The Combination of
Technology, a Green Agenda & Trusted Partners
We chat to Germán Schacht, Business Development Manager, and Ricardo Contreras, New Projects Manager, at ASENAV, about the future of the maritime industry.
BUSINESS INTERVIEW
SENAV is a leading shipyard on the Pacific coast of America, dedicated to the construction of ships with a high level of engineering, standing out for its construction quality, versatility, on-time delivery, and after-sales service. To date, ASENAV has successfully delivered almost 190 vessels in around 50 years of history to both national and international shipowners, belonging
to aquaculture markets, ferries, offshore supply vessels, expedition cruisers, fishing, and tugboats. Having been pioneers at the local level in the use of forefront designs in different types of ships, ASENAV’s constant innovation is in its foundations.
Today, the shipyard continues to apply state-of-the-art technologies in its constructions, such as ships with diesel-electric propulsion
systems, dynamic positioning systems, treatment of gas emissions for a lower environmental impact, among others. The company’s vision is to provide its customers with sustainable solutions to their needs, including cutting-edge technology to reduce the environmental impact and therefore contributing to the shipping industry’s plan of decarbonisation.
This is ASENAV’s unique selling proposition, as Germán Schacht,
Business Development Manager
Germán Schacht
Business Development Manager at ASENAV, explains, “Despite being a shipyard, we do not just deliver vessels, but solutions. Leveraged in a sound design and engineering department, ASENAV is flexible and resourceful enough to assess its clients’ needs and to solve them through a ship. This has allowed ASENAV to develop close longterm relationships with our clients, incorporating new technologies in our designs. It has also
permitted the shipyard to explore diverse market niches, such vessels specialised in aquaculture, fishing vessels, tugs, ferries, and expedition cruises.”
Since the shipyard has been there for a long time, the company has built a relationship with worldwide key providers, which is key to ASENAV’s supply chain strategy. Ricardo Contreras, New Projects Manager at ASENAV, says, “The supply chain
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strategy begins with the generation of a procurement requirement by the engineering department. This lead generates the request of technical offers, which finally concludes in a purchase order. After the purchase order is generated, the shipyard controls the purchase during the delivery time, arriving at the time of collection of the different purchased components at the factory, which are organised by a shipyard forwarder for their removal from the factory,
shipment to the country, and delivery to the shipyard premises. This is constantly monitored by the company's foreign trade department.”
The shipyard has an important strategic partner located in Europe, which works in close cooperation with the company’s foreign trade department, managing the logistics needed for the transport from the factory to the shipyard. This partnership eliminates the disadvantage of being geographically located far away from Europe, Japan and the USA, where some key components are built.
Environmentally-friendly technologies have played a crucial role in ASENAV’s design in the past and are expected to become even more important in the future. Germán adds, “The constant motivation of the shipyard is to
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“Environmentallyfriendly technologies have played a crucial role in ASENAV’s design in the past and are expected to become even more important in the future”
keep developing projects with a high level of engineering, including state-of-the-art technology and preserving the environment. In this respect, the company expects to continue building this kind of project in the upcoming years, with a bigger focus on the small cruise vessels, oceanographic and fishery research vessels, tugboats, and live fish carriers.”
The company’s logistics and procurement department works closely with its supply chain function to ensure an efficient process. Ricardo continues, “A perfect coordination must be achieved to receive every one of the thousands of parts included in the construction of a ship right on time, to avoid any delay in the construction process. Fluid communication with our planning department is also a very important aspect. Things have changed since we have embraced complex software to support this activity. The software allows much more complexity in the supply chain.”
So, how was ASENAV impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic? Germán answers, “In the beginning, the yard took a 10-step plan to ensure workers’ safety from Covid-19, and worked closely with Universidad Austral de Chile, the most prestigious local research institution, to actively monitor any cases. This plan included more working shifts in smaller groups and separate sits in the dining room, together with more turns, constant temperature control, and twice-per-month PCR testing to all the staff (active search). The most important thing for us was to keep our workers and their families safe. Production did not
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“A perfect coordination must be achieved to receive every one of the thousands parts included in the construction of a ship right on time, to avoid any delay in the construction process”
Ricardo Contreras New Projects Manager
stop, and we were able to deliver three new building projects without delay during the worst period of the crisis.”
Speaking of which, the most advanced project in the construction process is the NB Project N° 188, which is a Live Fish Carrier of 3,000 cubic metres of well capacity, 79.8 metres in length, 17.2 metres in breadth, and 6.15 metres of maximum draft at full capacity. Germán says, “Our client Patagonia Wellboats has been looking to include the latest technology that also reduces their
environmental impact. This vessel will include diesel-electric propulsion with a total electric power of 3,000 kW, a system that makes the fuel consumption more efficient and importantly reduces emissions. As all the main equipment is electric, the ship will be able to incorporate different energy sources such as green hydrogen when the required supply and distribution logistics exist. The project is near to be launched into the water.”
In addition, ASENAV’s Fishery and Oceanographic Research Vessel has began its construction for a national
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agency due to the need for the public institute to have a coastal ship able to carry out acoustic surveys of fishery resources, evaluation of biomass through acoustic methods in coastal sectors and inland waters, and collection of samples of different types of marine living beings. Ricardo explains, “This ship (ASENAV project NB 191) will have a length of 30.80 metres, a beam of 9.00 metres, and a draft of 2.95 metres. She will be equipped to accommodate seven scientists and 10 crew members in 10 single and double rooms, as well as having a kitchen, dining room, recreation room and dressing rooms.
It will also have an acoustic, a wet, a dry and a fish processing lab for the analysis and study of all the samples obtained during its operation.”
The vessel includes a diesel-electric propulsion system, which lowers the carbon dioxide emissions, having less environmental impact and achieving better energy efficiency since the electric generators operate at constant revolutions. Germán elaborates, “This milestone highlights an important stage for the shipyard since it will mean the construction
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of the first fishery and oceanographic research vessel that ASENAV will have built in its history, entering an important new segment, increasing its portfolio, and confirming the versatility of this company. This market is becoming even more important due to the increase in the need to learn and understand the marine fauna life cycle, to preserve these species in a better way, so they don’t continue disappearing due to overfishing or global warming. Therefore, it is expected that the demand for these ships will continue to surge, and ASENAV is expected to continue contributing to this growth for the next few years.”
The third project that German and Ricardo mention is the engineering of an Escort Tug under the RAstar 3200-W design of the well-known naval engineering office Robert Allan Ltd from Canada. Germán
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“In our opinion, we are convinced that the main issue of the maritime industry in the upcoming years will be lowering emissions”
says, “This tugboat will have 80 tons of Bollard Pull, 32 metres of length overall, and 13.20 metres of beam, with a maximum draft of 6.5 metres. This project will be built as a speculative concept, which means it’s not yet sold to any shipowner, but it is available for any interested client during its construction. We can therefore expect to satisfy the
“The responsibility of Turbodal to comply technically with the required support has been the basis of a relationship that has been ongoing during the last few years and is expected to keep growing in the future” urgent need of the industry for this type of vessel. Additionally, this will be the second project ASENAV develops under this same speculative concept, having just delivered our NB 189 harbour tug, which was bought during the last stage of construction by Ultratug S.A. As our first construction was a success, we are convinced that this new project will have the same outcome.”
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This strategy represents a risk for companies since it must be financed internally without the certainty of its subsequent sale. Meticulous work is needed to control costs, expenses and investments, in order to finance the project while minimising risks, which has been executed with precision by the ASENAV team. Additionally, the operation requires a solid financial position and an impeccable track record to generate the necessary conditions of trust in shareholders, shipowners, the financial system, and suppliers.
It is therefore crucial for ASENAV to build a network of trusted partners, working with some of them for more than 45 years. Its partnership with Turbodal was formed during the construction of the last live fish carriers, where Turbodal supplied equipment for these vessels.
Ricardo adds, “The responsibility of Turbodal to comply technically with the required support has been the basis of a relationship that has been ongoing during the last few years and is expected to keep growing in the future. We have more projects lined up, where we expect to continue working in close contact with Turbodal.”
As for the future, ASENAV plans to continue helping its customers to hold the highest standards in each one of the different industries in which they are participating (fishery, cruising, aquaculture, ports management, towing etc). Germán concludes, “In our opinion, we are convinced that the main issue of the maritime industry in the upcoming years will be lowering emissions. Therefore, as a key player in the process of the construction of a vessel, we are prepared to include in our projects any alternative of propulsion system and greener technologies available in the market.”
For further information on ASENAV, visit www.asenav.cl/es/home
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www.asenav.cl/es/home
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