Automation on Shipboard: Proceedings of a Seminar held at Elsinore, Denmark, by the International Institute for Labour Studies, 13–21 September 1965

134 Pages·1967·12.536 MB·English

by  George J. Bonwick (eds.)

AUTOMATION ON SHIPBOARD
AUTOMATION ON
SHIPBOARD
Proceedings of a Seminar held at Elsinore, Denmark,
by the International Institute for Labour Studies,
13-21 September 1965
EDITED BY
GEORGE J. BONWICK
Master Mariner
WITH A FOREWORD BY
R. W. COX
Director, International Institute
for Labour Studies
Palgrave Macmillan
1967
ISBN 978-1-349-81728-3 ISBN 978-1-349-81726-9 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-81726-9
© The International Institute for Labour Studies 1967
Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover 1st edition 1967 978-0-333-05513-7
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CONTENTS
PAGE
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS VÜ
FOREWORD xi
PART I
CBAP.
1. AN ACCOUNT OF THE SEMINAR. George J. Bonwiek 3
PART 11
2. AUTOMATION IN SHIPS. D. Gray 19
3. NOTES ON THE DESIGN AND OPERATION OF AUTOMATED SHIPS.
Harry Benford 35
4. ApPLICATION OF TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS AND AUTOMATION TO
SHIPS BUILT IN JAPAN. I. Yamashita 51
5. THE SOCIAL EFFECTS OF AUTOMATION IN MERCHANT SHIPS.
B. Sermier 70
6. MANPOWER. A. Voll 85
7. REsULTS OF SHIPBOARD AUTOMATION. W. D. Ewart 93
8. THE IMPACT OF AUTOMATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES
ON SHIPBOARD ON LABOUR RELATIONS. T. W. Kheel 105
9. THE PROPER USE OF AUTOMATION. P. de Vries 113
INDEX 125
v
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Director 0/ Seminar
Mr. Aamir Ali, Representing the Director of the International Institute
for Labour Studies, Geneva.
Co-director
Mr. H. Andreasen, Dep. Head of Section, Ministry of Commerce, Ship
ping Department, Copenhagen.
Special Consultants
Mr. T. Bille, Technical Manager, the East Asiatic Co., Ltd., Copenhagen.
Mr. G. J. Bonwick, Author, Wokingham.
Mr. T. Bratt, Chief, Maritime Branch, International Labour Office,
Geneva.
Mr. E. Kongsted, Mechanical Engineer, The East Asiatic Co., Ltd.,
Copenhagen.
Rt. Hon. Hilary A. Marquand, Deputy Chairman of the National Board
for Prices and Incomes, London.
Mr. O. S. Seiersen, Maritime Branch, International Labour Office,
Geneva.
Experts
Professor H. Benford, University of Michigan, Dept. of Naval Architec
ture and Marine Engineering, Michigan.
Mr. W. D. Ewart, formerly Director, Elliott Marine Automation Ltd.,
London.
Mr. D. Gray, Principal Surveyor for Automation and Electrical Engineer
ing, Lloyd's Register of Shipping, London.
Mr. T. W. Khee1, Permanent Arbitrator, National Maritime Union and
American Merchant Marine Institute, New York.
Capt. B. Sermier, Societe Shell Maritime, Paris.
Mr. A. Voll, Norwegian Ship Research Institute, Trondheim.
Mr. P. de Vries, former General Secretary, International Transport
Workers' Federation, London.
Mr. I. Yamashita, Managing Director, Mitsui Shipbuilding and Engin
eering Co., Ltd., Tokyo; and Chairman, Marine Automation Com
mittee, Japan Ship Research Association.
vü
Automation on Shipboard
Participants
Mr. J. C. Azqueta, Argentine Engineers' Union, Buenos Aires.
Mr. Y. C. Chang, General Manager, Kei Hock Shipping Co., Singapore.
Mr. B. O. Chukwurah, Assistant General Manager, Nigerian National
Line, Apapa.
Mr. K. de Graaf, Managing Director, Raad van Bestuur voor de Zeevaart,
The Hague.
Mr. C. Hadjitheodorou, General Secretary, Pan Hellenic Seamen's
Federation, Piraeus (accompanied by Mr. Ap. Cazakos).
Mr. E. Haugen, Vice-president, Norwegian Seamen's Union, Oslo.
Mr. F. Koed, Manager, The Danish Merchant Navy Officers' Association,
Copenhagen.
Mr. T. J. Kraft, Managing Director, M. Chr. Stray, Kristiansand S.
Mr. Ib Kruse, Manager, A. P. Moller, Copenhagen.
Mr. S. B. Larsen, Secretary, Radio Officers' Union, Copenhagen.
Capt. K. W. Linnemann, Danish Shipowners' Association, Copenhagen.
Mr. B. Majumder, General Secretary, National Union of Seamen of
India, Calcutta.
Capt. G. S. Oca, President, Philippine Transport and General Workers'
Organisation, Manila.
Professor A. Perlberg, Professor, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa.
Mr. F. Peyrot, Assistant Director-General, Comite Central des Armateurs
de France, Paris.
Mr. J. Prieto, Director, Compania Sud Americana de Vapores, Val
paraiso.
Mr. J. K. Rice-Oxley, Director, the Shipping Federation, and Secretary,
the International Shipping Federation, London.
Mr. A. Rook, Secretary-Treasurer, Netherlands Seafarers' Union (CKV),
Rotterdam.
Mr. K. Saito, Secretary, Marine Technology Dept., All Japan Seamen's
Union, Tokyo (accompanied by Mr. Y. Takagi).
Mr. C. Salinas, General Manager, United Philippine Lines, Manila.
Dr. C. Sideratos, Technical Director, Union ofGreek Shipowners, Athens.
Mr. M. Sobhi, Suez Canal Authority, Ismailia.
Capt. D. S. Tennant, General Secretary, Merchant Navy and Airline
Officers' Association, London.
Mr. G. D. Ved, Scindia Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., Bombay.
Mr. H. Wiemers, Secretary specialised for Navigation and Fishery,
Gewerkschaft öffentliche Dienste Transport und Verkehr, Stuttgart.
Mr. M. Yabe, Managing Director, Japanese Shipowners' Association,
Tokyo (accompanied by Capt. R. Misumida).
viü
List 0/ Participants
Mr. C. A. Monassa, Argentine Captains' and Mates' Union, Buenos
Aires.
Observers
Mr. C. Florent, Ministere de la Marine Fran~aise, Paris.
Mr. K. A. Golding, Secretary of Research and Publications Dept., Inter
national Transport Workers' Federation, London.
Mr. M. Hoda, International Transport Workers' Federation, London.
Mr. Ivar Sandvig, Ship's master, Norwegian Marine Survey Office, Min.
of Commerce, Oslo.
Mr. S. L. D. Young, Technical Officer of the Secretariat, Inter-govern
mental Maritime Consultative Organisation, London.
Staff
Reporters:
Mr. L. L. Greyfie de Bellecombe, International Institute for Labour
Studies, Geneva.
Mr. O. Ribeiro, International Institute for Labour Studies, Geneva.
Administrative Assistant :
Mr. E. Assens, Shipping Department, Ministry of Commerce, Copen
hagen.
Interpreters:
Miss M. Colom
Mr. C. D'Oyley
Miss A. M. Koch
Secretaries :
Miss E. Morgan, International Institute for Labour Studies, Geneva.
Miss K. Dragsted.
Mr. P. Stansill.
ix
FOREWORD
THE International Institute for Labour Studies organised a Seminar
on the Labour Problems Resulting from Automation and Techno
logical Changes on Shipboard. This was held at Eisinore, Denmark,
from 13 to 21 September 1965 and brought together leading shipowners
and unionists together with technicians and scholars in a free exchange
of views, information and ideas.
Consultations with leaders of the shipping industry all over the
world had shown that there was widespread concern with the conse
quences of the application of automation and technological changes to
ships. Information on this question did not seem to be readily
available and it was not easy to assess the extent to which new
technology was being applied to ships, and the consequences it would
have on the employment and working conditions of seafarers. The
Institute feit it could make a contribution to a better understanding
of this question through the Seminar.
The Danish Board for Technical Co-operation with DeveIoping
Countries assisted the Institute in financing the Seminar. I want to
express my deep appreciation to the Board for its support and for the
excellent arrangements made for the meeting.
The Seminar was attended by over 40 participants. They included
independent experts as well as specialists from among shipowners and
seafarers' unions. They attended in their personal capacities and not
as representatives of their organisations or governments. This
ensured full and frank discussion and the thorough exploration of
problems and of different national experiences. In addition, there
were ob servers from the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative
Organisation, the International Transport Workers' Federation and
from the Governments of France and Norway.
The opinions and views expressed in the papers are those of the
authors. The Institute does not adopt decisions or conclusions as to
labour problems or policies; and is not bound by opinions expressed
by those participating in its work.
The discussions were arranged to cover three main areas and
eight papers by specialists were submitted to the Seminar. Firstly,
the Seminar examined the technological changes being introduced
xi
Automation on Shipboard
into ships and assessed the rate and extent of future developments.
It also considered other techniques being introduced to increase the
productivity of merchant seamen, incIuding the rationalisation of
work on board.
Secondly, it examined the consequences of these changes on man
ning, crew composition and organisation, skill requirements and
training.
Thirdly, it discussed questions relating to conditions of life and
employment, incIuding facilities for leisure, problems of workers
displaced by technological change and the continuity of employment.
I believe the Seminar played a very useful role in promoting a
better appreciation of the changes taking place and their consequences
for seafarers. It is in response to the interest manifested in it that I
decided to publish the papers. I am grateful to Mr. George J.
Bonwick for having agreed to write an account of the Seminar.
I hope that this will serve to spread and enhance the benefits of the
Seminar.
R. W. Cox
GENEVA, Director,
20 December 1965 International Institute for
Labour Studies
xii