Ship Recruitment - what does it take?

Tall Ships are expensive to run and must generate income while in a host port. This was one of the key messages of this session which looked at corporate hospitality for non-military ships requirements as well as how to attract military ships to an event. Organising corporate hospitality is a professional and full time job and one that should not be taken lightly. Maritime event organisers and corporate hospitality experts, Nautisch Evenementen Bureau, provided valuable information on how to organise corporate hospitality, from the need to start early to the requirement to make a plan and a timetable and stick to it.

Tall Ships generally set their voyage schedules up to three years in advance, so ports were urged to make a priority of establishing contact with commanding officers, ship operators, ambassadors and anyone with influence over a Tall Ship's timetable. Commercial Tall Ships need income of between €3,000 and €10,00, depending on the size and other factors, per day to survive. Ports therefore must ensure they receive sufficient corporate hospitality and trainees to help them decide to commit to attend their event. No income means no ships!

Preparation is the key to ensuring a good take up of corporate hospitality. Knowledge about each Tall Ship is essential, not just the size and available deck area but also security, galley facilities and even the number of fridges so that you know what you are selling. Including corporate hospitality as part of sponsorship packages was recommended as well as using Tall Ships for a port's own corporate hospitality events.

When attracting military vessels to an event, Claudia Bankert, International Ships Liaison with American Sail Training Association (ASTA), outlined some of the key decision making processes. All the military ships are ambassadors for their country so where they go and how much interaction with the local people they get, how much publicity, what the cadets will get out of the experience and an understanding of their requirements is essential to attract a military ship to your port. Most military ships are unable to accept any payment but ports can be creative by providing other benefits such as phone cards and cultural exchanges for cadets as well as free transport and drivers, the usual free tugs, water and electricity.

Writing letters of endorsement to embassies and cultural attaches is an important route to military vessels. It was recommended that ports should join forces with other ports in an event to ensure a co-ordinated approach to all contacts. Commanding officers, ambassadors, honorary consuls, heads of state, politicians all can influence a ship's schedule so they should be befriended at every opportunity.

Speakers

Paulus Mooyman, Managing Director, Nautisch Evenementen Bureau, Netherlands

Claudia Bankert, International Ships Liaison, ASTA, USA