Views ｜ How to crack the shortage of LNG boat crew members?

In recent years, the phenomenon of the shipping industry crew has attracted more and more attention, and the outbreak of the new crown epidemic has further exacerbated the loss of the crew. In the LNG ship transport market, which was originally demanded by high -quality talents, the problem of the shortage of crew was even more prominent. At the International Natural Gas Technical Exhibition (Gastech) held in Dubai in September 2021, Mr. Felix Leggewie, director of the global LNG Center of Beish Group, pointed out in a technical forum that the trainer who has trained crew has to maintain the highest standards of the LNG industry and ensure the ship. Safety operations are important, and the shortage of LNG ship crew may endanger the industry's security records.

● Mr. Felix Leggewie, Director of the Global LNG Center of Beish Group

In fact, as a leader in the field of LNG shipping, Beishi Group not only provides the industry with comprehensive high -quality services such as LNG ship management, new shipbuilding projects, and consulting, but also has a vision in terms of crew training. Bei Shi Group gives full play to his professional advantages, deploy the LNG ship crew training plan in advance, and continuously transport high -quality crew members for the LNG transportation industry that "seeks to be thirsty". Opportunities and channels. Recently, Mr. Felix LEGGGEWIE accepted an exclusive interview with this magazine, introducing us the successful experience of Best Group in providing LNG services, further analyzing the shortage of LNG boat crew members, and sharing the response measures taken by Bo Shi Group, and for LNG The reduction of fuel reduction and application prospects made an in -depth interpretation.

Reporter: What services can Bei Shi Group provide in the field of LNG?

Felix Leggewie: As part of the Best Group, the Beishi Shipbuilding Management Company (BSM) is currently the world's largest third -party ship management company in the LNG field and manages 57 LNG transport ships. We can provide comprehensive management of technical management and crew management and pure crew management services. The Global LNG Center of Beishi Group can provide technical consulting services for external customers, including consulting work related to ship trading, technical inspection or pier/ship compatibility research.

Schulte Marine Concept, which is responsible for the new ship business, can provide support and services for new shipping supervision. The above services are carried out by experts in their respective fields, and there is a strong reference list as a backing. This list has condensed the experience in the development of the LNG industry in the past 45 years.

Reporter: Be Shi Group's LNG ship management is outstanding. Please share the advanced experience of Be Shi Group in promoting LNG fleet safety operations and LNG fuel safety applications.

Felix Leggewie: LNG transportation is comparable to the champion league of the shipping industry. There is a perfect floating channel between the natural gas production country and the natural gas consumer country to connect each other. This needs have given birth to the pursuit of LNG transportation. Once this channel has any interruption, it will cause unbearable price to both parties. Therefore, it is necessary to formulate excellent maintenance plans in terms of mechanical and system technology reliability. At the same time, it is absolutely necessary to select excellent crew members to operate such ships and provide them with continuous training.

In addition, our LNG fleet has outstanding performance, impeccable health, safety, and environmental protection operation records, and can maintain 100%of ship availability each year (saving the maintenance period of the dry dock and other plans).

In terms of LNG fuel applications, we provide training in our professional maritime training center in accordance with the IGF rules. Our training software can cover all types of ship promotion systems and various types of cargo encirclement. Our LNG injection ship "KAIROS" can also provide practical training for LNG injection.

Reporter: What are the characteristics and highlights of the next -generation LNG injection of the next -generation LNG injection ship developed with the ship design company Technolog Services GMBH?

Felix Leggewie: We have developed a basic ship version that can use modular components to improve according to the needs and requirements of individual terminal users. We hope to reduce Capex (capital expenditure) and OPEX (operating expenditure), improve operating availability, simplify and simplify the availability put up.

For example, this type of modular component may include (especially in the United States) executives that need to be used during loading, a patent and can save the time and personnel required for manual installation of the tie and the system. The side protection system, as well as a gas device that can help them quickly remove gas or drive when traditional IGF ships must enter the dry dock. This process of exclusion usually takes 20 to 25 days, and we can shorten it to 5-8 days. These advantages can help IGF shipowner save a lot of funds, which is also a strong proof of our ship design results. The design is expected to become the main force of LNG injection.

We will also pour all the practical experience accumulated on the "KAIROS" LNG injection ship and the feedback from long -term listening to customers and end users to this new ship. In this way, we have brought more efficient LNG injection services to the industry, which also makes LNG as the cleanest fossil fuel to help ships to help the shipping ladder on the ladder of the decarbing ladder. Bleak

Reporter: The shortage of crew is a problem facing the LNG transportation industry. What are the factors caused by LNG crew, what are the current gaps?

Felix Leggewie: The problem of sea officers will first have a impact on the shipping industry as a whole. The current boom of new ships in the field of container ships and LNG transport ships has in sharp contrast to very low scrap indicators. At the same time, due to the painful experience of the new crown epidemic in the past three years, the so -called "big resignation" in the shipping industry has appeared in the shipping industry. This It is the two major factors that cause crew shortages. As a ship manager, we also see that many customers are not willing to invest in training next -generation crew. Everyone thinks of granted that the ship management company can maintain a large -scale seafare pool anyway. This is obviously a wrong idea.

The problem involving the shortage of crew in the field of LNG is even more serious, because the LNG ship has a particularly high quality and safety requirements, and the oil and natural gas giants strictly abide by them for working hours, working with ship managers or in specific types of ships in specific types of ships. Matrix rules on working hours.

At present, the new shipbuilding order of the shipyard accounts for more than 30%of the current LNG fleet, which will give birth to the additional needs of seafarers who have about 10,000 people with an experience in operating experience of LNG. Senior crew members who meet the matrix standards. These new shipbuilding will be delivered one after another in the next four years.

Reporter: What qualities and skills should LNG crew have?

Felix Leggewie: In addition to standard navigation and technical qualifications, we also need to receive training courses for the foundation and high -level liquefied gas transport ships, specialized LNG transport ship operation management level training, and additional internal or targeting customers. Coupled with the matrix requirements that have been mentioned earlier.

There is no doubt that the above are just formal qualifications. In addition, the LNG ship crew also needs to have the highest level of professionalism and a safe and cultural mentality that is truly rooted.

The operation of LNG is never allowed to be wrong. This means that there must be no safety accidents, accidents or plans.

Reporter: What countermeasures did Be Shi Group take for the shortage of LNG crew members?

Felix Leggewie: We have noticed this problem a few years ago. Therefore, we have strengthened training facilities and training programs. The new crown epidemic has further promoted us to adapt to the new situation, and most of our training can already be provided by remote ways. We also established and launched an internal conversion plan for the interested seafarers.

In view of the need to meet very strict requirements, the wages in the LNG field are also the highest in the shipping industry. Therefore, whether in the past or now, the seafarers are very interested in self -improvement. Our training plan is very successful, so we can still accept the new LNG transport ship to join our fleet.

According to the level and professional employment experience of each seafarer, this skill upgrade may take two years, and it is also important to note that this process requires a lot of funds.

We are also interacting with the seafarers to provide them with various social benefits. This is combined with our meticulous and thoughtful career planning, and in the current competitive market, the most intense crew market ensures that the seafarers are highly trusting in us.

Reporter: China is the country with the largest number of crew members in the world. What suggestions do you have to train Chinese LNG crew members?

Felix Leggewie: LNG shipping has quickly developed from a niche market to a commodity market. The crews served on the LNG transport ship are mainly international groups composed of senior crew members from Eastern Europe/Europe/India and ordinary crew members from the Philippines/India. Therefore, it is necessary to provide training venues for potential China LNG boat crews so that they intend to start or upgrade into the LNG field.

To this end, the candidate Chinese crew must accept a real international working environment. Speaking of this, it is also necessary to fully master English and use it as the only working language on the ship and the shore.

In addition, if the seafarers are upgraded to the LNG field, they will have to accept a training plan. In the process, they will temporarily start from the level and salary of the positions in other types of ships below other types of ships. After all, they will be hired as intern, and they need to accumulate LNG -related experience before they can re -serve the previous level and related responsibilities. At this time, the salary will be much higher than before.

Bei Shi Group is investing in LNG training, specialized student plans and conversion training, but as mentioned above, whether candidates can meet and accept flexibility, spoken English ability, and temporary salary reduction. The seafarers become prerequisite for LNG boat crews.

After all, in the Bei Shi Group, we hire crews to value their abilities, not passports.

Reporter: LNG is considered a transitional fuel for shipping emission reduction. How do you think of the role of LNG played at different stages of shipping from shipping? Felix Leggewie: LNG is currently the most reasonable low -temperature room gas emissions fossil fuel, which can reduce carbon dioxide emissions up to 20%. In addition, LNG's availability is guaranteed, sufficient supply, and infrastructure is continuously improved, and under normal circumstances, the price of LNG is also very attractive. We are expected to witness the price of LNG in early 2024 to return to a competitive level. The technology of using LNG as a ship's fuel is quite mature, and related rules and regulatory frameworks have been in place. Both points can be used to develop LNG into a greener and more environmentally friendly fuel. Ideally, the use of renewable energy to produce "green LNG". In this way, LNG will be able to continue to use it as fuel in the next 25 years, so that the ship can gradually transform to other alternative fuel.

Reporter: What do you think of the development prospects of LNG transport ships and ship LNG fuel in the future?

Felix Leggewie: The current alternative option of LNG fuel is methanol, ammonia and hydrogen. However, none of them are psychic medicines that the industry urgently wants to find to solve the problem of decarburization. In terms of availability, safety application technology, energy content, or other greenhouse gas emissions, each of them has more or less serious limitations.

In the application of these new fuels, the shipping industry is further competing with other industries such as aviation, agriculture, industrial applications, and energy production. Therefore, from the perspective of investment today, in the future, LNG has a bright and long -term development prospect for the use of fuels on shore or on ships.

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