Training as an enabler. Interview with Raal Harris, Chief Creative Officer, OTG & OneOcean

by Alexa Ivy

The future won't handle itself, so to speak. Alternative fuels are akin to conventional bunkers in that they need to be handled – properly and safely. To do so, seafarers have to gain new skills, as the old way of doing things isn't transferable to taking care of new-to-maritime energy molecules. We are talking with Raal Harris about how to start training for alternative fuels, the biggest challenges (and one false friend) here, the changing learning landscape, and what it will mean to be a seafarer of the future. We are also putting the spotlight on the wider societal benefits of transitioning to green bunkers, something that might help attract new talent to the fit-for-green-future shipping pool.

‚As the world looks to reduce its dependency on heavy bunker fuels in favour of cleaner new ones such as LNG, ammonia, hydrogen, and methanol, how prepared is the global maritime workforce for working with these new fuels?

We have a pool of 1.8 million seafarers trained to work with heavy-fuel oil ships. That is the reality of the global fleet, where there are currently relatively few vessels using alternative fuels. Those seafarers learn about working on heavy fuel oil vessels in their basic training, whether they're engineers or navigators. As such, the global workforce at the moment is not prepared for alternative fuels - and it will take a great deal of effort and time to transition them to a multi-fuel future.

The good news is that we still have time, but that window is closing. We look at the order book and the vessels that are coming along, and we know what needs to happen by 2030 and certainly by the middle of the century.

‚What are some of the biggest challenges in preparing seafarers for alternative fuels?

The first big one involves setting training standards, while the second is the provision of education at scale. We need standards for working with these fuels; that’s one of the foundational things before training can even happen. The Maritime Just Transition Task Force recently published a standards framework for ammonia, hydrogen, and methanol, so that’s a start. LNG is in a different place because it has been used as fuel for quite a long while: developed training standards and course curriculums are already there. That is one reason why LNG is potentially both an attractive fuel from a transition point of view and also a bit of a blueprint for how we approach other fuels. Since the majority of maritime education and training (METI) is face-to-face, not having enough people to teach these subjects is another big challenge that we foresee, and we have seen that with LNG already. There just aren't enough people who've worked with alternative fuels that are available to the METI community. That is why the old model of the seafarer of yesterday training the seafarer of tomorrow is coming under such strain. An additional factor is that once people have experience working with cutting-edge green fuels, they will have capital that will make them attractive beyond maritime. These are fast becoming premium knowledge areas, and we may find that it is difficult to compete.

‚In what ways has it been helpful for seafarers to have worked with LNG or ammonia as cargo? Will that help them transition to working on vessels where that's the fuel?

There is a misconception there. In language teaching, we would call it a false friend. There are huge differences. Cargo tanks are not working spaces, whereas an engine room is one. You are bringing highly toxic fuel into a working space where people are doing their job as opposed to an isolated cargo situation. Interview

‚What is the process of beginning to create an infrastructure for training seafarers to work with alternative fuels?

You start with a needs analysis, meaning what is it that people need to understand to be able to work safely with this fuel? That leads you through to what standards the training has to cover, which then indicates the curriculum. From that point, you can think about how you will be delivering the course: at a training college or through e-learning, for example. You also need simulators to be made for the different types of fuel. Also, there needs to be agreement around requirements for how much sea time is needed working on specific vessels and particular operations to achieve certifications. Implementing the process can become logistically very difficult.

‚How long will it take for a seafarer to feel confident working with an alternative fuel?

Anything with complexity takes quite a while, and it’s certainly hard to gauge confidence, but there are interesting studies around how seafarers are feeling about new fuels. On the plus side, they feel like pioneers of a new decarbonised future. However, on the negative side, seafarers find themselves in the role of lab guinea pigs.

It is important to be transparent about what we know and what we don't know - and how we arrive at control measures. The longer the new vessels are in operation, and we start seeing that safety measures work, then that in itself is helpful, but we need to be transparent. Seafarers will feel confident if they see safety measures working.

‚How is the advent of new fuels affecting worries about the crewing talent pipeline?

The new fuels are complicating this issue because it is going to be hard to train people and get them up to speed in the right timeframe. It will potentially fragment who can work where. There is room for optimism, though. Maritime can offer an exciting story for young people who often have environmental concerns foremost on their minds. Think about the fact that in some of the big countries that supply seafarers, like the Philippines and India, there is genuine concern about climate change among the young people there. The idea that maritime is becoming a greener industry is compelling. It is also an industry that is powering the transition because green fuels will need to be moved around the world. Shipping will have a very big part to play, and telling that story might encourage young people to come into the maritime industry.

‚Various studies show that as much as 90% of all incidents can be traced back to human error. What tools are available to help vessel operators enhance crew competence across their fleets?

I think we need to look at the overall human element rather than just human errors. I like that organisations, such as the Oil Companies International Marine Forum, have moved to use the term "human factors" over "human element." It is a subtle distinction that comes from appreciating there are things that affect the human ability to make good decisions and to do things well. So, the processes and ergonomics of how working spaces are designed come into play. Where these factors cannot be improved, they need to be mitigated. Competency management helps address this by trying to codify the key proficiencies a crew needs to undertake certain roles - and then looking at how to map those skills and consistently evaluate them. It is super helpful that the behavioural dimension is being added to competency management. It is not just about technical knowledge but also about building skills around communication and leadership and, likewise, how they contribute to the mix.

The other thing that’s happening is capturing more of what’s going on by using data and then mapping data points to be able to see specific performance elements. It is interesting to look at near misses, for example. We can look at some patterns that are emerging and see where we might need to strengthen knowledge and core skills.

‚What trends surrounding training are you seeing in the maritime industry, and which do you hope will have staying power?

OTG has quite a large percentage of the global fleet, and we can see what training people are prioritising; they do clearly indicate that soft skills training is on the rise. There is also an emphasis on making training as accessible as possible and using dead time, for example, when seafarers are transiting in airports. We see that happening with the use of our mobile app, where seafarers can download content onto their phones and come back to it later, even if they don't have connectivity. Instead of having to go into a training centre and sacrifice time at home with family, they can access the training digitally wherever they are, and the records can be centrally collated.

‚What is the most important quality for a seafarer entering the industry today, from your viewpoint?

Resilience may be an overused word, but it’s the quality that really comes to the fore. Seafarers have always been incredibly resilient people, able to withstand privations that a lot of us wouldn't. They have always been adventurous, too.

I think what we will see coming through in the seafarer of the future is critical thinking, problem-solving, and a willingness to take responsibility for their own education and training throughout their career. They are already able to source information on their own, and we see that in our OTG training library. For them to take a proactive approach and take responsibility for their training, we need them to believe that training is an enabler to being a better professional and can help them further their career.

Looking at a multi-fuel future, seafarers will continue to become more and more employable with each bit of additional learning they pursue.

//

As Chief Creative Officer of Ocean Technologies Group and OneOcean, Raal Harris is dedicated to creating innovative digital solutions for the maritime industry, including training programmes, competency management systems, and human capital management solutions. His extensive maritime background includes 15 years producing maritime e-learning content and software solutions at Videotel and university lectureships in the design of interaction, information product, and computer games. An active participant in the maritime industry, Harris was recently elected Vice President of InterManager, the international association for the ship management sector.