Welcome March 2025

Dear Seafarers,

I have been travelling a lot over the past month, a core reason many of you choose a life at sea.  This week I am in Manila with the fantastic team based here. As an important crewing hub there is a lot going on, including the recently established Voyage Loyalty, which currently continues to grow as more seafarers become eligible.

The global celebration of women in March also reminds us of the need to attract female talent to our industry, and work is underway to ensure more female seafarers can be welcomed across V.’s fleets. We look forward to sharing further updates on this as it develops.

Thank you all for your input to this Bulletin format, it was reassuring to receive positive feedback for the initiative and gain a sense of what you like to read about and how you wish to receive updates.

Finally, we recently met as a global Marine HR team to share experiences from our seafarers, and across the crewing teams, to reinforce our vision of creating progress for everything at sea. We know that is not possible if we do not put our seafarers first. So look out for upcoming changes to help us all move forward together.

Happy seafaring!

Allan

Allan Falkenberg

Chief Operating Officer, Marine HR

New cutting edge vessels join V.Ships Leisure

V.Ships Leisure, part of V.Group, announces its partnership with Orient Express Sailing Yachts for the management of two ground breaking sailing yachts. This collaboration covers crew, technical and hotel management to ensure a seamless, sustainable and luxurious onboard experience for passengers.

Managed from Monaco by V.Ships Leisure, the first vessel, Orient Express Corinthian, will be the world’s largest sailing yacht, featuring hybrid LNG propulsion and AI-driven noise reduction technology. It will enter service in June 2026, sailing across the Mediterranean, Adriatic, and Caribbean. Orient Express Olympian will follow in 2027.

Per Bjornsen, CEO of V.Ships Leisure, commented: “We are honoured to partner with Orient Express on this revolutionary maritime project, where exceptional design meets cutting-edge technology and sustainability.”

V.Ships also announced it will partner with REV Ocean to provide a tailored suite of ship management services for the world’s largest and most advanced research and expedition vessel, the REV Ocean.

The vessel, which is currently at Vard Søviknes, Norway, will be equipped to conduct research across the entire marine ecosystem, using advanced technology systems developed by world-leading knowledge clusters in Norway. It will be used by scientists and other experts for innovative research expeditions to find solutions to issues such as the impact of CO2 emissions, plastic pollution, and unsustainable fishing on the ocean.

The vessel is constructed to run on diesel electric engines, with an additional 3MW lithium-ion battery pack for peak shaving, ensuring optimum efficiency onboard.

Dag Christoffersen, Managing Director of V.Ships Norway, said: “REV Ocean’s decision to build the biggest vessel of its kind in the world, featuring the world’s most advanced technology and scientific equipment, necessitates ship management support from a partner with unmatched capacity to deliver.”

To explore the vessels and find out more its state-of-the-art facilities proposed for both visit their websites below:

https://www.revocean.org

https://sailing-yachts.orient-express.com/

Entries to V. Photography Competition 2025 Close on Monday!

Last chance to share your entries for the V. Photography Competition 2025. All entries due by March 31^st at midnight GMT.

We have received some lovely images over the past couple of months that highlight your lives at sea, and at times ashore. They illustrate the people, the places, and of course the sense of community you all bring to create a better life at sea.

Take a look at the entries so far on the V.Care Facebook page

The panel of judges is ready to view the entries and the winning picture from each category will receive a travel voucher to the value of USD 250, to be used on tickets purchased from Global Marine Travel (GMT).

You still have this weekend to submit any images that you feel may capture some of the people, places or communities afloat that have made your life at sea brighter.  

Simply email v.photos@v.group before the end of the day on Monday 31^st March.

Rules and further details can be found at:

https://www.vcrew.com/v-group-photography-competition-2025/

Safety Culture Survey Results 2024

At V., safety is more than a priority – it’s a core value. In an industry where crew safety and operational efficiency go hand in hand, every employee plays a vital role in upholding our shared responsibility to protect lives, assets, and the environment. That’s why we are committed to listening, learning, and continuously improving through initiatives like our annual Safety Culture Survey (SCS).

Earlier this year we published the results of our third annual Safety Culture Survey, produced in collaboration with our external partner, the Occupational Psychology Centre (OPC).  This year, a total of 8,599 employees, from colleagues across all business units whether involved directly in a safety critical role or not, including both seafarers and shore-based staff, shared their thoughts, helping us gain valuable insights into how we can further strengthen our safety culture.

The survey is a vital tool in our quest to continually improve safety culture. Not only does it allow us to identify the strengths and weaknesses of our safety operations – as well as measuring safety perception and enhancing safety awareness – but it gives us data to benchmark against and guide future safety initiatives.

The findings gathered from the survey will be discussed at V.’s quarterly HSSEQ Excellence Committee, and V. will also use this information to shape programmes and initiatives that can be put in place to further ensure safety excellence. Relevant updates and progress made will be shared throughout the year through various communication channels.

Previous surveys, for instance, led to the implementation of the Safety Observation App, V.Care for wellbeing, the HSSEQ Excellence Committee, and the PPE Upgrade.

Your voices shape our safety culture, and we are committed to turning feedback into action. Over the past three years, the SCS has led to measurable improvements in enhancing our safety culture, and with your continued participation, we will keep driving meaningful change.

Together, we are building a stronger, more open, and proactive safety culture—one where every voice matters and every action counts.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey. Your input is the foundation of our safety journey.

“Only by working together as a team can we achieve new levels of safety culture and reach safety excellence in V.”

Cadet Interviews in Palawan

The Cadet programme successfully wrapped up the International Maritime Employers Council (IMEC) Selection Interviews in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, in the Philippines.

Amazingly, there is only one from Cadet Class 2025 in the pool who is from the island of Palawan, so we decided to add more with the aim of promoting geographical diversity in our pool.

Many of the candidates are from maritime families in the area serving the Navy, Air Force or Coastguard who are guarding the West Philippine Sea.

The V.Cadet programme exists as a pipeline for future junior officers and welcoming the next generation to choose a life at V.

You can find out more about V. Group's Global Cadet Programme below.

February 2025 V.Group Safety Catch Winner Announced

V.Group’s “Safety Catch” award recognises seafarer or a vessel that has gone over and above what is required to deliver a safe vessel.

The purpose of this award is to promote a culture of safety rooted in openness, proactive reporting and meaningful recognition. 

January's winner was Bosun Yuriy Katsyuk of CSL TARANTAU from the UK, France & Americas Cluster for his outstanding contribution to our safety culture.

Whilst preparing a starboard side bunkering crane for operation/lowering of new rollers into the tunnel, Bosun Katsyuk found several wires on the crane had parted around the connection with the counterweight. Work was stopped immediately to prevent an incident.

February 2025 Safety Catch 

The local winners for February, were put forward for the Group Monthly award and an open vote amongst shore colleagues was once again engaging and informative on the range of safety matters encountered.

It was a close run area with the top three in the poll including the 2^nd Officer, Shiv  Kumar Sharma onboard KHAWR ALADID; 3rd Officer Serhii Ruban onboard BARUMK GAS, and Able Seaman Oleksandr Yushkevych on the RT HON PAUL E MARTIN all gaining a significant amount of votes for their actions. 

And the winner is….

3rd Officer Serhii Ruban of BARUMK GAS, part of the Singapore Fleet 2, was been selected as the February Safety Catch Winner. 

This month’s safety catch highlights the importance of Situation Awareness in maintaining vessel security. Following the detection of a stowaway, the crew took immediate action, demonstrating vigilance and effective communication. A Safety Moment on "Situation Awareness" was prepared, and security procedures were reinforced through a briefing with the crew. Security measures around the vessel were also reviewed and strengthened. 

Serhii Ruban will be awarded a certificate and a $200 GMT travel voucher for this proactive approach. 

We congratulate the crew and Singapore / Fleet 2 HSSEQ Manager and Fleet Manager for their commitment to security and vigilance. 

This is the second month of our enhanced Safety Catch campaign, and we continue to emphasize the importance of learning from each safety catch. We invite all colleagues to visit the Learning Library, created as part of the Continuous Improvement Program, to access valuable resources on security and situation awareness. 

Continuous Improvement Program - Home 

Join the Learning Library Community and stay updated on new safety insights on the link below.

Please encourage your colleagues to submit safety observations and actively participate in the V.Group Safety Catch campaign. 

We are all HSSEQ Leaders and Stop Work Authority is more than a policy—it is a commitment to safeguarding lives, well-being, and security. By fostering a questioning attitude and holding ourselves accountable, we create a positive safety culture where everyone feels empowered to act when needed. Together, we ensure the safety of our colleagues, the public, the environment, and our assets. 

Crew Management Site Visits

CMP Agata Magdziarz with Vessel Coordinator Patrycja Mezykowska had the great pleasure to visit two Falcon vessels under V. Full Technical service of Dania Ship Management Bulk, MV Calobra and MV Flora K.

Both vessels were in dry dock in Tuzla, Turkey. The time spent on board the vessels was very productive and was a great opportunity to meet the crew and see their work environment. The main focus was to ensure that the crew’s welfare and living conditions were adequate to the standards. Despite the ongoing work during the repair stop, Masters and crew of both vessels took a time for meeting with us. We found both vessels in very good shape and we were very pleased to see our crew motivated and without significant concerns.

Flora K, which just entered shipyard amazed us with its cleanliness and tidy space. Very well done to full crew for their continued efforts and dedication.

At same time, we had a chance to first time met in person, FM Stefan Persson, FSI Salil Kapoor and Technical Compliance Specialist Nilesh Shitole – thank you for all the hospitality during our visit on board.

The crewing department gains so much from visiting crew on board their managed vessels. They always take on the views and act where necessary and welcome your input as a V. seafarer.

V. VP - Metrics

The V.Group Verification Program (V.VP) sets objectives that seek to continually improve our performances operational. Adriana Woodcock is the HSSEQ & Operations analyst and each month will provide more details on some of the key metrics within the V.VP.

We're delighted to share some exciting achievements from February that underscore how every task you undertake on board, no matter how small, enhances our performance and compliance, as seen through the V.VP Tool.

1. V.VP Score Improvement: Our overall score has climbed to 2.31 from 1.56 last February. This progress is a testament to your dedication.
2. Top Performing Cluster: Hats off to China for maintaining excellence with a score of 3.18.
3. Outstanding Office: Boston steals the spotlight with a remarkable 3.44, keeping them at the top of the board.
4. Leading Fleet: Congratulations to the Boston/Fleet for leading with a stellar score of 3.68, and to ITM Greece/Fleet 1 for their impressive 3.39.
5. Exceptional Vessels: Let's welcome vessel Pertamina Abherka, managed by Offshore Asia, with an impressive score of 3.99. Kudos also to CSL Metis with 3.96 and CSL Acadian with 3.92, both from the Boston office.

A hearty thanks to everyone for your unwavering commitment and hard work. Because of your efforts, 80% of our vessels are now in the “green zone” in V.VP.

Keep up the excellent work!

Together, we're achieving great heights and confident in the future.

V.CARE: Unconcious Bias

This month we were pleased to be joined by Sam Cohman of ComPsych to deliver our wellbeing webinar on unconscious bias.

We all hold biases we aren’t aware of. Many of these biases are necessary to make quick decisions as we go about our day—which street to avoid when driving or walking, what to do when we see an animal on a hike, what financial institution to bank with. While these biases aid us in making these decisions, they can also leave out part of the story, leading to a society where everyone is operating from their own viewpoint.

By the end of this webinar, you will be able to:

• Describe unconscious bias and possible ways it appears in everyday life

• Identify the impact of unconscious bias including in our decision-making

• Discover ways of understanding and challenging our own hidden preferences, assumptions, and biases

V.CARE: Wellbeing Webinars

You can catch up with the rest of  EAP orientation and previous webinars at the link below.

Are you aware of all the wellbeing resources available to you?

Both the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and inspiration for your wellbeing can be found on the V.Care website, or available through the V.Crew Connect App.

You can also join the V.Care Facebook page to hear from other V. seafarers and families about their journey with V.

Voyage Loyalty Global Rewards Revealed

Voyage Loyalty continues its global expansion with Junior and Senior Officers now becoming eligible to start earning SeaStars and accessing new rewards.

A raft of new benefits has been added to the platform so that Voyage Loyalty Members can receive discounts or vouchers from top brand names in different countries around the world.

Voyage Loyalty has a distinctive tier structure and works by rewarding commitment and engagement, with members earning SeaStars by completing certain activities. Allocations are data-driven and in members wallets within 24 hours, following which they can redeem their SeaStars for rewards or benefits. This ensures seafarers fulfil essential roles and responsibilities, such as completing readiness for sea documentation, participating in professional development activities or demonstrating safety leadership.

Look out for your invite to join Voyage Loyalty via the V.Crew Connect App. and be further rewarded for your loyalty to V.

Find out more about Voyage Loyalty below.

Healthy Corner - Brain Boosting Foods

Brain Boosting Foods

Foods That Affect Brain Health

While some foods promote brain health, others can adversely affect cognitive function, mood, and overall wellbeing. Avoiding or reducing the intake of such foods is essential for optimal cognitive performance.

• Refined Sugars and Processed Foods

Refined sugars and processed foods can cause energy fluctuations, leading to energy crashes, which can impair concentration and focus. Excessive sugar intake also contributes to inflammation, which can cause damage to brain cells. Additionally, these foods are often low in essential nutrients and high in empty calories, which can negatively affect brain function and lead to cognitive decline.

It is recommended to avoid:

• Sugary Snacks (e.g., candies, pastries)
• Soft Drinks and Other Sugary Beverages
• Fast Foods
• Fried Foods
• Pre-Packaged Baked Goods
• Instant Noodles
• Ready-to-Eat Meals
• Processed Meats (e.g., hot dogs, deli meats)

• Trans fats

Trans fats are artificially created fats that are present in many fried, packaged, and processed foods. These fats can cause inflammation in the brain, reduce memory and negatively affect brain cell function. Long-term consumption of trans fats has been associated with a greater risk of cognitive decline and neurological diseases. To promote brain health, it is necessary to avoid foods such as fast food, baked goods with partially hydrogenated oils (e.g., cookies, cakes, frozen pizza, refrigerated dough, non-dairy coffee creamer, stick margarine) and packaged snacks with trans fats.

• Alcohol

Alcohol consumption can disrupt brain chemistry and memory and hinder cognitive function. Although moderate alcohol consumption may have a short-term impact, chronic alcohol consumption can lead to brain cell damage, memory loss, and increased risk of mental health issues. Therefore, alcohol consumption should be limited.