When Laura Butler, Vice President, Seafarers’ Documentation, started her career with IRI 19 years ago, the maritime community was on the cusp of a digital revolution. WiFi and high-speed internet were expanding rapidly as mobile phone technology brought global connectivity to the masses across the world. A new era of communication was on the horizon and IRI was taking advantage of the new tools for business. As Laura retires in April 2025, that era of communication transformed her career at IRI and the entire Seafarers’ Documentation Department.
“Seafarers’ documentation was a laborious completely paper process when I started,” Laura recalled. “All applications were submitted on paper, shipped around the world, and we had 90 days by the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (SCTW) to process and issue documents and certificates. It was a time-sensitive and labor-intensive process.”
At the time Laura started with IRI, all seafarer documentation went through 12 people at headquarters in Reston, Virginia, just outside of Washington, DC. A team of data entry clerks input seafarers’ data from the paper applications into a computer system, while the rest of the team evaluated and verified credentials, proofed, and mailed paper certificates.
Laura started as an administrative assistant but quickly became known for her problem solving and solution-based approach. She was rapidly promoted within the department, rising to Vice President in August 2014. Throughout her career, Laura’s problem-solving reputation followed her, and she often found herself outside her comfort zone, working with the IT team and other departments to develop new digital systems.
“I helped develop of the first online application,” Laura recalled. “I had intimate knowledge of how the process worked and I was able to help IT translate what the end-user needed to what functionality needed to be built on the backend.”
Her support in bringing an Oracle-based system online in 2007 led to the decentralization of Seafarers’ Identification and Record Books (SIRBs), Special Qualification Certificates (SQCs), and Officer Certificates (OCs) issued by the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Maritime Administrator, and later more advanced digital capabilities with the 2022 launch of the Online System for Seafarers’ Documentation (OSSD). Today, seven offices process seafarers’ documentation, with additional offices capable of issuing Certificates of Receipt of Application (CRAs) after an application for an RMI endorsement of a Certificate of Competence (CoC) is received. A CRA allows officers to work on board for up to 90 days while their documentation is being processed.
“Decentralization and digitalization allowed us to shift the workload around our team to improve efficiency and client service,” noted Laura. “We built a global team of more than 65 specialists, located in major crewing and seafarer centers around the world that provide personal service and faster turnaround to filing agents. Although each filing agent is assigned a processing office, documentation can be processed by any of the seven offices, with full transparency on the application status by any team member.”
Laura helped decentralize the department, at times individually training new team members for a week at a time in Reston. Her intimate knowledge of the process, and inclusive approach to training and decentralization transformed Laura into a mentor among her peers. As she was promoted within the department, Laura helped create new management positions, as well as a feedback loop with production coordinators to help the IT team prioritize and update the OSSD to meet client needs.
“Laura has a positive impact on our team members,” noted Captain Bob Fay, Senior Vice President, Seafarers’ Documentation. “She encourages others and creates an environment where team members feel included, valued, and involved. She has been an invaluable part of our transformation for nearly two decades and leaves a legacy of support, problem-solving, and a positive attitude.”
Laura looks forward to spending more time enjoying the outdoors and her family in retirement. With no set schedule once she retires, Laura expects to enjoy dabbling with old hobbies such as acting and hiking.
“It has been a great journey. I feel satisfaction as I reflect on the way I was supported by management, and I hope I’ve helped others feel as encouraged and supported in their careers as I was,” Laura noted. “My colleagues have been incredible, and I am grateful to have such a great group of people ready to build on what I’ve done and take the department into the future,” she concluded.
