On September 19 and 20 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, there was held the ITF European Offshore Taskforce Group (OETFG) meeting.
The OETFG participants traditionally meet once a year to discuss the industry problems and to analyze the market situation. Despite the fact that the offshore industry is experiencing one of its most challenging periods yet, a large number of Ukrainian seafarers continue to serve on offshore vessels. At the meetings Ukraine was represented by Oleg Grygoriuk, First Vice Chairman of the Marine Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Ukraine.
The future of offshore industry was one of the most critical items on the meeting’s agenda. Thus, in his report on Bourbon, the head of the French transport union CFDT FGTE UFM, informed of USD 120 billion losses the Company experienced over the last 3 years. Nevertheless, the offshore giant is taking advantage of the crisis affecting the offshore oil sector to launch its digital revolution with its Smar1 shipping program.
The Smart shipping program of Bourbon concerns all levels of the company. The aims are to cut operational costs by 25% to be ready when the sails are going to blow. It is expected to achieve the autonomy of the ship in 2017 – therefore Bourbon signed a partnership with the Norwegian Kongsberg to digitize its fleet.
It was said that the offshore crisis, linked to the collapse of the oil price, has led to a drastic reduction in the exploration investments of the oil majors, foremost among which are the seismic campaigns.
In the course of the meetings, each country and the trade union party presented its views of the offshore market prospects, when the main issue remained adherence to the established ITF standards for offshore fleet in the current situation on the market. As well as negotiations were held with companies not yet cooperating with the ITF.
