A demanding, fast-changing environment

Managing travel for an executive flying between two well-connected cities like Dubai and Paris is complicated enough. But if you’re a business which moves personnel to ships or oil and gas platforms, the challenges multiply quickly. Welcome to the specialised world of crew travel, also known as rotational, marine or offshore travel.

Almost everything about crew travel is more complex. Multi-sector journeys, often to remote locations, are the norm. Time spent away is measured in weeks or even months. Many workers are contractors, not employees. And passport and visa rules are convoluted, especially as crews can be drawn from many different countries.

On top of all that is volatility. Personnel schedules change all the time because of operational needs and, in the case of ship’s crew, delays to ships, bad weather and lack of docking space at ports. Where and when crew are expected to report for duty can change at the very last minute. But whatever happens, it is crucial that every traveller is delivered to the right place at the right time. In sectors like energy and shipping, operational disruption caused by under-staffing can cost millions of dollars.

Call in the specialists

Not surprisingly, a highly specialised travel management sub-sector has evolved to manage crew travel. Therefore, the number one piece of advice for anyone who takes on responsibility for moving crew, including onshore energy workers as well, is to hire a TMC that is either fully focused on this specialisation or has a team exclusively dedicated to it.

Crew travel specialists tend to be deeply experienced professionals (one such company claims its team have worked in this sector for an astonishing average of 37 years). That means they know all the details to watch out for that non-specialists might miss.

A classic example is that only specialist TMCs (or departments) are authorised by airlines to sell marine air tickets. These are one-way tickets that are refundable and changeable, which is essential when travel plans are liable to change. Marine fares also usually include an additional baggage allowance.

Marine fares are usually not as cheap as the lowest scheduled fares but their vastly superior flexibility means they often prove a much better option that lead to better savings overall. For that reason, only authorised marine workers are entitled to fly on these tickets: specialised TMCs will ensure passengers have the correct paperwork to avoid denied boarding.

Crew travel specialists are also very important because they have the experience and training to be as flexible as the tickets they sell, responding fast to disruptions and changing itineraries. Making sure your TMC has a very robust 24-hour assistance service is an extremely important selection criterion.

Technology is beginning to provide answers

While expert human support is non-negotiable, technology is also becoming increasingly important in a sector that has been slower to automate than the rest of corporate travel (for example marine fares are often unavailable through regular online booking tools). American Express Global Business Travel became the latest company to launch a crew travel platform  in November, but others which already have a similar offering include ATPI and Clyde Travel Management (both of them with a decades-long pedigree in marine and energy), and hotel solutions provider HRS.

Each crew travel system varies, but generally they allow managers to create a unique set-up for each project so they can track who is moving into and out of a particular vessel or platform, plus budgets and running costs. Other features may include profiles that cover each worker’s transfer arrangements, per diem allowances and approved payment and reconciliation processes.

But perhaps the most important consideration to check is how well any automated crew travel tool integrates with your own business’s workforce management systems.

With support from a combination of good technology and good people, it’s time to go full steam ahead with managing your crew travel!