Revolutionizing the seafaring profession for Filipinos

Revolutionizing the seafaring profession for Filipinos
Yashika F. Torib February 8, 2023 https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/02/08/business/maritime/revolutionizing...

SHIPS are commonly seen as floating giants of steel, massive islands of storage that transport people and goods around the world. They are valued for their worth on global trade and economy, so much so that a single day of a slump is deemed unimaginable by countries.

For someone who grew up by the sea and was surrounded by most things maritime, Stuart Mckenna has learned to appreciate ships differently.

Whenever a vessel is within sight, what he sees are seafarers whose brains and brawns keep the world connected and economies afloat.

"The thing that always amazes me is that you can generally tell within the first five minutes of boarding a ship the culture and morale of the crew. Happy seafarers mean happy ships," he said.

McKenna is a Scottish naval architect and marine engineer who knew early on that he was fated to be part of the maritime industry.

He was raised just outside of Glasgow, Scotland, and grew up with stories of the former glory days when one in every four ships sailing the world was built on the River Clyde.

He took trips aboard the world's last seagoing paddle steamer, the Waverly, and lived near the world-famous Department of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering at the University of Strathclyde.

Later, he spent years visiting ships and assisting the crew in risk management and accounting for marine assets, especially the hazardous materials onboard.

"For over 100 vessels that I have surveyed, all of different types, sizes and stages of their life cycles, I have had the privilege of sharing moments with seafarers that have taught me many things regarding the sacrifice, dedication and transformational nature of a career at sea.

"I also had a good impression of how their morale affects the condition of the ship. The happy crews greet you with a smile, follow procedures, and have nice housekeeping touches such as taking work boots off and no coveralls at lunch. The sad crews are generally a reflection of their surroundings with badly maintained vessels, low-quality food and indifference to following rules," McKenna observed.

It was this fascination with what could be done to improve shipboard procedures through the seafarers that led McKenna to create PropelMe.

PropelMe is a maritime social network that serves as a one-stop shop for maritime professionals, both at sea and at shore, for career tracking, progression, job hunting, training and social networking. Its soft launch will be on Wednesday, February 8, in Manila.

"My co-founders Sam (a former UK Navy submariner), Chris (a former merchant navy cadet), and myself have always had a close relationship with the maritime industry and are passionate supporters of seafarers.

During the Covid pandemic, we watched in horror as country after country closed its borders to seafarers while at the same time expecting goods to flow to keep the wheels of commerce moving. We then realized that the way that we engage and manage our seafarers is no longer compatible with the expectations of the modern worker.

"PropelMe allows seafarers to be treated like any other professional with the freedom to maximize the potential of the career including providing value add for their family, access to the same level of perks and benefits that other professionals have, and finally, but perhaps most importantly, allowing them to be in control. In short, we are on a mission to revolutionize the lives of seafarers and their families around the world!" McKenna explained.

PropelMe's preview release in the Philippines is also in honor of the Filipino seafarers who are manning over a quarter of the world's ships.

"Our team here in the Philippines, led by our general manager, Evangeline Sawad, have been working hard in preparation for our launch and it has been such a great journey from coming up with all our plans together to finally start seeing them put into action.

"Working with people who are as passionate about our mission as I am, is one of the most enjoyable things," he said.

His passion for well-collaborated projects extends to shipbuilding and shipboard operations, especially at a time when new technologies and environmental protection are at a premium for shipping.

"The end user must be considered as often as we should. Whether it be new technology for compliance or looking toward a more digital future, if we proceed blindly without the input and buy-in of seafarers the results could lead to difficulties or even worse," McKenna said.

The naval architect also observed that ships should be built and designed with better accommodation and recreational spaces.

"As the digitally connected generation of seafarers begins their careers at sea, the vessel of the future should cater to their needs and expectations to ensure that the seafaring profession remains desirable and compatible with modern life," he said.

The personable executive shares his love for the sea with friends, family and colleagues, taking note that he is the same person in and out of the job.

"I don't have a separate persona for business and leisure. I generally like to have interesting conversations, laugh together with people and occasionally, have a bit of a debate," he shared.

"The greatest lesson that the sea has taught me is to always put things in perspective. Today may be a stormy day, but tomorrow may be plain sailing — the only thing you can do is navigate what is in front of you," McKenna concluded.