Danish Maritime Authority to Study Seafarers’ Feedback on Administrative Work

Danish shipowners and seafarers have a feeling that they spend more and more time on administrative work. But does it make sense and create value?

The Danish Maritime Authority has uncovered this in a comprehensive study, carried out by Cowi. 796 seafarers and several shipowners have been involved.

”The seafarers and shipowners’ input and feedback provide food for thought. This is valuable material, which we will definitely continue working with,” says Director-General Andreas Nordseth from the Danish Maritime Authority.

The study throws light on the shipowners and the seafarers’ experience of the administrative requirements imposed on them and, thus, illustrates the irritation burdens. At the same time, the study provides an understanding of why they are considered as burdens by some. Furthermore, the study can form the basis for considerations on how to ease the administrative burdens in certain areas.

Valuable advice from shipowners and seafarers

There are specific proposals for solutions and valuable advice from the seafarers and the shipowners, and they fall in line with the considerations and measures taken by the Danish Maritime Authority. This holds true of, for example, digitalization, increased standardization of regulations across countries, and increased cooperation with other authorities about the processes involved.

Work along several lines

“There is no doubt that we will have to work along several lines – both with international regulation and with the practical, administrative procedures. But it is also about dialogue with the shipowners and the seafarers so that we can jointly agree on which administrative processes create value and which are to form part of an improved process or can be left out entirely”, says Andreas Nordseth.

“The reports reflect the perception of the shipowners and the seafarers. It can be changed in two ways: Either by changing an administrative requirement or by creating a common understanding of the necessity and the value of a requirement”, says Andreas Nordseth, who thinks that, in some respects, the Danish Maritime Authority can become better at explaining the purpose of the paperwork required.

The Danish Maritime Authority expects to launch initiatives on the basis of the two reports this autumn.

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Source: DMA, July 6, 2012