The Department for Transport has announced that Red Funnel Ferries’ CEO, Captain Fran Collins, has been awarded a 2019 Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service.
Awarded to recipients who are serving or have served in the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets of the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands for exemplary services and devotion to duty, it recognises those who have set an outstanding example to others and made contributions in the areas of maritime safety, training, efficiency, welfare, and saving lives at sea.
This year’s medals will be awarded to a total of 19 mariners across a range of categories.
The award coincides with Merchant Navy Day, a day that celebrates the vital role of Merchant Navy seafarers and the contribution they continue to make to the country, as well as their wartime service.
Fran Collins started her career as a dual cadet and sailed on deep-sea oil and gas tankers before going on to become the first female captain for Channel Islands operator, Condor Ferries. She moved ashore in 2008 and was subsequently promoted to Executive Director – Operations where she was responsible for ensuring service delivery to Channel Island communities, prior to commencing her current role as CEO of Red Funnel in June 2018.
Upon receiving news of the special award, Fran commented:
“It is a great honour to receive the news about the Merchant Navy Medal award, and on a day that celebrates the collective contribution that men and women have made, and continue to make, in British seafaring. I am particularly passionate about supporting and encouraging new generations into the maritime sector and to raise awareness of something that is so much a part of our nation’s heritage.”
Fran is committed to increasing diversity in shipping and making a sea-going career more attractive and accessible to all. When she first went to sea in 1993, approximately 3% of the world’s shipping workforce was female. 25 years later, the figure has barely changed and the overall number of entrants into the industry has declined, despite improvements in legislation and working conditions.
Fran continued:
“I’m keen to encourage more people, especially women, into the industry. There hasn’t been much progression in the perception of the Merchant Navy as a career choice since I started which is disappointing given the fantastic opportunities available.
“At Red Funnel, we sponsor people into the industry across all levels of engineering, navigation and hospitality to help counter the decline in numbers of seafarers in the UK, and to ensure that more people are aware of what the Merchant Navy can offer in terms of a career – especially given that most imports into the UK are made through sea-shipping.
“I’ve been privileged to enjoy an incredibly rewarding career, both ashore and afloat, and am grateful to have amassed a wide variety of skills and experiences that could only come from being in this exciting and ever-changing sector – one that I hope I can encourage more young people to be a part of.”
Fran Collins will officially be awarded the medal at a ceremony at Trinity House in November.
rather than gloating about her own personal achievements, perhaps she should focus on getting the ferries to actually run a service, roughly in accordance with the timetable and not the endless technical issues that we see lately.
Yet another person at the top, patting their selves on the back, whilst all around them falls to pieces.
She should ask that they post the medal to her, as she will be busy, getting red funnel actually operating to its timetable for once.
Armchair expert
@Paul – based on speaking with users of the ferries and reading the daily news items of delay after delay. Fact based comment, unlike your wild speculation.
Completely agree, the service has deteriorated under her watch, endless delays and cancellations, and appalling communication. This week alone the Red Jets leaving Cowes c.8.00am have been late three days running, missing the train connections in Southampton. I’m a season ticket holder, £2,800 per year for a service that only gets me to work on time occasionally. It’s reached a point where living on the island and working on the mainland is near on impossible. Well done Red Funnel.
Well Done
And give customers value for money not just ITS £100k or more a year to a CEO don’t believe in customer service,!
Tit and nun runs to mind
Hasn’t been to sea for 11 years gets Merchant Navy Medal. Maybe if she had been awarded before 2008 then no quibble. But now just a pen pusher. The only good thing about Red Funnel are the staff. Can’t fault them. The people running it, well……….