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Article
Publication date: 24 September 2020

Pengfei Zhang, Lijun Zhao, Olga Vata and Sriram Rajagopal

This paper aims to examine three of the major issues relating to the welfare of seafarers, including wages, social security benefits and onboard and ashore welfare facilities and

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine three of the major issues relating to the welfare of seafarers, including wages, social security benefits and onboard and ashore welfare facilities and services. It is impossible to research all countries here, so this paper selects Greece – which is one of today’s primary shipping countries as for shipowning, as well as for global supply and demand for seafarers – to conduct an empirical case study.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the existing knowledge and scholarship, and primary data collected in several phases of fieldwork, this paper intends to critically examine three major issues relating to the welfare for Greek seafarers, namely, wages, social security benefits and onboard and ashore welfare facilities and services.

Findings

This paper finds that they face poor labour conditions, which are getting worse due to the depressed world and Greek economies and intense financial pressures on shipping companies. The entry into force of the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 has a significant impact on the world maritime industry.

Research limitations/implications

This paper critically examines the three major issues relating to the welfare of Greek seafarers.

Originality/value

Such issues, which Greece is facing are also common in other countries, so the findings and suggestions revealed from this paper are of importance for the global shipping industry and other states.

Details

Maritime Business Review, vol. 5 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2397-3757

Keywords

Content available
Article
Publication date: 15 March 2017

Chaur-Luh Tsai and Yan-Wei Liou

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the aims of discovering the problems existing in the seafarer recruitment management system and of finding out an efficiency recruitment…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the aims of discovering the problems existing in the seafarer recruitment management system and of finding out an efficiency recruitment system for shipping companies to retain skillful seafarers continue serving in their companies.

Design/methodology/approach

This study interviewed with the senior managers of shipping companies to clarify the seafarers’ problems they have encountered and conducted questionnaire survey to collect the seafarers’ perceptions for further analysis. Exploratory factor analysis and multi-regression analysis were applied for the data analysis.

Findings

There were four primary dimensions relating to seafarers’ management, namely, work attitude, loyalty, payment and welfare and opportunity. The results revealed that dimensions of payment and welfare and opportunity were significantly positive effect on seafarers’ loyalty; only the dimension of payment and welfare was found to significantly effect on the work attitude. However, these four dimensions were all found a positive effect on the work performance as well.

Research limitations/implications

The results of cross-section research cannot fit all economic fluctuation conditions.

Practical implications

The ship owners and the operators should consider both the environmental motivation and the hygiene factor to establish a proper seafarers’ recruitment management system to retain seafarers and lead to better performance of the seafarers. The study findings also suggest the shipping company should pay attention to hire local seafarers, i.e. seafarers from the place where the company is based, as those local seafarers might have more work commitment than seafarers from other countries.

Originality/value

The findings of the study show that welfare and opportunity is the most important factor on loyalty, while it also exerts significant effect on work attitude and work performance. The results suggest that the motivation and performance are not merely dependent upon environmental needs (payment). The findings provide evidences of the importance of non-monetary remuneration within the seafarers’ recruitment management system.

Details

Maritime Business Review, vol. 2 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2397-3757

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 7 November 2022

Iris Lavalle Acejo and Luisito Cagandahan Abueg

Based on reflections of the issues encountered from ethnographic studies aboard ocean-going merchant ships and a seafaring community in the Philippines, pressure points on…

Abstract

Based on reflections of the issues encountered from ethnographic studies aboard ocean-going merchant ships and a seafaring community in the Philippines, pressure points on seafarers' lives that situate them in a precarious situation are explored. Due to the pandemic, the decline in total remittances was due to a huge fall in sea-based remittances of about 81% in 2020. The widespread loss of jobs has magnified vulnerabilities in the seafaring sector. The emergent exploration of worker vulnerability in cruise tourism industry is useful in identifying the necessary support for cruise workers to mitigate the long-term undesired effects of the pandemic. The fieldwork also reveals that the demand placed upon seafarers' daily and organizational lives are gendered. Women and men are differently constituted in the shipping and tourism industries which affect work opportunities and family values. The chapter aims to contribute to the discussion on inclusivity vis-a-vis the recovery plan of destination tourism by underlining the gender dynamics in cruise tourism, as it aligns with the general roadmap of growth for Southeast Asian cruise tourism program. We show that the transnational nature of cruise tourism on both labour and employment is interlinked with destination tourism, and the gender dynamics identified and reviewed will help identify and further promote inclusivity in the regional recovery tourism plan.

Details

The Emerald Handbook of Destination Recovery in Tourism and Hospitality
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80262-073-3

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 17 October 2022

Momoko Kitada

Awareness of gender perspectives in the maritime sector has been growing in recent years. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the World Maritime Day 2019 theme

Abstract

Awareness of gender perspectives in the maritime sector has been growing in recent years. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the World Maritime Day 2019 theme of ‘empowering women in the maritime community’, inspiring maritime stakeholders to respond to this global initiative. The maritime sector has been traditionally characterised as male-dominated and women represented only 1.28 per cent of the total seafaring population in 2021. The majority of women seafarers work in catering and hotel sections on cruise ships and ferries, where women are stereotypically considered to be more suited than working in technical and operational sections on board ships. Despite the political and legal will to promote women in the maritime sector, this figure has not changed over the last 30 years. This chapter provides an overview of gender ratios in various maritime jobs which are based at sea, in ports, and on shore. The chapter also offers an account of how various barriers impede the attraction, recruitment and retention, and leadership of women in the maritime sector. Women working in the maritime sector may face sexual harassment and discrimination at training as well as in the workplace. Some shipping companies are hesitant to employ women as they perceive women as risk factors in a man’s world. In addition to cultural and legal barriers, there are structural barriers that de-value women as human capital through unequal investment and training opportunities. The chapter discusses the future of the maritime sector, in relation to automation, smart and green shipping, digitalisation and energy efficiency, and the challenges and opportunities this presents for women. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the sector and its workers. In order to build a transformative and resilient maritime industry, gender equality is the key to driving success in this transition and it is necessary to mainstream gender in every step of designing and implementing new processes for the future maritime sector.

Content available
Article
Publication date: 21 April 2020

Feng-Ming Tsai and Tat-Dat Bui

This study aims to examine a hierarchical framework for sustainable consumption (SC) for cruise ships and identify the causal relationships and decisive attributes of cruise ship…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine a hierarchical framework for sustainable consumption (SC) for cruise ships and identify the causal relationships and decisive attributes of cruise ship operation practices that allow cruise organizations to achieve a higher level of sustainable performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies a hybrid of the Delphi method and a fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL). DEMATEL methodology helps to construct complex causal relations through digraphs, which depict interrelationships among attributes. The fuzzy set theory assesses experts’ perceptions of attributes given in linguistic preferences. The Delphi method has been previously used to validate attributes and determine the validity and reliability of the construct from qualitative information.

Findings

A set of three aspects containing 21 criteria were defined based on previous literature and expert consultations. The analysis results show that waste minimization and recycling and recovery are causal aspects that influence efficient resource use. Emission controls on ships, cruise ship alternative energy sources, ballast water treatment systems, water purification systems and nanofiltration systems are also prominent criteria for the improvement of SC during cruise ship operation.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by offering a hierarchical framework for SC literature and confirming the role of this issue in improving the cruise industry sustainability. In practice, as such results provide key attributes for successful performance, the implications are offered for companies developing new activities, either in ensuring compliance with business goals or in decreasing the environmental impact.

Article
Publication date: 20 October 2022

Md. Kamal Uddin, Mohammad Nur Nobi and ANM Moinul Islam

The shipbreaking sector in Bangladesh has spurred extensive academic and policy debates on relations between shipbreaking industries, environmental degradation and the health…

Abstract

Purpose

The shipbreaking sector in Bangladesh has spurred extensive academic and policy debates on relations between shipbreaking industries, environmental degradation and the health security of their workers. As shipbreaking is an economically significant industry in Bangladesh, it needs to implement both domestic and global mechanisms for environmental conservation and the protection of the labourers’ health from environmental risks. The purpose of this paper is to primarily explore the environmental and health security issues in shipbreaking activities in Bangladesh. It also identifies the challenges in implementing the rules and regulations for protecting the health of the workers at shipbreaking yards in Bangladesh and preserving the marine environment.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a qualitative paper based on secondary materials, including journal articles, books and national and international reports. It critically reviews the existing literature, rules, regulations and policing on shipbreaking with a particular focus on the environment and health security of the workers.

Findings

This paper finds that the implementation of the rules and regulations in shipbreaking in Bangladesh is complicated because of weak implementation mechanisms, political and economic interests of the yard owners, lack of coordination among different agencies, lack of adequate training and awareness among the workers and workers’ poor economic condition, which contribute to the degradation of marine and local environments and trigger health hazards among the workers. Therefore, degrading the environment and undermining occupational health and safety regulations have become regular; thus, accidental death and injury to the workers are common in this sector.

Originality/value

This paper is an important study on the issues of workers' health and safety and environmental hazards in the shipyard. It reports how the health security of the workers in shipbreaking yards in Bangladesh is vulnerable, and environmental rules are challenged. Finally, this paper frames some policy implications to safeguard the workers’ health rights and the marine environment.

Details

International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-4902

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 December 2019

Polina Baum-Talmor

The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the complexities associated with the trust-building process between participants and researcher in the context of a precarious work…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the complexities associated with the trust-building process between participants and researcher in the context of a precarious work environment. Specifically, the paper seeks to discuss issues arising from the power dynamics, mistrust and tensions between different stakeholders in the research (i.e. employers, employees and the researcher), and the implications of such relationships for establishing rapport and trust with research participants.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses the case of the shipping industry and is based upon findings from two research projects. One project examined similarities and differences between the merchant vessel and Goffman’s theoretical conceptualisation of “total institutions” (Goffman, 1961); the other focused on the increasing flexibility of labour in the global labour market, using the case of shipping. Both projects incorporated ethnographic research methods which included three voyages on board merchant vessels, as well as interviews and informal conversations with over 100 participants.

Findings

The researcher encountered several obstacles throughout the projects, many of which related to the access to the restricted workplace setting of a cargo ship. However, this paper is based on her positioning in the field after permission to access the ship had been granted by the shipping company. It was often challenging to overcome participants’ suspicions of the researcher as being sent by the company to spy on them. The researcher generally managed to overcome such suspicions in the course of her fieldwork by building relationships with participants over time. Nevertheless, these relationships were influenced by the complex power dynamics amongst the different stakeholders in the field. The challenges encountered in the field sites suggest that researchers should be open and fluid in the ways they present themselves in the field. The findings potentially offer useful insights for novice researchers whose research focuses on workplace settings characterised by precariousness of employment and for those conducting shipboard research.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this paper lies within its ability to shed light on the often-delicate relationships between different stakeholders in a research project, and the influence of these relationships on a researcher’s continuous access to the field. The experiences described in this paper are based on the global shipping industry, but they are also relevant to other closed, isolated and/or restricted research settings. Specifically, experiences described in this paper are similar to those of researchers studying “closed” research environments that are not accessible to the general public; this is particularly the case where a hierarchical work structure controls to some extent the roles played by different stakeholders within the precarious work environment, potentially influencing the way someone from outside the workplace approaches it. These include, for example, government owned establishments such as prisons, mental hospitals as well as privately owned closed business organisations.

Details

Journal of Organizational Ethnography, vol. 9 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-6749

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 24 November 2016

Mere Berryman and John Tait

This chapter begins with a traditional, cultural story of indigenous leadership from a young woman of the Ngāti Awa tribe in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. Some would say her…

Abstract

This chapter begins with a traditional, cultural story of indigenous leadership from a young woman of the Ngāti Awa tribe in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. Some would say her acts of leadership went against the traditional gender roles in order to ensure the safety of her people. Others would say she demonstrated the cultural duality between male and female leadership roles. We consider this story within the context of the ongoing marginalization and educational disparities faced by disproportionate numbers of indigenous Māori students in New Zealand’s secondary schools. If these students are to take their rightful place as successful and valuable contributors to society then education, as it is currently constituted, must be reimagined, reled, and reformed. We explore the pathway of critical, transformative leadership being undertaken by both Māori and non-Māori; by female and male; that is currently seeking to address the aspirations of Māori students in these schools. Such a model seeks to create “critical” spaces where the “creative potential” and diverse funds of cultural knowledge that Māori students bring with them to schooling can contribute to leading to more transformative educational reform.

Details

Racially and Ethnically Diverse Women Leading Education: A Worldview
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78635-071-8

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 11 May 2012

Kevin Cullinane

Purpose – The shipping industry is generally recognised as having better fuel efficiency than other transport modes. In many regions of the world, therefore, policy has promoted…

Abstract

Purpose – The shipping industry is generally recognised as having better fuel efficiency than other transport modes. In many regions of the world, therefore, policy has promoted shipping as the preferred freight transport mode of choice. In recent years, however, environmental problems associated with shipping have emerged. Several influential analyses have revealed the impact of shipping on air quality, particularly in the form of emissions of sulphur, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, all of which have adverse consequences for human health.

Methodology/approach – An extensive environmental profile of shipping is provided, focusing specifically on the atmospheric pollution that is directly attributable to shipping operations.

Findings – It is important, however, to place the environmental profile of the shipping industry into the context of exactly how much transport work it does. This makes it clear that where shipping is a viable modal alternative then, in relative terms and most contexts, it still retains significant environmental advantages over other modes. The industry and its regulators have been slow, however, to improve its environmental profile and maintain its inherent advantage. Technical and operational measures which the industry may implement unilaterally are analysed, but these are deemed insufficient to stem the adverse tide of environmental concerns. Regulation is a necessity. Recently implemented regulatory measures are analysed, together with possible scenarios for the future regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. The IMO approach of global regulation is supported in preference to regionally based regulatory policies. There is also a danger that regulatory intervention may distort mode choice contexts.

Originality/value – The provision of an extensive environmental profile of shipping and an examination of this profile in relation to the importance of this transport mode to the global economy.

Details

Transport and Climate Change
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78052-440-5

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 September 2017

George M. Cairns

This paper aims to revisit the author’s 2007 “Postcard from Chittagong” to reprise the past decade of activity related to the ship breaking industry of Bangladesh.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to revisit the author’s 2007 “Postcard from Chittagong” to reprise the past decade of activity related to the ship breaking industry of Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on content analysis of global and local source documentation. This includes academic works, research reports from non-governmental organizations and general and specialist media reports.

Findings

Over the past decade, there have been a number of international initiatives that seek to control the disposal and dismantling of redundant ships. However, based on evidence of ongoing environmental and health impacts in Bangladesh, the effectiveness of these is questioned.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is intended to prompt debate on the ship breaking industry in Bangladesh and on the nature of global supply chains and logistics in the consumption society.

Originality/value

The paper revisits and updates a 2007 study that has been referred to and cited in a range of outlets. It is intended to continue and enhance discussion.

Details

critical perspectives on international business, vol. 13 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1742-2043

Keywords

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