ISS 2008 to address manning crisis

Mumbai: India's theme of the year for National Maritime Day 2008 was 'Solving the manning crisis in the maritime industry'. At the fourth annual India Shipping Summit, which will run from 29 September - 1 October at Grand Hyatt Mumbai, a special session will be devoted to examining and resolving this crisis.

Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Shipping Federation, Mr Tony Mason, will join other speakers including V.Ships India's MD, Captain Rajesh Tandon, to ask why Indian shipowners are facing crew shortages in a country which has over one billion inhabitants.

It has been suggested that educated Indians, like their counterparts in other countries, are simply no longer interested in lonely 'floating' jobs, going instead for IT or corporate positions - often for lower starting salaries. If this is the case, the Summit will determine if careers at sea can be made attractive again - and if so, how?

The number and variety of opportunities for maritime training and education in India will be discussed, as will the pros and cons of outsourcing versus recruiting and training in-house.

The implications of all these issues for global shipping will be the spotlight at the Summit, as will other hot topics such as India's future as a global maritime player, delivering world-class infrastructure to the nation, the voice of the charterer, offshore oil and gas developments and energy transportation, maritime technology in a changing regulatory environment, and the future of shipbuilding in India.

Speakers and panelists from Europe, China, South East Asia, the Middle East, India and elsewhere, will be in Mumbai for the Summit. Delegate numbers this year could also top all previous records with close to 1,000 senior executives anticipated.

The Summit will also host India's most prestigious independent shipping awards.

For more details go to www.indiashippingsummit.com [25/7/08]

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