A network you can rely on

What had happened?
A pilot had complained about the condition of the gangway of one of our ships. It was in a bad condition that endangered his safety when entering and leaving the ship. He would have to report this to the authorities – but if a certain number of cigarettes were handed over, he would refrain from doing so. According to the captain, the condition of the gangway was impeccable. He informed the inspector in charge and our DPA, Guido Kraemer.
The case was immediately reported to the local staff of the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network, who took over further processing of the case or communication. This allowed the bridge team to concentrate fully on the maritime area again. The pilot later left the ship without informing the authorities about the gangway – and without cigarettes.

“Fortunately, we have quite few cases of this kind,” explains Guido Kraemer, Head of QHSE and DPA. “There have been times when the captain would have handed the cigarettes to the pilot – completely indifferent to whether the charges were justified or not. Apart from the fact that there is no justification for attempted bribery anyway. We have clearly told our colleagues at sea that this has to stop. And that they can rely on concrete support, both from us and the helpdesks in the critical countries, should they be exposed to bribery attempts on board.”

Guido Kraemer recently attended MACN’s Spring Member Meeting in London, where he exchanged views with representatives of member companies and the network. “We have joined a strong network that wants to make a difference and can do so. Membership and especially forums like the meeting in London show that everyone in the network benefits from cooperation, exchange of experience and knowledge.”