Need seen for more training for seaman

Press, 23 March 1988, Page 13

Need seen for more training for seaman

PA , , Wellington [ ■ [' ! ! i j The New!Zealand shipping industry' must place greater emphasis on training if it is to compete oni the world market, said the' Under-Secretary j for Transport, Mr[Gerbi<. Industry i [ training needed to; give more priority' to [equipping ratings with multiple skills to enable' them to workjboth on' deck and in the en-[ gineroom. [ | • To this erid, the Government would consider providing funds to help [members of the .Shipping Industry Training Board visit the Australian ]Mar»i time College in Tasmania, Mr Gerbic: told the Seamen’s Union national conference in Auckland] The Maritime Review Committee manning] code also ~needed attention, as it was “insufficiently robust and specific”- to

I .deal with "hard cases.”. Both training and crewing! matters would be referred,? to! • the Marine Council, he said. J I "The Government will i' encourage the industry;in its endeavour to reform itself and will support this; effort out ofrihe resources already devoted to nautical education,” he said; | "The Government; will also contemplate one-off expenditures to assist the: process of change.” ; j | | The Government would later this ! year enact legis-j lation i establishing a; New Zealand register of ships . based! on jthe concept [of predominant . New i Zea--'land ownership. : | i i ■ '-J The ; register would [be in two parts —- one deril; ing with commercial !: vessels along similar linris to existing legislation, the ; other a simple system [for the registration of yachts.! ' But Mr ' Gerbfc sriid . ■ i i ' i 111 ■

there was no prospect of cargo being reserved for New Zealand ships, or of New Zealand shipping receiving preferential financial treatirient. J I j “New (Zealand [cargo for New Zealarid-crewed ships can only come about through the ability of our shipowners to place on the berth efficient ‘modern tonnage whichi.is 1 competitive with the [ships of the,< traditional | maritime countries! which; continue to lift, the lion's share ;of the high ! value ! exports,” said Mr Gerbic.; . | I “New (Zealand (crews are expensive . . .(and success [for' New' ; Zealand shipping Jin the wider sphere will place; increasing emphasis on i reduced crewing and the ; accompanying overhatih of traditional rihipboard ! work methods and organisation. ’(Hence the importance of training.” I[' 11: J.