Gibdock Rock News - June 2014

summer 2014

rock news Still mixing it up

A

n excellent first part of 2014 demonstrates further proof that ‘variety is the spice of life’ for shiprepair and conversion specialist Gibdock.

Lelystad. This is the second time that Lelystad has been to Gibdock for repairs and demonstrates ongoing confidence from Van Oord, a leading Dutch dredging contractor.

Gibdock’s versatility has been in full demand across a wide range of vessel types in the year to the end of April. Visitors have included both conventional steel ro-ro and ro-pax ferries, as well as aluminium high speed craft, dredgers, tankers, containerships, yachts, seismic survey ships and offshore support vessels. In addition the yard docked the large cruise ship, Saga Ruby, for an extensive package of refurbishment works.

“Owners are attracted by both our convenient location and the quality of work on offer,” says Richard Beards. “We have shown that we continue to be trusted by shipping companies across the board to carry out repairs to a wide range of vessel types. We also have a proven record of delivering on time and to budget.”

“You can see we have had almost the full spectrum of vessel types in the yard,” says Richard Beards, Managing Director. “This backs up our contention that Gibraltar is an excellent location for the shipping industry generally, and not just for certain niche categories of vessel.”

Business this year has come from a mix of new and returning clients, as the yard continues to broaden its customer base. One newcomer to Gibdock is the Perth, Australia, headquartered Go Offshore, which has docked two Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessels, Go Canopus and SOC Endeavour in Gibraltar.

Both of these went through significant programmes of work while in drydock earlier this year.

One of the biggest projects handled so far in 2014, however, has been the docking of Van Oord’s trailing suction hopper dredger,

The high volume of work experienced this year has meant that at times it has proved challenging to keep to docking schedules.

But, Richard Beards points out, “We have again successfully managed to deliver what we promised and not one ship has been undocked late this year, maintaining our impressive track record.”

The vessels being handled at Gibdock are owned by a geographically diverse range of companies, although the majority are from Europe. “We are seeing a lot of German containerships, dredgers from Holland and Belgium and offshore vessels from the UK and Norway,” says Richard Beards. “No one country is leading the field and that means we are not dependent on any particular geographic market.”

The outlook for the rest of the year looks positive. The level of both orders and enquiries is strong, with every prospect that Gibdock will continue to ‘mix it up’, securing business in many different market segments for the rest of 2014.

Gibdock newsletter • Summer 2014

rock news

Training focus

A special return

Education of the next generation Gibdock is stepping up its commitment to training future generations of technicians and managers for the yard.

Since 1998 Gibdock has run an apprenticeship scheme offering NVQ qualifications to young Gibraltarians. This year the company is looking to revamp this successful programme, which it offers in partnership with the Government of Gibraltar.

“We are a firm believer in the apprenticeship scheme and we are planning ways of revitalising it to attract a new cohort of apprentices to the yard this year,” says Richard Beards, Managing Director.

“We believe passionately that we have to provide both the next generation of skilled staff to meet our customers’ needs, as well as opportunities for employment to young people in Gibraltar.”

Gibdock is also looking to start an Undergraduate Training Scheme that will allow Gibraltarians to study marine engineering at universities overseas. They would then be able to undertake management trainee roles at Gibdock on return from their studies.

This new programme should get underway soon, allowing students to start courses later this year.

Richards Beards says: “Succession planning is vital. We need to make sure we have the local talent coming through into the business to take it forward in years to come.”

Biglift in training One of our key training partners, UK-based Biglift, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. In that time the company has established a global reputation for providing high quality crane training, as well as crane inspection, testing, verification and contract lift services to the maritime, oil and gas and other offshore and onshore industries.

Set up by Managing Director, Sean McLaughlin, in 2004, Biglift now has 22 employees worldwide and has been working with Gibdock since 2010. Its primary role is providing training for operators of the yard’s dockside cranes, including the use of rigging and lifting systems. The company also trains Gibdock supervisors in health and safety procedures, lift planning and risk assessment issues.

Gibdock has a significant number of mobile and fixed cranes on site, many of them inherited from its time as a base for the UK Ministry of Defence. “These cranes have very particular requirements,” says Sean. “One of our tasks is to train the workforce how to inspect, check and verify these cranes, including all the hydraulic and electrical elements.”

Gibdock newsletter • Summer 2014

Repeat visitor Lelystad, the Van Oord trailing suction hopper dredger Pictured is the trailing suction hopper dredger Lelystad, whose return to Gibdock in April offered further evidence of our ability to win repeat business. The highly sophisticated vessel was in dock between April 10th and May 6th, and then went alongside Gibdock’s South Mole. She was re-docked for around eight days on 21st May 2014.

The general drydocking project includes steelwork, pipe, mechanical and painting work, with steelwork inside the hopper tanks particularly challenging. The vessel’s return to Gibdock shows our unique blend of location, climate, safety, service and craftsmanship combines to attract even the most special of visitors.

One of Sean’s aims when he set up the company was to fly the flag for UK expertise in the crane training sector overseas. As a result Biglift continues to expand into new markets and is in the process of establishing a training centre in Muscat, Oman, in partnership with local interests. The aim of this investment, says Sean, will be to focus on training up the local workforce in countries across the Middle East and North Africa to reduce the need to bring in expatriates to carry out crane training and lift related work.

Training specialist Sean McLaughlin, Managing Director, Biglift, is a regular visitor to the yard www.bigliftshipping.com

Up close QHSE role for Francis

No Slack-ing on quality!

A proud Yorkshireman, John Slack has joined Gibdock as Quality Consultant. John brings with him extensive experience having recently worked in Aberdeen for a leading oil and gas service provider, as well as a spell in Leeds with a prominent subsea engineering specialist.

“Hopefully I can bring to Gibdock my first-hand knowledge of first-rate quality management systems and continuous improvement techniques from the offshore oil and gas sector,” says John. “My intention is to help Gibdock develop as a business through quality improvements and make the yard a reference point for quality within the Mediterranean.”

John first encountered Gibdock while representing one of the company’s offshore clients during a vessel maintenance project in 2013. “In my time here I enjoyed working with the Gibdock team and was very impressed with their ambition and enthusiasm for quality improvement,” he says. “So when an opportunity arose to come onboard and assist the QHSE team I accepted the challenging and exciting opportunity with pleasure!”

Francis Mauro, Gibdock QHSE Manager Newly appointed QHSE Manager, Francis Mauro has a connection with Gibdock going back to 1980, when as a 15-year-old he started an apprenticeship as a mechanical fitter. After successfully completing his apprenticeship as one of the top three in his year, he followed a 22-year career in the military with the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, before returning to his ‘roots’ at Gibdock in 2009, managing the yard’s stores.

Francis, who takes over responsibility for Gibdock’s quality and health and safety programmes from Chris Inwood, says: “When I was approached to become QHSE Manager in February this year I was initially reluctant as I was very attached to the stores - in many ways my ‘baby’ - and my team. However, I realised this was a fantastic opportunity to pass on my knowledge and develop staff at Gibdock so they and the company can enjoy a better future.”

Over his years with the MoD, Francis learned the value of education and training, attending many courses and training exercises, covering Occupational Safety and Health, Hazardous Goods (HAZMAT) handling and road safety, among others. “Going on courses is only the foundation stone to get you started,” he says. “Experience is the key to becoming competent within your trade and to aspire to become a professional.

“Investing time and resources in the workforce is the best way to secure a better future for the yard as well as making Gibdock more environmentally friendly. I know I have a big challenge to maintain the standards of my predecessor who has already laid solid foundations, by achieving a range of international standards like OHSAS 18001, ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and the ISPS Code.”

John Slack, Gibdock QHSE Consultant

Gibdock newsletter • Summer 2014

rock news Supporting Special Olympics Gibraltar

Overseas outlook Orca Marine backs Baltic ambition For the past five years Orca Marine has been working tirelessly as agents for Gibdock, building up the yard’s profile in the increasingly important markets bordering the Baltic, including Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland and Russia.

The Special Olympics Gibraltar team Francis Mauro Jnr: front row, second left Gibraltar has been part of the Special Olympics movement, which provides sporting opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities, since 2005. Gibdock is proud to have been able to provide encouragement and support to Special Olympics Gibraltar (SOG) as it has developed from small beginnings.

Initially SOG supported 15 athletes, but currently there are more than 50 people benefitting from the programme. Gibraltar offers seven summer sports and two winter sports to SOG athletes, who have had the opportunity to represent Gibraltar at international events across the world. Many medals have been won over the years, creating some very proud moments for these athletes and their families as they return home to Gibraltar.

The Special Olympics is not only about sports, but also about developing athletes as individuals. In 2013 Special Olympics Europe Eurasia invited 12 athletes to a pioneering scheme at the University of Vienna designed to create a group of ‘Athletic Leaders’. One of those selected was Francis Mauro Jnr, whose father Francis Mauro Snr is QHSE Manager at Gibdock. Francis Snr says: “The 12 athletes invited from different European countries were trained in public speaking and given guidance as to how to raise Government awareness. They were given the self-confidence to help them be understood and overcome speech difficulties.”

Viktoras Vernusevicius, majority partner in Orca Marine, says: “We are putting a lot of effort into promoting Gibdock in this region, for example arranging stands at key exhibitions such as Baltexpo in Gdansk and attending conferences, as well as visiting clients for face to face discussions.”

Lithuanian operator, Limarko Shipping recently docked the multi-purpose container carrier, Tokata at Gibdock via the Klaipeda-based agency. “We believe that Gibdock is perfectly located, with good facilities, and has excellent reference lists,” says Viktoras. “We are looking forward to seeing a significant increase in work from this region in the near future.”

Established in 2007, Orca Marine is staffed by four marine industry professionals from various backgrounds in the shipping industry. “We have all worked in ship repair and conversion, operations and port agency for over a decade,” says, Viktoras.

“All of our staff are educated to high levels as well, with degrees in marine transportation and marine economics.

“Gibdock is a very good partner, and its senior management has been fair and supportive of us,” adds Viktoras. “My experience is that they have extremely able, professional and reliable people not just at the general management level, but in all departments, including marketing, production and human resources.”

The Orca Marine team at Baltexpo www.orca-marine.eu

Last year the Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation (GBC)’s Sports Awards Committee honoured SOG with a Special Achievement Award to mark 29 years of commitment and service in providing sport in the day-to-day lives of people with intellectual disabilities.

“The night of the presentation was a very proud moment for everyone involved in SOG,” says Francis, who was able to witness his son giving his very first public speech.

Francis Jnr now has specified tasks to fulfil within the SOG and is working hard together with his mentor. And who better to fulfil that role than his dad!

Gibdock’s Managing Director Richard Beards says: “The Special Olympics change people’s lives for the better. Here at Gibdock we fully support what they do and are pleased to have contributed to achieving their aims.”

Gibdock newsletter • Summer 2014

For further information, please contact: Hugh O’Mahony, Director; PR, JLA Media Ltd e: hugh.omahony@j-l-a.com t: +44 (0) 208 405 6343 m: +44 (0) 794 970 8679