The end of another year. The year in focus
Well, here we are again at the end of another year and what a year it’s been! Not only for the maritime industry but all industries worldwide.
Tourism has suffered incredibly due to border restrictions which has flowed through to so many service providers. Although there has been a huge downside to the pandemic there has also been many upsides as well.
Vessel owners have been able to complete outstanding maintenance and a number have undertaken refits and improvements to their vessels and operations. We’ve also seen a lot of operators brining their SMS manuals into line with MO504 and the NSCV which is a good thing for safety.
Here at Shorlink we’ve been focused on expanding our onboard training services which is an initiative we started years ago. Owners and operators are starting to realise the benefits of having an external provider undertake “vessel specific” crew inductions and emergency response training.
We have been receiving great feedback on our training services including many participants saying they get more from our onboard training then they get from other sources!
To ensure we continue to meet the demand and deliver the best possible training services we’ve taken on a new trainer, Lindsay Hutton who has a wealth of maritime experience. Lindsay has been fully trained in our systems and delivery methods and is now a valuable asset to the company.
As the Managing Director I have been focused on expanding the company to cover not only commercial operators but also the recreational sector.
Although its been my focus I have to give full credit to our wonderful administration officer, Tracey McManus who has not only taken a huge load of my shoulders but been instrumental in developing the marketing which has helped Shorlink grow in all facets.
I can openly say that Tracey is an administration wonder and marketing guru! Since she joined us just over a year ago she had to learn a new industry and all of the systems Shorlink has in place and Tracy has adapted so well and is an integral part of the Shorlink team.
Our overall business focus has been on our service offering including our managed services which have received a great industry response. We can email out a pack which includes all of the services we provide. Contact our office today to get yours!
With the boarders opening I’ve travelled near and far to complete SMS handovers, action our management requirements and along with Lindsay deliver onboard training. it’s been exciting to get back into it after all the lockdowns and boarder closures.
What does 2022 look like for Shorlink and the maritime industry in general? For Shorlink we’re moving into an exciting time of business growth by expanding not only our management and training services but also our Occupational Health and Safety systems for maritime based businesses.
I think it’s also going to be a good year for the maritime industry with borders reopening and tourism starting to get moving again. In taking with a number of our clients they are excited with the growing numbers of bookings and the potential of getting back to full on business.
It’s also good news for the commercial fishing industry with restaurants reopening and seating getting back to normal the demand for fresh seafood is on the rise which is great news for the industry in general.
Shorlink’s Recommendation
My recommendation is to put the past 2 years behind you, look forward to 2022 and get going! While things are getting back to the new normal I further recommend taking a close look at your business or operations to see where and how you can better adapt to the ongoing business climate.
While there’s been a lot of heartache for many there is a lot of opportunities for those who are prepared to adapt so…go forward and prosper!
Tip
My top tip is to ensure your safety management systems comply with the relevant standards and are up to date to ensure you’re protected as both AMSA and WorkSafe are going to be very active in the new year.
