Gibdock, Rock News - Autumn 2018 issue

ROCK NEWS

GIBDOCK NEWSLETTER • AUTUMN 2018

Over the first six months of 2018 Gibdock has put in a very strong performance, with increased levels of shiprepair activity evident in a number of different market sectors.

One of the most encouraging trends has been an upturn in offshore vessel dockings, with a number of major blue chip operators returning to the yard this year. Richard Beards, Gibdock Managing Director, says: “There are positive signs that repair and maintenance work for vessels active in the offshore oil and gas business is coming back. With the oil price recovering, we anticipate a further increase in demand from offshore vessel operators over the rest of this year and on into 2019, strengthening our reputation as the ‘go-to’ yard in this sector of the market.”

Gibdock has also experienced good levels of ferry and ro-ro vessel work, in the traditionally busy first quarter especially, maintaining its regional market share of this seasonal refit and repair activity. The yard has further handled a mix of other vessel types, including bulk carriers, tankers and container vessels, with

German owners especially entrusting ships to the Gibraltar yard in considerable numbers.

Environmental legislation means owners in all sectors of the market are having to consider retrofitting their ships with ballast water treatment systems, and exhaust gas scrubbers. Richard Beards says: “We are well placed to capitalise on demand for environmental retrofits, and there has been a lot more interest so far this year than we have seen in the past. It is, in fact, commonplace for us now to carry out some work relating to ballast water retrofits during all ship drydocking periods, whether that is a full installation or simply preparations for fitting equipment at a later date.”

Overall, prospects for Gibdock’s shiprepair business in the second half of 2018 appear highly promising. As Richard Beards points out: “We are certainly getting a lot more enquiries now than we were receiving at this time last year. We have an encouraging amount of work already booked in for the fourth quarter and we are expecting to add to that over the coming weeks.”

TRAILBLAZING NEW ISO CERTIFICATION

Gibdock becomes the first shipyard in the Mediterranean region, and one of the first companies worldwide, to achieve ISO 45001:2018 certification. >>> FULL STORY ON PAGE 3

PROJECT NEWS

GERMAN MARKET STEPS UP SUPPORT Gibdock has always enjoyed a positive reputation amongst German owners, but 2018 is proving especially encouraging.

A German vessel has been in the yard at some point in every month this year to date.

Richard Beards, Managing Director, says: “We have seen a steady stream of business from the German market, which is most welcome. As usual this has included a number of container vessels, with our geographic position close to major hub ports and our proven record of reliable on-time delivery proving an important key point.”

Among the German-owned ships coming into Gibraltar so far this year are the

1,080 teu capacity container vessel, Ops Hamburg, for Uniteam Marine; the 1,000 teu AS Laguna and 2,500 teu AS Palatia for Ahrenkiel Shipping; and the Carsten Rehder-owned 1,713 teu Tasman Strait.

SMM exhibition in Hamburg, where it will exhibit together with local agent CombiTrade GmbH. Please visit Gibdock at Booth 205 in Hall B3.

In addition, during June and July this year Gibdock carried out a month long programme of work on John T. Essberger’s bulk carrier, Zambesi. As well as installing a new ballast water treatment system (see article below), the programme of work included a total of 2,500m2 of blasting and painting on the vessel’s topside and underwater hull areas; the removal and refitting of the ship’s propeller; overhauling the ship’s main engines; and carrying out steel repairs in the ballast water tank area.

Gibdock is looking to further strengthen relations with the German shipowner community by taking part in this year’s

Uniteam Marine-managed Ops Hamburg

GEARING UP FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RETROFITS Now that the IMO’s Ballast Water Management Convention has entered into force, more shipowners than ever before are actively looking at the installation of ballast water treatment systems onboard their vessels. Gibraltar-based Gibdock has the skills and capabilities, and favourable geographic location, needed to undertake such work.

Consequently, the yard is actively gearing up to meet the increased level of shipowner demand for ballast water treatment system (BWTS) retrofits.

Gibdock has already undertaken BWTS work for a number of owners and is in active discussions with a significant number of potential clients regarding future projects.

Underlining its capabilities in this field, Gibdock has recently completed a complex ballast water treatment system retrofit onboard the 179m, 34,500dwt bulk carrier Zambesi, owned by Hamburgbased John T. Essberger.

Shiprepair manager, Juan Piñero, says: “This was a complex retrofit, and our engineering staff and pipe-fitting team rose to the challenge magnificently and completed the works to the client’s complete satisfaction. With this project we have gained further valuable experience in ballast water treatment retrofits, which will hold us in good stead for the future.”

Gibdock technicians carried out all the necessary pipework and preparations onboard, before assembling and installing the owner-supplied UV-type ballast water treatment system. The yard worked closely on this project with Aries Marine, a UAE-based specialist in ballast water treatment retrofit engineering.

ROCK NEWS • AUTUMN 2018

UP CLOSE

LABOURERS OF LOVE Timmy Coombes, foreman of the labourers section, has been with Gibdock for over 20 years, starting as a casual labourer and working his way up through the ranks.

He is now in charge of around 10 permanent labourers, and directs a team which can grow to as many as 40 men, depending on the volume and scope of work underway at Gibdock.

The range of activities carried out by the labourers section has changed a lot during Timmy’s time at the yard. Much of the all-important environmental workload for example now falls to Timmy and his team. “We have a big role to play in terms of waste management at the yard,” says Timmy. “This includes collecting and preparing waste so that it is ready to be treated; we always maximise product recycling across the yard.”

Operational safety is another aspect of the yard that relies heavily on the work of the team of labourers. As Timmy reflects: “Gibdock has come a long way in the past 20 years in health and safety, which is of paramount importance. I believe we do a very good job, sometimes under very challenging conditions.”

>>> TRAILBLAZING NEW ISO CERTIFICATION Health and safety is a top priority for Gibdock. To demonstrate its commitment to further strengthening performance it recently became the first shipyard in the Mediterranean region, and one of the first companies worldwide, to achieve ISO 45001:2018 certification.

An audit by LRQA completed on the 6th of July confirmed that the shipyard is now fully compliant with the requirements of the new ISO standard, which was only

The work of the labourers starts immediately after the arrival of a vessel at the yard. Tasks can include the preparation of sewage lines, the positioning of skips alongside, the cleaning of bilges and chain lockers and the cleaning and preparation of tanks ready for hot work to get underway safely. Timmy is in particular responsible for fire watchmen and tank entry personnel, key safety-related functions within the yard.

The labourers are also tasked with keeping the quayside and workshops, as well as amenity areas within the yard, clean and tidy.

“There has been a transformation at the yard and it has been great to be a part of that journey. We have made tremendous progress, especially in terms of health and safety, and also environmental protection, but we are still learning and trying all the time to be the best that we can be.”

Born and bred in Gibraltar, 49-year old Timmy, though currently single, is a devoted dad to six children. He concludes: “I don’t have time for many hobbies, although I like to keep fit. Work and family are the most important things in my life and they keep me very busy!”

“The work of the labourers is extremely varied, and this is what makes it so enjoyable,” says Timmy. “When you arrive for work in the morning you are never quite sure what the day will bring. We have a finger in almost every pie!”

Timmy says he aims to be the ‘go-to guy’ within the yard when something needs to be done. “There is not a trade or department in the yard that doesn’t get some input from me and my team at some point in time,” he adds.

It is clear that Timmy not only enjoys his work, but has a huge sense of pride in the company. “I have seen Gibdock grow and be successful over the past 20 years and I am proud of what we do here,” he says.

published in March this year, and which replaces the previous standard, OHSAS 18001. Organisations certified to OHSAS 18001 have three years to migrate to the new standard before the old one is withdrawn in March 2021, but Gibdock decided to transition at the earliest possible opportunity.

Timmy Coombes, foreman of the labourers

“This is a tremendous achievement for our health and safety team. Having the new standard in place will ensure we can build on our already strong track record and shows our customers and staff that we continue to put health and safety right at the top of our agenda.”

ISO 45001:2018 is similar to OHSAS 18001 in many respects, but places greater emphasis on top management involvement and employee participation to make workplaces safer and healthier.

Richard Beards, Managing Director, says:

ROCK NEWS • AUTUMN 2018

EVENT NEWS

COMBITRADE RELATIONSHIP VITAL TO GERMAN MARKET SUCCESS Hamburg-based CombiTrade, part of the Ernst Russ group, is a longstanding member of the Gibdock ‘family’. The company, established back in 1983, has been the yard’s exclusive agent in Germany now for 16 years, forging an extremely close relationship with the Gibdock management team.

VISIT US AT SMM 2018 AT THE COMBITRADE STAND B3.EG-205

CombiTrade has been instrumental in bringing many of the leading German shipowners to Gibraltar for drydocking work in recent times, with demand from this market gathering momentum over the past 18 months especially.

Managing Director Michael Albrecht, says: “Gibdock is by no means the cheapest yard for shiprepairs, but it is the most reliable. If the yard says it will deliver a vessel on a certain date, then it makes sure it does so. That makes it a popular choice for many German owners who know all too well the cost of delays, which can mean seemingly cheaper yards are actually more expensive in the end.”

One of the main trends in the shiprepair sector at the moment is the growing

FAREWELL TO VIVIEN

HIGH RISE RESCUE

One of Gibdock’s longest serving employees, HR Manager Vivien Chipolina, is retiring after completing 34 years of service at the shipyard.

Sirens is a new documentary series from Gibraltar Broadcasting Company looking at some of the essential services on the Rock. Recently the Sirens team visited Gibdock to film the Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service’s rope rescue team on a simulated exercise involving one of Gibdock’s 40m high jib cranes.

Vivien joined in November 1984 as a Payroll Clerk and worked her way up through the ranks to become Payroll Manager in 1998. After ten years in this role she started up the yard’s HR Department in 2008 and has been the company’s HR Manager ever since.

Anna Bailey, who has been with the company as Office Manager and PA to the senior management team since 2015, takes over from Vivien. She will combine the HR Manager and Office Manager roles following Vivien’s retirement at the end of August. Anna says: “Vivien will be a tough act to follow, but I am looking forward to the challenge and to continuing to build on everything she has achieved here.”

ROCK NEWS • AUTUMN 2018

requirement to carry out ballast water treatment and scrubber system retrofits.

CombiTrade is planning to establish a ‘one stop shop’ service for such work, bringing together manufacturers, shipyards, owners and finance providers to deliver the necessary work within the required timescales.

Michael Albrecht adds: “We plan to offer owners various packages to meet their particular requirements and Gibdock will certainly be one of our partners in this initiative. Gibraltar is a perfect location to carry out such work, being close to Mediterranean, Atlantic and North Sea trade lanes.”

CombiTrade, which will once again have a strong presence at SMM this year, sharing a stand alongside Gibdock, has a nine-strong team, based mainly in Hamburg but also at its Asia office in Shanghai. The company is also looking to expand the scope of its operations by establishing further offices in Peru and South Korea by the end of 2018.

Gibdock works closely with the local fire brigade and carries out a number of joint training drills throughout the year similar to this one. Sirens host, Justine Cartwright, was successfully rescued having been ‘trapped’ in the crane’s cabin high above the Gibdock quay.

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For further information, please contact: Hugh O’Mahony, Director, PR, JLA Media e: hugh.omahony@j-l-a.com t: +44 (0) 208 405 6343 m: +44 (0) 7949 708 679