We have a Health and Safety Policy which states our commitment to Zero Harm to all personnel and at all our business/operations sites ashore and at sea. We are committed to ensuring that Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) considerations are an integral part of our decision-making process and culture.

Here at CNCo, our philosophy is to never allow business objectives to compromise the health and safety of our employees, customers, visitors, contractors and the wider community. We take responsibility for safety at sea, at port and in our offices. This policy is available on all our vessels and in our offices globally.

Read the full policy here.

On board our vessels, we aim to provide a safe and healthy working environment for all our seafarers and contractors. We strive to cultivate a strong safety culture on board by having robust reporting structures in place, and continuously sharing knowledge and incorporating best practices in the industry into our work processes

In addition to having a comprehensive safety management system including clear operational procedures, we recognise that tailor-made training programmes are crucial towards cultivating a strong safety culture on board. 

Training programmes for seafarers include: 

• Induction & feedback programme
• Mandatory Safety Awareness Courses (SACs)
• Cadet Training Programmes
• Senior Officers’ Attachment Programmes 
• CNCo’s Navigation Training Course (CNTC)
• Computer Based Training (CBT) on Safety of Navigation

Other safety initiatives include:

• Safety Assessments (Safety recruitment assessments, Recruitment Evaluation and Assessment Programme (REAP), annual test in the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) for deck officers)
• Safety Campaigns and Safety Videos
• Safety Alerts
• Regular ship visits by office staff worldwide to promulgate CNCo’s safety commitment to Masters and crew

As part of our commitment to provide a work environment that supports the safety, security and welfare of our people, we have developed a set of standards that are relevant to our onshore offices.

Our office safety standards include:

• Establishing Office Safety Committees in all our offices. This committee meets on a regular basis to discuss a range of safety concerns and act as safety ambassadors within the business when new initiatives are rolled out.
• Having clear emergency evacuation guidelines for employees to understand and adhere to in the event of an emergency.
• Training fire wardens and emergency evacuation representatives to ensure that employees are safely evacuated to a dedicated meeting point in the event of an emergency.
• Identifying first aid representatives who can attend to minor first aid incidents within the office as and when they may occur.
• Developing incident reporting tools to encourage employees to report any safety concerns when the need arises.

Safety initiatives for shore-based employees:

• Office training workshops
• Every employee has safety SMART goals embedded in their Key Performance Indicators

Stevedores, port workers & other third-party contractors

At CNCo, we care not just about the safety of our people, but our contractors too. Both our operating divisions, Swire Shipping and Swire Bulk, work closely with all port services partners to ensure that the safety culture extends beyond our vessels and are reiterated during operational activities ashore.

We understand that achieving Zero Harm in the long term, and sustaining it, is built on continuous improvement and leveraging on vital elements of behaviours, attitudes, awareness, competency and team work.

In all our ports of call, we aim to raise safety awareness amongst stevedores and port workers.

Key initiatives include:

• Frequent sharing of key safety information and best practices
• Collecting, measuring and analysing data to monitor contractors’ safety performance
• Collaborating with contractors, charterers and cargo clients to promote safety goals and strengthen good practices during cargo operations – 3 Hazards Safety Awareness Program
• Identifying safety hazards and potential incidents, and sharing lessons learnt
• Developing a Regional Safety Champions (RSC) programme for Swire Shipping partners, aimed to provide regional safety overview for Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands
• Successfully starting a Safety Supervision Campaign for Swire Bulk partners in India and Thailand, where local Port Captains attend and supervise vessel operations, provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) where missing, highlight the safety message, and interfere in unsafe operations

When it comes to handling your cargo, you can be assured that we apply the highest safety standards. The safety of your cargo is of utmost importance and we have a Responsible Cargo Carriage Policy in place. As part of our cargo care duty, we actively engage with our stakeholders to ensure cargo operations are performed in a safe and responsible manner.

For Swire Shipping, cargo handling/stowage initiatives include:

• The design and implementation of cargo care policies and procedures for the safe handling and stowage of hazardous, reefer and special lift cargoes
• Ongoing training and education of stakeholders to ensure compliance with IMDG code for hazardous cargo shipments at all times
• Ensuring that cargo operations are safely and efficiently carried out by engaging stevedores and cargo lashing providers that meet our strict safety requirements and share our values and culture for cargo safety
• Ensuring that all our lifting and securing equipment is certified and of the highest standard
• Conducting risk assessments prior to lifting special cargo including heavy lifts, over-dimensional units, out-of-gauge pieces and boats; and ensuring that all persons involved in the job are aware of the hazards and take necessary measures to reduce exposure to these risks
• Proactively identifying, mitigating and/or eliminating the main operating risks in relation to cargo handling, lifting and stowage that may lead to accidents and injuries

For Swire Bulk, cargo handling/stowage initiatives include:

• The design and implementation of cargo care policies and SOPs for the safe handling, stowage and transportation in close co-operation with our Cargo Charterers, for example on holds preparations, special load & discharge operations, handling hazardous materials, recorded en route checks, cleaning operations after discharge, etc.)
• Ongoing training and education of stakeholders to ensure compliance with IMDG code for hazardous cargo shipments at all times
• Ensuring that cargo operations are safely and efficiently carried out by providing Port Captain attendance, engaging stevedores and cargo lashing providers that meet our strict safety requirements and share our values and culture for cargo safety
• Ensuring that all our lifting and securing equipment is fully certified and of the highest standard.
• Risk assessments prior to lifting special cargo and highlighting the importance of safety to all personnel involved in the job
• Proactively identifying, mitigating and/or eliminating the main operating risks in relation to cargo handling, lifting and stowage that may lead to accidents and injuries.