Page 38 - 2021 - Q3 - Minerva in Focus

OUR MARITIME FAMILY This issue’s key Question
MINERVA’S OFFICERS SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES

What is the most essential skill

for a captain?

Capt. Eleftherios D. Ververakis
Master of M/T Minerva Joy every individual feels like giving about his vessel, neglect his duties while on
up. That is where a crew member board, or compromise on anything that may
The nature of our profes- needs encouragement to continue endanger the crew’s safety.
sion and the complexity working hard and not give up when
of a captain’s duties make things are not going his way. A good Capt. Harry Cabrito
this a difficult question to captain steps forward when any crew Master of M/T Minerva Pisces
answer. member needs assistance in their
Should a captain be a good and support- professional or personal lives. This Management skills, espe-
ive leader? Of course, he should. can be done by sharing an inspira- cially those concerning
Should a captain be fair and just? He has tional story, with a pat on the back compliance with con-
to be.Is not the captain ultimately respon- or by just giving a personal example. stantly changing regula-
sible for protecting the interests of the 4. His actions and his behavior must tions, are essential to a
owner and the customer while ensuring reflect his resilience. Even in the captain. A captain should also have excel-
the safety of the ship, the crew, and the most hopeless situation, he must lent organizational skills to properly man-
cargo? There is no doubt there. And the lead the way to show his crew there age the wide variety of tasks related to
list goes on. is always a way out and that things the ship’s operation, safety, maintenance,
Therefore, to be effective, a captain must will eventually be just fine, helping and training & drills of crew members,
have excellent communication and prob- them build up their confidence. including preparing officers for the
lem-solving skills, knowledge of maritime next-level duties to sustain the high
laws and regulations, and the ability to Capt. Fernandez Μ. Ferdinand standards in the maritime transport eco-
adapt to changing circumstances and deal Master of M/V Parapola system. A creative mind and the ability to
with emergency situations. think outside the box are equally impor-
In my humble opinion and tant; they help a captain find solutions to
Capt. Toni Hadzhidenev from my years of experi- challenges and adversities and turn them
Master of M/T Minerva Rita ence, I believe that what a into inspiration. That brings us to motiva-
captain needs most are tional skills - the ability to sustain high
Allow me to point out not management skills. A cap- standards by bringing out the best in
one but several skills, tain is responsible for the safety of the crew, people, boosting their morale, and creat-
which in my humble opin- vessel and cargo, and the protection of the ing a strong bond between himself and
ion, are essential to a good environment. Good management skills ena- his team.
captain: ble a captain to:
1. He must be a team player. A good • maintain the highest standards,
leader never makes personal respond effectively to any emer-
success his priority. He always puts gencies and security incidents to
his team first and helps it reach its protect life at sea and the environ-
goals. He believes that if they all ment, and ensure the continuity of
work together as a team, they can the business;
achieve more. This kind of attitude • implement and comply with the
helps to inspire the team members company policy and internation-
and make them feel valued. al, national/local, and flag state
2. He must lead by example. regulations;
A captain is responsible for en- • communicate effectively and mo-
suring everything on board runs tivate his subordinates to improve
smoothly. To deal with this heavy their performance;
responsibility, he needs to lead the • achieve the company goals or ob-
crew by setting an example of what jectives and ensure a safe working
is expected from them. A captain’s environment by encouraging every-
strong work ethic and passion for his one to cooperate, and
job earn him his crew’s recognition, • encourage the full participation of
whether on or off duty. the officers and ratings in the main-
3. He must step forward when the tenance and upkeep of the vessel.
crew needs him. At some point, Overall, a captain must never be complacent

36 MINERVA IN FOCUS – ISSUE 17 / Q3 2021