Keys to Being a Successful Ship Master

Captain Sergio Gianfranchi has had a 60-year career in shipping, nearly 40 of them with Scorpio. Before his retirement at the end of 2024, he shared some of his wisdom about what makes a good ship master. Here, in his words, are the most important traits to develop:

Dear Reader,

Asked to write a few lines based on my experience onboard, I would like to share some keys to being a good Master, keys that apply not only onboard, but for anyone wanting to lead successfully.

As we all know, life onboard is neither simple nor easy: for a certain period of time, we have to live with several other people, different from us in nationality, culture, habits, etc. It is the Master’s job to not only make sure that the crew is not affected by the differences listed above, but rather, to derive as much benefit from them as possible. It’s not an easy task, but with some key skills, it is doable!

To those who have chosen to become the Master of a ship, I say: you must be prepared to face every situation with fortitude, curiosity, poise, and enthusiasm. To not exclude yourself from socializing, but to embrace it and learn to understand others’ points of view. However, be careful of discussing politics and family matters. On board, there is the sense of authority linked to your role, therefore the other can feel oppressed or not considered by you if he dislikes what you say, or feels in some way forced to stop the discussion, which can ultimately lead to diminished respect.

This job requires that you also understand a person’s eventual mistakes and to respond with your own point of view without abuse (even if only verbal) and, at times, to recognize your own mistakes as well. Of course, this must be done with due skill so as not to lose the crew’s confidence in either their or your own capacity for good judgement and effective action. After all, the safety of the ship and of the people working on it, is based on respect for the hierarchy—if someone gives or receives an order, the success or failure of that action depends on the rapidity with which it is given and executed. This applies to all tasks, whether it is a work order or, at the extreme, an abandon ship!

Never humiliate someone for any mistake. The better response is to point it out and explain what the error consisted of and how to avoid it in the future. This strategy maintains the necessary peace of mind required to make a successful voyage with your crew and cultivates the harmonious situation I highlighted above, even when unforeseen events are the order of the day.

In summary, do not pretend to be infallible but do try to get as close as possible by learning from your own mistakes and those of others. Treat the ship as a living person, getting to know her and her crew as best you can. Understand and remember what is expected of you, by your crew, by those who have given you this responsibility, and by all the external people you have to deal with. Only by earning and maintaining the trust from all these people, will you achieve the satisfaction you are looking for in doing the most beautiful job in the world!

At the end of 2024, Capt. Gianfranchi retired after a 60-year career in shipping. Read his farewell article here. This article was featured in Beacon 27; while onboard, all issues are accessible on Docmap.