ALL Academy Offers Maritime Resource Management Licences

An initiative to increase Maritime Resource Management (MRM) training in the maritime industry has been taken by ALL Academy International AB who now offers MRM training licences.

“Lack of MRM continues to be a key factor in maritime accidents and there is an urgent need to do something about it. More shipping companies need to implement MRM”, says Martin Hernqvist, managing director of ALL Academy International AB (ALL Academy).

Hernqvist, who parallel to his job at ALL Academy is the managing director of The Swedish Club Academy, continued: “The main promoter of resource management training in the maritime industry in the past has been the hull and P&I insurer The Swedish Club and MRM training licences have so far only been available through The Swedish Club Academy. A challenge has been to reach out to the shipping companies who have their insurances placed with other P&I clubs and insurance providers.”

Protection and indemnity insurance claims exceeding US$ 9 million are shared between the clubs in the International Group of P&I Clubs, Hernqvist explains. Any claim exceeding US$ 9 million will therefore have an impact on all clubs. Hernqvist said that major P&I claims may involve loss of lives and may have severe environmental consequences. The costs of these claims are escalating and many of these claims are also MRM-related, according to Hernqvist. “From a financial perspective, the grounding of the Costa Concordia stands out. It is by far the most expensive P&I claim ever. When the costs exceed the level ‘for own account’, all P&I clubs get involved and eventually all their respective members will have to contribute to cover the losses,” he added.

Martin Hernqvist said: “It is of the interest to all P&I clubs – and to their members – that everyone do whatever possible to reduce the likelihood of incidents. We are firm believers since 20 years now that MRM is the most effective tool available to increase safety and efficiency in our industry. However, it may have been difficult for other P&I clubs and insurers to promote a concept that has only been available through The Swedish Club Academy. The clubs are close colleagues in the international insurance market but at the same time competitors,” he said. “For this reason MRM licenses will now be made available also through ALL Academy. ALL Academy is the development company behind the MRM training programme and completely independent.”

Hernqvist hopes that many parties in the industry, not least other P&I clubs and insurers, through this initiative shall push forward for a greater use of MRM. “We are excited about the new possibilities and we hope that MRM shall reach out to a wider audience. The industry needs it,” he concluded.

ALL Academy, November 27, 2013