One thing we can say of the shipping recruiter Faststream headquartered in Southampton, UK: it has its ears close to the ground and knows where the wind blows when it comes to marine jobs. This week it issued a warning that the LNG newbuilding spree could make it more difficult for shipowners to find experienced superintendents to run these vessels, particularly in Europe. So what’s likely to happen in the months and years ahead in this specialised shipping sector?
Faststream group chairman Mark Charman has this to say: ‘With the capacity of the LNG market said to rise from 300 bn cu m to 380 bn cu m by 2015, I believe that shipowners are going to be hard pressed to find the right people to manage these complex vessels. This has always been a specialist market, but the latest DFDE LNG vessels are equipped with electric engines and using propulsion systems which have not been around for long, so finding experienced LNG people to run these vessels is going to be a real challenge.’
‘Seafarers serving on LNG vessels are amongst the most highly paid in the shipping industry,’ adds Mr Charman, ‘and luring them ashore has always been difficult. In the UK, the impact of the immigration cap has meant that importing experienced superintendents from outside Europe is no longer an option and the problem is only going to get worse.’
There’s an upside to the trend. Faststream points out that many LNG tanker owners are now recruiting people with general tanker experience. It says the average salary of LNG shore-based staff is at least 10% higher than for tanker staff, with LNG technical superintendents earning £62-65K per annum. That’s about USD100,600 at least – more than enough for us to enjoy the finest coffee on the planet for the rest of our earthly existence. ~Barista Uno
