds. Seafarers nowadays are knowledgeable, astute, and skilled in their fields. The seafarer should be given more authority to assume responsibility. However, avoid adopting a blame-game mentality.

It’s all about safety

Mr Rajiv Singhal, Managing Director, MTM Ship Management (India) Pvt Ltd,
Singhal joined shipping in 1983, and MTM Ship Management Pte Ltd in Singapore in 2011 as General Manager for their ship management services, a position he held until 2020, when he was named Managing Director of MTM Ship Management.
Excerpts from Talks….

Purpose of the Seminar
I primarily intend to convey a safety message from the ‘Top floor To the Shop floor’. But my definition of safety is that whether the lowest rank on the ship follows the safety principle or not. Because at sea, we get engrossed in our daily work and we all face commercial pressure, time pressure to perform the job well, and whatever the seafarer does onboard is done without malice but with the intent to do the job well in the shortest time possible, and sometimes they bypass safety, which is what I want to stop.

That never come under pressure, safety first, and the tea cup approach- entire control under pressure- is what I’m attempting to teach them. The physical and mental well-being of seafarers, as well as safety training and ensuring that training for their colleagues is not compromised.

Message
You all work in a very dynamic and stressful environment, and any action we take, planned or unplanned, has a direct impact on safety, which includes crew safety, ship safety, environmental safety, and cargo safety. So it is critical that we recognise that it is all about safety, and you must first understand safety, followed by commercial pressure, to perform the correct work at the right time.

Safeguarding the Brand

Mr Sanjay Sachdev, Technical Director – Maritime Logistics, Tristar,
Sachdev is an experienced Technical Director with a demonstrated history of working in the maritime industry. Highly honed skills in Negotiation, Management, Marine Engineering, Leadership, and Project Management.
Excerpts from Talks….

Safety
Yes, safety is highly important from the perspective of ship management, because seafarers are the ones who run the show on a daily basis. From the standpoint of the owner, we must prioritise safety onboard, but why are we doing so? To earn a profit and expand our business.

Our shareholders have invested in the shipping industry, and they expect the company to grow and prosper. As owners, it is our responsibility to the ship management business to meet the goal of safety so that it does not interfere with revenue. If the ship comes to a halt owing to neglect onboard, the revenue will suffer as well. So we’d like them to avoid it. We are completely behind them in their quest, and no one wants to really hurt themselves on their ships.

Our shareholder, Mr Eugene Mayne, has made it clear that he does not want any casualties on his ship. We held our safety seminar in Dubai in November this year, and the clear message was, as he began his speech, the opening message was- He lost two people on his ship who committed suicide in 2016, and that is still on his mind. So he says that any death due to negligence should be avoided. As a result, he began these safety seminars in Dubai in 2018.

We have a solid internet connection onboard our ships, so we can conduct such training or meetings with the master and crew on ships without interruption in order to focus on safety concerns. The brand must be safeguarded. We are pushing Mr Mayne’s vision forward in the sense that the commercial impact will be unquestionably beneficial.

Having a humble beginning, Mr Mayne believes in managing everything in-house so that he can see where the money he invests is going, which is not possible with third-party management. He wants to grow his company even more.

Tristar & MTM venture
We signed the contract on March 30, 2023. But before that, we did our due diligence. We went on their ships to get a sense of what kind of management they are. I am actually involved in MTM’s day-to-day operations, and they are quite transparent, which is something we want in a ship manning firm.

Tristar-MTM crew
We choose the crew to sail on our vessels during these MTM safety seminars. And we’re working hard to maintain the pool on our ship. Only four of our ships are now manned by MTM; we plan to add more in January. Prior to that, we are concentrating on training. Our boss wants to be in charge of our seafarers’ training, so we will be hiring someone to work in our Mumbai office.

Technology
Undoubtedly, our goal is to equip every ship we operate with intelligent software. It’s what I’ve been working on. Prior to our arrival at MTM, the Smart Ship was essentially a programme designed for trip optimisation. I’ve reached out to Smart Ship Hub, located in Singapore, and Metis, which is located in Greece. We’ve been testing it out for a while now, but I’ve placed Metis on three ships and Smart Ship Hub on one. This is the path we will take going ahead. I firmly believe in biofuels, and when they arrive, technology will become less important