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Bulk Carriers: The Hidden Work Horses of The Sea

In this episode of Sea Views, hosts Julia Gosling and Adam Parnell speak with Matt Shirley (CEO, Safe Harbours Australia) and Marco Blanco (CFO, Safe Harbours Australia) - veteran maritime pilots leading a consultancy that’s reshaping the standards of bridge team management and port safety worldwide.

What we cover:

Why bulk carriers are the “workhorses of the sea” and how Australia became their global hub

• How Safe Harbours Australia trains bridge teams for high-stakes decision-making
• What the Ships of Shame era taught the world about maritime accountability
• How communication and leadership directly impact safety culture
• Why treating crews as assets and not commodities drives operational excellence

About Safe Harbours Australia

With over 140 years of combined commercial shipping experience and 70 years as qualified marine pilots, Safe Harbours Australia delivers independent consultancy, peer reviews, operational assessments, and advanced Bridge Team Management Training. Their expertise covers pilotage safety systems, simulator facilitation, incident investigation, and autonomous shipping design.

🔗 www.safeharbours.com.au


Hosts

Julia Gosling, Host, Sea Views https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliaahoy/

Adam Parnell, Director, CHIRP Maritime https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-parnell-chirp/

Guests

Matt Shirley, CEO, Safe Harbours Australia https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-shirley-0435a8206/

Marco Blanco, CFO, Safe Harbours Australia https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-blanco-837b4a192/

NEWS! If you love listening to us....you can also watch Sea Views episodes on YouTube at CHIRP Maritime or The Seafarers' Charity channels.

CHIRP
Improving safety at sea worldwide through the confidential and independent reporting programme.
Make an incident report to CHIRP Maritime here

The Seafarers' Charity
Improving the lives of seafarers and their families for more than 105 years.

by Ahoy Communications Ltd

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Shadow Fleet Exposed: Risks to Environment, Trade and Seafarers

In this episode of Sea Views, we uncover the murky world of the Shadow Fleet - hundreds of aging tankers trading sanctioned oil under layers of secrecy and deception. With falsified registries, spoofed signals, and uninsured operations, these vessels operate beyond the reach of international law, posing enormous risks to the environment, global security, and above all, the seafarers who crew them.

Joining us is Michelle Wiese Bockmann, Senior Maritime Intelligence Analyst at Windward, who explains how the Shadow Fleet has expanded since the Russia–Ukraine conflict, why these ships are a looming environmental and humanitarian crisis, and how technology is beginning to shine a light on their hidden movements.

At the heart of this issue are people - thousands of crew working in unsafe and unregulated conditions.

NEWS! If you love listening to us....you can also watch Sea Views episodes on YouTube at CHIRP Maritime or The Seafarers' Charity channels.

CHIRP
Improving safety at sea worldwide through the confidential and independent reporting programme.
Make an incident report to CHIRP Maritime here

The Seafarers' Charity
Improving the lives of seafarers and their families for more than 105 years.

by Ahoy Communications Ltd

Send us a text

Guests:

• Captain Brendan O’Shannassy – Superyacht Captain and maritime safety advocate
• Laura Beard – Welfare of Yacht Crew Project Manager, International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN)

“Mental health is health. It’s just the same.” Brendan O’Shannassy

Hosts:

• Julia Gosling – Host, Sea Views Podcast
• Adam Parnell – Director, CHIRP Maritime

Episode Summary:

In this powerful and practical episode of Sea Views, we explore the vital topic of mental health and welfare in the yacht crew sector.
Julia and Adam are joined by returning guest Captain Brendan O’Shannassy and ISWAN’s Laura Beard to discuss the unique pressures faced by superyacht crew, and how industry-wide change can make life at sea safer and more sustainable for everyone on board.

“There’s no judgment on YachtCrewHelp - we’re here for any crew, at any rank.” Laura Beard

Brendan reflects on leadership, fatigue, and the silent strain of command, while Laura shares insights from ISWAN’s helpline Yacht Crew Help, including why many yacht crew don’t initially see themselves as seafarers—and what’s being done to change that.

Key Topics:

• What defines the large yacht sector and who’s working in it
• How mental health is deeply linked to crew safety and performance
• Why perception of the “glamorous” yacht lifestyle often hides the challenges
• Common issues reported to YachtCrewHelp and how the service responds
• The importance of psychological safety, empathy, and leadership onboard
• Awareness campaigns and support for crew at all ranks, from junior to captain

Resources Mentioned:

• YachtCrewHelp (ISWAN): www.iswan.org.uk/yachtcrewhelp/
  A free, 24/7 confidential helpline for all yacht crew, worldwide.

Edited by powwowpodcasts.com

NEWS! If you love listening to us....you can also watch Sea Views episodes on YouTube at CHIRP Maritime or The Seafarers' Charity channels.

CHIRP
Improving safety at sea worldwide through the confidential and independent reporting programme.
Make an incident report to CHIRP Maritime here

The Seafarers' Charity
Improving the lives of seafarers and their families for more than 105 years.

by Ahoy Communications Ltd

Send us a text

In this compelling episode of Sea Views, Julia and Adam sit down with Daniel Smith, founder of the charity NeurodiversAtSea, to explore what neurodiversity really means in the maritime world—and why it's time the industry took notice.

Together, they unpack:

• What neurodiversity is and why it matters
• How life at sea can both challenge and empower neurodivergent individuals
• The business case for neurodiversity—productivity, innovation, and retention
• The realities of recruitment and how small changes can open big doors
• Daniel’s personal journey and what inspired him to launch NeurodiversAtSea

Whether you're in HR, onboard, or in the boardroom, this episode will make you rethink how your teams work—and what untapped talent might already be on your radar.

Key Takeaways

• Neurodiversity isn’t a “nice to have”—it’s a competitive advantage.
• Simple changes to recruitment and workplace culture can create space for exceptional talent.
• The maritime sector is uniquely placed to lead the way in inclusive employment at sea.

About Our Guest

Daniel Smith is the founder of NeurodiversAtSea, a charity dedicated to raising awareness of neurodiversity within the maritime sector and supporting neurodivergent individuals in their careers at sea. A passionate advocate with lived experience, Daniel is committed to reshaping the future of maritime workplaces—one conversation at a time.

Resources & Links

Learn more about NeurodiversAtSea:LINK

NeurodiversAtSea partnered with Seafarers Hospital Society and The Seafarers' Charity to offer grants for UK based seafarers to access assessments for a range of conditions. Find out more at LINK or email admin@seahospital.org.uk

Sea Views podcast by Ahoy Communications Ltd and editing by powowpodcasts.com

NEWS! If you love listening to us....you can also watch Sea Views episodes on YouTube at CHIRP Maritime or The Seafarers' Charity channels.

CHIRP
Improving safety at sea worldwide through the confidential and independent reporting programme.
Make an incident report to CHIRP Maritime here

The Seafarers' Charity
Improving the lives of seafarers and their families for more than 105 years.

by Ahoy Communications Ltd

Send us a text

Ensuring Safety in Offshore Energy: Industry Insights and Future Challenges.

In this episode of the Sea Views podcast, Graham Skinner of Offshore Energies UK and Pete Lowson from the Maritime & Coastguard Agency discuss safety practices in the offshore oil, gas, and wind industries. They delve into the industry’s safety records, the importance of cross-sector collaboration, and the impact of new technologies such as AI and autonomous vessels.

NEWSFLASH! If you love listening to us....you can also watch Sea Views episodes on YouTube at CHIRP Maritime or The Seafarers' Charity channels.

The conversation highlights the significant employment numbers in these sectors, the shared lessons from past incidents, and future challenges, including climate change and the increasing complexity of managing offshore operations. Both Graham and Pete emphasise the critical importance of continuous improvement, training, and adaptation to ensure safety in these rapidly developing industries.

Topics discussed:

Overview of the Offshore Energy Industry

Safety Records and Improvements

Sharing Safety Lessons Across Sectors

Exercises and Training in Offshore Safety

Differences Between Oil, Gas, and Renewables

Future Challenges, Security and Technological Innovations

Climate Change and Severe Weather

The Future of Oil and Gas in the North Sea

Supporting Maritime Workers

Maritime & Coastguard Agency web site

Offshore Energies UK web site

Sea Views podcast by Ahoy Communications Ltd and editing by powowpodcasts.com

NEWS! If you love listening to us....you can also watch Sea Views episodes on YouTube at CHIRP Maritime or The Seafarers' Charity channels.

CHIRP
Improving safety at sea worldwide through the confidential and independent reporting programme.
Make an incident report to CHIRP Maritime here

The Seafarers' Charity
Improving the lives of seafarers and their families for more than 105 years.

by Ahoy Communications Ltd

Send us a text

Exploding Myths - Vapour clouds, explosion and new frontiers in firefighting. Lithium Ion Batteries, Boats & Danger!

In this episode, Adam and I welcome the leading expert on lithium ion battery safety Professor Paul Christensen to talk about the increasingly topical issue of managing the risks of lithium ion batteries in the maritime and port environment.

Lithium ion batteries have quickly become part of life now in electric vehicles and e scooters for example. On dry land in the UK, Fire services are dealing with one lithium ion battery fire/explosion every day. Thankfully, explosions and fire from malfunctioning lithium ion batteries is not a common problem but the hazard and severity of the incidents is great. At sea we have seen the catastrophic fires on MV Fremantle Highway and Felicity Ace.

Paul explains the difference between traditional combustion fires and lithium ion battery incidents and we dive into the science behind thermal runaway, vapour cloud explosion and fire.

NEW FINDINGS ON DANGERS OF VAPOUR CLOUD INHALATION

Paul’s very recent field trials in February 2025, have discovered new information about harmful molecules in the vapour cloud which appear to be causing more severe inhalation injuries for people than traditional smoke inhalation.

FIREFIGHTING & SOLUTIONS

Paul’s work involves real world field trials and testing to try to find solutions or better manage the risks but lithium ion battery fires are not extinguished with any of the traditional methods of firefighting which use liquids or remove oxygen. This presents significant difficulties when tackling this type of fire on a ship at sea with great risk to seafarers who have previously been trained to deal with combustion type fires.

This episode of Sea Views is supported and funded by CHIRP and The Seafarers’ Charity:

Make an incident report to CHIRP Maritime here

CHIRP
Improving safety at sea worldwide through the confidential and independent reporting programme.

The Seafarers' Charity
Improving the lives of seafarers and their families for more than 105 years.

NEWS! If you love listening to us....you can also watch Sea Views episodes on YouTube at CHIRP Maritime or The Seafarers' Charity channels.

CHIRP
Improving safety at sea worldwide through the confidential and independent reporting programme.
Make an incident report to CHIRP Maritime here

The Seafarers' Charity
Improving the lives of seafarers and their families for more than 105 years.

by Ahoy Communications Ltd

Send us a text

Safe at Sea Allyship & Psychological Safety

Sea Views is spotlighting the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network’s (ISWAN) global campaign: "Safe at Sea… it takes all of us!" – with a focus on the crucial role male seafarers can play as allies to support their women colleagues.

Women seafarers are more than three times as likely to contact ISWAN’s helplines regarding abuse, bullying, harassment, discrimination, or violence – and more than twice as likely to raise concerns about mental health. The campaign calls on the entire maritime community to foster a culture of psychological safety and inclusion at sea.

Georgia Allen, ISWAN’s Projects and Relationships Manager and the campaign lead, explains:

Joining the conversation is Sophia Grant from the UK P&I Club. With 30 years of maritime experience, she reflects on how industry attitudes are shifting—recognising mental health and psychological safety as fundamental parts of the safety culture on board.

ISWAN’s Safe at Sea… it takes all of us! campaign is funded by The Seafarers’ Charity and The UK P&I Club.

Let’s hope that 2025 brings positive changes for seafarers.

Resources and support:

Link to guides on How to Be An Ally

Link to ISWAN web site SAFE At SEA

ISWAN SEAFARER HELP Service

ISWAN YACHT CREW HELP Service

Research by Cardiff University’s Seafarers International Research Centre Port Based Welfare Needs Of Women Working on Cargo Ships

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this podcast you can contact these charities for support:

SAFER WAVES For confidential support, email trained volunteers at: support@saferwaves.org

SALUTE HER UK If you need help please contact Paula on Mobile: 07861748522 or via the website: www.saluteher.co.uk

NEWS! If you love listening to us....you can also watch Sea Views episodes on YouTube at CHIRP Maritime or The Seafarers' Charity channels.

CHIRP
Improving safety at sea worldwide through the confidential and independent reporting programme.
Make an incident report to CHIRP Maritime here

The Seafarers' Charity
Improving the lives of seafarers and their families for more than 105 years.

by Ahoy Communications Ltd

Send us a text

Safety In Focus at Portsmouth International Port.

In this episode Ben McInnes, Harbour Master at the busy Portsmouth International Port explains how safety, innovation and decarbonisation is key to port operations:

It’s a very busy harbour with cruise vessels, super yachts, hovercraft, passenger and RO-RO ferries, cargo ships, an inshore fishing fleet, leisure sailors and Royal Navy vessels.

How does he keep passengers, seafarers, port staff and the harbour pilots safe?

How is the port caring for the welfare of thousands of international seafarers who visit the port?

How to tackle the emerging maritime transport risks such as lithium battery fires?

Ben also explains how the port is undertaking a ground breaking £28 million pound decarbonisation project including a shore power system for ships, aiming to make Portsmouth International Port the first port in the UK with net zero emissions by 2030.

Find out more about the Sea Change project for maritime decarbonisation HERE

NEWS! If you love listening to us....you can also watch Sea Views episodes on YouTube at CHIRP Maritime or The Seafarers' Charity channels.

CHIRP
Improving safety at sea worldwide through the confidential and independent reporting programme.
Make an incident report to CHIRP Maritime here

The Seafarers' Charity
Improving the lives of seafarers and their families for more than 105 years.

by Ahoy Communications Ltd