In today’s maritime industry, we conduct most business via computer screens. We hear voices without cameras, see faces in pixelated squares, and make critical decisions through digital intermediaries. It’s efficient, certainly. But something vital gets lost in translation.

I’m Captain Gaurav, and I’ve just experienced something that reminded me why physical connection remains irreplaceable in our industry. Maryam Shipmanagement’s second crew seminar, held here in Manila over two intensive, electrifying days.

Let me be direct: I’ve worked for other companies. I’ve attended countless fleet seminars. Most follow a predictable pattern: 50 presentations from various departments, graphs showing company performance over the past year, a formal dinner, and everyone disperses. As companies grow larger, that human touch vanishes. Seminars become paper exercises, box-ticking formalities conducted because “we need a seminar every year.”

This was different.

The agenda focused entirely on the human factor. Every session, every discussion, every presentation centred on making our seafarers believe in us, demonstrating our support, and crucially, listening to them.

We structured multiple open forums throughout the two days. The managing director participated. Senior management participated. The floor was genuinely open. Our crew could ask anything. Whatever queries troubled them, whatever challenges they faced, whatever concerns kept them awake during night watches. And we responded, honestly and comprehensively.

Beyond that dialogue, we apprised them of company performance, new initiatives and plans for the future. We discussed the highs and lows of the past year transparently. We shared our expectations going forward. No corporate spin, no evasive language. Just an honest assessment.

The questions raised didn’t particularly surprise me, but they mattered enormously. Our crew wanted to know about career progression and how performance impacts promotions. They wanted reassurance about continuity, about whether their commitment to the company would be reciprocated. These aren’t trivial concerns. These are professionals asking whether investing their careers with Maryam  makes sense, whether we value them as individuals rather than merely as labour resources.

We discussed these matters mutually, openly. Our crew genuinely participated. They responded, they listened willingly, and critically; it wasn’t one-way communication. It was dialogue. Real dialogue. When we started, you could feel the formality in the air. They saw us as managers; they saw themselves as ship’s staff. There was distance, professional caution. By the end of two days, that barrier had dissolved. They felt comfortable with us. They began seeing us as family rather than distant corporate figures.

Sitting face-to-face, sharing meals, laughing together, discussing matters unrelated to shipping or business, you discover how people genuinely feel. Being a relatively new company with a smaller fleet gives us an advantage here. We can know each crew member personally. We can understand their individual expectations, their specific concerns, their particular aspirations. We kept our presentations minimal and let their queries lead the seminar, because we needed to know where we stand, how well we’re performing from their perspective.We’re committed to increasing this type of connection. Not just annual seminars, but more ship visits, more face-to-face meetings aboard vessels, more opportunities to know each other beyond professional roles.

Because here’s the truth: maritime work isolates people. Seafarers spend months away from home, managing complex operations with limited immediate support. When they attend a seminar, they’re asking fundamental questions: do these people actually care about me? Do they see me as a person or merely as a crew member? Will they support my development or merely extract my labour?

Those two days in Manila answered those questions. Not through presentations or graphs, but through genuine dialogue, shared meals, mutual laughter and honest conversation. And it’s precisely why these gatherings matter more than any digital innovation could replace.

Captain Gaurav Senior Marine and HSEQ Superintendent, Maryam Shipmanagement