Shipping can be categorised into three work segments each related to the various jobs in the industry. The first area has Shipping Companies which have an administrative set up manned with personnel who take care of the logistics and the general documentation required by the industry.
Then there are vessels which move passengers and cargo and have on board the ships crew who are responsible for its running on the scheduled routes and for overseeing and liasoning the loading and offloading operations while the ship is docked.The third area of work is at the docks and ports where the ships are loaded and unloaded and all documentation and other formalities are completed.
While the Chapter on Merchant Navy will give details of the people on board the ship this chapter intends to cover in some detail on shore jobs in the shipping industry.
Nature of Work
Shipping firms
There are basically three ways in which the shipping companies operate. There is tramp trade, liner trade and captive fleet.
Tramp trade is operated by brokers who offer freight service to potential customers. The trading is done on a futures basis where cargo rates are fixed for proposed shipments .The services which individual shipping companies offer are matched with the cargo to be moved by the brokers. The quotation of costs given by shippers are negotiated for the customer by the broker and an agreement is reached on the costs and all modalities. These tramp traders are based in various ports around the world.
In liner trade ships move on fixed routes. Liner companies have a full fledged staff for port operations. They hire or own essential equipments for loading and unloading. Their services are offered on standard rates and they generally have tie ups in other regions where they do not sail with other shipping firms.
Shipping companies offering liner services may be equipped with a variety of ships required for transporting cargo which may include tankers, roll on and roll off ships, container ships, barges etc. They are members of the international confederation of shipping firms which facilitates their movement from one region to another.
Captive fleets are yet another kind of shipping facility which are owned by large businesses who have a department which is incharge of running its fleet to move its own cargo.
Opportunities in shipping are also available with organisations specialising in cargo handling, port administration, marine engineering, marine equipment manufacturing, marine inspection and surveying, ship architecture and design, ship-building and repair and port operations.
Business carried out by shipping firms depends upon the needs of customers. The shipping process, however, remains the same for all kinds of cargo. People involved at ports are:-
Traffic clerks
Ports differ in the range of cargo handling facilities. Some major ports have been developed as ports with a range of facilities while smaller ones cater to loading and unloading of specific cargo only. Traffic clerks are based at all ports to assist in the documentation processes, regulatory as well as logistic. The responsibilities of the traffic clerk incorporate the despatch and delivery functions. When a cargo leaves a port documents are prepared which give details of the weight, nature, delivery destination, time of despatch, insurance details etc. Custom clearance or other trade documents may also be required to complete the despatch formalities.
At the delivery end the task of the traffic clerk involves seeing that the cargo is unloaded and delivered at the destination specified in the agreement. They inspect the damage and status of the cargo. The number of traffic clerks who handle a single operation may depend upon the size of the shipping firm.
Stevedores and superintendants
Stevedores also called as dock workers handle the cargo while unloading, storing or transporting. They are trained in the use of power mechanised equipments which are required for moving /lifting /lowering of heavy equipment. They have to drive tractors, trucks and other heavy duty movers. Dock workers are supervised by superintendents.
The job of the loading superintendent is to study the space available on the ship and plan the loading of the cargo. They ensure that the equipment required for the process is available. They also ensure that the cargo to be unloaded first is loaded last as well as the suitability of the ships space for the cargo.
Pier superintendents
Pier superintendents work at freight terminals. They determine what cargo various vessels will be carrying and notify stevedoring superintendents for arranging the manpower for loading and unloading operations. Loading and transporting equipments are purchased by them and their use overseen by them.
Work Environment
Working on the docks and ports is not quite an easy task. Though parts of piers are covered by sheds, dockworkers are most of the time out in the open.There may be a lot of noise while materials are moved and machines operate. It is hard physical work for stevedores. Working hours for superintending and traffic clerks may not be regulated as often when the ship arrives work must begin and must be finished soon to make way for other cargo and vessels. Supervisors are generally constantly on the move.
Personal Characteristics
Stevedoring is a physically demanding occupation and does not require any academic qualification. The traffic clerks, however, are school leavers /graduates who have record keeping and accounting skills. For administrative level occupations college education or experience as a ships officer is required. Supervisory officers need to have knowledge of loading and unloading a vessel and must be good at managing labour force.
For Naval Architecture refer to the relevant section in the chapter ‘Architecture’.
Employment Avenues
International shipping majors are now flocking to India. India is fast becoming the controlling hub for global shipping operations. While P&O NedlIoyd and Maersk have already set up their business process outsourcing (BPO) operations in India, CP Ships, a leading company from the US, is commencing operations in Mumbai.
The world's largest container shipping company has strengthened its BPO operations in India recently to include a whole array of business processes such as auditing, preparation of bills of loading and updating the company's intranet. India has picked up a large chunk of the group’s business. Commerce graduates and post graduates, with or without additional qualifications like CAs and CFAs, and IT professionals are being wooed by shipping company’s for a majority of the BPO jobs.
CP Ships, which owns the UK based Contship Containerlines, a familiar shipping brand in the Indian market because of its direct services, is outsourcing all its accounting for Europe, Asian and South Eastern operations in India.
The company is expected to recruit people for documentation-related jobs.
P&O Nedllyod has set up its BPO operations in Pune and Chennai and the target is to double its strength from 1,000 employees to 2,000 in two years.
