Intermarine’s Outlook for 2008
January 15, 2008
Andre Grikitis
President and Chief Executive
Intermarine, LLC
The Most Critical Shortage: People
The shortage of tonnage in our industry is no secret. Much has been said about the scarcity of vessels across the entire market. Tonnage is not the only prized commodity in short supply. Increasingly there is and will continue to be a real shortage of qualified personnel available to service the needs of the project cargo market.
The dearth of qualified employees is not limited to any discrete segment of the larger project market. It is, and will continue to be, a challenge up and down the supply chain. With a burgeoning market that shows no sign of slowing in the coming years, the premium placed on qualified employees in all sectors will increase. The number of employees who lack the training or experience necessary to perform their jobs will also increase. As a consequence of less experienced workers in the project market, mistakes are much more likely, more often. This will further pressure the experienced people and cause burn-out. The mistakes of inexperience will result in disputes, which will in turn strain human resources and the capacity to keep cargoes flowing on schedule. There is a multiplier effect already at work, one which adds to costs beyond supply and demand factors.
Employers in all sectors of project cargo fields must be proactive in facing these significant challenges. How? First, they must retain their own experienced employees. This is sometimes easier said than done and requires a positive and supportive work environment. Second, employers must constantly search out intelligent and motivated candidates, and train them. Effectively training employees is expensive, it is time-consuming, and it is absolutely critical. Simply plugging an inexperienced new hire into an existing operation is tempting but self-defeating. It is also vital to educate ones clients and vendors about what the company does, how it does it and how the client and vendor can interact in a more efficient manner. This activity has the benefit of creating more positive industry exposure for the company.
The pressures of our industry are here to stay. Time constraints, client demands, massive volume, and vessel shortages combine to make our industry extremely challenging. To thrive and grow, we must innovate. To accomplish that, we need capable people with the skills and motivation to succeed. As employers in the project cargo industry, we are obliged to create an atmosphere that encourages the continuous development of professionalism and enthusiasm in our industry.