We are now in the second half of 2020, and the Covid-19 marathon continues. Looking at the continuous increase of infection numbers in large parts of the world and the resurgence of infections in seemingly recovered countries, there are sadly few signs that the pandemic will leave anytime soon.
Our top concern is our people's safety, with a particular focus on crew change. This continues to be extremely difficult, with the added weight to our seafarers' shoulders, whether on board or ashore. It is simply not viable that so many governments close their borders and make it impossible for seafarers to travel.
We are happy for each successful crew change we manage, and equally frustrated about the many hindrances that so often stop us from bringing colleagues to and from the ships. It is a positive sign that many governments have signed a statement to define seafarers as key workers and open for crew change, but sadly we have yet to see an apparent effect.
Our organization works around the clock to find solutions, and we take a position in industry channels and in the media to put pressure on decision-makers. We prioritize resources in-house and externally to facilitate and secure safe travels for our seafarers. Rest assure that we are doing what we can, and we are determined to get this solved. The results must come.
Some of us live in countries where the virus is seemingly under control, while others are in the epicenter.
Regardless of local variations, the pandemic affects our business in most aspects. We must get used to having the virus around as a high-risk factor. The market is volatile, port calls, drydockings and operations overall are extra challenging, and many colleagues have worked from home for more than six months and counting.
As you have read in other updates, we have had a few infection cases in our shore organization, and in the past weeks we have also experienced positive Covid-19 tests among our crew. Thankfully all with few to no symptoms, and all rooted in external factors.
Regardless of origin, these cases underline the importance of having solid procedures in place – and the importance of following these procedures every day. We have learned some new lessons to further reduce risk of bringing the virus on board our ships. I want to express my deepest gratitude to our colleagues on board for their continued diligence as the pandemic stretches in time.
We are going through the pandemic together, but each of us experiences it differently, personally and at work. As we're working out how to learn to live with it, I am pleased to see the initiatives to take learning from our experiences and adjust accordingly.
The operational performance has been solid through the summer months. We have proven the pessimists wrong, and deliver strong results thanks to extremely good work by our entire organization. These are true signs of a flexible and forward-leaning organization. This unprecedented time has certainly proven that the Odfjell team is second to none!
We have now passed 365 days – a full year – without any Lost Time Injury* cases in Odfjell. It means that no one has been injured at work to the degree that he/she was unable to do the job. 365 days without any such incidents is a testament of our safety focus throughout the organization. The strong performance strengthens Odfjell's position towards our competitors.
But safety goes far beyond the LTI measuring scale; it is so much more than physical injuries causing time away from work.
We have a great responsibility to secure each others' health in all respects – not just because of an industry measuring scale.
Transparency and communication are key, and we must proactively address every risk to truly reach the safety standard we want. Let us continue the positive trend and make sure safety is always secured!
I hope all of you are ready to take on the second half of 2020. It has been an unbelievable year so far, and I expect that the coming months will fill our plate as well.
The pandemic is beyond our control, but we can control how we respond to it.
We can make sure to continue the excellent business and operational work, keep up the pace on new initiatives and our many ongoing development projects. I look forward to taking part and working together with you to reach new targets!
Take care and stay safe,
Kristian Mørch
CEO
*LTI = A 'lost time injury': Permanent total or partial disability fatality, or a lost workday case.
