Dubai: The quality of seafarers handling tankers continues to worsen, according to one of the world’s leading tanker managers. Lars Modin is the managing director of International Tanker Management (ITM), part of V.Group, and his views on handling tankers are well worth noting.
Discussing seafarers onboard tankers, Modin tells Maritime CEO: “The quality of the crew is a serious matter and I believe this only can continue the way we have seen the last decade, i.e. downwards.”
There are many explanations for this, he says, but in general the “old-fashioned” seafarers are no longer and cannot train the newer generations.”
Modin is adamant that the most demanding ship type to manage is tankers. The requirements are set by oil majors and therefore the performance quality level is set higher, he notes.
While ITM continues to focus on crude and chemical and product tankers, it is keen to get back into managing gas tankers. While gas tankers have come under management of larger managers, Modin says the increased number of gas tankers that are being delivered makes it possible to manage gas ships once again soon. “It is easier to manage a gas tanker than a chemical parcel tanker,” Modin asserts in conclusion. [08/01/14]
