The home port
Crewmembers are often a long way from home and their time in port is often their break from hard work and long hours. The Crew Report speaks to Port Tarraco about how looking after crew in port is beneficial to the industry.…
The role of the on board crewmember and the services they offer is one discussed at length in our industry. But what about when they step ashore; how much do we really know about the services offered to the crewmembers? The Crew Report speaks to Carmen Balana, head of customer services at Port Tarraco, Spain, about going above and beyond for today’s crewmembers.
Port Tarraco’s Customer Service Department was established in July 2011, and in the following 12 months has seen visits from approximately 600 crewmembers.
The Customer Service Department offers a range of important services including the following: arranging visas and transit visas (accompanying all crew to the police); customs services (the port handles all customs arrangements for crew sending or receiving packages from outside the EU); processing ship clearance when requested; and handles procedures with the maritime and port authorities.
But the department does more. “We try to make the crews feel at home. We want all crewmembers to feel cared for, and taken care of as they would be at home,” explains Balana. One of the more personal services involved is accompanying crewmembers to the doctors when needed, and providing a translation service to ensure clear communication between the doctors and crewmembers. “This organisation of various doctors, and the translation we provide on spot, is a service the crews are incredibly grateful for as it constitutes a crucial aspect for all crewmembers,” says Balana, who goes on to tell me stories of crewmembers who have welcomed this service.
“One of the most treasured anecdotes from the past year is a visit to a specialist dermatologist that a crewmember requested. As I usually do, I accompanied her to the doctor and translated every word, and once the visit finished she hugged me and began to cry. I thought the visit had gone well, but she explained that less than two years ago her sister had died as a result of skin cancer. We didn’t know each other very well as the ship had just been berthed, but she was so grateful that I was there with her, and we have become really good friends.”
Balana tells me about a similar matter, where a captain’s wife had a medical emergency. With the boat scheduled to leave the port in 48 hours, Balana organised a visit to the doctor within hours. “The following morning I found the office flooded with white orchids as a sign of how thankful they were,” Balana says.
What is clear from speaking to Balana is the extent to which the crewmembers appreciate this service. The daily job of a good crewmember is to go that extra mile for a superyacht’s owner or charter guests, so receiving the same service themselves is a rarity. And moreover, Balana believes this actively has a positive effect upon a crewmember’s service to an owner and/or guest. “It is similar to us. When we stay in a nice hotel and are being well taken care of, feel relaxed, recovered, energised, motivated and slightly spoiled, this has an impact on the way we perform our activities and duties. The period at the marina is supposed to be a break from a hectic season, thus we make sure the crews recharge their batteries and step back on board re-energised and highly motivated, and this increases the efficiency on board.”
Port Tarraco’s Customer Service Department was established in July 2011, and in the following 12 months has seen visits from approximately 600 crewmembers.
Since July 2011 Port Tarraco has seen visits from approximately 600 crewmembers
The Customer Service Department offers a range of important services including the following: arranging visas and transit visas (accompanying all crew to the police); customs services (the port handles all customs arrangements for crew sending or receiving packages from outside the EU); processing ship clearance when requested; and handles procedures with the maritime and port authorities.
"The period at the marina
is supposed to be a break from a hectic season, thus we make sure the
crews recharge their batteries and step back on board re-energised and highly
motivated, and this increases the efficiency on board.” - Carmen Balana
But the department does more. “We try to make the crews feel at home. We want all crewmembers to feel cared for, and taken care of as they would be at home,” explains Balana. One of the more personal services involved is accompanying crewmembers to the doctors when needed, and providing a translation service to ensure clear communication between the doctors and crewmembers. “This organisation of various doctors, and the translation we provide on spot, is a service the crews are incredibly grateful for as it constitutes a crucial aspect for all crewmembers,” says Balana, who goes on to tell me stories of crewmembers who have welcomed this service.
“One of the most treasured anecdotes from the past year is a visit to a specialist dermatologist that a crewmember requested. As I usually do, I accompanied her to the doctor and translated every word, and once the visit finished she hugged me and began to cry. I thought the visit had gone well, but she explained that less than two years ago her sister had died as a result of skin cancer. We didn’t know each other very well as the ship had just been berthed, but she was so grateful that I was there with her, and we have become really good friends.”
Balana, right, believes taking care of crew properly when they're in port increases their efficiency on board
Balana tells me about a similar matter, where a captain’s wife had a medical emergency. With the boat scheduled to leave the port in 48 hours, Balana organised a visit to the doctor within hours. “The following morning I found the office flooded with white orchids as a sign of how thankful they were,” Balana says.
What is clear from speaking to Balana is the extent to which the crewmembers appreciate this service. The daily job of a good crewmember is to go that extra mile for a superyacht’s owner or charter guests, so receiving the same service themselves is a rarity. And moreover, Balana believes this actively has a positive effect upon a crewmember’s service to an owner and/or guest. “It is similar to us. When we stay in a nice hotel and are being well taken care of, feel relaxed, recovered, energised, motivated and slightly spoiled, this has an impact on the way we perform our activities and duties. The period at the marina is supposed to be a break from a hectic season, thus we make sure the crews recharge their batteries and step back on board re-energised and highly motivated, and this increases the efficiency on board.”
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