IRI Manila team with (front L-R): Allan Cabantog, Seafarers’ Documentation Manager, Capt. Robert Fay, SVP-Maritime Operations and Leo Bolivar, Country Manager
International Registries, Inc. and its affiliates (IRI) joined more than 600 crewing professionals at CrewConnect Global last week (5-7 November) in Manilla, the Philippines, to discuss global manpower issues for the shipping industry.
Capt. Robert Fay, IRI’s Senior Vice President, Maritime Operations, joined a panel looking at a wide range of issues impacting crewing. The debate centred on the pressing need to modernize current International Maritime Organization (IMO) conventions and regulations to meet the requirements of the ships of the future. Earlier this year, the IMO established a correspondence group on autonomous shipping, with the group expected to report back to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) 100 in early December.
Also on the conference agenda was discussion on gender in shipping and the need for increased diversification to meet future crewing demands especially in the passenger ship sector.
The need to attract more women into the shipping industry was underlined by Captain Maria Javellina who spoke at the conference. Captain Javellina is the first Filipina to command a Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) registered ship. She told the attendees, which included senior shipowner representatives, of her belief that the industry needs to encourage and recruit more women as merchant marine officers.
With a growing awareness of mental health issues in the maritime industry, finding ways to recognize seafarer depression and prevent suicides and serious accidents was also discussed at length during the conference.
IRI is a sponsor of the CrewConnect Global event, which is a leading three-day conference for marine human resources professionals.
Drinks Reception at the Crew Connect Global 2018, (L-R): Chona Villanos, President, Klaveness Shore Services Inc., Judith Jarabelo, General Manager, Klaveness Maritime Agency, Inc., Faith Joy Adelantar, Owner’s Rep. – Damen Marine Services, Capt. Robert Fay, SVP-Maritime Operations, IRI, Atty. Daphne Ruby Grasparil, Partner, Veralaw, Leo Bolivar, Country Manager, IRI Manila and Jessie Pana, Recruitment Manager, Wagenborg Manila, Inc.
