Fleet Management conducted a Road Show at Chandigarh on 28th and at Dehra Doon on 29th June'07. The theme of the Road Show was “Homing on to success with Fleet Management Ltd”. The theme comprised topics such as Fleet's growth success to managing 170 ships. Mr. Vishal Sharma, Head of Training Institute, Fleet Management said, “We believe our floating staff are our most important assets, and this campaign is dedicated to reach out to them.” One of the highlights of the event was the launch of the HR cell that will work for the welfare and professional development of the floating staff. While the days were packed with sailing and shore-based employees coming together for formal and informal presentations, evenings witnessed soothing cocktails and dinner.

Senior officials opine that even though there were interactions with floating staff in the various seminars that Fleet Management organizes on a regular basis across different cities, these forums provide an informal and social get-together so important for mutual understanding and building teamwork. These shows also attract persons from different social streams apart from those from the industry who in quite a few cases become future acquaintances and stakeholders in some form or the other. Seniors feel these events are also a vehicle to carry forward FML's message and developments to their staff.

Upon being asked about the response for these campaigns, Mr. Vishal Sharma is forthright, “Overwhelming!” he says. “Wherever we have organized road shows the response has been encouraging. At our Vizag and Patna road show, the people mentioned that this is the biggest event of seafarers they have witnessed in their respective city. We are also honoring our long service employees at such events. At times their reaction and their families reaction has been very emotional. Even those who are not working with us, have come and congratulated us to take such initiative.”

The pride of FML is evident from their words. FML management also seems to be looking far with regard to the team working and teambuilding these exercises are sought to achieve. FML is quick to credit their floating staff for all the arrangements carried out by them towards hotel booking, sending out invitations, carrying out publicity, photo shoots, media coverage, arranging for entertainment etc. in consultation with and coordination with the main office, even though they did not have an office at Chandigarh and Dehradoon. Mr. Sharma stresses, “these events help bringing the floating staff and shore staff closer. It reinforces the belief that that ship and shore staff are not two separate entities, but one team working together for common organizational objectives.”

FML is upbeat about carrying forward regular shows of this kind in the future. According to Mr. Vishal Sharma they have been pioneers in road shows for sailors of merchant navy. FML had their first road-show event in 2006 and since then have had a series of such events in different cities in India. They are also excited that the campaigns in some places have been so fruitful that they held a second one in those places within the next few months. FML has already had road shows at Kolkata, Patna, Vizag, Chandigarh and Dehradoon. They plan to take this wave to Pune, Bangalore, Lucknow and Goa during the next few months of 2007. A few other cities such as Jaipur, Ranchi, Bhubhaneshwar, Meerut are also hot favourites for these events.

Over 100 seafarers participated in the recently conclude events at Chandigarh. The attendees included Capt. Anshul Rajvanshi, Mr Vishal Sharma, Capt Rishi Sharma, Mr Tushar Sharma and Mr R.P. Singh. Fleet Management is one of the first ship management companies in India to take initiative to form an independent HR Cell.

Mr. Vishal Sharma is all praise for the team who organized this event. He says, “The entire organizing team deserve all the credit thanks to the able leadership of our MD, Mr. K.S. Rajvanshy. We are especially thankful to our staff residing at Chandigarh and Dehradoon who have put in a lot of effort to make this event a resounding success.”