Gym Marine is committed to improving crew welfare in the maritime industry. For those companies who have chosen to adopt a holistic approach to the welfare of their crews (as recommended by international regulatory bodies), our products and services go a long way to not only helping our maritime customers meet established guidelines but also improve productivity and make significant cost savings.
- The Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 or MLC, 2006 is an international labour Convention adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO). The convention establishes minimum working and living standards for all seafarers working on ships flying the flags of ratifying countries. These countries currently represent more than 50 per cent of the world’s seafarers and more than three quarters of the world’s gross tonnage of ships.
- The Convention is comprehensive and sets out seafarers’ rights to decent working conditions. It covers almost every aspect of their work and life on board including making provision for recreational facilities on board.
- With more and more flag states ratifying the convention, Gym Marine has built up considerable experience assisting shipping companies by providing exercise equipment and support to their facilities and fleets as recommended by the Convention in Guideline B3.1.11 – 4.(d).
- International Maritime Organization (IMO) statistics reveal that 80% of accidents on cargo vessels are caused by human error. Fatigue, resulting in impaired performance and diminished alertness, is widely perceived to be a key contributing factor to the majority of marine casualties.
- Numerous research studies show that the potential for fatigue at sea is high due to the difficult working conditions of life at sea, including separation from family and friends, unusual working hours and harsh environmental conditions.
- To assist in the development of a marine safety culture by addressing the issue of fatigue, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has developed practical guidance to assist interested parties to better understand, measure, and manage the issue. Regular exercise is cited recurrently as one of the best ways to mitigate the effects of fatigue.
- As well as meeting these international regulatory recommendations, by investing in crew welfare, shipping companies stand to benefit in many other ways.
- Research has proven that a crew’s health plays a vital role in operational productivity and efficiency. A fit and healthy crew is a safe and productive crew.
- Companies can also expect to make substantial cost savings by reviewing and upgrading their crew welfare policies to incorporate enhanced health and fitness provision. Costs relating to rescue operations, unintended disembarkation due to health reasons, hospitalization abroad, repatriation, death at sea, loss of skilled workers, retraining and of course insurance premiums can all be reduced with the right crew welfare strategy.
- A comprehensive crew welfare approach will compliment a ship’s existing corporate responsibility programme and, when integrated correctly, can even extend the working careers of seafarers.
- At Gym Marine, we take a consultative approach. Working within designated budgets, we help our customers to implement the right health and fitness solutions for the unique circumstances of their crews, helping them develop a stronger, safer, more cost-effective workforce.
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