Backbone of the industry
Attractive remuneration and job satisfaction will attract the best brains
WORKING behind the scenes amid the dazzling array of behemoth ships, towering port cranes, stacks of containers and huge cargo loads, workers in the maritime sector and along the maritime supply chain play a key role in ensuring goods and raw materials are transported from producers to consumers smoothly and in a cost competitive manner.
Demand for a variety of cargo to be transported in huge volumes across the world’s oceans in a speedy, safe, secure, efficient and cost competitive manner brings to attention the need to have a credible workforce to match the needs and realities of the current global trade trend.
Not a popular choice of career, the working environment for a seafarer can be risky and dangerous for the likes of crane operators, harbour pilots, stevedores, wharf fingers and truck/reach stacker drivers.
Seafarers are especially vulnerable; over the years, many have been attacked and held ransom by pirates, with some even killed or injured in the process.
The situation in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes that facilitate much of the world’s energy transportation, is especially worrisome.
The Gulf has seen a spate of pirate attacks on ships in recent years despite the presence of international navies to protect ships sailing through the waters.
Adding to the risk of pirate attacks, seafarers also face the risk of criminalisation arising from incidents involving their ships and become victims of unwanted circumstances due to the negligence of shipowners. There have been cases of ship captains being jailed and of ship crews languishing on-board vessels without being paid or without decent food and shelter.
Although we can be encouraged with the introduction of the International Labour Organisation’s Maritime Labour Convention 2006 which provides comprehensive rights and protection at work for approximately 1.2 million seafarers worldwide, much more needs to be done to ensure their safety and security when doing their jobs.
The mismatch between the importance of the maritime sector and the state of welfare of its workers may cause them to lose motivation and deter others from joining the sector.
This can result in harmful consequences to world trade and economies.
Cases of lowly-paid port workers “moonlighting” or taking up parttime jobs to make ends meet and then go to their daytime jobs in a tired state are not uncommon. Such workers are prone to making mistakes that could be costly to them, their colleagues and their surroundings. Strikes at ports by workers disgruntled with their pay and welfare can hold up ships and cargos and cause adverse chain effects along the trade supply chain, businesses and economies.
In a fast-paced sector such as the maritime transport, the wage structure and remuneration must be up to speed with its development in order to attract the “best brains” into the sector.
As assets such as ships, port equipment, technologies and systems get more complex and as demand for maritime transport grows in sophistication, demand for skilled, welltrained, innovative and creative workforce has increased in tandem.
The decline in trade and demand for maritime-related services should not deter employees in the sector to invest in people. Those which are quick to retrench their staff during the bad times could regret their decision when the global trade and economy rebound and demand for maritime-related services picks up again.
Previous economic downturns in the maritime sector have proven that companies which retain their workforce and take the opportunity during the lull in seaborne trade to retrain and upgrade the skills of their workers would stand to gain when the market turns around.
It could prove just as expensive for companies which retrench their workers during bad times to recruit and train personnel when trade and demand for maritime services pick up again.
Amid rising competition among nations to attract shipping lines to their ports and to lure more trade and investments, nations with skilled and innovative workforce can have the edge over those which can merely offer cheap and abundant labour. With such a workforce, Malaysia can brand and differentiate itself from other so-called “maritime nations” in terms of nurturing and attracting talent.
People are the backbone of the maritime supply chain and make global trade possible. For sure, businesses want to reduce operation cost amid these trying times and utilise their resources optimally. However, they must not loose sight of the need to protect the safety, security and welfare of their employees to enable them to perform their tasks to the best of their abilities and to ensure seaborne trade can be carried out smoothly.
To be sure, the maritime sector is a global one hence it features a highlymobile workforce that are ready, willing and able to work anywhere.
Take shipping for example; there are seafarers from various nationalities working onboard Malaysia-flagged ships and likewise, there are Malaysians working for foreign shipping companies worldwide.
Nevertheless, it would be desirable for Malaysia to nurture homegrown talents to “feed” the local maritime sector.
An industry which can offer attractive remuneration and job satisfaction will attract the best brains. More Malaysians will be attracted to work in the maritime sector if it can offer such an environment. Also, the Malaysian diaspora worldwide working in maritime-related fields may find it attractive to return home and serve the local maritime sector.
However, it is not just about the money. Workers in the maritime sector must also enjoy professional and personal growth to make them want to remain in the sector and for the sector to attract talents. Any impediment or element that contributes to poor working conditions in the maritime sector – including archaic rules and regulations, unsafe and unhealthy working environment and dim prospect for career advancement – must be removed to retain and attract talents in the sector.
In addition, a high quality education and training system must be put in place to prepare workers to serve the sector efficiently and to keep them on top of their game and match the sophisticated demands of the industry.
A well-paid, well-educated, welltrained, well-taken care of and highly motivated workforce is needed to enable Malaysia’s maritime sector to reach greater heights.