An enquiry into the importance of soft skills for shipping operations with regard to Oil Companies International Marine Forum’s (OCIMF) Tanker Management Self-assessment (TMSA) programme for tanker ship management companies and the implementation of soft skill-related practices to their Safety Management System (SMS)

Abstract

This thesis is a study of the importance of soft skills in terms of promoting a safer and more efficient work environment regarding shipping operations, both onboard and onshore. This paper investigates the importance of the human element in shipping and reviews the penetration of behavioural management practices – pertaining to the adoption of soft skill-oriented processes – in the safety and quality management systems of ship management companies and suggests paths toward regulatory compliance and best practices for the future. In the first chapter of the dissertation, the regulatory framework within which shipmanagement companies are required to operate is presented. In identifying the pieces of legislation that underpin modern ship management, light is cast upon key international conventions including, inter alia, the four pillars of ship management, i.e., SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW and MLC. Furthermore, mention is made to those regulatory bodies directly involved in tanker ship management. The above will serve in introducing TMSA into the thesis. Having considered the regulatory scheme, the second chapter gives a definition of what soft skills entail. The analysis aims at establishing how to successfully manage interpersonal relationships and getting one’s message across. Therefore, it is argued that on-the-job interplay in a modern workplace environment is the driving factor behind business outcomes. In that regard, it is also argued that a workforce instilled with solid knowledge of soft skills leads to tangible results that are echoed in an organisation’s productivity, revenues, and overall profitability. Building upon the state of practice concerning the adaptation of soft skills in other industries, soft skills in shipping operations are them examined, namely the nature of soft skills required for onboard and onshore operations. Tying with the aforementioned regulatory framework they way soft skills manifest in legislation relevant to shipping operations is also discussed.The third chapter of the dissertation introduces and discusses the OCIMF’s paper on the Behavioural Competency Assessment and Verification for Vessel Operators. It discusses the necessary actions that a tanker ship management company should undertake to achieve compliance with TMSA 3 standards and adopt industry’s best practices, again with the vantage point being the adoption and implementation of soft skill-related practices as manifested in a company’s safety and quality management system, including the ISM Code. The fourth chapter is heavily influenced by OCIMF’s report and relies heavily on the work material and issues discussed in the previous chapters. Here, focus lies on explaining the possible ways that a shipmanagement company can build a behavioural competency framework in the context of its safety and quality protocols. This TMSA 3- and soft skills-centred dissertation’s goal is to disambiguate the meaning of soft skills and enquire into their importance in the context of a ship management company’s operations. Having addressed both questions, this work suggests ways and methods that a shipmanagement company may embrace to exceed the TMSA 3 soft skills mandates, transcend minimum level of compliance and incorporate soft skill-related practices to its processes. Finally, this assignment is performed in accordance with the instructions received, and care and attention have been directed toward the proper citation of the referenced sources.