A meeting between UFDS and Northern Offshore Services has created great value for both parties, with both having gained a better insight into what the parties can offer each other.
Conversation promotes understanding, as they say, and recently the Danish Shipowners’ Accident Insurance Association has confirmed the truth to that statement after a member meeting with Northern Offshore Services at the latter's Danish office in central Copenhagen.
At the meeting, UFDS was represented by Tina Christensen, Insurance and Claims Handler, as well as Healthcare Consultant and Social Worker Britt Saaby, while Yvonne Gamby and Søren Thorn from NOS' HR and Payroll Department – responsible for submitting claims to UFDS – acted as hosts on the day.
The background for the meeting was a specific case about coverage in connection with the crew members' transport to and from the shipping company's vessels, which was then expanded into a general talk about 'everything', as Tina Christensen says.
»We had a thorough talk and got a lot of good information about the services offered by UFDS and Sedgwick that we did not know enough about, in relation to how well they take care of the seafarers when something happens. We talked about legislation, policy work and what to do if an employee is injured at work,« Yvonne Gamby explains.
Large apparatus is set in motion
This includes, among other things, life cycle offers from Sedgwick Care, which Britt Saaby handles, and a deeper insight into which types of injuries and other incidents are covered by the law – and which are not.
»As a service provider, we have gained a deeper understanding of what NOS is. That they are growing with more registered ships recently. And on top of that it's just great to put a face to some people you've otherwise only been in contact with via phone or email,« Tina Christensen says, with broad support for the last point.
The biggest eye-opener for NOS has actually been how large an apparatus is set in motion when a seafarer is injured, Yvonne Gamby states, and how massive an effort is involved in getting the injured party back on their feet and back to work.
Similarly, Britt Saaby, on behalf of Sedgwick Care, has gained a better insight into how NOS operates, which we have described in three previous articles here on the site, from both the shipping company's Swedish head office on Donsö near Gothenburg, and from the local ambulance boat, which we were even on call-out with.
Can get much more specific help
The meeting between UFDS and NOS also helped to underline the value of generally having an open dialogue with room to ask questions when needed, and that you can – literally – meet each other at eye level, even when cases are complicated.
»The fact that we listen to each other and that there is an answer without it being a dismissal means a lot, and it is really something we appreciate. That we can talk about things, even if we are dealing with complex legislation,« Søren Thorn says.
»It has been emphasized to us that we can get much more specific help for our seafarers from UFDS than we can from our 'normal' insurance company, which doesn’t have the same insight into our industry. We have some very small crews, and the specialist knowledge that UFDS and Sedgwick have about this is a huge plus,« Yvonne Gamby adds.
»We have strengthened our relationship as organizations, that's for sure. It's great to have met each other face to face.«
Yvonne Gamby, HR and Payroll, Northern Offshore Services
Contacts make things easier
Following the successful meeting, neither Tina Christensen and Britt Saaby on the one hand, nor Yvonne Gamby and Søren Thorn on the other, are in doubt that a foundation has been created for an even better collaboration in the future.
»We have strengthened our relationship as organizations, that's for sure. It's great to have met each other face to face, and it’ll no doubt be easier in the future when we have to ask about something, because we know that there are both competent and nice people at the other end,« Yvonne Gamby says with a smile.
»Just the fact that we now have direct access to the right contacts undoubtedly makes things easier. And for us, it is extremely important that you know something more about who we are and what we can do in terms of reaching out as an employer, because there will be difficult cases, as well as new employment legislation on the way. But we are ready to help you with that,« Britt Saaby emphasizes.
Her team at Sedgwick Care now numbers five people working closely with both the rest of the UFDS team and with the member companies. So if others would like to gain a deeper knowledge of the UFDS machinery, do not hesitate to contact Britt, Tina or others from the organization.
