things or says things a different
way. The other is just being aware
of perspectives, that we all have
different perspectives and backgrounds, being aware of it and
being considerate.
The crew is very diverse. You’re
actually seeing more non-U.S. people, or people who are just naturalized, or have just come into the
country.
How do you help maintain the
morale of your crew?
PHILLIPS: I never really thought
that was very important, because I
believe you bring your morale with
you. It does get affected by the
working conditions and hours and
things that are going on around us.
Basically, it’s just trying to respect
everybody and trying to keep
everybody respectful of each other
… treating people fair and trying
to be upfront. I think morale is
important … but I truly believe it
comes from each one of us.
REUTERS
Maersk Alabama Capt. Richard Phillips is hugged by his daughter, Mariah, as he
is reunited with his wife, Andrea, and son, Daniel, upon returning to Burlington,
Vt., April 17.
How do you train to stay proficient in the various jobs aboard the ship?
PHILLIPS: It’s constant learning because, by the nature
of the industry, the crews are almost a revolving door.
We’re all on different time schedules, so people are
coming and going all the time, especially out on a shuttle run you’ll have people leaving every week or every
two weeks. … You can see the chemistry of a ship
change with one person coming and going. It’s really
amazing how one person could affect it, good or bad.
What is the hardest part of your job? The answer
to that might have been a little different a few
months ago.
PHILLIPS: Yep. Just communicating is the hardest part,
I guess, the older I get. I didn’t consider it very important before, but I’m seeing the results of miscommuni-cation and non-communication.
How important is the Merchant Marine to the
U.S. military?
PHILLIPS: It’s a symbiotic relationship. One can’t do it
without the other. … I wouldn’t be here talking to you
without the military, the Navy and the fine job they do.
And without the Merchant Marine, the military couldn’t
go and do what they’re doing in various areas of the
world today. We do carry a majority of their equipment,
and we do it cheaper and more efficiently than they can.
We’re the truck drivers of the ocean.
Barring the recent events, what would you
say has been your most difficult operating
environment?
PHILLIPS: I would have to say the trips I made, mainly
as chief mate, to the Antarctic and the Arctic. It’s a very
hostile environment. … Going up and down there makes
you look forward to those long ocean crossings, where a
lot of times it is very mundane. But anything can happen.
… In our industry, you can go through days and days and
weeks and weeks of sheer boredom and then you’ll go
through that five minutes of terror, and you always have
to be ready for that.
Do you train for certain scenarios?
PHILLIPS: As my crew knows, I love to train. I’m a firm
believer in training. That’s the only way you actually
get to the point of being ready. I don’t think you’re ever
ready for anything, but you’re preparing for everything
to point you in the right direction, to get more muscle
memory so there’s less thinking, so you know what
you’ve got to do and the guy behind you knows what
SEAPOWER / AUGUST 2009
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