Executive Notes:
Peter Hult—Global Maritime Forum 2021—Reflections on a Revolution
Thank you to the Global Maritime Forum team, contributors, global representatives, and truly remarkable thought leaders for several extraordinary days in London in late October.
The mission was clear: work together on collaborative solutions for shipping decarbonization, improving workforce wellbeing and diversity, and templating partnership structures to work with governments. In essence, examine ESG—Environmental, Social and Governance—implications with accelerated plans of action.
As often happens, we participants experienced an evolution—a revolution, really—as the days progressed. Clearly the mandate for the shipping industry is to lead the industrial world out of global warming. Integral to this noble effort, the protection of seafarers is critical to global value chains. The human rights of seafarers, their physical and mental wellbeing are critically important to long-term stability and the industry’s ability to attract and retain workforce.
Robert Courts, UK Minister for Aviation, Maritime & Security linked these two most pressing issues in his remarks: “This clean and green future for the industry is going to need to be delivered by a skilled, dedicated and diverse workforce. The industry is growing and changing. We need to ensure that we are drawing from the full talent pool because we have the people, and we have to make sure we have the skills we need as well.”
VIKAND is honored to have had a seat at GMF and welcomes all opportunities to discuss our philosophy and our solutions.
For further thoughts from VIKAND on seafarer human sustainability, please refer to our insight article published by GMF on 14 October in advance of the summit. On behalf of all VIKAND’s team members, we are honored to have been included in offering our collective insight. Global Maritime Forum Invest in Seafarers Health for Human Sustainability and Increased Operational Efficiencies
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VIKAND Fosters Culture of Care for the Maritime Industry
Over the past year and a half, as an industry, we have all borne witness to the heroic efforts of every seafarer, onshore professional, company, maritime organization, and regulatory body to keep commerce buoyant and responsive to our constituents while maintaining a focus of safety and care. Our industry responsiveness is to be applauded and sets the mandate for establishing seafarer sustainability for the future. – Peter Hult, VIKAND CEO
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Public Health Recommendations for Cruise Lines’ Return to Service
The COVID-19 pandemic has been the largest crisis faced by the cruise industry. Eighteen months later, and with requirements for resuming business stricter than in other transportation sectors, the gradual resumption of operations is finally underway in most regions. Return to service, however, hasn’t been entirely smooth. In this article, we look at key recommendations for vessel operators that are based on recent scientific studies regarding the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its emerging variants.
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Collaboration:
We Are One Cruise Industry
VIKAND is honored to have convened the We Are One Cruise Industry: Standardising Health & Hygiene Cruise Conversation for the Cruise Ship Hospitality Expo in Miami.
Moderated by Marcel Kind (Simwave), panelists included Captain Patrik Dahlgren (Royal Caribbean Group), James Mitchell (Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings), and Paul Morgan (VIKAND). Their discussion centered on creating a safe and healthy environment on board and its critical role in both guest and crew confidence. Underpinning all protocols for public health is the need for the industry to continue to better standardize its measures and use language crew can understand.
In their discussion, all established absolute agreement and unification on the critical need for robust public health protocols onboard and the way forward. Key take-aways from the discussion include…
- A strong public health culture is essential to protect the health and safety of guests, crew, and the destinations the ships visit.
- Public health innovations are needed for, and benefit, both passengers and crew.
- To be effective, public health procedures must use simple and clear wording with a structure that allows onboard management to clearly identify which rules apply to their departments.
- Health screening before boarding has indeed evolved and is the first line of defense to keep infections from getting on board.
- Crew training needs to be focused; it is a necessity to ensure protocols are effectively implemented.
- Air purification and sanitation have improved greatly since pre-COVID.
Paul Morgan, VIKAND’s Vice President of Compliance & Quality Assurance, comments, “Even though there are differences between regions and countries for health and hygiene regulations, the basic requirements are remarkably similar. All cruise lines need to adopt their applicable statutory regulations and then apply sensible additional requirements to go above and beyond as applicable to their operations to reduce on board risk.”
See You There...
Seatrade Maritime Middle East
13-15 December, Dubai
Join us to discuss our healthcare solutions and our culture of care focus, benefitting seafarers in the commercial maritime industry
Seatrade Maritime Middle East
Nor-Shipping 2022
10-13 January 2022, Oslo
Join us for conversations about seafarer human sustainability at this internationally heralded event that builds industry collaboration
Nor-Shipping
In the News
Collaboration is the Backbone of the Modern Shipping Workplace
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Invest in Seafarers Health for Human Sustainability and Increased Operational Efficiencies
Robust and proactive healthcare and public health solutions benefit maritime operators and their employees. The pandemic has highlighted deficiencies in seafarer health programs, while also pointing to new technology as an important enabler of better healthcare decision-making to improve human sustainability.
Vikand Fosters Culture of Care
To manage the healthcare challenges of the maritime industry during the era of COVID-19, #vikand Medical Solutions, LLC—the global maritime medical operations and public #health provider—continues to expand and adapt its organizational structure and philosophy of #corporate responsibility. Both are critical to seafarer welfare.
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Vikand Organizational Moves Support Maritime Medical Solutions
Holly Love was named VP medical operations for Vikand’s commercial shipping and yacht practice while Bec Ware was promoted from director to VP medical operations and Amy White from manager to director medical operations, both for Vikand’s cruise practice. This came as Vikand continued to expand and adapt its organizational structure to support maritime medical solutions.
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Establish First Class Public Health Standards Onboard
Experience the VIKAND standard when it comes to public health. Our comprehensive service has been thoughtfully crafted by our public health experts to address everything from food safety to communicable disease prevention and control.
Learn more about how our public health service can keep those onboard safe and healthy throughout their voyage.
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