Sea Views

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🌊 What happens to seafarers when global conflict turns ships into soft targets?

In this episode of Sea Views, host Julia Gosling is joined by co-host Dave Watkins, Deputy Director of CHIRP Maritime, with guests Capt. Samarth Sinha and Dr Rachel Glynn-Williams for a powerful discussion on the human reality behind the Strait of Hormuz crisis, conflict-zone shipping, and the psychological pressure facing crews at sea.

This is not an abstract conversation about geopolitics. It is about the people onboard.

Capt. Samarth Sinha speaks directly from life at sea, explaining how uncertainty, isolation, rationed supplies, false reports, fatigue, and the threat of attack affect crew members who cannot simply leave the workplace when danger rises. Dave Watkins brings his own experience of piracy and its long aftermath, while Dr Rachel Glynn-Williams explains how trauma, adrenaline, decompression, peer support, and recovery work in real human terms.

From leadership and onboard routines to social media isolation, buddy systems, support charities, and the urgent need to stop treating civilian ships as acceptable targets, this episode brings the seafarer’s experience into sharp focus.

This is about conflict. It is about mental health. It is about maritime safety. And above all, it is about the people who keep global trade moving.
Support for seafarers:
• Befrienders Worldwide: befrienders.org
• International Seafarers' Welfare & Assistance Network: iswan.org.uk
• The Mission to Seafarers: missiontoseafarers.org/help-where-can-i-get-help
• Stella Maris: stellamaris.org.uk/get-help
NEWS!  If you love listening to us....you can also watch Sea Views episodes on YouTube.
CHIRP
Improving safety at sea worldwide through the confidential and independent reporting programme.
Make an incident report to CHIRP Maritime here

The Seafarers' Charity
Improving the lives of seafarers and their families for more than 105 years.
by Ahoy Communications Ltd

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🌊 Can nuclear power transform global shipping, or does the risk outweigh the reward?

In this episode of Sea Views, we sit down with Martin King, Nuclear Systems Manager, and Paul Roberts, Senior Engineer from Naval Solutions Ltd, to unpack one of the most debated and misunderstood topics in modern maritime: nuclear propulsion.

Drawing from decades of experience in submarine operations and nuclear engineering, the conversation breaks down how nuclear reactors actually work at sea, why they are being reconsidered for commercial shipping, and what still stands in the way of adoption.

From reactor design and safety systems to insurance gaps, public perception, and global regulation, this episode delivers a clear, practical look at the realities behind nuclear-powered vessels.

This is not theory. It is the future of maritime being actively debated today.

✅ Key topics discussed:
• What nuclear propulsion is and how it powers ships
• The difference between military and commercial nuclear reactors
• Why nuclear energy is being reconsidered for decarbonising shipping
• The role of microreactors and modular reactor design
• Safety systems, accident scenarios, and intrinsic safeguards
• Insurance, liability, and the lack of global frameworks
• Public perception and the challenge of social acceptance

💬 Join the conversation

Is nuclear power the solution to shipping’s decarbonization challenge, or a risk the industry is not ready to take?

Hosts: Julia Gosling & Adam Parnell
Guests: Martin King (Nuclear Systems Manager) & Paul Roberts (Senior Engineer), Naval Solutions Ltd
NEWS!  If you love listening to us....you can also watch Sea Views episodes on YouTube.
CHIRP
Improving safety at sea worldwide through the confidential and independent reporting programme.
Make an incident report to CHIRP Maritime here

The Seafarers' Charity
Improving the lives of seafarers and their families for more than 105 years.
by Ahoy Communications Ltd

Send us Fan Mail
🌊 What really happens thousands of meters below the ocean surface, and how do remotely operated vehicles make modern offshore operations possible?

In this episode of Sea Views, hosts Julia Gosling and Adam Parnell sit down with Andy Howie, founder of Pioneer Subsea and former naval submariner, to explore the world of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and the critical role they play across the offshore and maritime industries.
ROV's have also been in the news recently with their capability to support mine clearance in the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz.
From offshore energy and subsea cable installation to deep-water surveys, salvage missions and unexploded ordnance detection, ROVs allow operators to work in environments far beyond the limits of human divers.

But what does the job actually involve? Andy explains the technology behind ROV systems, the reality of life operating them offshore, and why the role requires far more than simply piloting a robot underwater.

The conversation also explores how remote operating centres, improved satellite connectivity and new subsea technologies are changing the way ROV operations are conducted around the world.

This is a rare, practical look at one of the most technically demanding roles in the offshore sector.

✅ Key topics discussed:

What remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are and why they are essential to offshore operations
Why ROVs can operate deeper and longer than human divers

Where ROVs are used today, including offshore energy, subsea cables, UXO detection and salvage operations

What life is really like for ROV operators working offshore

The technical skills required to work in the ROV industry

Why piloting is only one part of the job and maintenance expertise is critical

How offshore teams manage safety risks including high voltage systems, hydraulics and subsea hazards

🎙️ Hosts: Julia Gosling & Adam Parnell | Sea Views
👤 Guest: Andy Howie | Founder, Pioneer Subsea
NEWS!  If you love listening to us....you can also watch Sea Views episodes on YouTube.
CHIRP
Improving safety at sea worldwide through the confidential and independent reporting programme.
Make an incident report to CHIRP Maritime here

The Seafarers' Charity
Improving the lives of seafarers and their families for more than 105 years.
by Ahoy Communications Ltd

Send us Fan Mail
How close are we really to autonomous ships at sea? 
In this episode of Sea Views, hosts Julia Gosling and Adam Parnell sit down with Simon Adams, founder of The USV Group, for a clear, operational look at uncrewed surface vessels and what is actually happening on the water today. 
This is a straight-talking conversation that cuts through the hype around autonomy and explains how USVs are really being used, how they are regulated, and what this shift means for safety, skills and the future maritime workforce.
From remote operations and human oversight to environmental gains, offshore survey, subsea infrastructure, defence and surveillance, this episode unpacks where USVs already deliver value and where the limits still are.
In this episode you will learn:
What uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) really are, and how they differ from AUVs and ROVs
Why most operations today are remotely operated, not fully autonomous
How regulation is evolving and how international and national regulators are shaping the future of uncrewed vessels
Where USVs are already being used, including seabed survey, offshore wind, subsea cables, surveillance and defence
Why USVs can dramatically reduce fuel use and offshore emissions compared with traditional vessels
How human operators remain central to safety, decision-making and collision avoidance
What USVs can realistically contribute to search and rescue and incident response
Whether USVs will really replace seafarers or simply reshape maritime careers
Why large, fully uncrewed commercial ships are unlikely in the near future
What needs to change in regulation to safely test and develop this technology in the UK
 Hosts: Julia Gosling & Adam Parnell | Sea Views
 Guest: Simon Adams | Founder, The USV Group
NEWS!  If you love listening to us....you can also watch Sea Views episodes on YouTube.
CHIRP
Improving safety at sea worldwide through the confidential and independent reporting programme.
Make an incident report to CHIRP Maritime here

The Seafarers' Charity
Improving the lives of seafarers and their families for more than 105 years.
by Ahoy Communications Ltd

Send us Fan Mail
What really happens when a life is on the line hundreds of miles offshore, and what actually makes the difference between rescue and recovery? 
In this episode of Sea Views, host Julia Gosling (former HM Coastguard press office in UK) sits down with Matt Baer, retired US Coast Guard Captain and now Director of Emergency Response at Gallagher Marine Systems, for a straight-talking comparison of UK vs US search and rescue, the reality of offshore response, and the technology that is changing outcomes at sea. From AMVER and vessel-to-vessel assistance to EPIRBs, personal locator beacons, AIS, infrared, and drones, this conversation goes deep into what works, what fails, and what both professionals and recreational boaters still get wrong.  
In this episode you will learn: 
- How UK vs US maritime search and rescue is structured, from assets to response posture
- Why “People, Environment, Property, Economy” guides every major maritime incident 
- How offshore rescues work when the nearest help may be another merchant vessel 
- Why AMVER and trade routes can make the difference in mid-ocean cases 
- What EPIRBs and personal locator beacons can do to take the search out of search and rescue 
- Why beacon registration details matter and how missing info slows response - How AIS, infrared, and aerial surveillance improve detection and reduce uncertainty 
- Where drones are helping today, and where limitations still exist 
- Matt’s hardest days, including the reality of next-of-kin notifications 
- The rescues that made it all worth it, including the Golden Ray case and industry collaboration
Host: Julia Gosling | Sea Views Podcast  Guest: Matt Baer | Director of Emergency Response, Gallagher Marine Systems (Retired US Coast Guard)  Gallagher Marine Systems: www.gallaghermarine.com  
Supported by: CHIRP Maritime & The Seafarers’ Charity www.chirp.co.uk |www.theseafarerscharity.org 
#SeaViews #MaritimeSafety #SearchAndRescue #USCoastGuard #EmergencyResponse #EPIRB #PersonalLocatorBeacon #MarineSafety #Yachting #Seafarers

NEWS!  If you love listening to us....you can also watch Sea Views episodes on YouTube.
CHIRP
Improving safety at sea worldwide through the confidential and independent reporting programme.
Make an incident report to CHIRP Maritime here

The Seafarers' Charity
Improving the lives of seafarers and their families for more than 105 years.
by Ahoy Communications Ltd