I worked for the company and later became a Master there at the age of 33. My contracts were usually 12 weeks, with the option of shorter eight-week contracts. Salaries were paid on time, and under my permanent contract I had social and pension benefits; I was also paid at the basic rate while waiting for a vessel or recovering from illness at home. The office and operations team were friendly, and when I had problems on board the company organized medical care, paid me while I recovered, and resolved the situation.
I personally experienced a very demanding onboard working culture. Crew members were expected to attend frequent meetings and coffee breaks with the Master, and deck officers were regularly assigned painting, greasing, maintenance, and cargo-securing work alongside the ratings. In port, the crew had to perform heavy manual work, often with very small crews, and this resulted in long periods of unpaid overtime and severe physical exhaustion. Officers could also receive warnings for resting in their cabins after watch or for not taking part in social activities.
I worked with the company about 20 years ago. It was common for crew members to be expected to go to the bar or recreation room after dinner, even when they were tired or had personal matters to attend to. The pressure to socialize continued after the working day and did not take the crew’s need for rest into account.
I worked for the company for eight years and was generally satisfied. It is a large group with a stable salary, basic working conditions, and a broad fleet, but the workload is consistently very heavy and personal relationships can be difficult. In my experience, the company was better than most others in terms of pay, stability, and basic conditions, although the management culture could be frustrating.
I worked for the company as a Third Engineer. There was no electrician, so many additional duties fell on the Third Engineer, including replacing light bulbs and dealing with the main and auxiliary machinery. The division of responsibilities was confusing, with senior crew members carrying out duties normally assigned to lower ranks. The food was acceptable and my salary was paid without problems, but I did not like the job and changed companies.
I personally worked for the company and experienced highly authoritarian treatment on board. During mooring operations in China, the master blamed me after shore workers refused to move a line, then helped arrange my dismissal; he gave me a positive appraisal in person but sent a different report to the office marked “refuse to sign.” The officers were mostly Italian, while the Filipino crew ate separately, and even joining another group for lunch led to questioning. The crew was understaffed, salaries were paid only in the middle of the following month, and old crew members were kept on board for long periods.
I worked for the company on a coaster contract about a year and a half ago, and my later information is that the situation has not changed. My salary was paid on time, the internet allowance was 1 GB per day, and the contracts were short. The crews were reduced, lashing was poorly paid or unpaid, port calls were frequent, and there was a great deal of work. Food was mediocre, breakfasts were practically nonexistent, and there was severe cost-cutting on provisions and supplies.