The seagoing recruitment division has been established due to the high demand for this type of service from Faststream’s shipping clients. Headquartered in Faststream’s North East base in Massachusetts, the seagoing division will also operate through Faststream’s other US regional headquarters in Fort Lauderdale and Houston.

The division has already been launched in Faststream’s global headquarters in the UK. Planned future expansion will see this business area span across other Faststream operations in the Asia-Pacific and Scandinavia.

Heather Twiss will be heading up the seagoing division throughout The Americas. Heather was the former Director of Career Services at Massachusetts Maritime Academy where she provided career guidance and placement opportunities to both cadets and alumni in both seagoing and shore-side maritime employment opportunities. She is also a graduate of Massachusetts Maritime Academy and has sailed on seismic vessels.

Mark Charman, Group CEO and Founder said:

“This is an exciting chapter in Faststream’s development. Although this is our first planned step into the seagoing market we’re certainly not wet behind the ears. We are shipping people through and through and our specialist consultants hold a wealth of knowledge of the shipping industry in its entirety”.

“Our business is based around supply and demand. Our clients have a huge demand for seagoing staff. The quantity of enquiries we’ve received about providing seagoing recruitment over the years had reached a level where launching a stand alone seagoing division was a must”.

“From what we hear, the seagoing market lacks a quality recruitment model. Industry knowledge is all very well but it’s critical that this is combined with best recruitment practice and Faststream are in a perfect position to provide both” (source: www.faststream.us).

According to Christian Lange, there are still many good opportunities for senior and mid-level shipping positions across Scandinavia and northern Europe, despite the sharp market downturn.

“We still have many clients who are looking for people on both the technical and commercial side of the business and we will be taking on new recruitment consultants to handle the demand.

“There is certainly not a lack of jobs for experienced candidates. Companies always need good people, particularly in a downturn and we are able to deliver better candidates than ever before for the available positions,” he said.

The survey was undertaken by undertaken by international shipping recruiter Faststream whose managing director Mark Charman said that 58% of the respondents agreed that recruitment was a big challenge. He said: “Vacancy levels in the shore-based LNG sector are at a record high and we forecast them to continue growing. Employers face competition for talent not only from direct competitors, but also banks and power companies who need people with specialist marine engineering know-how.”

Competition for those with seafaring LNG experience was “fierce” and that rising salaries at sea were setting expectations ashore. He added: “The ongoing uncertainty driven by the credit crunch has led to candidates being much less willing to take a chance and relocate to a new company. The promise of large bonuses is failing to attract candidates, with base salary a far more important factor.”

Mr Charman advised LNG shipping companies and terminal operators to change their attitude to recruitment strategies and to take a lead from other industries when seeking to hire top talent in a candidate short market (source: mglobal.com)