A few months into operational pause we were notified by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) that sea-time for our Deck Cadets on our ships would be limited to four months. This was a result of lack of navigational experience they could gain while our normal operations were paused.
Unfortunately, it was calculated that an increasing number of cadets would be negatively affected, and would not have sufficient sea-time to be able to return to college. With this in mind, our Maritime People team used Carnival UK’s links with the Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB), the Chamber of Shipping and third party training providers, to source alternative cadet berths on other vessels.
Some of the first cadets to be placed were Grace, Amanda, and Robert, whose berths were secured for across two Northlink Ferries ships – operating from Aberdeen and providing freight links to the Shetland and Orkney Islands. While very different to the ships they’re used to, all three cadets gained valuable experience and an insight into cargo operations – something they don’t normally get to do.
Here’s what they had to say about their experience;
‘The biggest highlight, was the Captain allowing me to take the vessel off the berth in Kirkwall. It was incredible to be able to put the theory of shiphandling into practice and gain some confidence in this area.’ – Amanda
‘It was certainly very different to what I’m used to, going from over 1000 crew down to less than 20! My time onboard was hugely beneficial, getting to be hands on with loading and discharging cargo as well as updating and correcting paper charts each week allowing me to see a completely different side of the industry.The North Sea itself was not without its challenges, with rough weather that meant many sleepless night and spending watches trying not to fall over!’ – Grace
‘During the past year of uncertainty of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the cadet team at CUK have worked tirelessly for the cadets, such as myself, in finding solutions to continue our sea training. This [ship] has been in huge contrast to my previous experience in the cruise industry, and I have gained valuable knowledge by gaining hands on with the loading and securing of cargo and assisting in the navigation through adverse weather conditions. Where the unpredictable weather has much larger effects on a smaller vessel, this has given me the experience to understand how to safely mitigate those challenges when commonly sailing in storm force conditions. This has further enhanced my training which has given a new element to the true understanding of maintaining a safe watch’. – Robert
So far, the Maritime People team have managed to secure 11 third party berths, and a total of 397 days sea-time, which would otherwise have been missed and caused delays to our cadets being able to qualify. The team continue to work with external companies to get our cadets the sea-time they require, and deserve.
Well done to the Maritime People team for helping to protect future Maritime talent. If you have a similar story to share, that highlights a new way of working and has been beneficial for Carnival UK, let us know about it at Internal.Comms@carnivalukgroup.com