HUMAN RESOURCE SELECTION IN SHIPPING COMPANIES

Abstract

Human Resource Management on ships differs from traditional management in land-based organizations due to the specific conditions of the maritime environment such as isolation, multinational crews, length of contracts and voyages, high level of responsibility, and the need for constant readiness and real-time decision-making. Precisely because of these challenges, the selection of managers on ships is a strategic process that directly affects navigation safety, work efficiency, crew motivation and the reputation of the shipping company. The selection and development of shipboard personnel is one of the key challenges in the maritime industry. The global labor market, technological changes, regulations and requirements of modern shipping impose ever higher standards for the employment and long-term education of seafarers. Shipping companies and their human resources departments must recognize the specific needs of the crew, provide appropriate training programs and ensure conditions that enable professional development and long-term retention of professional personnel. These trends create additional pressure on shipping companies and intermediary agencies, which must continuously adapt their selection processes in order to maintain a high level of operational reliability. In such an environment, the challenges are no longer only technical in nature, but also encompass the organizational, human and technological dimensions of human resources management.
This paper research the selection processes of ship managers, focusing on the competencies, criteria and methods that ensure high expertise and professionalism of people in leading positions on board. The paper also analyses the role of the international regulatory framework, the specificities of work on board ships and the challenges that maritime companies face in the process of selecting and developing personnel. Through practical examples and a comparison of different approaches, the paper provides an overview of key factors that contribute to successful human resources management in the maritime sector.
The structure of the paper is organized so that it first explains the theoretical foundations and regulatory framework, then considers the selection process and the required competencies of managers, and finally provides practical examples and contemporary trends in human resources management in the maritime sector.