The Superyacht Training Group provides insight into key industry safety and training concerns
Caroline Blatter
The Superyacht Training Group has issued some insights into a number of key industry safety and training concerns from it's group members.
Superyacht Training Group was formed in 2019 and draws together non-competing companies involved with safety training in the maritime world. Each company is renowned in their area of expertise and carefully chosen to ensure clients receive the highest levels of service and professionalism.
Steve Monk of Da Gama Maritime - “Our members work with vessels of all sizes across the globe and by conducting training onboard, we see first hand concerns about ship safety and training for crew of all ranks. It’s vital that as an industry we recognise and act on these points to ensure best practice, for the future."
Steve went on to say “Lithium batteries continue to dominate the discussions for the cause of fires, but not necessarily with evidence and fact. Yachts & crew are advised to review their procedures or conduct specific training for dealing with Li-ion batteries such as the DG Maritime online course.
In respect of navigation, vessels operating in areas of poor or lacking official chart data on the ECDIS must remember it is not the fault of the ECDIS manufacturer. Quite simply it’s because the government authority responsible for those waters either doesn’t have the data or hasn’t released it. Utilising unofficial electronic charts to populate these gaps is possible but must form part of the risk assessment to navigate using electronic charts."
Liz Baugh, representing Red Square Medical talked about the need for regular and up to date medical training; “Medical training in a classroom is a great starting point, but when you need the skills for real, you really need them! Regular Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in the form of onboard training, tool box talks and drills can all help to improve confidence, teamwork and an effective response to an onboard medical emergency."
Liz continues “One of our biggest concerns is the difference between the highly controlled world of commercially registered vessels, compared to private vessels where there is no regulatory requirement to train. Of course the well run vessels want to have the safest and best trained crew, but some have a differing view of the need for medical training to be at the forefront."
This view dovetails perfectly with the experience of Karl Santrian of BZ Maritime Leadership who told us “Leadership and Human Capability remain insufficiently prioritised in the yachting industry, with many leaders and crew lacking the necessary competence to perform effectively in their role. The result is that yacht management and captains are carrying excessive safety and operational risks, the guest experience is often below par, and operating costs are excessive. To address these challenges, the use of psychometrics to inform recruitment is highly recommended, and yachts would benefit greatly from investment in professional leadership training and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for all crew."
Claire White of Ocean Wave Monaco said “The main issue we continue to encounter is related to the policing of qualifications. Since Covid and the introduction of computer-based-learning, we are continually battling a drop in standards. The fact that nobody is policing the required certificates makes a mockery of the system and results in a drop in standards amongst crew. This is a concern across the board, but particularly worrying in the case of food hygiene. It is evident that as an industry, we are striving for improvements in safety and many vessels now understand the need for training that goes beyond just compliance."
Connecting with the Superyacht Training Group team is a great first step - their members provide a wide range of training and support, wherever a yacht is cruising or based.
Visit www.superyachttraining.org to explore their member companies, download the brochure, and submit enquiries via the contact form.
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