Shipping & Marine Issue 134 July 2016

134 July

The magazine for maritime management

Reclaim the

title An opportunity is waiting for Japan to rebuild its reputation as a shipbuilding titan, but it needs to be brave and focus on the future

In this issue:

u MRO u Hybrid vessels u Cloud computing u IT trends u Sand erosion u LNG u Biofuels u Marine safety u SMM

Summer 2016

Editor’s comments THE MAGAZINE FOR MARITIME MANAGEMENT

‘‘

So while at the moment it’s too early to predict how the UK’s exit from the EU will affect trade agreements or regulations, I think we all agree that more disruption and unpredictability are the last things the sector needs

Reclaim the

title An opportunity is waiting for Japan to rebuild its reputation as a shipbuilding titan, but it needs to be brave and focus on the future

In this issue:

u MRO u Hybrid vessels u Cloud computing u IT trends u Sand erosion u LNG u Biofuels u Marine safety u SMM

Chairman Andrew Schofield Editor Libbie Hammond libbie @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk Production Manager Fleur Daniels Art Editor/Design David Howard Studio Assistant Barnaby Schofield Profiles Editor Jo Cooper Staff Writers Andrew Dann Ben Clark Production dhoward @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk studio @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk Advertisement Administrator Tracy Chynoweth studio @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk

Stay on

course W

ith so many unknowns, it is extremely difficult to predict what the impact of Brexit will be on the shipping and marine industry. As The Shipowners Club pointed out, ‘uncertainty’ has been a very well used word over the past

week, following the result of the EU Referendum, and Xeneta, the leading global benchmarking and market intelligence platform for containerised ocean freight, believes that the only thing that is certain right now is

Operations Director Philip Monument

uncertainty!

So while at the moment it’s too early to predict how the UK’s exit from the

Editorial Researchers Rory Gallacher Jo-Ann Jeffery

EU will affect trade agreements or regulations, I think we all agree that more

Advertising Sales Joe Woolsgrove - Sales Director Mark Cawston Tim Eakins Andy Ellis Darren Jolliffe Jonas Junca Dave King Elliott Scales Theresa McDonald

be as well placed as possible for when the situation becomes clearer.

disruption and unpredictability are the last things the sector needs.

However, we must all stay on course and keep to business as usual, to

Subscriptions ikidd @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk

I will be covering some more reactions and comments to Brexit in the next issue, let me know if you’d like to be included.

Editor: Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

Follow us at: @ShippingMarine

Schofield Publishing Cringleford Business Centre, 10 Intwood Road, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 6AU, U.K. Tel: 044 (0)1603 274130 Fax: 044 (0)1603 274131 www.shipping-and-marine.com

Please note: The opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers within this publication do not necessarily coincide with those of the editor and publisher. Every reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information published is accurate, and correct at time of writing, but no legal responsibility for loss occasioned by the use of such information can be accepted by the publisher. All rights reserved. The contents of the magazine are strictly copyright, the property of Schofield Publishing, and may not be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher.

©2016 Schofield Publishing Ltd

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Features

4 News Updates and announcements from the shipping and maritime arena

7 An effective alternative Independent MRO providers can help reduce operational costs for ship owners

9 The hour of power How will the shipping industry utilise the numerous benefits that hybrid solutions will offer?

12 22

12 The cloud made simple At last – an explanation of what the cloud is and how it can help your business

14 Get connected Jo Cooper learns about the IT trends that are transforming navigation and positioning across the maritime industry

16 Sand and sea The Permasense monitoring solution has revolutionised one operator’s knowledge and management of sand erosion

30 SMMart shipping Taking place from 6th to 9th September 2016, the 27th SMM will provide further valuable insights to those in the shipping industry

19 What’s coming for LNG? While there are a lot of favourable trends enabling LNG bunkering, its cost competitiveness remains uncertain

22 Bring on the biofuels From shipowners and OEMs to NGOs, government and ports, the whole of the industry is waking up to the development of alternative fuel

24 Reclaim the titles An opportunity is waiting for Japan, but it needs to be brave, focus on the future and begin to reclaim its title of shipbuilding titan

26 Marine safety If you need to use a marine safety product you’re already having a bad day. Chris Feibusch of DMSS explains why reliability and performance are utterly crucial

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33 Insatech Marine 36 SeaNet Group 38 Viewsafe 40 LNGTainer Ltd 43 Cummins Inc.

Profiles 47 47 Walvis Bay Corridor Group 51 Caledonian MacBrayne 54 Burgess Marine Ltd 57 Scheepswerf Gebr. Kooiman BV 60 Bremer Schiffsmeldedienst and EUREPORT GmbH 62 DIANA Yacht Design BV

60

64 SureWind Marine Ltd 66 Umar-Wsr 68 Brittany Ferries 71 Royal Bodewes 74 Asian Supply Base 76 Doris Maritime Services SA

101 Garrets International

78 Optimarin AS

107 ShoreTension

81 Red Funnel

76

110 Jenkins Marine Ltd

85 Hakvoort Shipyard

114 Marine Technologies

90 Remontowa SA

118 Tasneef

94 ChartCo Ltd

122 Dellner Brakes AB

97 Wightlink

124 DUC Marine Group 126 Ecu-Worldwide

90

130 ME Solutions AB 132 Lübeck Port Authority 136 Neptune Lines 140 Sølvtrans Holding ASA 144 BMO Offshore 146 PT Anggrek Hitam 148 Vyborg Shipyard 151 NGM Energy

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Maritime news Innovative technology

Enhanced manoeuvrability

uABB is going to supply the complete power and propulsion systems for two HH Ferries Group vessels to become the world’s largest emissionfree electric ferries. The modernisations utilise turnkey ABB solutions including batteries, an energy storage control system and Onboard DC Grid technology. At both ends of the route ABB will supply the first automated shore-side charging stations using an ABB industrial robot, to optimise the connection time and therefore maximise the charging period.

The two ferries, Tycho Brahe and Aurora, will operate completely on battery power between Helsingør (Denmark) and Helsingborg (Sweden), a distance of approximately 4 km carrying more than 7.4m passengers and 1.9m vehicles annually. The new battery solution will help lower total emissions across the fleet by more than 50 per cent from the current diesel operated vessels. The combined battery power of 8,320 kWh for the two ferries is the equivalent of 10,700 car batteries.

uThe Dutch company Van der Velden Marine Systems (VDVMS) in conjunction with the US representative Ships Machinery International, Inc. (SMI) has announced the launch of a new state-of-the-art Jones Act Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) with BARKE® high-lift flap rudders for coastwise service in the US. This new design vessel brings increased manoeuvring to the fleet of ATB vessels plying US coastal waters.

The key driver behind the BARKE ® rudder is its innovative and sophisticated progressive high lift design, offering unsurpassed manoeuvring and course keeping performance as well as smooth operational comfort. The progressively operating flap linkage system is contained in a fully enclosed, grease-lubricated BARKE® housing. This results in minimum wear on the linkage components and eliminates the problems caused by contact with floating objects.

Ready to meet the new SOLAS mandate uMcMurdo’s rugged new SmartFind R8F UHF Fire Fighter Radio is a two-way radio that meets the new SOLAS II-2 mandated regulations for improved fire safety at sea (the mandate requires ships to carry fire fighting radios that are explosion-proof or intrinsically safe.)

Vessels constructed on or after 1st July 2014 must already carry these radios, but for ships constructed before 2014, compliance becomes mandatory on 1st July 2018 and this means that up to 65,000 additional vessels must carry two-way fire fighting radios by this deadline.

The new SmartFind R8F UHF Fire Fighter Radio is McMurdo’s first marine approved two-way radio made specifically for fire fighting communications, and its range of features address every requirement of fire fighters during potentially life threatening situations at sea. These include a large display for radio and channel ID, powerful in-built loudspeaker, large tactile buttons and enhanced grip, enhanced hardware, push-to-talk side key, belt clip and audio feedback of channel selection. It is also Ultra High Frequency (UHF) for optimised indoor use, bright red for easy identification, IEC 60945 approved, and is compatible with all SAVOX and Peltor fire fighter radio equipment.

The radio also benefits from McMurdo’s long history of supporting mandated safety equipment in commercial shipping, which is due to its ship set portfolio of EPIRBs, SARTs, Radios and Navtecs, unparalleled global shore based maintenance (SBM) network and commitment to quality (McMurdo manufactures to the higher aerospace quality standard AS9100 due to its military/aviation range). Thanks to this trusted marine heritage, vessel owners and operators know they can rely on the SmartFind R8F UHF Fire Fighter Radio to support the safety of both their crew and vessel should an emergency situation arise.

SmartFind R8F UHF Fire Fighter radio

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SmartFind R8F UHF Basic Fire Fighter Package

SmartFind R8F UHF Basic+ Fire Fighter Package

Meets the NEW SOLAS mandate

Maritime news The litter problem uMarine environmental experts have warned a cross-party group of MPs and Peers that the impact of marine litter needs to be addressed.

The All Party Parliamentary Maritime and Ports Group were told of the increasing danger to marine life and cost to people, with marine litter found on beaches doubling in the last five years.

The issue of litter in UK’s capital river took centre stage with the Port of London Authority (PLA) noting that 300 tonnes of ‘driftwood’ is removed from the Thames every year, much of which is made up of plastic materials like single use plastic bottles.

PLA environment manager Tanya Ferry said: “We collect the equivalent weight of 24,000 discarded water bottles. But it is just the tip of the iceberg, as we can only remove litter off the foreshore and floating into our driftwood collectors. The sheer volume of rubbish is frightening and has an impact on the port and marine environment, which is home to birds, fish, seals and the UK’s busiest waterway, with tens of thousands of jobs dependant on it.”

Findings in a Thames study by Royal Holloway University of London and the Natural History Museum underlines the concern. They found that 75 per cent of the flatfish species, flounder, from sites in the tidal Thames have plastic in their bellies. Dr Dave Morritt, Reader in Aquatic Ecology, Royal Holloway University of London pointed out that there may be implications for the food chain if chemicals from plastics leach into fish tissues and then are then accumulated in other fish and birds feeding on them.

Lloyd’s Maritime Academy Lloyd’s Maritime Academy is the world’s largest provider of professional development and academic education for the maritime industry, and is fast approaching its 40th anniversary.

The academy delivers courses for shipping and maritime professionals around the world via public distance learning and dedicated in-company training programmes.

Lloyd’s Maritime Academy offers the widest range of courses available from short Certificate level tutored distance learning subjects, including chartering and procurement, to 12-month Diploma courses on Ship Management to Marine Surveying and academic programmes led by the renowned flagship MBA in Shipping and Logistics and the PG Dip / LLM in International Maritime Law, delivered in partnership with top universities.

For in-company corporate solutions, bespoke courses are designed to specifically address an organisation’s individual requirements.

Lloyd’s Maritime Academy’s reputation for delivering the most effective education and development programmes is unsurpassed and the academy is renowned for its hard work in ensuring every student has the best learning experience.

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Case study

Sand and

sea

S

ituated approximately 80 kilometres off the east coast of Trinidad and Tobago, this unmanned gas platform holds a special place in one major oil operator’s family. Since it went into production in 2009, it has become one of the largest net producers of natural gas in the operator’s global portfolio.

The platform’s average production is around 600 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (or 600 MBTU per day) in addition to associated condensate, from four wells at a depth of approximately 300 feet (90 metres). These figures make the platform a significant revenue generator for the Trinidad and Tobago operation.

As with any asset, maintaining integrity to ensure optimum output and meet regulatory requirements is a priority – which presents its own logistical

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How real-time insight into the impact of sand erosion is maximising gas production in the Caribbean Sea

problems in an offshore, unmanned platform.

Sand erosion is a particular challenge and one that the operator was conscious of from the outset. Traditionally difficult to detect and evaluate, the rate of erosion is rarely linear over time, and intensifies rapidly with an increase in flow rates.

Sand can remove metal and cause damage very quickly. Operators must therefore walk a careful line between conservative production rates, which lower revenues, or driving the assets harder and increasing the risk of unplanned outages or even loss of hydrocarbon containment.

Permanently mounted acoustic sand detectors and alarms were deployed on the stainless steel topside risers of the platform. These sensors could detect the presence and quantity of produced sand, and therefore indirectly indicate the likelihood of erosion taking place. However, they provide little

information about the shape, size and hardness of the sand particles however – all of which can significantly affect metal erosion rates.

Intrusive methods, that place a sacrificial probe inside the fluid stream and measure its demise as it corrodes or erodes, are also able to indirectly detect periods of high wear. However, since they are not measuring the pipework, they do not give the operator an understanding of the actual asset condition. Intrusive methods also come with additional hazards, getting the worn probe out from inside the pipe is a skilled and dangerous activity. Safety concerns around online probe replacement are causing many operators to reduce their use, or not replace them once they have expired.

The acoustic sand detectors and intrusive probes were not able to measure the actual

impact of the produced sand – metal loss - on pipework integrity as it happened. Instead of continuous monitoring of asset piping integrity during production, maintenance operatives had to take periodic manual wall thickness measurements and make incomplete extrapolations on erosion rates using very minimal data sets. The reliance on manual measurements was made more expensive by the hard-to-access site: a dedicated crew of four was helicoptered in every three months to inspect the integrity of the topside risers and pipe work. In addition, the acoustic sand sensors had to be recalibrated on-site every six months.

The operator also ran computational models to understand the impact of given levels of sand production. But the shortage of actual integrity measurements meant that the production rates were being throttled back substantially to avoid sand erosion issues.

The solution: continuous wall thickness measurements As one of the most advanced and technologically sophisticated platforms in the operator’s estate, they wanted to ensure that production was optimised to maximise revenue and increase payback from the significant capex investment.

Tom Fuggle, Business Development Director

at Permasense said: “The initial discovery well for this platform indicated that there was upwards of two trillion cubic feet of natural gas in place. For the client, sand erosion wasn’t solely a question of maintaining its assets, essential though that is.

They also wanted to maximise output from this significant discovery. But increasing production without understanding the immediate effect on well integrity would be as reckless as driving blind in the Monte Carlo rally – with equally damaging consequences.”

The operator had previously worked closely with Permasense to develop a new method of measuring the level of erosion and corrosion within piping. Already installed in all of its refineries, a programme to roll out the technology to upstream assets was underway – and this platform was identified as a valuable target where the technology would offer significant advantages.

The Permasense solution uses proven ultrasonic principles for measuring the thickness of any fixed equipment. But instead of relying on inspection teams to periodically take these measurements and record them manually, permanently mounted sensors deliver their data wirelessly to existing communications infrastructure used by the onshore operations

team. The team can then view and analyse the information without leaving their desks.

Implementation: targeted measurements and instant data Permasense sensors were initially installed in areas of elevated erosion risk. This included areas experiencing the highest flow velocities in one of the producing wells that had the highest sand production rate. A cluster of sensors were installed in an array formation downstream of the first cushioned Tee and a circumferential ring of sensors was installed downstream of the choke.

Once the initial installation on a single well was complete and providing a regular supply of consistent and robust data, a similar system was installed on the additional producing wells.

In addition, the operator was concerned that produced sand from this platform would carry over through the flow line to the neighbouring gathering platform, from where the produced gas is then pumped back to shore. A further 80 sensors were therefore installed in a grid formation on the inlet manifold of the carbon steel flow line from this platform on the neighbouring manned platform.

The first round of sensors were mounted onto threaded studs that had to be welded to the pipe.

However, to overcome difficulties associated

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Case study

Tom Fuggle

with qualifying a weld procedure for use in a live production environment, Permasense mounted the next group of sensors onto clamps designed to further simplify installation in an upstream production environment. Permasense has since developed a magnetically mounted sensor that can measure through external corrosion protection coatings to further ease installation.

Peter Collins, Permasense CEO says: “Once the locations for monitoring were selected, installation and commissioning of the Permasense system was very straightforward – and took just one day on the platform. When specifying and supporting the installation of the initial system, our team thoroughly understood the requirements of the client – and the system started to deliver data immediately and reliably to the desks of the operator’s onshore engineers.”

The results: production, safety, integrity With the Permasense system installed, previously unavailable insights into the condition and capability of the fixed equipment on the platform have become available.

By default, the system transmits measurements on wall thickness back to shore every 12 hours.

Although, onshore engineers have occasionally increased measurement rates during periods of elevated risk such as periods of high sand

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production or changes to production flow rates.

Data management software within the system calculates the rate of wall loss and classifies the measurement locations by user-defined rate thresholds.

The data is mainly viewed and analysed by asset-integrity specialists at the operator’s office in the Port of Spain, but is also available for viewing from any PC on the operator’s network.

The Port of Spain team can instantly analyse data and compare it against historical trends.

Graphical representations of the data indicate which sections of the infrastructure show signs of degradation. In effect, the system acts as an early warning, which enables the Trinidad and Tobago operating team to monitor the impact of changes to production rates and adjust them as necessary.

With this new insight, they have increased production of the well by 12 per cent - confident that the impact on erosion rates is well within the safety parameters. This increase in production rate is equivalent to an increase in saleable gas of 30 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, or a US$ 90,000 a day increase in revenue (at a price of three dollars per million standard cubic feet).

Jake Davies, Marketing Director at Permasense says: “The Permasense monitoring solution revolutionised the operator’s knowledge and management of sand erosion. We use trusted ultrasound technology, and the level of data, insight and analysis that this gives the operator is making a major contribution to optimising output at the site. Because of the safe increase in production, they saw payback in just days.”

The operator is now installing the Permasense system on other manned and unmanned gas production platforms in the region. n

Summary l

Site: An unmanned natural gas platform in the Caribbean Sea l Challenge: to maximise output while minimising sand erosion damage to the platform’s piping and other fixed equipment l Solution: gaining real-time visibility and insight

into the effect of produced sand particles in topside risers and other fixed equipment using wall thickness monitoring sensors that wirelessly transmit data to onshore personnel in real time l Results: The operator was able to safely increase production by 12 per cent or 30 million standard cubic feet of gas per day from the first instrumented well, safe in the knowledge that resulting erosion rates were within acceptable limits l The operator was so satisfied with the results that it has since instrumented the solution on to other wells in the region http://www.permasense.com/

MRO

An effective

alternative?

The increasing emphasis on operational costs is bringing growing ship owner recognition of the role of independent marine diesel engine overhaul and maintenance providers, says Sarah Wade

T

hese are undoubtedly difficult times for ship owners and fleet operators.

Rising operating costs, tighter margins and the downturn in the oil and gas support sector means that greater focus is now being placed on finding cost savings and operating more efficiently wherever possible.

To illustrate this point, in a recent shipping costs survey, Moore Stephens has reported that after three years of successive small declines, vessel

operating costs were expected to rise in both 2015 and 2016.

The survey is based on responses from key players in the international shipping industry, predominantly involving shipowners and managers in Europe and Asia. Responses to the survey revealed that vessel operating costs are expected to have risen by 2.8 per cent during 2015 and will grow further by 3.1 per cent during 2016.

The survey put these increased down to a combination of factors. These include new

regulations, the high bargaining power of the oil majors, stricter rules regarding maintenance and repairs carried out in ports, the advent of more sophisticated onboard machinery, and increasing consolidation in the marine equipment and services sector, resulting in more negotiating power for fewer, larger companies.

These same overall trends were confirmed in another survey carried out by maritime research firm Drewry which also indicated that many owners had cut back on expenditure on repairs

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MRO

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and maintenance in recent years and that some ‘catching up’ of overdue engine servicing could now be expected.

The reference to deferred maintenance is an interesting one for those involved in the supply of marine engine overhaul and repair services. In our own experience this is also precisely the area where some shipping companies faced with these commercial challenges are increasingly turning to specialist independents rather than the OEMs. To illustrate this trend, in the last 12 months we have successfully established engine service framework agreements with a number of leading shipping companies, reflecting both the renewal and extension of existing agreements and success in winning newly issued contracts.

In our view, the increased popularity of longer term framework agreements reflects how the identification of more cost effective engineering and maintenance solutions has become a key operational factor among ship owners.

In response, by using an independent, we estimate that ship operators can typically save around 30 per cent of typical OEM diesel engine service and maintenance costs without

How is this achieved? As a fully independent operation, diesel engine specialists like Royston are completely focused on the business of providing effective and high quality engine maintenance services to customers.

Internal working systems and procedures reflect this single-minded purpose and work processes are entirely geared to ensuring that all engine repair and service work is carried out efficiently, in line with the technical standards required and with close attention to planning and project management. This focus enables us to work closely with fleet operators to ensure that jobs are completed as quickly as possible and that vessel downtimes are reduced to a minimum.

In our own case, in fulfilling this role we are helped by the long standing relationships we have developed with the major high and medium speed diesel engine manufacturers. This has required considerable and ongoing investment to ensure that engineers are properly trained and fully qualified to OEM standards and can be relied upon to have the technical expertise needed to carry out all engine work efficiently and effectively.

The availability of suitably experienced and skilled

any compromise on the quality and standard of engineering work provided – and this is usually verified by rigorous technical audits and assessments of the providers’ diesel engineering capabilities.

service engineers is also a key consideration and one which the OEMs can find challenging.

Official representative or main OEM agency status also gives an approved independent instant access to official online parts and ordering

systems. As a result, all parts used on engine repair, maintenance and overhaul work are genuine and sourced through official OEM supply chains, eliminating worries over the use of inferior, ’grey market’ or counterfeit components. While the cost savings associated with the use of independent providers of engine services can therefore be significant, there are other advantages.

For example, established independents can often continue to offer parts and spares for older engines, and retain the specialist technical manuals and tool kits required for work on those engines that may be nearing obsolescence. These are often services that cannot be provided by an OEM. Expertise on many different engine types, and their associated turbocharger and fuel injection combinations, also means independents have the technical capability to work across whole fleets rather than being restricted to one type of engine system. In this way, the ability to work across different vessels enables the independent to build up greater compatibility with ship operators’ maintenance systems, procurement processes and operational schedules – fostering more efficient working partnerships with customers.

In particular, the need to pay close attention to detail in the project management and planning of service jobs is a factor that should not be underestimated, particularly in current difficult maritime markets.

More than ever fleet owners value the availability of their vessels, meaning routine engine maintenance schedules must be optimised and planned very carefully. With customers having their own service account manager and dedicated support at every stage, independent suppliers are often much better placed to achieve this.

OEMs, understandably, have priority interests in manufacturing and new product development, sales of new engines and warranty support, whilst the independent service provider can be totally focused on providing a fully responsive engineering service that is geared towards meeting the specific timing, location and technical needs of a customer.

In this way, with new pressures on operating costs and assured vessel availability, independents like Royston are responding to market needs.

In doing so they are successfully demonstrating their capability as a highly cost-effective and technically reliable alternative to the OEMs for post-warranty diesel engine repairs, servicing and overhauls. n Sarah Wade is CEO of Royston, a long established and expanding diesel engine supply, service and repair company. With bases in the UK and Perth, Western Australia, the company offers customers comprehensive drydock and on board engine repair and maintenance services as an affordable alternative to the OEMs. www.royston.co.uk

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Cloud computing

W

ith the phrase ‘cloud computing’ becoming common currency, and most businesses expected to have outsourced their IT to the cloud by 2020, this article looks at the technology – and associated security – that forms the bedrock of what is proving to be a revolution in IT in SMEs and larger companies.

Explained at its simplest, cloud computing is web enablement of computer networks, or IT that’s outsourced to a cloud service provider, whose IT is based in a secured data centre and accessed via a browser. A cloud computing user has a choice of sharing the hardware, software and security in the data centre, or having its own private cloud there, with no sharing except for the physical security of the building itself.

Whatever choice a business makes, the benefits are similar and the technology and security much the same. Costs are understandably higher with a private cloud than the shared option but the benefits of it still outweigh that consideration.

The cloud and SMEs For SMEs in shipping and marine there is a strong business case for using a shared solution. That’s partly because it allows them to take full advantage of enterprise-grade application software and online security without paying anywhere near the full price for it, making it affordable and creating a more level playing field in the marketplace.

In the shared cloud option, the cost of using the hardware [servers, backups etc] and software is spread across a number of SMEs. Having access to secure, powerful, productivity-boosting enterprise-grade software can be a revelation.

What an SME could formerly only dream of, unless it had deep pockets, is now possible.

For the shipping and marine sector in particular there is the added attraction that employees anywhere in the world – on land or sea – can access their work wherever they are. All they require is an internet connection and an access device.

After logging on via a laptop, tablet, desktop, smartphone or thin client, they’ll see the same ‘desktop’ screen they were familiar with before their employer’s IT was migrated to the cloud, if they are using a ‘hosted desktops’ cloud computing solution, available in the shared or private cloud.

The private cloud A private cloud holds a particular appeal to the larger business, primarily because it provides an even higher level of privacy and control that suits the enterprise’s size and requirements. All software and employee work files are kept on servers that

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The cloud-made

simple What precisely is ‘the cloud’ - and how can it be used effectively in shipping and marine?

By Joseph Blass, CEO, WorkPlaceLive are reserved for the private cloud user’s exclusive use. But, as with the shared cloud, staff access their work via any device, whenever they want [or are required to] and from anywhere.

Whether the choice is a shared or private platform, business performance will be given a boost, and I’m not just talking about the ability to cut the number of IT staff and improve cash flow because of that; and through no longer having to spend on in-house IT hardware, software and updates. I’m talking about the automation of manual processes including fuel purchase, real-time

collaboration across the business and geographic boundaries; and, in vessel construction and maintenance, improved project management.

What goes on in the data centre?

At the high end of cloud computing the data centre comprises world class IT infrastructures including high performance server and data backup technology supported by strict maintenance, backup and data restoration practices.

The result is fast access to their work by employees and less likelihood of hardware

Other security tools monitor, control and enforce acceptable use policies, and block access to inappropriate websites and other sites the user organisation wants to exclude. These tools can reduce web misuse by staff.

There is a security advantage in using a hosted desktop at a wi-fi hotspot, for example such as those found at hotels and bars, because with the hosted desktop the computing power and data remain in the secure datacentre.

Thin clients and security Security is further enhanced where thin clients are used. Comprising a ‘plug and play’ keyboard and screen – and little else – a thin client is inherently more secure to use than a computing device.

For the security-conscious business, a thin client should therefore be the cloud computing access device of choice.

In conclusion…

Cloud computing helps a business to upgrade its processes and manage its global or regional operation more efficiently and cost effectively. It has the inherent ability to store and access [from anywhere] massive amounts of data without the need for the in-house purchase of additional hardware to handle it.

The cloud services provider looks after that requirement and charges on a usage basis, not the upfront costs. It carries those costs itself, just as it manages software licences and upgrades and all the other things that have traditionally gone on inhouse IT, including data and information security. n

downtime, which is reduced further by the use of a secondary, remote data centre that takes over from the primary data centre in the rare event of a technical or power failure that will require time to fix.

Technical experts with the skill and knowledge to resolve issues quickly are employed in the data centre 24/7 by the cloud [shared or private] services provider.

Data centres [again at the high end] place a high priority on two aspects of security: the physical security of the building and the security of all online

activity. Physical security is ensured through a combination of perimeter fence, security guards, access control and fire and forced entry alarms.

Online security comprises an array of tools that build enterprise-level resilience into the IT. Included are highly secure firewalls, web filtering, optional encryption of sent emails, management of access devices - and dual factor authentication [2FA] where required. 2FA allows for the identification of individuals through a combination of user name and password and information known only to them.

Joseph Blass is CEO, WorkPlaceLive.

With roots going back to 1996, WorkPlaceLive was founded in 2006 as a provider of cloud computing services. One of the first UK providers of hosted desktop services, its hosted desktops allow customers and their employees the freedom to work from anywhere in the world, from any device, as easily as they would in their office. workplacelive.com

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IT trends

Get

connected

Rear Admiral Nick Lambert and CEO and Founder of Focal Point Positioning Ramsey Faragher talk to Jo Cooper about the IT trends that are transforming navigation and positioning across the maritime industry

W

ith approximately 90 per cent of world trade carried by sea and shipping accounting for around 40 per cent of trade between Europe’s 28 countries, there has been a rapidly increasing interest in the huge potential surrounding Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and the ever evolving innovations within navigation and positioning. An estimated 87 per cent of merchant ships have already ensured GNSS, particularly GPS, have taken the crown as the primary means of navigation; however, the limitations of GNSS in terms of accidental or deliberate interference is well known, which means there is a growing requirement for a single cross-sector solution to integrate with GNSS and thus deliver resilient positioning, navigation and timing to those at sea..

This in turn would enhance the capability of GNSS, making it an even better service to mariners and society in general.

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“Over the last ten or even five years we have gone from multiple positioning technologies in the maritime world to a single method of navigation and positioning, which has resulted in a society that relies intimately on GNSS for many aspects of our daily business. Although it has become the single method for the maritime world due to its incredible reliability, it has limitations and vulnerabilities; to enhance it and boost the reliance to nearly 100 per cent you need back up systems and alternative systems, which is where the new technologies such as quantum positioning and artificial intelligence are finding their place in the market,” explains Nick.

“There is a lot of interesting R&D going on at the moment in terms of quantum technologies for a whole host of activities, ranging from cyber security communications to navigational positioning, timing and sensing technologies.

A great deal of money is being spent by the Government and the Ministry of Defence on

developing this and there are two key areas that will affect positioning and navigation,” comments Ramsey. “One segment is looking into very low cost sensors that will be an improvement on the budget sensors we have on the market currently, while the other branch is focused on much more expensive sensors that will deliver immense accuracy and more sensitivity than anything used today. The impact of this in the maritime sector will be this Holy Grail where shipping companies could have a box calibrated in a factory that always knows where it is from the moment it leaves and will never require any assistance.”

He continues: “Although this is likely to remain in the realm of fantasy for the shipping industry for many years, there are however a lot of interesting developments in terms of artificial intelligence and machine learning, the latter of which has been used for a while and involves the systems of ships fusing together data from different systems such as radars and GPS and inertial measurement units.

“

As more information is shared, there will be a growing relationship between sea and shore, which will open the business of moving cargo from A to B to more stakeholders as it becomes clear that they can make their supply chain or logistics chain more efficient

They have a level of intelligence in terms of how the system learns about sensors and the quality of sensors; it also ignores some measurements when they are ‘bad’ and will ultimately get increasingly smarter and cheaper. This machine learning process will thus result in the systems becoming more independent as they improve with use over time all on their own.”

A major game-changer in the world of navigation, GNSS has enabled the shipping and maritime industry to enter into the world of e-navigation and opened the doors to further exciting developments in areas such as artificial intelligence, as Ramsey notes: “There is a huge reliance on GPS technology, which makes human factors and stress the biggest concern when it comes to operating it. In response to this there is an interesting development in the side of artificial intelligence that is coming up with a fully integrated navigation system that is best designed to seamlessly cope with GPS glitches for hours or days and never tell you it happened.”

Over the coming years, it is anticipated that these developments will naturally result in increased connectivity and shared situational awareness for those operating in the shipping

industry, which Nick believes will result in major changes and improvements when it comes to conducting business: “People will begin to realise it enables much more than navigating a vessel and its cargo from A to B on a screen, it is actually about operating in a different way. As more information is shared, there will be a growing relationship between sea and shore, which will open the business of moving cargo from A to B to more stakeholders as it becomes clear that they can make their supply chain or logistic chain more efficient. Connectivity will transform how cargo is moved and how we know where it is; it will also transform how we understand conditions at sea, which means these benefits will go beyond shipping and into sectors such as offshore wind and oil and gas.”

Meanwhile, in today’s world, organisations such as vessel traffic services will benefit from exchanging information on where a vessel is located, what it is carrying and its ETA, as Nick adds: “These will be fully automated services, which I think will result in a move from vessel traffic services to vessel traffic management services, so instead of providing information services to shipping, we will start to provide management

services in complex harbours, ports and sea basins. Connectivity will be a major game-changer for the industry thanks to the maritime cloud, which is a great way of getting these different systems to communicate with one another at sea.

The maritime cloud was previously not feasible, but is now becoming much more viable and is a key enabler in this route into autonomy and the potential for autonomous ships.”

Although it is far from being on the cusp of great change, these innovative developments are certain to transform supply chains within the shipping industry over the coming decades as big data and the internet of things are adopted by an increasing number of ship owners, operators and stakeholders. These developments have the potential to result in more cost-effective supply routes through unmanned ships as well as the ability to share information through greater connectivity, which will enable those operating in the shipping industry to find ways to exploit the seas and oceans in an economically viable but more environmentally sustainable way.

Furthermore, it will lead to increased levels of transparency throughout all operations, which could lead the transformation of connected business sectors. “Once you can share information about where things are you are able to modify business models and drive in cost-effectiveness.

This has the potential to change stock markets to an extent as greater transparency during transit will lead to new opportunities. It is a cracking time to be in an industry that is full of exciting developments,” concludes Nick. n For information please vist: www.thegreenwichforum.co.uk/nicklambert/ www.focalpointpositioning.com/#!aboutus/cykk

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Hybrid vessels ulsion system

it: Siemens

ith hybrid prop

Image cred

vessel w hore supply 65 metre offs coastguard for the Italian

AG

The Maritim e Aquarium at Norwalk re Sound’ is eq search vess uipped with el ‘Spirit of th BAE System e s HybriGen te chnology

The hour of

power Hybrid marine technology and green ports. By John Haynes

I

n 2016 two significant developments are going to make many operators, owners and builders of professional vessels consider hybrid marine power. Firstly the new emissions laws in ports, and secondly there is now an incentive for high technology manufacturers to invest in developing highly efficient batteries.

Hybrid is ‘here and now’ technology that is being utilised by many industries around the world. The marine industry is now recognising the potential of utilising hybrid power and innovative propulsion systems for vessels in the sub IMO / sub 24 metre (80 feet) professional sector.

‘The Hour Of Power’ has been well received by the marine industry worldwide. This simple concept enables vessels to run in and out of port for an hour on electric with battery power - then

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carry out their open sea work on diesel power.

The aim of this innovative hybrid solution is to enhance conventional power and propulsion systems. Vessels can reduce emissions and improve fuel consumption whilst extending engine maintenance periods and engine life.

Green energy plus a viable business case This is not just green energy for the sake of it.

‘The Hour Of Power’ focuses on hybrid solutions linked to viable business cases. For commercial and professional organisations the concept of running vessels with zero emissions at up to ten knots for one hour will shape decisions that lead to improvements of in-service systems and procurement of next generation vessels. The

overall objective is fuel saving and improved efficiency by all means.

For the marine industry to move forward it needs to utilise expertise from aviation and other sectors to drive this innovation and support relevant safety standards. Automotive manufacturers in Europe, the Far East and the US have recognised that hybrid technologies such as PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) utilising lithium ion batteries will be dominant for the next decade. Reducing emissions from buses and trucks in the world’s major cities has been a major driver for lithium ion battery power storage. The need for self-sufficient land based grid applications has further extended the capabilities of next generation battery and hybrid technology.

The ‘Hour of Power’ - Concept that enables vessels to run in and out of port for an hour on electric with battery power on the sub IMO / sub 24 metre (80 feet) workboat, pilot boat and patrol craft sectors to investigate the engineering and systems integration required to bring together viable and sustainable solutions. With vessel life cycles of over 20 years, naval architects and builders of new craft will offer designs that have space and access routes to enable retrofit of hybrid installations. Speed limits in harbours and channel approaches at beginning and end of daily transits may mean that ‘The Hour Of Power’ is all that is required for the electric part of the cycle.

Serial and parallel hybrid power systems Diesel / electric systems have been used in large ships and submarines for many years but these are not hybrid systems. The diesel / electric vessel uses its engines to connect directly to an electrical generator.

The power in the system is then transferred electrically to the propeller shaft via a motor controller and electric motor. The system may have multiple generators and multiple motors. By strict definition this is not a hybrid as there is no storage of electric energy.

There are currently two main types of hybrid system.

Firstly a serial hybrid, where the engine in the system only powers a generator and is not mechanically connected to the propeller shaft.

Secondly a parallel hybrid, where the engine is mechanically connected along with an electric ‘machine’ that can operate as both a propulsion motor and a generator. The reduced electric propulsion, generator and battery demands of a parallel system substantially reduce the cost compared to a serial system. Parallel systems are more likely to win initial market acceptance because of a perceived greater reliability, as the ‘trusted’ diesel engine is still connected to the propeller shaft with the electric propulsion adding a redundant system.

Hybrid power & propulsion systems increase efficiency We are entering a period of rapid change and commercial opportunity in the hybrid marine market. Boat builders, engine manufacturers, designers and naval architects are now developing systems for survey vessels, superyacht tenders, patrol vessels and unmanned craft. Benefits include improvements in energy reliability, increased fuel efficiency, lifecycle cost reductions and reduced emissions. DNV-GL USA recently stated that, ‘energy storage is an exciting new technology, but the offshore E&P sector of the oil and gas industry has yet to truly take advantage of it. Tugboats, workboats and OSVs are particularly suitable for hybridization.’

When studying work cycles of vessels it is relatively straightforward to make a decision for new builds on whether to go for all electric or a diesel / electric hybrid system. For example a ferry

Next generation cells & batteries

operating over a short route with a long stopover each end could offer the perfect work cycle for ‘electric only’ with a land based charging system.

Other issues, such as the cost of downtime and structural alterations affect viability calculations for retrofit of in-service craft.

BAE Systems is a provider of hybrid propulsion systems with technical experience in hybrid technology for land-based applications. David Adamiak, Senior Manager Business Development at BAE Systems HybriDrive said: ‘From over ten years experience supplying hybrid technology to bus and transport sectors we know that costbenefit calculations start with the initial purchase of the system. Payback periods can be based on the life cycle of the vessel and life cycle of the hybrid power system. Once a system is defined, projections of savings can be based on engine management data linked to work cycles.’ Hybrid systems are infinitely scalable which enables owners to specify what they are trying to achieve over a period of time or an entire fleet. David Adamiak added: ‘We supplied a HybriDrive system to the 19 metre (62 feet) research vessel Spirit Of The Sound. She runs virtually silently on battery electric power for two hour study cruises on Long Island Sound.’

Hybrid systems and ‘The Hour Of Power’ Certain maritime sectors are potentially well suited to ‘hybrid’ diesel / electric systems. These include wind farm support vessels (WFSV) and pilot boats that have relatively consistent duty cycles, often running seven days a week to drop off or collect technicians and pilots. Focus is now

The next generation of cells and batteries are key technology developments that are making marine hybrid systems potentially viable. Battery chemistry such as Lithium-ion offer impressive power solutions and the business case is starting to fit for commercial operators. Since there is no single system that fits every application it is important to work with manufacturers that have flexibility in cell manufacturing and offer scalable solutions. New factories with fully automated processes are designed to ensure consistently high quality cells and quality control of the entire battery management system.

The marine sector can learn from battery advances in aviation and land transport sectors.

Michigan based XALT Energy offer several variants of High Energy, High Power, and Ultra Hi-Power cells. Robert Young, Technical Lead for Marine Applications at XALT Energy, said: “Our team of engineers have worked to the highest standards developing electric and hybrid energy solutions for the automotive sector. XALT Energy not only has the necessary knowledge, but also the experience of taking high voltage battery projects from concept through production into the finished system.”

Hybrid Marine Power & Propulsion Conference In October 2015 the ‘Hybrid Marine Power & Propulsion’ conference, held at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution headquarters in Poole UK, considered all aspects of hybrid energy. Presenters highlighted how fuel can be saved, maintenance costs reduced and engine life extended. Sessions focused on industry experience from subject matter experts including Lloyds Register and DNV GL. A relevant topic

www.shipping-and-marine.com - 17

Hybrid vessels

Cost of ownership - v2: Comparison of standard and hybrid propulsion

was high-energy battery installations and safety requirements, including the MCA discussing the latest Marine Guidance Note on Lithium-ion and stored energy onboard.

Following the hybrid marine conference Robert Young added: “We are now working with boat builders, naval architects and marine operators to analyse different workboat duty cycles. Engine management data can be matched to battery characteristics to develop the most efficient solutions. XALT Energy onboard energy management systems are designed to ensure that battery systems operate at optimum performance.

The objective is hybridizing and electrifying marine vessels to produce financial benefits and reduced emissions.”

Wind farm service vessels and The Hour Of Power Multi role wind farm service vessels (WFSV) enable fast personnel transfer with the capability for utility work such as moving equipment and delivery of spares. As the demand for wind farm support has intensified, vessels have been specifically developed for transiting to wind farms in a wide range of conditions then delivering technicians onto wind farm turbines.

If wind, wave and tidal energy installations want genuine ‘green’ credentials it is logical to reduce consumption of fossil fuels wherever possible.

The Hour Of Power concept lends itself to WFSV operating in the ongoing wind farm maintenance phase. A conventional diesel powered vessel with a bank of batteries onboard the vessel can be specified to run at hull speed, usually around ten knots, for an hour at a time on battery electric power.

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Deep Blue Hybrid by Torqeedo is a fully integrated scalable system offering hybrid power and propulsion

A typical working day starts with the WFSV captain and crew preparing the vessel, then passengers arrive. The vessel would first be disconnected from shore power, which has been used for overnight battery charging. The vessel can leave the dock and harbour on battery electric power, which also means zero emissions. At the outer sea buoys diesel power takes over for the high-speed transit out to the wind farm and to deliver the technicians onto the wind turbines, during this time the batteries are re-charging.

Many vessels then have hours of waiting in the wind farms, as they are on standby they cannot anchor. Loitering at low speed and low revs is not an efficient load cycle for diesel engines, plus it leads to increased maintenance and reduced engine life. This loitering period could be on battery power. Later in the day diesel power is used for the high-speed transit back to port; the batteries are re-charging. At the outer sea buoys, battery electric power takes over to enter the harbour, with zero emissions. At the dock shore power is then re-connected for overnight charging.

Indentifying the viability of hybrid diesel / electric power for offshore wind farm support vessels (WFSV) is an interesting project that links green energy onboard with renewable energy from the environment. Hooking up to offshore wind farm turbines may even provide charging options. Many wind farms are ‘overplanted’, this means there is more energy generated by wind than is required for the grid on land. This surplus allows for downtime and maintenance of turbines. For offshore wind farms in sea areas such as the Dogger Bank in the North Sea which is over 125 kilometres (80 miles) from land, wind generated electricity could be utilised at source from the local offshore grid.

Looking to the hybrid future For naval architects working in the commercial marine sector class rules, safety, performance and cost are relevant when considering innovative battery power and diesel electric propulsion systems. The challenge for designers is to engineer solutions utilising hybrid technology, which are affordable plus manageable in terms of physical size, weight and maintenance.

As new sources of energy become available it is important to identify which energy source best fits the vessel, duty cycle and environment to give efficient power when it is needed. Since no two vessels, routes or captains are alike, decisions can be improved with data logging and analysis. Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) power management systems will bring together diesel, electric and battery data to create optimised whole vessel hybrid systems.

As ocean going shipping, automotive, transport and aviation move rapidly towards hybrid solutions it will be interesting to see how the marine industry decides to utilise the numerous opportunities. n

John Haynes is an Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute, a Yachtmaster Ocean and Advanced Powerboat Instructor. Subject matter expertise includes high speed craft consultancy, product development and specialist training.

He is Operations Director of Shock Mitigation www.shockmitigation.com and founder of the RIB & High Speed Craft Directory that brings together specialist boats and equipment for the sub IMO / sub 24 metre professional sector worldwide. www.ribandhsc.com

LNG

What’s coming for

LNG?

LNG bunker fuel: weathering the oil price storm. By Grace Quinn

T

he beginning of last year saw the shipping industry impacted by new global regulations, which affect marine fuel specifications. The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) new framework put forward a strategy that aimed to reduce sulphur emissions in marine logistics; the maximum level of sulphur emissions for all vessels travelling in an Emission Control Area (ECA) was reduced to 0.1 per cent.

Any vessel that comes through these areas will now have to burn low sulphur fuel, such as Marine Gasoil (MGO) or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), instead of Fuel Oil (FO) and vessels will now also need to stimulate exhaust gas scrubbing, which reduces sulphur emissions to acceptable levels before it enters the atmosphere.

These new regulations form part of a trend that aims to reduce sulphur emissions in all waters, whether or not they are a part of an ECA. The global limit was first reduced in 2012 and will fall further in 2020, to 0.5 per cent. According to industry speculation however, this could be introduced as late as 2025, the news of which has given concern to the European shipping market, which will face the restrictions as mandatory by 2020.

Where we are today A mounting concern for ship owners and operators in recent years has been the cost of compliance.

However, these new regulations arrive at a time when oil prices are falling, which has allowed ECA compliant MGO to present itself as a feasible

option. Previously, the price of MGO has been considered by many to be prohibitive as a longterm compliance option. As a result the investment landscape for those investing in alternatives to MGO has significantly changed. For example a reduction in the price differential between High Sulphur Fuel Oil (HSFO) and MGO will negatively impact the payback time for scrubbers.

The gas market has not mirrored the significant fall in price witnessed by crude oil. Consequently, the price advantage once offered by LNG as an alternative to MGO no longer yields the same value. As a result, the business case for LNG as a bunker fuel is significantly more challenging in the near term.

For many owners this lower oil price has given them time to hold back on investment decisions

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LNG

about scrubbers or switching to LNG, both of which require significant capital investment.

However, despite these obstacles, the momentum for LNG as a bunker fuel continues.

Supply and demand Increasing production and new supplies emerging from developments in Russia, the US and Australia have set global LNG supply to expand over the next few years. Although this supply boom will support the already growing appetite for LNG as a bunker fuel, the short-term picture is one of oversupply as global demand will not increase at the same pace, particularly if current oil price levels remain.

LNG as a marine fuel has already been embraced in Northern Europe and North America.

According to Transparency Market Research, the market for LNG as a bunker fuel will expand at a rate of more than 60 per cent a year for the next ten-years.

Reasons for this increased demand range from expanding ECA regions and the growth of LNG bunkering in Asia where the industry also faces tighter regulations on sulphur emissions. China has recently published an action plan, which promotes LNG as a marine fuel and supports the establishment of China’s own ECAs. Additional proposals have also been put forward to extend

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ECAs to Japan and Southeast Asia.

Promotion of LNG as a bunker fuel also contributes to this growth forecast, although this does vary from region to region. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has requested that interested parties apply for an LNG bunker supplier licence. Singapore’s LNG terminal further supports this request with plans to introduce both a jetty for LNG bunkering and a station to supply bunkers by truck. Such activity will likely broaden the market and the appetite for LNG as a bunker fuel.

Progress since January 2015 There has been significant progress, since last year, in establishing LNG as a global marine fuel. Recent regulations have clearly established a design for LNG-fuelled vessels and provided a much needed international framework, representing an important step in the adoption of LNG as a bunker fuel.

Although there have been questions about compliance, the results so far have been encouraging, especially in Europe. Data submitted to the European Union (EU) reports that of 1458 ships inspected in Q1 2015, six per cent (89) showed non-compliance, mostly related to documentation errors. Only 1.4 per cent was based on fuel sulphur tests. Figures from Denmark suggested that 98 per cent of the ships, which passed an

emissions monitoring station in the Great Belt, complied with the ECA sulphur limits.

Progress within the LNG bunker market has heavily relied on key stakeholder ‘buy-in’. In the past year some significant players have come to the table. For example: l Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, has thrown its weight behind LNG by ordering what it says will be the first cruise ships able to run liquefied natural gas (LNG) l Shell plans to charter LNG-powered barges for use in northwest Europe from late 2016 while North America’s first LNG bunker barge was scheduled to be launched in February l Initiatives to further support LNG can be seen by port authorities in Europe. For instance in Rotterdam a discount on port fees is applicable for vessels loading LNG bunkers until 2020.

Ongoing challenges Wide scale adoption of LNG as a marine fuel does, however, face a number of challenges.

For example, the continued uncertainty around regulatory developments, especially around the introduction of the global sulphur cap of 0.5 per cent. Adding to this a low oil price does not exactly create an environment that entices capital

investment, particularly when alternatives are available at an affordable price.

Another significant challenge facing global LNG adoption continues to be the pricing dynamics of the fuel.. For example, an increase in global supply is expected to soften the global spot LNG price but that does not necessarily translate to lower prices.

Ambiguity surrounding LNG pricing is largely as a result of uncertainty around how LNG will be indexed in the bunker market; as an oil-indexed price or a gas-indexed price based on National Balancing Point.

More recently, methane leakage has been raised as a potential downside to LNG; methane is the primary component of natural gas and a potent greenhouse gas emission. Methane leakage during the bunkering process can undermine the environmental benefits LNG offers as opposed to other MGO’s. A study was released by the US Maritime Administration (MarAd), conducted for the agency by the University of Delaware and the Rochester Institute of Technology. It found that a leak of about one per cent of methane during bunkering, for example, led to an approximate ten per cent increase in net greenhouse gas emissions.

The good news however is that leaks can be mitigated through early detection and monitoring.

Further research, understanding and compliance procedures are required across the marine industry

but progress is being made. For example the American Bureau of Shipping, as part of its risk assessment framework, has identified four initiating events that give rise to methane emissions.

Lastly, one of the biggest hurdles to LNG as a global marine fuel is the perception that there is a lack of infrastructure to support it, which has hampered investment from ship owners.

Suppliers on the other hand have sought evidence of demand, which for many has progressed to committing to investment. Up to this point, infrastructure to support truck delivery has dominated the market, which can be restrictive for larger vessels and trades. Although the spot market for bunkers still has some way to go in satisfying owner or operator requirements, current plans and developments suggest this gap may close over the next few years.

Outlook for LNG Lessons learned from the past year would suggest that, in the face of uncertainty, pursuing a flexible strategy could be the best answer. Investing in dual fuel engines that can burn both gas and fuel oil and can be converted to LNG will go some way towards risk mitigation. For others, their preference has been a strategy, which provides bargaining power in the short term for a long-term opportunity, LNG fuelled vessels.

The price relationship between HSFO, MGO, LNG and alternative fuels will continue to underpin the business case for LNG investment. However, advancements in infrastructure, LNG production and increasing demand in the LNG bunker market suggests that stakeholders expect continued tightening of regulatory requirements and a return to higher oil prices.

While there are a lot of favourable trends enabling LNG bunkering, its cost competitiveness remains uncertain. The challenge today is making decisions in the near term which do not restrict margin retention in the long term; in other words ‘future-proofing’ your business model. n

Grace Quinn is Senior Consultant at Baringa Partners. Baringa Partners LLP is an awardwinning management consultancy specialising in: energy; financial services; telecoms and media, in the UK and continental Europe. It partners with organisations when they are developing and delivering key elements of their business strategy, as well as working extensively with government and regulators providing policy and advisory services.

It works with clients either to implement new or optimise existing business capabilities relating to their people, processes and technology. www.baringa.com

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Biofuels

Bring on the

biofuels

How alternative fuels are going to shape the future marine fuel mix. By Dirk Kronemeijer

F

rom an outsiders’ perspective, it may be easy to presume that the shipping industry is in limbo when it comes to improving its emissions footprint. But, in fact, it’s the opposite that’s true.

Recent times have witnessed an avalanche of technologies and solutions emerging on to the market to help reduce emissions profiles.

Importantly, there is seldom a ‘one size fits all’ solution. That is why ship owners and operators are always looking for innovative ways to ensure that both existing fleets and new builds maximise their business potential, whilst at the same time keeping up with industry regulation.

And there is upcoming regulation aplenty. First, there is a tightening range of environmentally conscious legislation coming into force – including the impending roll out of Emissions Control Areas in China and the global ECA from 2020 or 2025. This adds to existing control areas in North America and the Baltic Sea, meaning that the global scope of this kind of legislation will only continue to expand in the next five years

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and beyond. In addition, new IMO NOx Tier III requirements will take effect in North American and US Caribbean ECAs from January 1st 2016 for vessels with a keel-laying date on or after January 1st 2016 and an engine output of ≥130kW. Given these legislative developments, there has never been a better time for ship owners and operators to stand back and re-examine business decisions so as to not fall foul of the new laws. Or to risk a piece-meal approach that delivers compliance but has a negative impact on operational efficiency and the bottom line.

In the case of reducing emissions battery power and LNG have monopolised the limelight for some time now. However both options aren’t without obvious drawbacks. First and foremost they require significant investment and for LNG there is a long way to go before the global infrastructure is capable of effectively supporting vessels worldwide – the old chicken and egg conundrum.

There is another viable alternative, however, steadily emerging onto the market, with every

indication that it is about to shake up the marine fuel mix in a big way. It is predicted that biofuels will make up five to ten per cent of the global marine fuel mix by 2030 – meaning that biofuels will represent a crucial role in creating a lowemission future for shipping.

The benefits of biofuels are now becoming more widely understood by the industry at large.

As new generation biofuels become increasingly available, the adverse effects of first generation biofuels, such as detriment to feedstock and forestation, are becoming confined to the past.

Sustainable marine biofuels offer ship operators a way to reduce a vessel’s CO2 emissions by 80-90 per cent. They eliminate SOx emissions. They cut NOx emissions by ten per cent and cut particulate matter (PM) expelled in a ship’s exhaust plume by 50 per cent. It is this emissions reduction that is one of the main draws for ship owners and operators – not only because of the environmental benefits – but because growing numbers of ports across the world are incentivising greener shipping.

Shipping is the last of the major transport modes to turn its eye to biofuels as way of becoming less emission-intensive. As was the case in the jet biofuel market, the first volumes are likely to geographically concentrate on where the incentives are.

Some major global ports are now offering incentives for vessels that exceed environmental targets. For example the Environmental Ship Index (ESI), adopted by nearly 40 ports worldwide, evaluates NOx and SOx emissions and rewards vessels by offering a reduction in port dues. In certain ports this has also been extended to include particulates, a group of pollutants that includes carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide and black carbon solids (soot). Shipping’s ‘usage hotspots’ are therefore anticipated in, for example, Western Europe, the Nordics, west coast North America, followed by Australia, Asia and so on.

Assured availability is a crucial element to the supplying of sustainable marine biofuel. Although there is great opportunity for all types of vessels in the longer term, short sea shipping, which accounts for roughly 40 per cent of all freight

moved in Europe, with fixed routes lends itself well to consistent biofuel supplies in the near term.

The ‘drop in’ nature (put simply, to blend with traditional fossil fuels) of biofuels is also critical, as it ensures that current logistical and operational systems can remain in place and every party can stay in a ‘business-as-usual’ mode. This is turn ensures that sustainable biofuel requires no investment in infrastructure; all that is required is a standard fuel tank and ex-pipe facility at berth or a standard bunker barge.

The lack of initial outlay to make a vessel ready to use biofuels is compelling. Installing scrubbers or making vessels LNG-ready costs both time and money – costs that operators can scarcely afford to incur given the current market conditions, especially when low oil prices have now elongated payback projections.

Furthermore, biofuels are a clean, high performance fuel that produces less sludge waste than fossil fuels, which ultimately means that their usage requires less engine maintenance than ship operators will be accustomed to.

Given all of these reasons, the adoption of biofuels is now an emerging strategy – one that is particularly underpinned by their drop-in nature and instant, quantifiable benefits in terms of a reduced emissions profile. Every indication is that, over the next few years, the sustainable marine biofuels market will quickly evolve to cement them as a core component in achieving a more sustainable, low-emission future for shipping.

From shipowners and OEMs to NGOs, government and ports, the whole of the industry is waking up to the development of this alternative fuel. Far from being in limbo when it comes to environmental progress, the shipping industry continues to innovate and embrace proven sustainable solutions that genuinely tick the right boxes. n Dirk Kronemeijer is CEO GoodFuels Marine. Dirk founded the GoodNRG Group after pioneering the market of bio aviation fuels with SkyNRG the global market leader in sustainable aviation fuel. GoodFuels Marine is part of the GoodNRG Group. It is the first company focused on creating the market for sustainable marine fuels. http://goodfuels.com

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Japan

Reclaim the

title

How Japan can lead the marine renaissance. By Tim Schweikert

B

eing an island nation, Japan is inevitably dependent on seaborne trade. Over time, this has led to it becoming a strong player in the global maritime market.

Japan’s shipbuilding pedigree has gained the country a foothold in LNG carriers, dry bulk cargo barge and pure car truck carriers (PCTC).

While Japan is still a significant player, large-scale investments made by the Chinese and South Korean governments in the 1980s pushed them ahead.

Japan’s energy market is also going through a period of change. Flat global trade, chronic vessel overcapacity and the low price of oil are some of the key factors affecting the market. Faced with these challenges, Japan’s marine industry should strategically move towards building technically advanced high-end vessels, investing in technology innovations to give itself the edge against competition.

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Gas-powered LNG carriers The LNG market remains the key powerhouse for Japan’s marine industry. Most of Japanese utility companies’ orders on LNG carriers are secured through Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI). GE’s Marine Solutions business has built a successful partnership with KHI, providing electric propulsion systems for LNG carriers - a testimony of GE’s engineering capability and a long-term commitment to Japan’s shipbuilding industry.

However, look at the demand side: LNG imports fell 3.9 per cent in 2015 from a record 88.51 million tons the year before, marking the first drop in six years and the lowest since 2011. Many anticipate the trend will continue. One of the biggest threats comes from the potential restart of nuclear power.

Lower power demand, rising coal-fired power generation and the low oil price are other factors impacting demand.

This will put pressure on LNG prices. In order

to attract orders, Japan must build its LNG carriers with innovation and technology at the forefront while remaining affordable. With the marine market struggling as much as it is, operators want cost-effective ships that allow them to work as efficiently as possible within a strict budget.

GE’s combined gas turbine electric and steam (COGES) system, for example, featuring a gas turbine to power the ship, is currently on track to save millions on a 174,000-cubic-meter LNG carrier based on its 20-year operation profile. It will be the world’s first turbine-powered LNG carrier, which will enable more eco-friendly and fuel-efficient vessel design.

A more environmentally sound approach Reducing carbon emissions is a key priority for all players in the marine market, but is arguably most important for ship operators due to changing regulations. In Japan, the Ministry of Land, Transport

in greater detail, predict downtime and act quickly to avoid potential failure. It can enable a shift from planned to condition-based maintenance and help to maximise customer revenues. Given the current conditions of the market, this level of agility is key for any operator, and Japan’s industry could make this one of its key offerings, differentiating it from its close competitors.

Preparing for the future The marine business is cyclical in nature. While we may be experiencing a downturn in some sectors, the market will inevitably pick up, and the industry must be ready to capitalise on this. Japan can look at regaining some of the ground it lost in the ’80s by offering high-performance vessels, which offer excellent value for money, are highly efficient and adhere to strict environmental regulation.

Technology is key to Japan achieving this.

New vessels need to be future proof, offering long-term reliability and connectivity, which will allow operators to comply with any financial or environmental issues that may lie on the horizon.

The current depreciation of the Japanese yen also puts the nation in an advantageous position in the global market.

An opportunity is waiting for Japan, but it needs to be brave, focus on the future and begin to reclaim its title of shipbuilding titan. n and Tourism has set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent from international shipping. This focus on going green has opened up a gap in the market. Japan could distinguish itself as a green shipbuilder, producing ships that are better for the environment.

The fuel-hungry engine is a good place to begin cutting emissions. Innovative technology can bring both huge cost savings and a reduced impact on the environment.

By using a COGES system, LNG carriers can meet IMO Tier III and United States Environmental Protection Agency Tier 4 standards without the need for exhaust after treatment. The COGES system produces low emissions and can operate on either natural gas fuels or marine gas oil.

GE’s L250/V250 Marine diesel engines are also built to reduce key emissions (in some cases by more than 70 per cent and are certified to meet EPA Tier 4 and IMO III). Most recently, GE’s 250MDC series engine with exhaust gas recirculation technology has been shortlisted for the Marine Engines Award, demonstrating a remarkable step forward in engine technology innovation.

Digital The time is right for the marine industry to benefit from new digital technology to further drive efficiency.

Efficiency should be considered right from the design phase. Advanced modelling software can be used to forecast a ship’s projected usage and inform the fit-out, meaning that ships are fit for purpose, fulfilling tasks that they were designed for and thus operating as efficiently as possible.

The use of technology to increase efficiencies does not stop here; mines of data which flow through the Industrial Internet will play a key part once the vessel is seaborne, harvesting information about its position, fuel usage, projected repairs and emissions. All of this data will allow operators to better deploy and manage their assets and make informed decisions rather than relying on gut feelings.

The software analytics can also bring ‘predictivity’ to marine operators, a real leap from traditional energy efficient marine equipment.

Powered by Predix*, GE’s SeaStream* Insight, can predict potential failure of a part before it strikes.

With such detailed oversight, operators can plan

*Indicates a trademark of the General Electric Company and/or its subsidiaries.

Tim Schweikert is president & CEO of GE’s Marine Solutions business. GE’s Marine Solutions is dedicated to power and propulsion systems for customers in the workboat, merchant, offshore and naval industries. Smart engineering coupled with software analytics, we provide customers with data-driven efficiency. Connecting the physical and digital worlds, GE helps power, propel, position and predict the marine industry for operational excellence. https://www.gemarinesolutions.com/

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Marine safety

Safe from the

start

At their very heart, marine safety products are designed to save lives – but this objective starts way before they get onto any vessel. Chris Feibusch, Head of Global Marketing at Drew Marine Signal & Safety UK Ltd explains more about the process of creating these complicated products to Libbie Hammond

I

t’s obvious that an item of equipment such as a hand flare or parachute rocket is intended to help save a life in an emergency at sea. But it’s not so often than you consider that these complicated, highly technical products represent the culmination of a complex development and manufacturing process. At every stage of their lifecycle, through design, analysis, assembly, and test, checks are carried out to ensure that when products arrive on a boat or ship, they are in perfect working order, achieve the targets set by stringent regulatory authorities and are ready if the worst happens.

Drew Marine Signal & Safety UK (DMSS) is one of the most renowned and respected manufacturers of marine life saving equipment in the world today, and always tries to ensure that it remembers the stricken seafarer, all the way from design to end user. “As our American boss has said in the past, ‘if you are using one of our products you are already having a pretty bad day’,” began Chris Feibusch, Head of Global Marketing at DMSS. “So you definitely want to be confident all of your safety equipment is going to work when you

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need it. That is why the overriding message for us is ‘quality, reliability and performance’ – we have it as our strap line and these tenets are genuinely important to us.”

In order to ensure that the highest standards are maintained at all times, DMSS invests considerable resources into its state-of-the-art factory in Bremerhaven in Germany, which now features a totally automated production line for parachute rockets. “We have had an element of automation for a long time on most of the main Safety of Life At Sea (SOLAS) product lines where the volumes are large. That has gradually been stepped up so the parachute rocket line is now completely automated, and as there are a lot of different elements to be assembled, as well as key checks and balances along the line, we have created a very impressive system.”

Chris also described the manufacture of DMSS’ Comet and Pains Wessex brand red hand flares, where the line has a capacity of 1.5 million units a year and again, is highly automated. “This line goes a step further because it actually brings in the empty components, very accurately measures the

pyrotechnic compound, presses it into the tubes and completes the assembly with very little human intervention. It is particularly complicated because the explosive has to be precisely measured and has to come in from outside the building where the assembly is happening – there are different process rooms that are isolated from each other, so that if there is an incident it’s contained into one specific section.

“This line represented around a two million euro investment, as it was so complex. The business rationale behind it was that it gives us more capacity, consistent quality, cost control and flexibility. But also, we have an exemplary safety record and this automated line is even safer for our staff, because it removes people from the riskier stages of manufacture, such as coming into contact with the explosive or igniting elements of the products.”

With quality at the heart of its operations, DMSS also benefits from the reassurance to clients that a ‘Made in Germany’ foundation can give. “The whole culture and ethos associated with Germany is about precision and quality and a lot of people

still insist on products made in Europe,” agreed Chris. “German manufacturing is synonymous with quality, and we benefit from the fact that our production equipment is German, and ultimately the products represent pure German engineering.

This association with European quality and excellence is very important because ultimately what we make are lifesaving devices and while they might be included on board in order to tick a box and be compliant, in reality they are there to save peoples’ lives,” he added.

Chris mentioned the issue of fulfilment of regulations and this is something that DMSS has to consider throughout the manufacturing and testing process with regards to SOLAS. Many of its products are SOLAS approved, and to achieve certification means that a range of stringent tests have to be successfully performed by an independent testing authority. “They have to pass these SOLAS tests every year, and there is a huge raft of very strict tests that our products have to go through. These include areas such as age testing and temperature cycling, where everything has to perform at -30° through to +65° and that is quite significant as components can react differently when extremely cold or hot,” noted Chris. “They are tested for waterproofness, where they have to sit under a metre of water for 24 hours and still fire, and they are drop tested so they don’t shatter or ignite when they are dropped from a specified height. The duration of smoke and its density and colour, and the candela intensity of the flares are also checked – but these are only a few, there are many more stages for the products as well.

“While we are ultimately confident that all our products will pass these tests, as we analyse them stringently in-house ourselves, there is always an element of relief when the process is complete and we are re-certified,” Chris continued, with a smile.

“SOLAS certification is critical to the business so we are little tense while it’s happening and are glad when it’s over!”

As SOLAS dictates the requirements for so many of its products, DMSS doesn’t need to continually release new equipment to the market, but instead focuses a lot of effort in continually improving existing products. “We say that our

products are static, as SOLAS regulations don’t change so the ultimate requirement of what a product needs to do doesn’t change from one year to the next,” explained Chris. “But there are refinements going on all the time. If you look at our range now and compare it to even three years ago, you can see where we have enhanced products. For instance, we now manufacture our three-minute smoke in-house and we’ve changed the ignition system on it. The parachute rocket has a different end cap on it now, which was an evolution of the original one, and there have been refinements to the pyrotechnic compound within the red hand flare.”

In fact, this latter development is more significant than it first sounds, as DMSS engineers have been able to reduce the flare’s Net Explosive Content (NEC) through clever chemical engineering. They have done this without compromising the product, as it still passes SOLAS requirements, but brings a raft of benefits. “One is the obvious cost benefit to us, as we are using less compound, but NEC is also a very big deal when it comes to freight and storage because all the limits and restrictions on Class One products are based on the amount of explosive the items contain. Reducing the amount of explosives helps with the logistics of getting these items where they need to go and storing them when they get there, and has obvious safety benefits too.

“That is something we did quietly behind the scenes and nobody would ever know from the outside that this has gone on. It was achieved through brilliant chemical engineering and the team is constantly working away to improve or refine our range in this way. Of course, we do also release new products, such as the Manoverboard MK9 Compact Lifebuoy Marker, which was lighter, more compact, had a higher drop height, and featured individual LED light pods for quick installation and testing, and which took a lot of development to create.”

Chris added: “At the moment we are working on a couple of on non-SOLAS products, including a different, slightly modified firing system on our mini flares, which is designed to increase the height of the flare to meet US coastguard requirements. In

actual fact the change will be barely perceptible to users but by cleverly changing from what we called a rim fire to a centre pin fire we can make it go higher. Our day and night signal, which is very widely used by search and rescue organisations, the RNLI and the Dutch equivalent KNRM, is also going through a total redesign with new systems for improved reliability and performance.”

It is clear that by the time a Comet or Pains Wessex product has made its way onto life raft, vessel or bridge, it has been through an incredible developmental journey. “The care and attention that DMSS invests into its products is what gives our customers confidence that they are the best out there,” said Chris. “And while we spend a lot of time thinking about regulations and the tests they have to pass, what we have to really prioritise is the person who might need to use one. It could be easy to lose sight of that end target and that’s why I always like to highlight real life success stories where one of our products has saved a life.

“One of our customers got into trouble after the engine cut out on his speedboat while he was taking his nephew wakeboarding in August 2010, off Aberdovey Beach, at Ynyslas, Cardigan Bay, in Wales. His phone died and the pair was knocked from the boat by a huge wave – they just had time to grab an emergency bag, and hang onto a float.

“He desperately tried to fire a different brand of flare, but it failed. Thankfully, there were also two Pains Wessex Orange Handsmokes in the bag, which operated perfectly, and just as fortunately, the Pains Wessex marine distress signals were spotted by an off-duty RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, who alerted the coastguard. The pair were spotted and rescued, and it was thanks to our smoke.

“This kind of story proves that not only do our products save lives, but when the chips were down, a DMSS product succeeded where others had failed. It was really interesting to talk to someone who has been in a boat, knowing we were his last hope and that our equipment saved his life. When you are in an emergency situation in the middle of the sea, you will find that quality, reliability and performance really do matter.” n

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D

rew Marine Signal and Safety (DMSS) is the world’s leading supplier of SOLAS, MED & USCG-approved marine distress signals. The company markets the Comet brand alongside sister brand Pains Wessex.

Chris Feibusch of DMSS explained that SOLAS requirements state the specific safety equipment that has to be stocked on the bridge, including two MOB man overboard (MOB) units, four linethrowers (with a minimum 230 metre line) and 12 parachute rockets. “In 2014, we updated our MOB unit to the Mark 9, which now incorporates an LED bulb in the lamp and lithium batteries. It is also smaller, so it fits inside a lifebuoy ring and it can be automatically deployed by releasing the attached lifebuoy, or manually activated. It will emit dense orange smoke for 15 minutes and the lamp will emit light for a minimum of two hours at a two candela, and this exceeds SOLAS regulations,” he said.

Comet has also released an improved version of its Smoke Signal, which is now manufactured in-house, and Comet believes it is now more reliable and easier to use.

Comet rockets, flares and smoke signals can be found on the bridges, life rafts and lifeboats of ships around the world, and these are all supported by a worldwide network of specialist distributors, offering a truly global availability.

Full details can be found on the Comet website.

SMM 2016

SMMart shipping Taking place from 6th to 9th September 2016, the 27th SMM will provide further valuable insights to those in the shipping industry. Claus Ulrich Selbach, Business Unit Director of Maritime and Technology Fairs at Hamburg Messe and Congress, tells Jo Cooper what guests should expect from the leading maritime trade fair this year

“P

resenting impressive innovations, facilitating conversations with top experts and offering conferences on the topics of the future, we will once again welcome roughly 2100 exhibitors from around the world, including the Who’s Who of the maritime industry as well as newcomers and young start-ups whose purpose-designed products and services are valuable additions to the market,” begins Claus.

“SMM visitors will encounter all the international key players from the shipping sector, covering the entire value chain. The fair is also becoming more international with more than 60 nations being represented this time and Iran, Malaysia and Greece all setting up country pavilions of

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their own for the first time this year.”

Viewed as a must for all stakeholders of the maritime sector and a great opportunity to meet up face-to-face with existing and potential business partners, SMM has gained a strong reputation for showcasing tomorrow’s trends and developments over the years, with 2016 being no different. Key topics for this year’s exhibition include digitalisation within the shipping industry, green propulsion, maritime security, environmental developments and the shortage of qualified personnel within the industry.

With the countdown on, the event already has more than 2100 registered exhibitors and, much like its record year in 2014, is already fully booked in advance. Viewed as a beacon

event for the shipping and marine industry, an advanced press conference for SMM took place on June 2nd 2016 to give a foretaste of the major international fair.

Starting off the conference was Bernd Aufderheide, President and CEO of Hamburg Messe und Congress, who commented in his welcoming speech: “SMM generates ideas and fresh impetus for the maritime industry, and it is a perfect platform for networking, inspiring each other and negotiating down-to-earth business deals. It sends a positive, encouraging signal to the maritime community.”

With digitalisation the leitmotiv for SMM 2016, it is naturally the core thread running through all days of the trade fair. In his keynote address, Martin Stopford, Non-Executive President of

SMM 2016

Claus Ulrich Selbach

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Clarksons Research Services, reviewed market developments and trends in the maritime industry. In the face of issues such as a 20 per cent capacity reduction, closure of 500 shipyards and ordering levels for new ships well below world capacity, Martin Stopford suggests Smart Shipping as a strategy to handle this difficult period. Due to the rapid progression of information and communications technology (ICT), there is enormous potential to enhance fleet operations and transport productivity.

However, as Lars Robert Pedersen, Deputy Secretary General of BIMCO, noted, the use of sophisticated on-board computer technology raises the risk of cyber disruption, data theft and industrial espionage. To fight against this risk, BIMCO joined hands with other international shipping associations to publish its first cyber security guidelines. “These provide guidance in selecting and applying the necessary procedural and technical means and methods to guard against cyber attacks and limit the potential damager, should the defences be breached,” he said.

As the industry faces something of a digital revolution and a time of potential transformation when it comes to trading across the globe, IMO spokesperson Lee Adamson gave a keynote on the necessity of international regulations that apply equally to all ships and do not permit advantages to be gained by cutting corners or imposing unilateral requirements.

Continuing the conference was Michel van Roozendaal, President of MacGregor, a subsidiary of the Finnish supplier Cargotec, who

gave an assessment on the current situation in the shipping industry from the perspective of an international organisation. Although Michel van Roozendaal is aware that there is a need to be competitive and flexible in a highly globalised and competitive marketplace, he praised the German industry for its focus on innovation and custom-tailored solutions. “By putting the focus on digitalisation, SMM underscores its technological leadership once again,” he said.

Alongside digitalisation, another focal topic is green propulsion, for which the team behind SMM has set up the new Hall A5 to provide 3500 square metres of additional exhibition area that is exclusive to innovative ship propulsion technologies. Also discussed at the conference was the offering of a special service to SMM visitors through the use of several theme-based routes that will enable guests to find areas of interest to them. These include ‘Job Route’, ‘Digital Route’, ‘Green Route’ and ‘Security Route’.

Offering a perfect appetiser for the upcoming fair, the advance press conference highlighted the importance of SMM for the industry.

Concluding on the insights provided at the advance press conference, Bernd Aufderheide said: “It has been made clear today that the shipping industry must aim high today to be successful tomorrow. This industry has always had its strongest moments when everybody joined forces and embraced innovation. This spirit will be clearly felt at SMM 2016.” www.smm-hamburg.com

Profile: Insatech

Marine

High

performance E

With a mission to be a trustworthy and competent partner, the company has developed longstanding relationships with some of the leading manufacturers within instrumentation and automation across the globe

stablished in 1989, Insatech A/S has been focused on automation and instrumentation since its inception, and, with more than 25 years of experience, it has become a strong partner for customers and suppliers alike. With a mission to be a trustworthy and competent partner, the company has developed longstanding relationships with some of the leading manufacturers within instrumentation and automation across the globe. Continuously striving for the best possible solution within automation and instrumentation, the company boasts enviable knowledge and experience of the maritime industry in business segments such as process instrumentation and calibration equipment, automation control and data acquisition; the system design, engineering and validation of DCS and safety systems as well as marine and ship solutions.

A recent successful project for Insatech Marine took place in 2015, when Team Tankers International chose the company’s Performance Monitoring System to ensure continued success in an increasingly competitive freight market. Continuously searching for ways to enhance their fleet’s performance in order to stay competitive,

Team Tankers knew that in order to optimise, they first needed to measure; in response to this the company researched a number of options before installing a performance monitoring system from Insatech Marine.

After only three months the benefits are already emerging.

As a worldwide chemical carrier, the key to Team Tankers International staying competitive is its ability to manage each voyage thoroughly. This means running a tight ship by focusing on fuel and energy consumption and by enhancing crew awareness, as well as implementing fleet wide optimisation projects. However, as technical project manager Henrik Marloth explains: “If we can’t measure the effect of a project, we can’t optimise. We needed a tool to monitor performance.” Team Tankers considered several different systems, but the choice fell on Insatech Marine’s performance monitoring system. “The platform is great and the system is very flexible; if we decide to add new measures, we can do so. We have had influence on the system and could design it almost as we wanted, which has been really important to us. Furthermore we wanted to own the data, which we do with the performance monitoring system.”

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Profile: Insatech

Marine

Performance monitoring system

Crew awareness: The cornerstone of performance optimisation success “The performance monitoring system does not earn you money – unless you apply awareness,” says Henrik Marloth. Having done so, Henrik sees a clear advantage: “We are able to operate our ships more efficiently; furthermore our staff at shore are able to view the same data and trends. It’s a valuable tool, which the crew has really adopted. One of our captains called it liberating to always know how the vessel was performing against the KPI’s.”

Henrik describes the system as a decision enabler, aiding operator and vessel senior management in determining the best course of action: “If the expected voyage conditions changes, for example, due to bad weather, and thereby increases bunker consumption higher than planned, we can, as a team (ship-shore), act immediately and decide our best course of action. In the past we had limited information and basically we could only conclude upon voyage result at each voyage completion. However, now we are able to take more factors into consideration, when we decide whether to keep the same speed or change it. The factors can be weather, next voyage and other commercial factors. The goal is to be able to optimise our performance in real time, and we are convinced that we will be able to so with the performance monitoring system.”

Annual savings based on recent performance system optimisations Though the installation of the performance system was made in the summer of 2015, Henrik explains that after only three months they have already made some interesting discoveries, which will translate into huge annual savings. “Based on the data we were able to reduce fuel consumption significantly, as the data has allowed us to optimise trim and compare sister vessels, to thereby

increase vessel performance.” Trim optimising is an important performance factor, however Team Tankers International also has other goals, such as reduction and better utilisation of generators by reducing parallel operation and reducing the power consumption.

Testing and verification of pilot projects The system has several uses. By creating a valid baseline Team Tankers International evaluates pilot projects to find the most feasible investments before rolling it out on fleet level. “Currently we are evaluating high end antifouling products on our hull and propeller coating.” The goal is to verify that the products are complying with the manufacturer’s specifications. Furthermore, a reduction in hull cleaning and propeller polishing is expected. Other enhancements such as propeller boss cap fin are at the moment being evaluated using the performance system.

“By utilising the system and data we will be able to verify and confirm which types of antifouling products are most optimal, as well

as the timing of hull and propeller cleaning,” says Henrik.

Based on the initial experience with the performance system Henrik says: “We expect to cut down our total fuel consumption with three to five per cent per ship/year, but that is probably a little conservative.” While technical tests and projects are now possible to evaluate, Henrik stresses that the ultimate benefit of the system is the crew awareness and the added value it will create. “Without it you cannot leverage consumption reductions or operational optimisation,” he concludes.

With Team Tankers just one example of Insatech Marine’s capabilities when it comes to delivering customer satisfaction through innovation and reliability, the future looks positive for the company as it continues to help optimise performance and co-operation between ship and shore.

Insatech Marine www.insatechmarine.com • Supplier of performance optimisation solutions • Supplier of bunker management systems • More than 25 years of experience

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Profile: seanet

group

Glass balcony

Side door

Drop keel

Hyperbaric chambers

Special

delivery

F

ounded in 1975, SeaNet Group is a leading maritime engineering company with a long tradition of providing a range of integrated solutions to marine safety and handling systems around the world. Headquartered in Genève, Switzerland, and with its main production facilities in Italy, the group consists of four companies that develop a range of innovative systems to the cruise, ferry, military, mega-yacht, research (for which it supplies the drop keel system) and offshore sectors.

Today, over 4000 SeaNet systems have been installed around the world, 3000 of which are its core offering of watertight doors and over 650 relating to special systems projects.

“The company was initially born to provide watertight and, later on, splashtight doors, which remain central to the business, yet it has grown now to provide a range of key equipment and special projects to various sectors under our different brands,” outlines Chairman, Giovanni Lanza de Cristoforis. “The

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Selmar brand, for instance, which we acquired in 2015, perfectly suits our philosophy where safety and innovation are paramount. Selmar is a world leader in drop keel systems – a world first innovation – and so complements SeaNet’s business very well. We also provide access equipment such as stern and side ramps, elevators, car decks and shell doors, plus a range of ship automation systems.

However it is our innovative special divisions business that is particularly interesting.”

Throughout its history SeaNet has maintained a leading position at the cutting edge of marine engineering solutions, and has a number of world firsts under its belt to prove it. In automation, for example, it was the first company in the world to use electronic circuit boards in marine safety equipment, a move that was immediately approved by all necessary certification bodies. Then, in 2010, it patented its Web Interface Safety System (WISS), which revolutionised safety systems as the first to create a browser interface making

them independent from the hardware installed, and creating lots of safety, reliability and easeof-use benefits.

One such project that demonstrates the level of innovation and engineering expertise inherent in SeaNet’s market approach is its work on the MOSE water defence system designed to isolate the Venice Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea during high tide events. “We have been entrusted with the compartmentalisation, control system and deep seabed hydraulic gate, and, having manufactured these special sectional hyperbaric chambers, are now delivering them,” explains Giovanni. “These hyperbaric chambers use a revolutionary sectional design and feature pressurising and balance systems that enable maintenance operations to be performed on the barrier system underwater.”

Providing highly bespoke solutions such as that illustrated by the MOSE project lies at the heart of SeaNet’s success. “We are not too big, and this makes us extremely flexible

Terrace platform

in understanding our customers’ needs and delivering on them,” Giovanni continues. “A major competitor may be strong at providing multiple replicated units with the exact same specifications but we have a well-proven ability to design special innovations with lower costs and a wealth of experience. Whilst we are of course multinational, operating and selling around the world, we maintain this familyowned, personal service wherever we work.”

A result of this family focus is a strong affinity to close working relationships with clients and the supply chain. “Most of our most interesting projects tend to start with an idea that the client doesn’t fully believe is possible, but we can prove otherwise and consistently deliver solutions,” details Giovanni. “The mega-yacht market is a really strong sector for these kinds of projects as we can solve problems for all kinds of mega-toys the owners are looking for.”

Keen to continue delivering its leading engineering solutions and innovative services to the global market, SeaNet Group is currently focused on a major expansion strategy. At present there are two manufacturing facilities in Italy and one in Miami, Florida, with main offices set up in

Switzerland. “We have been looking closely at Canada for a while and this year we hope to open up a new business subsidiary in the region as well as a new workshop,” Giovanni discusses. “We hope to apply the same strategy in the Far East to set up an asset over there in support of the healthy sales activity going on in China and Southeast Asia.”

Over recent years, SeaNet Group has experienced growth rates in the region of 10 to 15 per cent every year. Expanding its global footprint will be key to the company making the most of generally favourable market conditions around the world and continuing this trend. The cruise, mega-yachts and navy sectors remain strong, according to Giovanni, and whilst not traditionally a major market for the business, the oil and gas industry will be the focus of fresh attention once it regains some strength and confidence.

SeaNet Group www.seanetgroup.ch • Continues to deliver innovative solutions to special projects around the world • Experiencing strong market conditions • Focused on global expansion strategy

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Profile: Viewsafe

Safety

T

first

he creation of Lewis Rowland, Viewsafe is the safety assured maintenance aperture for the condition monitoring of live electrical switchgear and assets that has taken the shipping and oil and gas industries by storm. “Viewsafe was developed whilst I completed my Masters in Business Management at Lancaster University. The product design work was completed at this stage, and the past five years have seen the design develop into the product it is today,” says Lewis Rowland, owner of Viewsafe.

“The initial designs and concepts of Viewsafe were created with the basis of creating a product that was safer, more flexible and offered better performance than what was out there in the market.

We were well aware of the practices of Thermal Imaging and Partial Discharge, but there was nothing in the market that could combine the two techniques. Customers had to make a choice of one or the other,

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but if there were a single system to complete both inspections, that choice would not have to be made. Off the back of the initial designs, Viewsafe developed further as we introduced the capability of Visual inspection and Emergency CO2 access to equipment.

The early investment in items such as global patents, trademarks and internal arc testing meant it was always going to take a period of time to get to full implementation in the market. With safety being paramount to the product, it was imperative that we covered all aspects of safety before introducing the product to potential customers,” he continues.

Today used by the likes of Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, P&O Cruise Lines, Cunard and Teekay Gas Shipping, the product offers the unique ability of enabling operators to complete condition monitoring of their live electrical switchgear through both thermal imaging and partial discharge in a safe manner. “With many of the clients,

we are moving towards complete fleet or asset coverage with the Viewsafe system.

For example, when the three Cunard vessels, Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth were all in Liverpool to mark the 175th anniversary of the company it was a proud moment for us as Viewsafe is installed on all three of these vessels.

“We are also working very closely with switchgear manufacturers such as Powell Industries, ABB and GE Energy Management for Viewsafe’s inclusion in new-build switchgear projects, which brings an entirely new dimension to the product and business,” highlights Lewis.

Since previously featuring in Shipping & Marine magazine in July 2015, Viewsafe has enjoyed a surge of demand both in the UK and overseas, particularly in the maritime sector. “We have also seen an increase in new types of marine customers with the likes of subsea construction, diving and pipelaying vessels taking Viewsafe on-board,

as well as an ever-increasing continuation of installations within the cruise market.

Geographically we continue to expand all around the world from the USA, Europe to the Far East and as Viewsafe continues to grow in brand and reputation we expect this to continue,” says Lewis. “Another notable development is that Viewsafe has been working closely with GE Energy Management on the integration of a ‘New-Build’ version of Viewsafe that will be installed at the fabrication point of electrical switchgear assets, and we hope that this strategic move alongside such a prestigious company as GE will take Viewsafe onto another level in the coming years.”

With innovation clearly playing a vital role in the product’s success, from what has already been developed to what the company plans to do with Viewsafe in the future, the dynamic firm was nominated as a finalist in the Institution of Engineering and Technology Awards and followed this with finalist places in the UK Energy Innovation Awards 2016.

Discussing the reasons behind Viewsafe achieving recognition, Lewis comments: “I

think the product offers operators something that no other product can offer, and the judges of the Awards bodies have identified this from our entries. Whilst the combining of multiple techniques is not a new concept, the fact Viewsafe has managed to do this with high value assets and switchgear in a way nothing else can make us stand out.”

As more people become aware of the benefits of Viewsafe, Lewis says the company has focused on managing demand in the market: “As our scope of delivery expands further around the globe this quality control becomes an even more important focus. Due to this high demand for Viewsafe, we were forced to introduce new suppliers for the system, which in itself has been a challenge. Ensuring the same output quality between suppliers has been time intensive but has been very satisfying at the same time. Furthermore, we have opened up a Far East Office that is located in Singapore to deal with the Far East and Australian market and it will be a focus for us to develop this sector more in the next 12-24 months.”

Keen for Viewsafe to become the first

choice for customers seeking condition monitoring tools for electrical switchgears, Lewis sees a strong future for Viewsafe, despite challenges in the oil and gas market.

“Obviously the significant drop in oil prices has seen a dip in the offshore market sector, not just for Viewsafe but for all companies associated. For Viewsafe it has been important to diversify our customer base and this diversification has seen our focus turn to other types of maritime customers as mentioned earlier.

“Despite these difficulties, the next three to five years will no doubt see a further increase in condition monitoring practices globally and Viewsafe intends to be at the forefront of this push,” Lewis concludes.

Viewsafe www.viewsafe.co.uk • Provider of revolutionary switchgear inspection products • Ensure operator safety during inspection • Exhibiting at SMM

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Profile: LNGTainer

Ltd

Second generation of

LNG tank containers

S

ince the company was founded in 2011 by the Finnish engineer and inventor, Tom Sommardal, LNGTainer has worked to develop a solution for the shipping and transport of LNG at considerably lower cost than has traditionally been available. As an innovator within the LNG and marine industries, Tom has extensive experience within several capacities inside of the marine market. At the age of 19 he was employed as a deck officer sailing on 100,000 ton oil tankers and after returning to dry land, he worked for several years as a maritime safety inspector for the Finnish Maritime Administration (FMA). Later on in his career, Tom worked for leading international classification societies, taking care of technical inspections as well as safety and quality assessments and also worked for a major logistics company’s ship-management department, where he was responsible for the organisation’s fleet management. Finally Tom took this impressive résumé of industry experience and left to start his own ship-management company, where

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he also developed the LNGTainer concept.

After several years of secret development and testing, Tom and his team have successfully developed the LNGTainer system as an efficient and low-cost solution for the transportation of LNG products. Vigorous testing and experiments were carried out on full-sized prototypes of the system during 2011, while further testing and refining was undertaken between 2012 and 2013 to ensure that the LNG container system was finally ready for large scale serial production.

During Moscow’s June, 2015 Startup Village event, LNGTainer presented the first fullscale prototype of its new innovative LNG transportation, storage and consumption container. Among the crowed of interested visitors was the Russian Prime Minister and former Chairman of the board of directors for Gazprom, Dmitry Medvedev.

Following this intensive period of research and development, LNGTainer has developed a new type of LNG tank container that will feature benefits such as being approximately 30 per cent lighter, have a 15 per cent larger

volume, is fast loading even with warm tanks, provides a plug in solution for gas output with the unit being remotely controlled and monitored. The most revolutionary aspect of the new tank container, and what gives a basis for the advanced design, is the fact that the insulation has been moved from the outside of the cryogenic tanks to the inside.

“Our monitoring system gives the possibility to follow the tank container’s position and the amount of LNG, whilst providing the opportunity for us to be able to deliver LNG on time to meet the customers’ needs in the most efficient way,” Tom pointed out.

The LNGTainer tank container system is based on a design that has the insulation on the inside of the pressure vessel. The load bearing insulation on the inside of the pressure vessel is covered with a thin metallic inner layer or inner tank. This creates a cryogenic tank container system for the purposes of transporting LNG and represents an effective solution that makes use of existing logistics and communication infrastructure. Indeed, the system makes

the process of distributing LNG to gas consumers both simple and efficient, in contrast to the prohibitive cost of special vessels, terminals, truck and storage tanks that are designed solely for LNG transport that has effectively prevented the wider use of LNG as a fuel. Traditionally, LNG is unloaded and filled at every level of the distribution chain, which is something that is negated by the LNGTainer system. Through the use of this revolution system, no unloading and refilling is required and normal trucks can be used to transport the containers to the required destination. Furthermore, the containers themselves are also subsequently used for the purposes of storage and usage.

LNGTainers are designed to be robust and easily handled by the energy industry’s existing transport infrastructure, making it a readily available solution for container ships, harbours, rail networks and flatbed trucks.

The availability of cost-effective and simple transport solutions makes LNGTainer an ideal solution for a variety of applications including bunkering systems for ships, gas stations for vehicles and small power stations. The fact that the LNG storage system is built

as an ISO 40/45ft tank container means that the overall LNG storage capacity of the LNGTainer system is optimised due to its shape. It further represents a safe and effective system that is suitable for mass production.

Further to its intrinsic benefits, the LNGTainer system also offers the advantage of real-time monitoring and steering for safe and economical gas delivery. The real-time system is a user-friendly way to monitor and steer the whole fleet of containers and provides the possibility to deliver LNG safety and on time to consumers. The integration of revolutionary monitoring technology into an easily adoptable transport solution potentially represents an answer to the missing link for a huge number of new gas consumers. By cutting the investment costs of LNG shipping, distribution and storage to a fraction of their traditional levels, the LNGTainer system offers a vastly simplified handling process and thanks to the system’s scalability, both small and large quantities of LNG can new be easily handled.

The development of the LNGTainer system is an important link in furthering the adoption

of LNG throughout the energy market, which is a major milestone of the emergence of LNG as a realistic step towards reducing emissions. LNG is an environmentally friendly energy solution and over the coming years it is expected that it will eventually replace both coal and oil. The huge potential of the LNGTainer system and the almost unlimited potential of the global LNG market, makes the company a potentially core player in the energy market of the future. The LNGTainer system is now fully ready for production and the first manufacture of units is set to begin in the near future, making this an exciting time for both LNGTainer Ltd and the LNG market as a whole.

LNGTainer Ltd www.lngtainer.com • Biggest cargo capacity in its class • Type approved (ADR, RID, IMDG etc.)

• Low weight • Fast loading even with warm empty tank • Long holding time • Vibration tolerant • Low vacuum level • Having a high built-in safety level

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With ratings up to 4200 hp (3132 kW), Cummins QSK95 achieves power previously exclusive to medium-speed engines in a more compact installation.

Innovative design makes it possible to provide 95 liters in a 78-liter platform weighing 25 to 70% less than medium speed platforms with similar power.

Plus, we optimized transient response using a unique turbo arrangement and dry system to provide operators with advanced maneuverability. Combined, all of this makes the QSK95 the ideal solution for high-hour, hardworking vessels such as tugs, offshore support vessels, short sea cargo and coastal tankers.

Ready for more? Visit marine.cummins.com or see us at this year’s SMM in Hamburg, September 6-9, hall A4 stand no. 208.

Š2016 Cummins Inc., 4500 Leeds Ave., Suite 301, Charleston, SC 29405 U.S.A.

Shipping&Marine_QSK95_AdSMM_210x297.indd 1

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Profile: Cummins

Inc.

Platform for

growth S

ince its foundation in 1919, Cummins Inc. has become a global power leader in the design, manufacture, sale and service of diesel engines and related technologies to customers located in 190 countries and territories. Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana (the US), Cummins employs around 55,000 personnel worldwide and serves its clients through a network of approximately 600 company-owned and independent distributor locations as well as more than 7200 dealer locations. Having earned $1.4 billion profit in sales of $19.1 billion in 2015, Cummins anticipates further growth with the launch of its QSK95 into the marine industry.

As Cummins’ newest, largest and most powerful engine to date, the QSK95 boasts advanced features to make common service tasks more simple and to keep downtime to a minimum in target markets such as locomotive, power generation and, now, marine. Key to the groundbreaking

capabilities of the engine is its thorough design, which enables the engine to have easy access to traditionally challenging maintenance procedures as well as innovative improvements that significantly enhance reliability, as Richard Newman, Sales Director at Cummins Inc. comments: “One example of this is the externally-mounted, screw-type lube pump, which is very reliable and robust.

By mounting the pump externally, we avoid the need to drop the oil pan or lift the engine to change it, thus making it easier to service or replace.”

He continues: “When it comes to the oil pan itself, we developed a tool that makes it easy to lower and raise the pan with a couple of people in a safe manner that doesn’t involve lifting the entire engine; the tool is fully integrated into the product. Meanwhile, the cylinder head in the fuel pump can be easily lifted off the engine with a small, very compact crane that we designed and developed; this not only reduces service time, but also

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Profile: Cummins

Inc.

improves the safety and service of the operation.”

The company has also extended oil change intervals on the engine, which is attributed to longer service life as well as reduced operating costs, and has a centrifugal lubrication filtration system that is known as an Eliminator. This is agency approved and allows for longer oil change cycles when customers are monitoring their lubrication qualities. “Ultimately, we have done a lot to ensure that the operating costs are minimised and that we give a lot of life to our products,” says Richard.

Alongside these coveted benefits, the QSK95 will increase the company’s marine power range by 50 per cent, making the engine an ideal solution for high-hour, hardworking vessels such as offshore support vessels, crewboats, passenger vessels, patrol vessels and superyachts.

With ratings from 2386 kW to 3132 kW, the QSK95 achieves a power output that was previously only possible from larger medium-speed marine engines; it also brings the advantages of a lower capital cost and a more compact installation. Furthermore, the engine provides 95 litres of displacement in a 78-litre package, while nested cylinders and a 60-degree V enables a short, narrow engine block that is relative to other engines of similar displacement. In addition, the QSK95 weighs in at just over 13,000 kg, which is between 25 per cent and 70 per cent less than medium speed platforms of a similar power output.

Aware that operators are seeking enhanced vessel maneuverability, the QSK95 also delivers faster transient response thanks to a unique turbo arrangement and dry system.

In fact, by using one turbo per four cylinders, the innovative engine is able to use a small turbo model. The dry turbo housings and dry exhaust manifold maximise the available energy to the turbos, which allows them to spool up quickly; this leads to a fast engine response.

Discussing the time and effort that went into creating a game-changing product, Richard highlights: “More than 3000 voices went into the design and development of the QSK95. Over the last six years, more than 200 engineers spent more than 750,000 design and analysis hours developing the engine, with an extra 80,000 hours spent testing the engine for various target markets. We spent this time, and approximately $1.4 billion dollars,

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As we progress into the marine industry, emissions will have an increasingly important role for the QSK95; this means variants of the engine will be released to meet more stringent emission regulations on not only making an innovative and durable product, but also on ensuring a product that is easy to service.”

Unveiled for the first time to the Asian maritime market at Asia Pacific Maritime, Cummins QSK95 generated a positive amount of booth traffic as people that designed, built, operated and maintained vessels stopped by to gain an understanding of the product’s benefits. “There is a long cycle between when customers begin evaluating engines of this size and when said product is actually installed in the vessel. We want to be ahead of that cycle by getting people excited and interested

in the benefits of the product so they start thinking about designing a boat around it,” says Andy Kelly, Communications Manager at Cummins Inc. “Asia Pacific Maritime was a great opportunity for us to show this engine to the Asia Pacific Region and get them to consider the engine for their upcoming projects over the next 12-24 months.”

Soon to be shown at SMM 2016 in September, Cummins’ QSK95 will be delivered to early adopter customers before it is delivered to other clients for a limited production in the final quarter of 2016.

Following this, Cummins will generate market awareness of the engine’s capabilities and help customers understand how to leverage the features and benefits of the product as it continues to develop and improve in line with market trends and demands. “As we progress into the marine industry, emissions will have an increasingly important role for the QSK95; this means variants of the engine will be released to meet more stringent emission regulations across the world over the next three to five years. This is a platform product, so Cummins fully intends to bring out other derivatives to fully support the marine industry as we move forward,” concludes Richard.

Cummins Inc. http://marine.cummins.com • Global power leader that serves customers in 190 countries and territories • Launched QSK95 engine for marine use at Asia Pacific Maritime • QSK95 is Cummins’ newest, largest and most powerful engine to date

Profiles There are thousands of ships sailing the oceans today, transporting every kind of cargo.

The global fleet is manned by over a million seafarers of virtually every nationality and the companies involved in this sector are among the most technologically sophisticated of any in the world.

The prominent and successful companies that are highlighted in the next pages of Shipping & Marine provide real world examples of how state-of-the-art technology, best practices and modern innovations are put into practice in the maritime sector.

Walvis Bay Corridor Group Caledonian MacBrayne Burgess Marine Ltd Scheepswerf Gebr. Kooiman BV Bremer Schiffsmeldedienst and EUREPORT GmbH DIANA Yacht Design BV SureWind Marine Ltd Umar-Wsr Brittany Ferries Royal Bodewes Asian Supply Base Doris Maritime Services SA Optimarin AS Red Funnel Hakvoort Shipyard Remontowa SA ChartCo Ltd Wightlink Garrets International ShoreTension Jenkins Marine Ltd Marine Technologies Tasneef Dellner Brakes AB DUC Marine Group Ecu-Worldwide ME Solutions AB Lßbeck Port Authority Neptune Lines Sølvtrans Holding ASA BMO Offshore PT Anggrek Hitam Vyborg Shipyard NGM Energy

Profile: Walvis

Bay Corridor Group

Journey to Africa and

beyond

B Bollore Logistics

Bollore Logistics is the complete African network with 100 per cent owned offices in 42 countries including Namibia. Through the strategically located, efficient and world-class Port of Walvis Bay provides global solutions to and from Angola, Zambia, the DRC, Botswana, South Africa, Malawi and the rest of the world. In conjunction with the Walvis Bay Corridor Group and strategic partners, Bollore Namibia is attracting new business to the Port and through the Walvis Corridor to neighbouring countries. Bollore Logistics offers a pan-African single point of contact and fully integrated service for all your vessel husbandry, customs clearing, E2E logistics, value-added warehousing and distribution needs.

eginning operation as a publicprivate partnership in 2000, the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) was established to engage in business development activities within Namibia to encourage improved business relationship with the nation’s neighbour states, facilitate corridor infrastructure development and to increase the cargo for ports linked to the Walvis Bay Corridors.

The Walvis Bay Corridors are comprised of well-maintained tarred roads and rail networks that are supported by all modes of transport from the Port of Walvis Bay via the Trans-Kalahari, Trans-Caprivi, TransCunene and Trans-Oranje Corridors providing landlocked Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries access to transatlantic markets. “We serve as a central chamber for the transport industry within an aim to develop Namibia as a gateway to the SADC region in terms of trade and exports,” explains CEO, Johny Smith. “The main benefit of the Walvis Bay Corridors is that they offer reduced transit times for cargo,

however the corridors also offer a significant improvement in safety because transport routes within Namibia are very secure.

Namibia itself also represents a comparatively simple place to do business inside of the SADC region.”

Cargo offloaded at the Port of Walvis Bay is handled with state-of-the-art machinery and record turnaround processing time.

The Walvis Bay port is congestion-free and its facilities are of world-class standard, which ensures that cargo is handled reliably and safely. Cargo then makes its way from the port along one of the corridors across Namibia and into neighbouring SADC countries. Furthermore, the combined ports and corridors throughout the rest of Namibia are strategically located to give the country a competitive position as a transport hub for all regional and international trade between the SADC, Europe, the Americas and the rest of the world. Its modern and wellmaintained port and corridor infrastructure is supported by highly safe and efficient transport services via leading players within

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Profile: Walvis

partnership, it is able to lean on the public sector for advice and action on issues such as customs, transport regulation and infrastructure development, while the private sector can focus on business development such as marketing and making practical operational proposals and logistics solutions.

Both arms provide input into developing human resources, the institutions themselves, and the associated infrastructure. “The advantage of the public-private partnership is that we are able to sit around a table with our partners and discuss various methods of improvement. We have been very aggressive in putting Namibia on the map from a global perspective and further linking this into the

Bay Corridor Group

wider southern African economy,” Johny reveals. “The biggest challenge for us is probably the fact that Namibia is a relatively small economy, however we are able to offset this by offering attractive opportunities for growth to external private business within the southern Africa region and beyond.”

Indeed, the potential of the Walvis Bay Corridors was recently highlighted at the 4th Annual African Railway Summit during April 2016, where WBCG’s Business Development Manager in South Africa, Siobhan Fox discussed the Namibian rail infrastructure, the company’s current projects and future development. The attentive audience were impressed by Government’s emphasis on

the importance placed on upgrading rail infrastructure in Namibia and connecting it to that of the nation’s landlocked neighbours.

Commenting on the summit, Ms Fox said: “We have piqued their interest and industry is eager to see our rail become the vital link in the supply chain once again.”

Themed as the development of a ‘rail renaissance’, the 4th Annual African Railway Summit discussed the latest technological developments in the African Rail industry.

With the current need of fast growing metropolitan areas in Africa for effective and high-capacity public transport systems, developing strategies for expanding national, regional or local rail services and enhancing operations and management in Africa entails opportunities for a wide range of industry professionals. The summit itself is a conference geographically focused on the Sub-Saharan Africa region which covers a broad field of relevant issues like micro managing infrastructure planning and financing, railway concession and operation, energy efficiency, freight and passenger transport, urban transport, as well as safety and security.

“Most of the region’s development into rail and other transport infrastructure has been largely undertaken by the Namibian government and by governments across the border, but the WBCG continues to look for new projects and opportunities and there is also scope for private enterprise to further develop transport, logistics and distribution solutions,” Johny concludes. “For us the future focus will be to build Namibia’s logistics up and approaching international investors such a forwarders and bringing them to Namibia so that they can see how they can set up distribution warehouses for further expansion throughout the Southern Africa region.”

Walvis Bay Corridor Group www.wbcg.com.na • Developing transport links • Public-private partnership • Southern African Development Community hub

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Profile: Caledonian

MacBrayne

The best CEO, Martin Dorchester

route

T

Dales Marine Services With 30 years’ of knowledge and expertise under their belt, Dales Marine Services and Garvel Clyde’s skilled workforce provides the industry with dry-docking and ship repair, maintenance and industrial steel fabrication services, within the shortest time to the highest standard.

Known for their extensive portfolio and high technical standards, ship owners including Caledonian MacBrayne continue to rely on Dales Marine and Garvel Clyde for specialist solutions. This has included the provision of dry dock services, ship repairs, afloat repairs, and mechanical work to maximise the performance of their vessels.

rading as one of the largest logistics companies in Scotland, David MacBrayne is an award winning ferry company, harbour operator and ship management specialist that manages a sizable fleet on some of the world’s most challenging waters. “The ferry operations part of the group, CalMac Ferries Ltd, is the largest operator in the UK, working across a 200 mile stretch of the west coast of Scotland, incorporating 24 islands and many remote mainland destinations,” elaborates CEO, Martin Dorchester. “We have, in one guise or another, been providing vital lifeline services to the areas we serve for more than 160 years and play an integral part in the sustainability of communities and business life.

Last year we carried 4.9 million passengers, 1.1 million cars, 92,000 commercial vehicles and 11,000 coaches on 130,000 sailings and we are also presently one of the largest headquartered firms in Scotland with around 1500 employees.”

CalMac previously appeared in Shipping & Marine magazine during August 2015 and has since won a significant contract to operate Clyde and Hebrides ferry services, representing an impressive achievement for the company. The tender to manage the Clyde and Hebrides ferry service contract was publicised by the Scottish Government during 2013 and was an important undertaking for CalMac, as Martin observes: “This was essentially a must win for the company as without it we would cease to exist in our current form. Everyone in the business has been focused on it and I’m delighted that our successful bid demonstrated our ability to provide innovative service improvements and value for money for customers. We will be introducing around 350 service improvements over the course of the contract, details of which we will be releasing when the formal procurement process is concluded. However, among the things that people can look forward to seeing are more opportunities for

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Profile: Caledonian local employment; a refreshed on-board retail offering; investment in on-board facilities; closer, more responsive working with communities; and an innovative approach to vessel maintenance to minimise disruption to services, especially during the winter refit period.”

With 31 vessels sailing across its fleet, its ferries range in size from the 70 tonne MV Elgg to its state-of-the-art 8000 tonne MV Loch Seaforth, which started on the route connecting Ullapool and Stornoway route during 2015. CalMac was also the first ferry company in the world to pilot the use of hybrid electric ferries with its MV Lochinvar and the MV Hallaig, both of which are now in fulltime service. A further hybrid electric vessel, the MV Catriona is currently undergoing sea trials and is set to join the fleet in the months to come. Balancing the maintenance of a large fleet with the needs of the company’s customers can be a challenging prospect, especially when combined with the introduction of new vessels and technologies.

However, CalMac has the in-house knowhow and experience to allow it to manage these complex requirements while further enhancing the fleet through the installation of a new ecofuel management system.

“The fleet maintenance programme always presents us with challenges. Each vessel needs a period of annual dry dock and with more than 50 journey combinations possible, we have a complex modelling exercise to go through every winter to satisfy the needs of each community, while keeping lifeline services running. Furthermore, all of this needs to be done across some of the most inhospitable seas in Europe. However, we have recently completed installing a state-ofthe-art fuel monitoring system and are the first UK ferry operator to use this technology so extensively. Project Eco ship will both reduce carbon emissions and save significant fuel costs in all ten of the major vessels in our

Horsebridge Network Systems Horsebridge Network Systems is proud to be providing a fully managed network service to Caledonian MacBrayne, operators of a passenger ferry service operating at 57 ports and on 31 vessels across 200 miles of the West Coast of Scotland. Horsebridge has worked closely with CalMac to design, install and commission the solution which uses both private radio networks and public cellular networks to deliver services to some of the most remote areas in the UK. Remote though they are, these ports and islands host some of the busiest tourist traffic in Scotland during the summer months and provide a valuable lifeline service to the island communities all year round. The new network includes provision of free public wi-fi to every port and vessel, with a range of benefits to staff and public alike; improving the customer experience and enhancing staff welfare.

fleet. Smart technology links sensors on the vessels’ engines to a touch screen display in both the bridge and engine room. The ship’s master and chief engineer are able not only to monitor fuel consumption in line with speed and power, but also in real time, to identify any engine variations as they occur and make adjustments as appropriate,” Martin explains.

“This information is also fed back via cloud technology to systems in head office, where analysis over time will allow us to correlate complex links with weather, tidal and loading conditions, speed across the water, vessel adjustments and sea state to build a fuller picture and optimise vessel performance,” he continues. “It is estimated that it will cut carbon emissions by at least two per cent and initially save around £450,000 in fuel costs every year, but the initial data we’re getting back says this may be a conservative estimate. Continuing with our commitment to be as green an operator as we possibly can, the next two large ferries we will take delivery of will be dual fuel capable. The engines in these vessels will be able to run on either liquefied natural gas (LNG) or conventional diesel fuels, further cutting emissions.”

In recognition of the impressive level of service that the company is able to provide despite operating in some of the world’s most challenging waters, CalMac was recently named as the Guardian newspaper’s ‘Ferry Operator of the Year.’ Additionally, The Independent newspaper’s travel awards for 2015 voted the company as the ‘best ferry operator’ in the world, while CalMac was also named best ferry operator at the National Transport Awards and the British Safety Council gave an international safety award

MacBrayne

to the MV Finlaggan during the same year.

“It’s great for everyone in the businesses to get national recognition for the services we provide,” Martin says. “Being a customer facing, lifeline service has its challenges, not least when sailings are cancelled through weather or other circumstances out our control, so it’s nice to be reminded now and again that actually, we’re all doing a great job.”

Further to the success of the award of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry service tender and its recognition through several industry awards, CalMac has also won a significant contract in association with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to provide military port services. This in conjunction with the company’s other activities will ensure that the business remains as a leading player within the ferry market for years to come. “David MacBrayne through a joint venture – Solent Gateway Ltd – has also been chosen by the Ministry of Defence to run Marchwood Military Port near Southampton.

It is a 35-year concession with significant commercial opportunities. We are currently going through a transition period before taking over port operations and I look forward to developing this side of the business as well,” Martin concludes. “We are also committed to providing more opportunities for local employment, including more apprenticeships.

We currently take on 20 apprentices a year and this is set to increase. Other initiatives we will introduce include a £6 million investment in vessel and port improvements and the introduction of smart and integrated ticketing systems on key routes. Over the next three to five years specifically, I want to take the company to the next level, building a business that is a recognised pan-European port and ferry operator.”

Caledonian MacBrayne www.calmac.co.uk

• UK’s largest ferry operator • Modern fleet of 31 vessels • Significant new contract awards

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Profile: Burgess

Marine Ltd

Leading the

way T

rading internationally from eight geographical locations in the UK, Burgess Marine Ltd’s legacy dates back to the 1970s, when it began working on short sea ferries and high speed craft. Following a successful number of years in these markets, the company strategically expanded its footprint into the commercial marine, defence and superyacht sectors of the shipping industry in the early 2000s.

Today focused on these three core specialist markets, the company boasts an impressive client list, including the Royal Navy, P&O Ferries, Rolls Royce, RNLI, Brittany Ferries, BAE Systems, Babcock, Serco, Svitzer, Wärtsilä and Eurotunnel.

Operating as a provider of an extensive range of services such as ship repair and conversions, dry dock support, mechanical engineering, diving teams, surveys and specifications, welding and fabrication, warehousing and procurement, electrical and hydraulic engineering, Burgess Marine is at the forefront of the specialised marine engineering industry. Proud to deliver a total

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solution for all marine engineering challenges, the company employs over 150 personnel, approximately 20 marine technical managers and also has a subcontractor base of around 150 highly qualified and competent employees.

Since previously being featured in Shipping & Marine in March 2015, the company has continued to go from strength-tostrength, taking on notable projects and enhancing services through strategic acquisitions, as Managing Director Nick Warren comments: “RJD became a major new shareholder in February 2015 and from that point we have continued to grow in our three core markets: commercial marine, defence and superyachts. We’ve made a further acquisition and we have also had a significant refit project for Lord Sugar’s superyacht, Lady A, at our yard in Portchester.” Built in 1986 in Japan, the 55 metre superyacht Lady A is undergoing a ten-month refit at the company’s Portchester base; work includes minor structural, mechanical and electrical modifications,

while the interior and exterior will undergo a new style and paint scheme.

Continuing to discuss the company’s developments, Nick says: “Our sister business, Meercat Workboats, also continues to grow; we’ve a solid pipeline of orders within the aquaculture sector and the boats also tend to be the ideal tool for port management and maintenance and Harbour Masters. Since we acquired the company in 2014 we’ve built six vessels.” Turning back to Burgess Nick goes on to say “we have been successful in establishing ourselves in Devonport where we have been working with Babcock in support of major refit works on a motor yacht called Alamshar; we have also been working on the grey ships that are based down in Plymouth, so it has been an interesting 12 months, that is for sure.”

The company has made the strategic decision to secure a long-term lease from ABP in Southampton for its footprint and acquire Lowestoft-based Small & Co Marine Engineering with the goal of creating the first national network of ship repair businesses. Having taken over this rival firm, the company now has eight sites in the UK: the HM Naval Base Devonport, Avonmouth, Poole, Southampton, Portchester, HM Naval Base Portsmouth, Dover, and now, Lowestoft. “Small & Co is a fantastic ship repair business that operates a 14 metre by 76 metre dry dock, workshops for fabrication, machine shops and has some alongside berthing as well. Since acquiring the company we have spent the last six months integrating it into our business and have changed the name to Burgess Marine Lowestoft,” says Nick.

Following these developments in the final quarter of 2015, the company partnered with Kent-based mechanical and electrical repair company Mechanica Utilities to maximise the use of its facilities and resources in Dover and share its workshop and fabrication facilities on a national scale. “This partnership with Mechanica Utilities will enhance the utilisation of our offices, workshops and machine shops in both Dover and Lowestoft and will thus enable us to deliver a more efficient solution to customers, both in the marine and water services industries,” says Nick, who continues to explain how these investments have helped further ensure Burgess Marine remains competitive in a difficult sector: “Although the commercial marine and defence markets remain challenging as everyone wants value for money, we are working our hardest to deliver cost-effective solutions. Since our business

expanded, we have been able to benefit from economies of scale and keep our pricing down to where it has been historically; this way of operating ensures we maintain a competitive pricing solution for our core customers such as Wightlink, Red Funnel, Condor Ferries and Serco.”

Benefiting from a dynamic team of experienced, capable personnel and a strong geographical presence, the highly flexible Burgess Marine is certain to remain at the forefront of the ship repair market as it focuses on cementing its role as the go-to company for the specialised marine

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Profile: Burgess

Marine Ltd

engineering industry, as Nick concludes: “The long-term strategy for Burgess Marine remains two-fold, we would like to create a geographical network of ship repairers in the UK and become the Autoglass or Kwikfit of marine engineering. However, to do this we need the geographical presence in areas such as the North East, North West and Scotland, and the timeliness of this development depends very much on the oil and gas market. We are going to see what happens next in this sector before making significant commitments. Secondarily, we are keen to expand the business via comparable service offerings, i.e. businesses which dovetail within the group for a sales, revenue and service offering perspective; this is appealing to us and is something we are looking into.”

Burgess Marine Ltd www.burgessmarine.co.uk

• Truly national maritime support infrastructure • Specialise in marine fabrication, engineering and ship repair • Completed a private equity investment in February 2015 • Acquired Small & Co, Lowestoft in October 2015

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Profile: Scheepswerf

Gebr. Kooiman BV

Bold

builds

Hoebee slipway

Having gone though a period of substantial development over the last century, the modern and wellequipped shipyard today is able to offer a wide range of services, from newbuilding to extensive modifications and repairs

C

omprised of three Dutch shipyards and a further five qualified subsidiaries that are active in the marine sector, the family owned the Kooiman Marine Group is involved in a diverse range of services such as ship design, shipbuilding & repairs, conversions, major overhauls and ship operations. Boasting significant building capacity, the medium sized business focuses on developing customer requirements and turning them into competitively priced designs at its three different new-building and repair shipyards in the Netherlands.

At the heart of the Kooiman Marine Group is Scheepswerf Gebr. Kooiman, which is situated in Zwijndrecht and was founded 130 years ago. Benefiting from an open connection to the Rotterdam harbour area and the open sea, Scheepswerf Gebr. Kooiman has played an integral role in the growing success of the Kooiman Marine Group since its foundation in 1884.

Having gone though a period of substantial development over the last century, the modern and well-equipped shipyard today is able to offer a wide range of services, from newbuilding to extensive modifications and repairs. With slipways up to 110 metres and a maximum capacity of 1700 tonnes, the shipyard has outfitting quays of 150 metres and docks, one of which has a lifting capacity of 1000 tonnes and a width between the dockwalls of 19 metres. Situated over one of the slipways, Scheepswerf Gebr.

Kooiman’s main shipbuilding hall can be used for both new building projects and indoor repairs; the shipyard can also process steel, stainless steel and aluminium. Also operating within the group is Shipyard Kooiman Hoebee in Dordecht and the smaller shipyard, Shipyard Kooiman van Os, which is based in Yerseke.

Since previously being featured in Shipping & Marine magazine in October 2015, the group has been involved in a number of

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Widening of the mussel dredger, Andrea Norddeich

notable projects, including the widening of a mussel dredger at the hall of Scheepswerf Gebr. Kooiman. The widening of the ship by 60 cm each side was performed over the entire length of the vessel; to make this possible, the ship’s shell and plating was

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cut loose both at PS and SB from stern to bow before the port and starboard shell plating was positioned at 60 cm besides the ship. Following this, the deck, bottom, bulkhead and structural parts were extended to the shell plating, while the fore part of the bulbous bow and bow was brought forward to create a longer ship after widening.

Scheepswerf Gebr. Kooiman has also supplied a new multi purpose DP-2 support vessel to HvS Dredging Support BV in Harlingen. Working in close co-operation with HvS DS, the shipyard developed a number of creative solutions, thus enabling the new Zwerver II to serve the top end of the market sector. For example, the ship has been equipped with DP II, four point mooring, a crane of 520 tm with an active heave compensated winch and a conventional crane of 370 tm; a passive heave compensated gangway will also be installed for the transfer of personnel to windmills and platforms. Designed and built under Bureau Veritas, the Zwerver II will operated under one Dutch flag and will be used mainly in the offshore and renewables market for projects such as dredging support, anchor handling,

Profile: Scheepswerf

Gebr. Kooiman BV

Left and below: The Zwever II, Multi-purpose DP-2 support vessel

cable laying and ROV support. Completed in Spring 2016, this project follows HvS DS and Scheepswerf Gebr. Kooiman joint ventures on the development and supply of Zwerver I in 2007 and Zwerver II in 2011.

Discussing this major project, Business Development Director Jos Blom comments: “As a further development of the Zwerver III for the same client, Kooiman designed a multipurpose workboat, which involved additional customerspecified particulars such as a propulsion system with two conventional propellers and one aziumut drive aft and two bow azimuth drives at the front.

Because of the applicable regulations, it was required to keep the vessel’s deadweight below 500 tonnes; with some effort, Kooiman succeeded in reaching 499 tonnes, thus creating the optimum size but remaining within the stipulated margin. The vessel is currently performing its first job in the North Sea.” Alongside this significant project, Scheepswerf Gebr. Kooiman has played an active role in the use of LNG for inland waterway transport. As part of a consortium that has been awarded with a subsidy for the development of LNG as fuel for inland waterway transport, the shipyard is involved in a project to lower the investment barrier for ship owners with the goal of facilitating large-scale implementation of LNG in inland navigation, which will force a breakthrough in the LNG market. Known as the Breakthrough LNG deployment in Inland Waterway Transport, the project’s subsidy is from 1st January until 31st December 2018.

Using its experience and knowledge when it comes to the implementation of LNG, Scheepswerf Gebr. Kooiman is to play an integral role in this major project.

Despite operating in a challenging market caused by a low oil price, the Kooiman Group has been involved in a number of notable projects over the last nine months, a trend it hopes to continue moving forward. “Our main goal is to stay in business and perform at the level we currently do. We don’t see strong potential for growth, but a shift into the docking and repair of more sea-going vessels as well as the design and newbuilding of dredging vessels. Meanwhile, in the LNG market, we aim to obtain a market share in the newbuilding and conversion of existing ships,” Jos concludes.

Scheepswerf Gebr. Kooiman BV www.kooimanmarinegroup.com • Part of the Kooiman Marine Group • Currently supplying a new DP-2 multipurpose support vessel • Playing an active role in the use of LNG for inland waterway transport

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Profile: Bremer

Schiffsmeldedienst and EUREPORT GmbH

Reporting the

facts

F

ounded in response to the need for ship reporting services on the river Weser, the company has evolved over the last seven decades in line with new shipping and port related regulations and laws as well as growing requirements from customers to become each client’s neutral partner in the maritime industry. In addition to different applications for ship calls at German seaports, the company also provides information on vessel traffic on the river Weser, Jade, Ems and Cuxhaven. Other maritime services include the production of highly accurate charts, creating lists of vessels, applications for customs, hazardous applications and the National Single Window and the provision of the Weser Traffic Information Service (WETRIS).

Discussing the background of Bremer Schiffsmeldedienst, Captain and President of the firm Peter Langbein begins: “We are a privately owned company that offers ship reporting services to shipping companies, ship agents, brokers, pilots, tugboat firms, ship suppliers, service and maintenance providers, port authorities, waterway authorities and waterway police. Our clients include everyone who is involved in the arrival of a ship at a port. Over the years, we have established ourselves as an intermediary between ship and shore and continue to play an integral role in shipping and port operations.”

With the introduction of electronic reporting requirements and increasing digitalisation in the shipping industry, Bremer

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Schiffsmeldedienst diversified its role in line with market trends and added ISPS data to its ports in Bremen and Bremerhaven in 2004; this was later replaced by the National Single Window regulation in 2015. During this time, the company was also developing the first AIS display system for the German coast by building upon the connection of a traffic situation and simulation system, a move that created WETRIS, a unique information platform.

“One example of our capabilities is the development of a unique IOS system that combines information that was collected manually from the arrival table and the IOS data that we receive from the ship itself. By merging the two, we were able to implement an online portal of the Weser Traffic Information Systems (WETRIS),” says Peter. Developed in response to the unique requirements of the port community along the river Weser, which has two different autonomous German states along it, all of which have their own governments, laws and by-laws, WETRIS

allows customers to check on the planned ship arrivals in the fields of Weser, Jade, Ems and the Port of Cuxhaven. Additionally, customers can get an overview of current vessel movements in the area of Weser.

“The benefits of using WETRIS include the provision of a 24/7/365 days a year neutral service that is the same level of quality and a complete overview of traffic on the river regardless of whether it is a blue-chip company or a one man show. This enables the customer to adjust time frames for one vessel in the port or see if the vessel will be delayed or on time, whether the river is blocked by oversized or turning vessels; it is a great benefit for the port community as well. Furthermore, all customers get a live person on the phone who offers a detailed answer as opposed to an automated response,” says Peter.

Proud to meet the changing demands of customers the company is no stranger to updating or amending its operations. A more recent example of this diversification

in services took place in 2013 when the company established the department Cartography, which focuses on the production and updating of highly accurate nautical charts. “This department covers the need for pilots who are obliged to use the PPU (Portable Pilot Unit) during pilotage. These pilots need accuracy, which is why there is a lot more information in a port ENC (Electronic Navigational Chart) than in a normal sea chart. These charts are not official but offer information. We also offer Bathymetric ENCs, which provide information on the tidal differences and currents in the river.”

He continues: “Another recent development for us is the completion of software that we have been working on with Herberg Engineering in Hamburg. This company has been involved in the design and operation of ship management software for two decades and is now certified in delivering notifications for the US Coastguards, which is called ‘eNOAD’. We have now changed this software with the content of the regulation of the National Single Windows and are offering this as a free of charge download for shipping companies. The software to be used for the

notification in European ports is called ‘EUNOAD’ (www.eunoad.com)”.

As further changes within the shipping industry have taken place, Bremer Schiffsmeldedienst has responded to opportunities for expansion into new geographical areas with the strategic foundation of EUREPORT GmbH, a company that offers the same services as Bremer Schiffsmeldedienst to new customers throughout Europe. “EUREPORT GmbH is the international department of Bremer Schiffsmeldedienst that was set up following our progression into data gathering for the National Single Window, an EU wide regulation. By doing this we have already extend our working area to all German ports while also offering opportunities to expand into other European countries,” says Kersten Gevers, the other Managing Director of EUREPORT GmbH. Having set strong foundations in Germany, the future could be off the charts for Bremer Schiffsmeldedienst as it focuses on delivering high quality services to new European clients in need of a neutral information provider they can trust.

Captain Peter Langbein

Bremer Schiffsmeldedienst and EUREPORT GmbH www.bsmd.de • Provide neutral and independent information on ships and related services • Current information in the areas of the Weser, Ems, Jade and the port of Cuxhaven • Expanding services throughout Europe with new company EUREPORT GmbH • Serving the ‘Single Windows’ in Europe

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Profile: DIANA Yacht

Design BV

Classic

refinement

F

or decades, DIANA Yacht Design in Holland has been renowned for delivering classic yachts with refined reliability, efficiency and safety to clients around the world. Founded back in 1971, the business now employs a team of highly focused naval architects and engineers specialised in everything from design, layout and construction to naval architecture and engineering, all bound together with an unyielding personal service and flexibility.

As such, today over 50 vessels, many of which represent the finely honed and classic signature DIANA style, have been delivered.

“We design yachts as if we are doing them for ourselves,” explains Creative Director, Hans-Maarten Bais. “We are open and honest, and maintain communication with our clients throughout the entire design process. Over the last years we have been able to transform the business into a fully-rounded and highly

Above: Pamela V

Heliad II

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flexible office capable of delivering innovative and stylish solutions with a quality focused and personal approach.”

Indeed, since Shipping & Marine last spoke with Hans-Maarten back in July 2014, the company has been working flat out as more customers demand bigger vessels with more advanced and more complex designs.

Hans-Maarten notes that the design team has doubled to 15 people in the last two years with the delivery of a 61-metre yacht, several others ranging from 33-metres to 44-metres, the launch of brand new Moonen Bijoux and its biggest refit job to date. Above that there are four wooden ships under construction at the Tansu Yard in Istanbul. (The picture, top right, shows a 38 metre wooden hull.) With such positive levels of activity, the company has been unable to focus much attention on the publicity, yet still the enquiries roll in.

“We have five deliveries taking place in 2016 and have a number of concept and actual designs also ongoing for a range of applications and designs,” he continues. “We are finding that whilst clients are looking for bigger yachts, over the last decade there has been a rising trend for the more classic designs that we have always built our reputation on. Of course, we have

Wooden yacht hull

been able to develop the design with modern twists as tastes and technological capability advances, such as larger windows and lighter interiors. The canoe stern design is a particular signature of ours and has started to re-emerge as a more demanded style in recent years.

Pamela V, a 44-metre Hakvoort built yacht, for instance, was delivered not long ago with this style, as was the Heliad II at Lynx Yachts. Another 38-metre canoe stern yacht is currently under construction at Hakvoort and we’ve had a couple more enquiries looking for the same thing, so this is providing lots of work at present.”

Amongst the most recent DIANA designed projects is the 77.4 metre explorer yacht recently delivered by ICON Yachts in Holland, the firms largest ever refit job. Originally built by the IHC Holland shipyard in 1973 for Russian clients, Legend (ex-Giant) was bought in 2013 by a Dutch owner from Mexico. After a two-year design and build program Legend has been constructed as a classified Class 1B ice-breaking ship with luxury features such as a heli-pad, a three-man submarine, spa, cinema, swimming pool and gym. This has also involved the lengthening of its stern by 3.6 metres.

Legend, Class 1B ice-breaking vessel

“We made a proposal to modify the design to make it more balanced and to give it a more characteristic yacht-like look,” Hans-Maarten explains. “She was delivered in June for sea trials before taking her first maiden voyage to Norway, and she will be heading to Antarctica this summer. Interestingly, Legend fits into another big trend for yachts at the moment – the explorer vessel. People want to travel to more remote places like Antarctica and the North Pole, they want an explorer type vessel to take them there. Legend is the biggest example of this, but we’ve currently got more enquiries for this kind of yacht.”

YXT One

Throughout its history, DIANA’s yachts have been defined by elegant design and modern innovation, and DIANA itself has maintained this with a growing portfolio of expertise and a steady demonstration of flexibility. On multiple occasions the company has been recognised for this design expertise with various first place and finalist positions in highly regarded international award shows.

“The future for DIANA will adhere to these same values as we continue to develop and deliver quality solutions to our clients,” Hans-Maarten says. “We have lots of ongoing projects and enquiries to keep us busy,

so overall it’s positive. There are of course challenges, particularly around finding people to help us grow through these busy times and working in a shipping industry where the market is still difficult. Fortunately, we have strong relationships with shipyards and clients all over the world and we are confident about the future.”

DIANA Yacht Design BV www.dianayachtdesign.nl

• 77-metre Legend explorer yacht recently delivered • Design team doubled in last two years • A number of ongoing designs and enquiries

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Profile: Sure

Wind Marine Ltd.

Crew transfer

vessels

S

ure Wind Marine Ltd. (SureWind) is a shipping company which was established in 2009 in the UK, in order to provide crew, technician and cargo transfers as well as other support services for the construction and maintenance of offshore wind parks.

Since its formation, SureWind has continued to expand its presence within the offshore wind market and today represents an important partner to developers, operators, OEMs as well as EPCI and O+M providers within this increasingly buoyant sector. The company’s clients include industry leading companies such as Vattenfall, VBMS, RWE Innogy, MHI Vestas, WPD, Siemens to name a few. “SureWind has been active within the offshore market for seven years now, making us one of the first companies to provide specialist services for offshore wind. As of 2016 we have ten on shore employees within the company and around 40 crew rotating on our ten classed approved crew transfer vessels (CTV). We initially began by providing services for offshore wind farms around the UK, but have since expanded the business to include German, Danish, Dutch and Belgian sites with ca. 150,000 safe transfers up to now,” mentions Managing Director, Ektor Kalathas. “The company’s strong presence within the UK as well as in continental Europe, with operating offices in both regions, represents a significant advantage for the business. SureWind also has a strong and proven track record at a variety of offshore sites with different environmental conditions and with variable clients within the offshore wind industry,” he continues. “This proven company capabilities is supported by the fact that we are having several repeat customers, who continue to be entirely satisfied by the level of service that they receive including customer orientation, flexibility, safety and reliability.”

Damen Twin Axe 2610 - Sure Swift

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The SureWind fleet is comprised of three complementary CTV vessel designs that each delivers a unique service to the clients as well as one survey vessel.

These designs are made up of the cost-efficient and highly manoeuvrable 20m Incat Crowther P Class vessels; the versatile ‘2610 Damen Twin Axe’ vessels capable for working in very rough weather conditions; and the robust and reliable ‘26m Nigel Gee StratCat’ vessels with controllable pitch propellers (CPP) and the capability to carry up to 24 technicians while remaining fuel efficient even at high speeds.

20m P Class - Sure Partner

“Since the beginning of 2016 we have added two new 26-metre ‘StratCat’ vessels to the fleet. The main reasons that we opted for these vessels was that we wanted to increase the capacity of our fleet to transfer persons from 12 to 24. SureWind has been the first company in the market to have these vessels certified under the new issued code of the UK flag state and these vessels were also the first ones to receive the certificate of equivalence to work in the German sector carrying also 24 persons. Both flag states have been very helpful and co-operative in this approach opening the ground for cost reductions in this sector as less CTVs may be used for specific operations.

“The CPP system provides the vessel with an 18t bollard pull, as well as the high end Sea-sight fender at the vessel bow which allows technicians and equipment transfers during more extreme weather conditions,” Ektor reveals. “Furthermore, we aimed to foresee larger deck space areas on both the fore and aft decks of the vessels and to have larger fuel tanks for extended endurance offshore to increase client flexibility. Lastly with our own defined internal lay out, we aimed to provide even more comfortable

accommodation environment for the passengers. These vessels have been successfully integrated into the fleet and have been involved with projects since the very first day that they were delivered.”

Stratcat 26 - Sure Dynamic

As the offshore wind market continues to develop, SureWind will work further to ensure that it remains able to meet the evolving needs of its clients while expanding its presence within the offshore market.

“The strategy for SureWind during the coming years is based on leveraging the strengths of its complementary vessels and focusing on matching the vessel types within the fleet with the client requirements of the various project conditions and operational capabilities.

“We are monitoring closely the design developments of CTVs to allow us to increase even more our capacity to manage transfers in even higher weather conditions.

We are also looking at CTV type vessels with increased accommodation capacity for passengers offshore. We are also looking at the future potential to create even longer-term partnerships, with clients to be able to support investments into further new vessels as the current day rates and project contract durations are relatively depressed, although we expect these to increase again in the future,” Ektor concludes.

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Profile: UMAR-WSR

Against the

grain F

ounded in 2000 with the goal of offering superior maritime products and services, UMAR-WSR was created in response to a gap in the market for technical support, procurement of quality supply and project management to Cyprus-based shipowners and ship management firms. Since its humble beginnings, the company has gone on to become a one-stop-shop service provider, with WSR becoming the leading ship repair and conversion company based in Cyprus.

Competent in delivering integrated technical services from the initial stage right through to completion, the Limassol, Cyprus, based company has set up additional offices in Greece, Singapore and Russia to provide clients with a local service that is swift in response.

Dedicated to its mission of offering the best possible customer service and an uncompromising commitment to its clients, UMAR-WSR continues to deliver premium

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quality maritime products and services to customers across the globe.

Within UMAR, the company’s core service offering involves above-sea level operations including the provision of engine room machinery, deck machinery, bridge equipment, hull machinery, cargo handling, accommodation equipment and safety equipment. Representing more than 30 of the world’s leading maritime equipment manufacturers, UMAR is able to provide customers with anything from highly sophisticated electronic systems to uniquely developed equipment that serves specific aspects of the shipping industry.

Through this way of working, the company has created a strong global network that is able to meet the needs of any demand, regardless of size, complexity or time frame.

In more detail, products within UMAR’s portfolio include oxygen and nitrogen generators, filtration systems for diesel engine fuel and lubrication systems (for

customers in Denmark), condition monitoring equipment, water treatment systems, waste management equipment and ballast water treatment systems (BWTS). Furthermore, the company also provides customers with class approved bridge navigation watch alarm systems (BNWAS) and wind anemometers that comply with all major requirements for its Cyprus-based customers.

Meanwhile, WSR believes worldwide resources are its greatest asset and most important differentiating factor when its comes to providing a comprehensive range of services such as new buildings, dry dock repairs, modifications and conversions.

These services are complemented by the company’s commitment to delivering solutions on-time and cost effectively, without sacrificing quality. This manner of working has cemented WSR’s reputations as a reliable company with professional expertise in the shipping sector while also ensuring it benefits from a sustainable market share in the industry. Moreover, WSR represents Chugoku Marine Paints, which means it can serve the market with a range of products for marine applications such as new-build, dry dock and sea stock coating.

Over the years WSR has expanded strategically into areas that its services are required and today boasts a global presence with shipyards and underwater repair stations in areas such as Europe, South Africa, North Africa, South America and North America, Korea, Japan and Papua New Guinea.

As a company that has progressed significantly since its inception, UMAR-WSR caught the attention of those in the business and was awarded the OEB Innovation Award by the Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation in recognition of its Online Information System (UOLIS), a system that ensures continuous project handling information is available to customers.

Proud to do things differently, UMAR-WSR is defined by its unparalleled commitment to delivering high quality products and a dedicated service to its customers without compromising on providing a personal approach. To ensure these characteristics are maintained throughout the company, UMAR-WSR employs personnel based on both values and expertise and believes its team to be a family, with clients viewed as family friends.

Not driven solely by economic profit, UMAR-WSR’s brand was created to build an extended society of advocates that could potentially make a difference to the world.

In fact, the company has contributed to the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of its community in the past and, together with its partners, clientele and friends, believes UMAR-WSR is more than ‘business as usual’. With this in mind, the company gained ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14000 certification and has also established the Life Jacket Foundation, a non-profit organisation that was formed to support the needs of local and international children.

Firm in its belief that UMAR-WSR is no ordinary company and that the maritime industry is life itself, the dynamic and dedicated company will continue to go against conventions in the business to find the best possible solutions for its global customer base.

UMAR-WSR www.umarwsr.com • Specialise in maritime shipping services • Major expansion into the US and China • Offices in Greece, Singapore and Russia

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Profile: Brittany

Ferries

Rolling on-

and off

G

rowing from a desire to export freshly farmed produce from Brittany, France to the UK, Brittany Ferries today operates a luxurious fleet of cruise ferries sailing between France, Spain, the UK and Ireland. The company’s modern fleet further comprises both conventional and freight only ferries that allow it to provide relaxing leisure crossings as well as freight and speciality services, transporting cargoes including abnormal loads, fast freight services, refrigerated loads and unaccompanied freight.

The company was founded during 1972 as Armement Bretagne-Angleterre-Irelande (BAI), before officially going into operation on New Year’s Day 1973. Brittany Ferries celebrated its 40th year in operation during 2013 and has spent in excess of four decades developing an exceptional fleet and highly competent team of employees to ensure absolute efficiency and customer

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satisfaction.The company today offers the widest choice of ferry crossings to France and Spain, with services departing from Portsmouth within the UK to locations in France such as Caen, St Malo, Cherbourg, and Le Havre. For journeys to Caen, it uses its cruise ferries Mont St Michel and Normandie and to St Malo it uses Bretagne and its luxury flagship Pont-Aven.

Furthermore, Brittany Ferries provides threehour fast craft options to Cherbourg thanks to the Normandie Express.

Brittany Ferries was previously profiled in Shipping & Marine during October 2015, during which time John Napton, Managing Director of Brittany Ferries’ UK Operations discussed the strategic decision to expand the company’s services and the launch of the Brittany Ferries économie brand.

Aimed at customers who wish to costeffectively travel to France or Spain without the cruise-style experience that Brittany Ferries normally provides, Brittany Ferries

économie offers one-way fares for a car plus two from just £70 to France and £209 to Spain. Although facilities and space on board are limited in comparison to Brittany Ferries’ popular and well-reputed cruiseferry services, the économie branded ship Etretat still includes a bar, boutique, café and restaurant, alongside free Wi-Fi access and a reading lounge.

Since the company was last profiled, it has continued to expand its range of ferry services with the introduction of a new chartered service to provide an exclusively RoRo freight service between Poole in the UK and Bilbao, Spain. Furthermore, its ability to respond to both the needs of its clients and to deliver a turnkey range of ferry crossings was in part responsible for Brittany Ferries being voted the best ferry operator by passengers in the 2016 Telegraph Travel Awards for the third year running. “The establishment of the PooleBilbao RoRo service was predominately to take capacity of unaccompanied freight traffic, which represented a growing market.

Indeed, we have continued to grow our Spanish market for the last three to four

years meaning that we actually needed extra capacity to deal with it and to provide a continuity of service throughout the year.

We have chartered a vessel called the Pelican, which is a significant benefit in the freight sector for abnormal loads where traditional vessels can struggle due to high yield factors,” John says. “With regard to the company’s success as referenced by its recognition in the Telegraph’s Travel Awards, while it is sometimes difficult to ‘blow your own trumpet’, my personal view is that we still aspire to offer a high level of service. By that I mean service of operation as well as client service, which is exemplary and above and beyond the industry standard and that of our competitors.”

In line with its continued development of new and accessible ferry services for a full range of travel requirements, Brittany Ferries has seen an increase of passenger numbers of 5.5 per cent between October 2014 and September 2015. During the same period its freight service increased by as much as 21 per cent, while the company’s overall turnover increased by 12 per cent. While it is difficult to predict whether these volumes

of growth will continue throughout 2016 and beyond, John is confident that Brittany Ferries is well placed to enjoy further success in the future. “While we have enjoyed great success in recent seasons, it is very difficult to say how the market will behave during the present season,” he says.

“There have been some one-off events that have helped passenger numbers in recent years, however, I think it is fair to say that France and Spain will see a bumper year during 2016 because of what is happening around the world. We are in the best place to facilitate that demand and we have expanded our capacity to deal with this perceived increase in demand.”

Further to delivering an excellent level of service in terms of both the availability and efficiency of its crossings, Brittany Ferries is keen to ensure that it sails an environmentally friendly fleet of vessels.

To this end the company has completed an 18-month, £60 million investment into ‘green fleet’ technology. This includes the implementation of an improvement plan to improve the operation of its fleet, including the upgrade of six cruise ferries and the

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Profile: Brittany

Astander

Ferries

Located in Santander (Spain), Astander is a yard specialised in any type of ship repairs or conversions. It belongs to an industrial group together with another important repair shipyard, Astican, located in Las Palmas (Canary Islands).

The Shipyard in Santander has two graving docks (230x32m & 160x 23.8m), cranes up to 200t, a Marpol Slop Disposal Plant and large steel, piping and mechanical workshops as well as a large network of local specialised workshops and factories.

Brittany Ferries has recently completed in Astander’s five ‘less-than-two-months’ scrubber retrofit projects in the vessels Normandie, Cap Finistere, Barfleur, Mont St Michel and Armorique.

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installation of fitted sulphur scrubbers.

“We have spent an awful lot of money on retrofitting six vessels. In reality in today’s market with fuel prices being so low, the benefits of these retrofits are currently not being reaped. When we started in the retrofitting project the price of fuel was such that we would have saved a lot of money,” John reveals. “However, the price of fuel will go up again during the life of those vessels, which will make the investment into this ‘green technology’ in the fleet extremely worthwhile.”

During the coming 12 months, Brittany Ferries will continue to modernise its fleet in terms of both environmentally friendly sailing and the introduction of further technology, including further digital technology. “Every ferry company is currently going through a process of digitalisation because it is something that really has to be done.

Technology is moving forward incredibly quickly and it is important to make effective decisions in this area to ensure high levels of connectivity,” John concludes. “Many companies operate legacy systems that do a good job, but do not feed in data including customer value management for example.

This is both a challenge and an opportunity moving forward as customer expectations are changing all the time and we need to prepare ourselves to meet that challenge.”

Brittany Ferries www.brittany-ferries.co.uk • Over 40 years in operation • Luxury cruise and exclusive RoRo services • Expanding ‘green’ fleet

Profile: Royal

Bodewes

Taking the lead in

B

LNG

odewes Group B.V., also operating under the name Royal Bodewes, is a leading, modern shipyard group situated along the Winschoterdiep in Hoogezand, the Netherlands. Comprising of seven divisions that offer shipbuilding, purchasing and management services (among others) Royal Bodewes has a long history in building sea-going vessels starting with traditional shallow draught sailing barges, in Dutch known as ‘tjalks.’

Founded in 1812, Royal Bodewes continuously evolved and improved, ensuring its approach to shipbuilding was modern and that its vessels were meeting the needs of its customers. After well over 180 years of innovation, the company was still expanding, and so at the end of the 1990’s, Bodewes Shipyards started its first co-operation, by building hulls with a Romanian shipyard. Expansion has led to further collaboration with shipyards in the Ukraine and Poland.

In fact, such has been the demand for Royal Bodewes’ services that the company is also establishing an outfitting shop in Germany. The first vessel arrived in May and is due to be completed at the end of August, with its sister vessel arriving shortly thereafter. This new location is especially beneficial as there is an absence of beam restrictions, meaning that ships wider than 16m can be fitted out there.

What unites all of the vessels created

by Royal Bodewes is a dedication to stay ahead of the competition and meet the demands of the future. New technologies and innovation will play a vital role in the immediate and long-term future of shipping, and the organisation is committed to design ships in accordance with these principles.

A prime example of this approach is the Bodewes Eco Trader, with its unique bow form, and also one of its latest designs, the EcoCoaster cargo ship. The EcoCoaster is an extremely energy efficient dry cargo

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Anglo Belgian Corporation (ABC) Anglo Belgian Corporation (ABC) with headquarters in Belgium has over a century of engine-building expertise. ABC designs and manufactures medium speed, four stroke, diesel engines for marine applications in the power range between 600 and 5200 kW. Continued innovations have made Anglo Belgian Corporation one of the important manufacturers of MDO, HFO and dual fuel medium speed engines.

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carrier, designed to cause considerably less environmental impact than conventional dry cargo vessels. The new vessels will meet all the maritime environmental regulations coming into force in next few years, and in many cases will even exceed them. The hull and machinery of the new buildings are optimised to the speed of 10.5 knots in open water conditions. The power required for Ice Class 1A is achieved by a diesel electric driven booster unit. The aim is to almost halve the fuel consumption compared to conventional dry cargo vessels of similar type and size, and therefore also cut emissions remarkably. The vessels will be equipped with a dual fuel system, with main engine ABC 8DZC being suitable for biofuel and MGO. The delivery of the first EcoCoaster vessel NB 742 is due at the end of August 2016 and the second NB 743 will follow three months later.

These vessels clearly demonstrate not only Royal Bodewes’ ability to identify trends that are important to the shipping market and create solutions, but also its green credentials – improving the environmental side of shipping operations are of vital

Profile: Royal

Bodewes

Royal Bodewes www.royalbodewes.com

• New location opened in Germany • Works in partnership with other yards • Nearing completion on two EcoCoaster vessels

importance to the business. As a part of this, and working in cooperation with several subcontractors, it is now developing LNG propulsion plants in its designs. LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) as a marine fuel offers benefits both in terms of reduced emissions (nitrogen oxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur oxide and particulate matter) and operating costs since LNG prices are very low.

However, even with LNG’s lower price and with an ever-stronger push from emission requirements, there are practical, infrastructurerelated, and regulatory uncertainties that require consideration. As with any alternative fuel, there is the question about how quickly the infrastructure can adapt to accommodate the new technologies, and also there are only very few LNG systems are available causing the applications of LNG to stagnate. A new LNG system needs to be engineered for each vessel, making the use of LNG as an alternative fuel very expensive.

In addition to this project Royal Bodewes is also constructing Hull NB 803, the Coralius, which was nominated for the Next Generation Ship Award at Nor-Shipping 2015 and will be first LNG carrier to be built in Europe. This 5800 m3 vessel will feature a dual-fuel engine, thrusters that facilitate enhanced close-quarters manoeuvring and ice class notation (1A), which will allow it to trade in the Baltic region during winter. In combination with the hull design of low block coefficient, the emissions will be significantly lower than that of traditional vessels as the ship will run on LNG derived from the cargo. The building of Coralius is part of the EU project Pilot LNG, which aims to establish an LNG bunkering infrastructure. Coralius is scheduled for delivery by the Royal Bodewes shipyard at the beginning of of 2017 and will be owned by Sirius Veder Gas AB, a joint venture between Sirius Rederi and Anthony Veder.

A highly impressive and important vessel, the Coralius represents the qualities that have made Royal Bodewes a successful yard that has supplied hundreds of vessels for various purposes. Innovative, forward thinking and highly advanced, both Coralius and Royal Bodewes are sailing towards a bright future.

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Profile: Asian

Supply Base

A base to

B

ased in the Malaysian state of Sabah, Asian Supply Base sdn.

Bhd. (ASB) operates as wholly owned entity of Sabah Energy Corporation Sdn. Bhd. (SEC). The company was founded on 17th March 1984 and operates as a fully integrated logistics hub that is tailored to the requirements of the oil and gas exploration, development and production activities in the Asian region.

The business is located within the RancaRanca Industrial Estate and its operational base sprawls across more than 345 acres of developed land areas situated approximately six kilometres away from Labuan town.

The formation of ASB as an offshore supply base managed by Malaysian expertise is linked to the Malaysian Government’s aspiration to provide a way forward in participating and supporting exploration and production activities within the oil and gas market. As such, the key objective of ASB is to serve as a central stocking point for

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build on

offshore drilling, development and production consumables. The company’s mission is to be ‘globally recognised as an efficient and reliable supply base for the oil and gas industry’ and its mission is to achieve this vision through the delivery of an efficient and cost-effective service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

To enable the company to serve it clients, ASB maintains a comprehensive portfolio of facilities and supporting services across its Sabah base. The company has access to 1066 metres of sheltered sea frontage with a water depth of 9-11 metres, as well as an all-weather jetty, quay wharf and a mooring/ breasting dolphin jetty. The dolphin jetty has space for 14 supply boats at any one time and a turnaround time of between five and six hours, while flood lights located at strategic work areas provide clear visibility for night operations.

The ASB quay wharf is situated at the Northern Foreshore of the company’s base

and encompasses an area of approximately ten acres with a concrete platform with a width of approximately 26 metres for shore works that runs along the perimeter of the wharf. The wharf also boasts four berthing facilities, each of which is capable of supplying potable water, fuel, liquid mud and drilling fluids and dry bulk, as well as the loading and unloading of equipment, tools and offshore supplies. The quay wharf is supported by 12 well-equipped workshop facilities with an overall size of 5940 m2 complete with overhead cranes, which are available to provide support services including cargo handling equipment, engineering and fabrication works, equipment installation, commissioning support and repair and maintenance solutions.

ASB also provides inclusive infrastructure and storage facilities, all of which are available with basic amenities as required.

Warehouses with a total floor storage area of

42,204 m2 are available to accommodate the storage of chemical drums, drilling tools and other consumables to meet the current and future needs of exploration, development and production activities of clients operating within the oil and gas industry. Further to its conventional storage capacity, ASB is fully licensed under rules five and 48 of the Malaysian Explosives Act 1957 (Cap 200) to store, import, export or remove explosive materials for oil and gas exploration activities. Specially constructed containers are available for the storage of explosive materials that may be used in and around oil wells, with the storage bunkers themselves situated in a safe and secure environment.

During the last five years, ASB has invested significantly in transforming itself from a ‘one stop shop’ into a fully integrated logistics hub tailored to meet the requirements of oil and gas exploration, development and production activities. The company’s on-going objective in this regard is to achieve optimal results by providing its customers with the best operational service and value, securing further oil and gas

related businesses, hiring and developing the best-qualified people, utilising a wellmaintained equipment fleet and new technologies, emphasising high expectations for performance and integrity, and upholding the highest safety standards.

This transformation has seen the development of ASB as an integrated hub for ultra deep and deep-water exploration activities through the acquisition of further land, as well as the upgrade of its existing facilities and infrastructure to meet the upsurge of oil and gas activities in the region. This has allowed ASB to provide comprehensive logistical and support services to major oil and gas companies including Sabah Shell Petroleum Co. Ltd, Exxonmobil Exploration & Production Malaysia Inc, Talisman Malaysia Ltd, PCPP Operating Co. Sdn. Bhd and JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration (Malaysia) Ltd to name a few. Furthermore, the company also represents an important operational base for leading support service companies such as Baker Hughes (M) Sdn. Bhd, Cameron (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd, Halliburton Energy

Services (M) Sdn. Bhd and Schlumberger WTA (M) Sdn. Bhd. “In order to stay ahead in the global marine and offshore arena ASB is fully committed to continually improving its competitive edge.

A cost-competitive and efficient business environment, with strong infrastructure and comprehensive supporting industries will be critical success factors to bring new investors to the business,” concludes Chief Executive Officer ASB Dato’ Harris Tan. “The up cycle and surge in oil and gas activity, especially in-deep water, has intensified in this region with an increase in the level of exploration, development and production activities. With nine major finds in offshore Sabah waters and current drilling campaign for exploration, there is definitely an increase in business opportunities in the oil and gas sector within our region.”

Asian Supply Base www.asiansupplybase.com

• Integrated logistics hub • Exploration and production support • Continual investment

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Profile: Doris

Maritime Services SA

Strong

performance

Endurance

F

ounded in 1983 by Mr. Nicolas Wirth, a graduate in maritime studies, Doris Maritime Services SA (DORIS) is a Geneva Switzerland based firm that specialises in the management of ocean-going vessels. Named after one of Greek mythology’s goddesses of the sea, DORIS is primarily focused on the provision of ship management services to the bulk carrier and container ship markets. Within these business segments the company provides a broad range of services such as crewing, technical management, inspection and survey to recognised industry standards; it also provides customers with sales and purchase, newbuild supervision, floating structure management, back office support, chartering and post-fixture as well as operational and technical risk assessment operations.

Using his expertise in both the technical and commercial management of ships as well as

Canopus

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sales and purchase activities, chartering and other financial and operation aspects of ship management and ownership, Nicolas has differentiated DORIS from its competitors as it is able to provide all products and services on an intimate and personal level. This handson way of working not only cements strong working relationships between the company and its clients and crew but also ensures the business runs in a smooth and efficient manner.

Discussing the benefits of running a small, close-knit business with Shipping & Marine magazine in September 2015, Nicolas said: “DORIS has a competitive edge because it is a small and very hands on company, where everybody is involved in making sure the business runs smoothly. In a smaller company it is much easier to have better control over operations and a stronger team of employees, whereas in a large business it is harder to have

close control over the managed ships and operations at sea. We are also able to have a much more personal relationship with clients and crews, for example I personally know many of the top officers and many of those have been with us for around 25 years.”

When asked the reasons for this employee loyalty, Nicolas continued: “We pay on time, we have reasonably good vessels and our employment conditions are good.

We also don’t change our crewing agents and have great communication between vessels and crew; ultimately, we are a strong team.” Working in concert with Naess Ship Management in Amsterdam, Peal Grace in Manila and offices and agents in Malta, Mumbai and Odessa, DORIS’ crewing services currently has over 750 qualified safarers on its rosters all striving to deliver the company’s vision of ‘ship management at its best.’

Since last appearing in S&M, Nicolas comments that the ISO: 9000 certified company has been laying low due to a slightly depressed market and has instead focused on investment: “We have been fixing all of our ships, which we did mostly in 2015 on time charter. Since we last spoke we still have 11 ships that we fully control and nine for which we provide crew management and other services. Throughout 2015 we were working on a container feeder project with dual LNG and IFO propulsion vessel that we hope will

Top left: Perseverance Left: Tenacity

come to fruition this year; we are also currently raising equity to acquire additional bulk carriers while the market has hit historical lows and we are looking for a recovery.”

Alongside these developments, DORIS also put the four newbuilds it added to its portfolio into operation. Added in response to challenging market conditions, the four

bulk carriers have helped boost efficiency across the business and are performing well.

“These vessels have added some stability from a cash flow point of view as these ships tend to trade on time charter,” says Nicolas. Delivered at the start of 2015, the four vessels were built in China; in line with their arrival, DORIS doubled up its claim department to prepare for any potential claims from shippers, as Nicolas noted: “In contrast to the container trade, the bulk trade meets a lot of claims from shippers looking to find fault with the ship, whereas in the container sector you very rarely receive a claim.”

As Nicolas continues to lead a team of

highly qualified, dedicated and experienced employees in the technical, commercial and financial management of vessels that have been entrusted to the well-established firm, the future looks positive for DORIS despite the current market depression. Indeed, although the effects of the crisis are still being felt within the shipping industry, the company benefits from being in a strong financial position of 100 per cent cash and no loans; market rates simply pays for vessels own running costs until recovery arises.

While it seeks to consolidate on the recent vessel deliveries, DORIS intends to raise equity and use its strong market position to manage further growth. With the current climate offering the perfect opportunity to increase fleet sizes, over the next 12 months it is likely DORIS will shed its older tonnage and add new vessels to its fleet.

Doris Maritime Services SA www.doris.ch • Ship manager specialising in container and bulk carriers • Four new vessels delivered in 2015 • Fleet of 20 vessels

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Profile: Optimarin

AS

1000-BK installation

Racing

ahead

O

ptimarin has built a reputation based on taking pole position in the ballast water treatment (BWT) industry.

The Stavanger, Norway-based firm has focused exclusively on the development of simple, flexible and reliable ballast water treatment (BWT) systems since 1994. In 2000 the team installed the world’s very first BWT solution on a commercial vessel - aboard the cruise ship Regal Princess - and has since gone on to sell around 450 of its Optimarin Ballast Systems (OBS) to international owners, operators and shipyards. It has always led from the front and, with ratification of the IMO’s Ballast Water Management (BWM) convention on the horizon, is now perfectly positioned to serve the market with a solution that is completely compliant, proven and trusted across the world.

Optimarin was last profiled in Shipping & Marine magazine in September 2015, at which point CEO Tore Anderson discussed the continued development of the OBS. The system employs filtration as pre-treatment and

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high doses of UV irradiation for inactivation of marine organisms, viruses and bacteria, without affecting the normal operation of the ship. OBS is a ballast solution that uses no chemicals, leaves no residual products that are harmful to the ocean or environment, and, with no moving parts, is simple to operate and maintain.

While OBS has achieved success from its introduction, its development has not stood still. Optimarin has continually developed the system to meet the changing requirements of the IMO. The criteria detailed under the 2004 implementation of the Ballast Water Management (BWM) convention led to a slight redesign to ensure total compliance, with an improved version receiving type approval from DNV, on behalf of The Norwegian Maritime Directorate, in 2009. Indeed, while the underlying principle of OBS remained the same, the amended design also assured approval from a range of classification organisations, such as Lloyd’s, Germanischer Lloyd, Bureau Veritas, MLIT Japan, American Bureau of Shipping and AMS/USCG.

The delay in the ratification of the BWM convention - which needs to be ratified by 30 States, representing 35 per cent of world merchant shipping tonnage – has been problematic for the BWT industry, as Andersen himself candidly admits.

“2015 was a difficult year as the ratification process dragged on and there was an element of ‘wait and see’, with shipowners reluctant to invest money. This led to a slight slump in the market. However, with ratification finally imminent – we’re currently at 34.82 per cent of global tonnage – owners and operators will have to act and invest right away to ensure compliant operations. It’s been a tough market, but it’s definitely beginning to change now.”

The introduction of the IMO BWM convention coincides with the revised US Coast Guard (USCG) regulations on ballast water management that entered into force on 1 January 2016. US legislation requires ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) to be type approved by the USCG. Currently no BWTS has such type approval, however during November 2015 Optimarin become the first UV system supplier to meet the most stringent USCG marine water requirements, with brackish water tests being passed in May 2016. The Norwegian company is now poised for full USCG approval in the second half of 2016.

Andersen comments: “This is a great endorsement of our system’s SKID 334 Filtrex

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Profile: Optimarin

AS

effectiveness and the expertise of our team.

We’ve been developing our system since founding the company and we believe, and testing shows, we have a market leading solution for vessels in our segment. USCG approval is crucial, so we’re happy to be so far down the line in achieving it.

“Without a USCG approved system ships won’t be able to discharge ballast water in US waters. For ship owners with global fleets and route networks, not having such a system

would impact massively on their operational footprint and overall fleet flexibility. It really is a must.”

He continues: “There were rumours in the market that UV and filtration technology could not meet USCG requirements, which are the industry’s most exacting. USCG judges the life forms transported in ballast water as either living or dead and UV systems tend to ‘inactivate’ them, making them incapable of reproduction, rather than eliminating them.

But not the OBS. The power of the 35kw UV lamps ensure the system has the power to instantly kill invasive organisms, and that’s exactly what USCG wants to see.

“This ‘power to comply’ has been a major driver for new business for us this year.”

Indeed, throughout 2016 the company has continued to progress strongly, winning several noteworthy contracts. Early in the year Optimarin secured an order for 10 EX-approved systems from Atlantis Tankers Group and a further contract for nine units from China’s Sinopacific Shipbuilding Group.

What Andersen describes as a ‘potentially huge’ fleet agreement with Carisbrooke followed in March, encompassing up to 46 retrofitted systems. Further orders have since materialised from Saga Shipholding, Fishermen’s Finest and Solvang ASA, amongst others.

“We were leaders in the development of BWT systems in the 90s and we’re just as committed to retaining that leadership now, and well into the future,” concludes Andersen.

“We pride ourselves on meeting individual requirements with uniform excellence – delivering the solutions owners, operators and yards need to ensure predictability, flexibility and compliance of operation, all over the world.

“Together with our global engineering partners Goltens and Zeppelin we offer unmatched experience in retrofitting, with over 70 units installed on existing vessels, alongside expertise drawn from more than 200 newbuild installations. We’ll continue building on that going forwards, ensuring that when shipowners do take the important step of sourcing BWT systems we’re in pole position to help them comply with regulations and safeguard the environment.”

Optimarin AS www.optimarin.com • Pioneers in the environmentally friendly

purification of ballast water • UV system technology meets USCG marine water requirements • New contracts for 2016

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Profile: Red

Funnel

Investing in the

W

future

ith a history dating as far back as 1861, Red Funnel was the first organisation to provide passenger services between the Isle of Wight and mainland UK. Since then, the famous ferry company has gained an excellent reputation for safety and quality, resulting in 3.4 million passengers and over 850,000 vehicles being transported across the Solent annually.

Today the company’s core activities are divided into two types of service: a Roll On, Roll Off (RoRo) vehicle ferry service from Southampton to East Cowes and a high speed catamaran passenger only service between Southampton and West Cowes. Proud of its solid reputation in the market for delivering customer satisfaction to those using its services, the company has continued to invest in enhancing its operations since it was previously featured in Shipping & Marine in December 2014.

Following the £2.2 million interior refurbishment of the Red Falcon in 2014, which used the expertise of marine design agency SMC Design and marine interior refit specialist Trimline, Red Funnel confirmed a £2.2 million refurbishment for Red Osprey in September 2014. Using the same specification as Red Falcon, Red Osprey was retrofitted with the goal of delighting customers with its new look while also significantly improving their experience.

Although the design of Red Osprey is identical to Red Falcon, the company decided to incorporate minor changes in line with operational experience and customer feedback received. Key highlights of the new look Red Osprey include 55 per cent more inside seats, two new lounges, one of which is pet friendly, a contemporary new interior design, air conditioning installation; new food and drink menu with free drink refills, free high-capacity Wi-Fi in all passenger areas and lift and wheelchair access to the outer promenade deck.

In line with the success of Red Osprey and Red Falcon, Red Funnel is keen to provide customers with a similar experience on Red Eagle, which is due to undergo a refurbishment programme similar to that of its sister ships.

Returning to service on 27th March 2015, Red Osprey has ensured Red Funnel continues to set the standard for crossSolent travel. However, this development is just one of many for the company since it was previously featured in Shipping & Marine, as Kevin George, CEO of Red Funnel, discusses: “The business had another very successful year in 2015. We continued on our strategy of an enhanced customer service experience and were delighted to be awarded the Institute of Customer Service ‘Service Mark’ as well as two awarded for our contact centre. We also

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Profile: Red

Funnel

The new Red Jet 6 to be launched in 2016

We are delighted that planning permission has been granted for our new terminal at Trafalgar Dock in Southampton. The design is now progressing and the aim is to move to the new terminal in 2018

continued our focus on integrated transport and launched an integrated traveller information system that provides customers with real time information on rail, ferry, coach, bus and flight departures.

“Furthermore, in the past few months we have launched the DNV ship manager system, which has already greatly improved the control of maintenance on all of our ships and we are now progressing with the deployment of further modules of the Ship Manager suite of products.”

Alongside this progression in service and technological enhancements, the company is further investing in the improvement of its services with an order for Red Jet 6, a new £6 million 40 metre high-speed catamaran.

Ordered from Shemara Refit LLP in May 2015, Red Jet 6 is not only Red Funnel’s largest ever hi-speed passenger ferry to be constructed, but also the first of its type to be built in the UK for 15 years. Due to be named in Cowes at a prestigious ceremony on 4th July 2016, the vessel will offer ground-breaking levels of passenger comfort, reliability and safety; she will also be the greenest ship in Red Funnel’s fleet, with a range of design features aimed at minimising running costs while also protecting the environment.

“The construction of our new high-speed catamaran, Red Jet 6, is progressing very well in East Cowes. Although the new vessel marks the return of building high-speed catamarans to the UK and specifically the Isle of Wight after a 15-year gap, the technology employed

on the boat is state-of-the-art,” highlights Kevin. “For example, compared to our current Red Jets, which have two engines and two water jets, Red Jet 6 has four engines and four water jets, thus providing a significant improvement in fuel efficiency and an inherent improvement in service reliability. Moreover, the ride quality will be far better than our current high speed vessels through the use of shock mounts between the cabin and the hulls as well as the use of active interceptors.”

In addition to these investments, the famous ferry company has been given the green light

by Southampton City Council to relocate its Southampton terminals to Trafalgar Dry Dock in the Western Docks by the end of 2017.

This relocation is one of the transformative strategic projects being supported by the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), with £15 million being funded by the central government through the Solent Growth Deal to pay for the public realm infrastructure that is required for Red Funnel’s new terminal facilities. The main benefits of this development are reduced journey times between Southampton and the Isle of Wight, a removal of existing capacity constraints for the embarking and disembarking of traffic and state-of-the-art facilities for ferry customers.

“We are delighted that planning permission has been granted for our new terminal at Trafalgar Dock in Southampton,” says Kevin.

“The design is now progressing and the aim is to move to the new terminal in 2018. The contemporary new terminal will combine

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Profile: Red

Funnel

adjacent to the head office functions, will greatly improve the operational and costefficiency of the business.”

With the summer season coming up and plans in place to further enhance operations and services, Red Funnel looks set to enjoy another year of growth; a trend that is certain to continue thanks to its ongoing commitment to delivering customer satisfaction to passengers on each and every journey. “Over the past 12 months the market has grown by around three per cent, although our traffic increased by far more as we gained market share. There are plenty of opportunities on the horizon, however we would like to see more investment in the Isle of Wight economy, not just for tourism, which is a key element of the market, but also for light industry and services,” concludes Kevin.

Above: Red Osprey & Red Falcon Right: Red Falcon passenger lounge Below: Red Osprey main bar

Red Funnel’s vehicle ferry and high-speed passenger only operations into a single facility, while the company’s head office will be relocated onto the first floor of the building.

We believe the integration of the two elements of the Southampton operation, immediately

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Red Funnel www.redfunnel.co.uk • Famous ferry company • Operates between English mainland and Isle of Wight • Major investments in products and services

Profile: hakvoort

shipyard

Building

beauty

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Profile: hakvoort

O

shipyard

perating in the historical Monnickendam since 1919, when entrepreneur Albert Klzn Hakvoort acquired a shipyard, Hakvoort Shipyard started out building fishing boats before moving into the yachtbuilding niche as demand for these types of vessels grew. Over the years the family firm, which has been passed down from father to son several times since its inception, has developed an enviable global reputation thanks to the inherent quality of yachts such as Lady Duvera and Lady Marina.

Through immaculately planned construction and efficient use of available deck space, Lady Duvera represented another internationally recognised achievement for the shipyard. Turning heads wherever she cruises, Lady Duvera has an A-mast for improved accessibility and is equipped with state-of-the-art onboard technology as well as facilities that allow her decks to be enjoyed at any time of year.

Meanwhile, the interior of this stunning vessel, designed by Felix Buytendijk, offers a remarkable balance of the classical and avante garde.

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Since it was previously featured in Shipping & Marine magazine in May 2014, Hakvoort has continued to impress those within the shipbuilding industry with its impeccable boats. A recent example of this would be Just J’s, which, at 61 metres, is the largest superyacht ever built by the shipyard and is viewed as a triumph of vision, design and state-of-the-art technology. Built in steel with an aluminium superstructure, the exterior design was created by Sinot Yacht Design, while Diana Yacht Design created the naval architecture. “We have just delivered this 61 metre yacht, which is a lovely looking boat with a great internal design; it also has an elevator, a pool and a jacuzzi,” says Albert Hakvoort Jr, Joint Managing Director of Hakvoort Shipyard.

Each of the stunning vessel’s decks has a theme, which are linked across the yacht, with the indoor and outdoor areas harmonising both in terms of colour references, materials and comfort. Although the finesse and detailing of materials may vary, with the wall paneling in the master suite 100 per cent raw silk, for example, while the hallways are linen, the materials on each deck

all belong to the same palette. This design choice reflects a tendency for coherent, pleasing lines of sight throughout the yacht as well as an organic connection with the outside world.

Able to accommodate 12 in a master cabin, VIP cabin, four doubles on the main deck and a double as well as a twin on the lower deck, Just J’s has ample space for both owners and guests, with a private owner’s deck above the main deck and a master suite that benefits from 180 degree views from its large windows; it also boasts his and hers bathrooms and dressing rooms, a master study and sky lounge. The main deck is home to most guest cabins, all of which offer incredible views thanks to the large windows; there is also easy access to a large salon with formal dining table. Moreover, the bridge deck has a cinema room as well as ample exterior space with a range of sun loungers and sofas and a three x two metre swimming pool.

A stunning example of Hakvoort’s superior workmanship, Just J’s is a magnificent superyacht in every sense. Discussing how Hakvoort ensures optimum quality for its

customers, Albert explains: “We don’t design ourselves, but instead work with several designers to ensure superior quality at a better price than other shipyards. However, during the design process, where the owner selects a designer and the vessel is designed, we get the plans and look at the design to see if what they want is technically possible.

We find any problems, take them out of the design, and then send our plans back with a solid technical solution for the designer to approve. We do this for all parts of the vessel, from the outside to the inside, because designers tend to not look at units for the aircon or piping for the electrical cables or plumbing. We put these aspects into the design and then send them back to the designer; these changes must be approved before we start work.”

With Just J’s completed and delivered, Hakvoort Shipyard is now focused on getting the two boats in its yard ready for delivery by first quarter of 2017, a 63.3 metre streamliner superyacht and a 38 metre luxury vessel.

Announced in October 2014, the company is working on the 38.25 metre yacht in close co-operation with Ocean Independence;

Hakvoort’s ‘Just J’

it has been designed with a displacement type hull shape and will feature flared V-sections in the bow, large overhangs, a moderate deadrise amid ships and a canoe stern. The YN250 will be able to provide accommodation for nine guests and seven crew members and will feature a sun deck with ample sunbathing space as well as builtin seating with a teak table, a large whirlwind bathtub and a BBQ grill in the bar.

Naiad Dynamics

Naiad Dynamics, recognised world leader in the design & manufacture of Ship Motion Control Systems and related equipment for all yachts 10m–150m. Highest quality AtRest® and AtSpeed® Roll Stabilizers, innovative Advanced Ride Control Systems, Active Interceptors, Digital Controls, Bow & Stern Thrusters, Integrated Hydraulic Systems, Powerpacks, Custom marine engineering services. Global support, full installation and repair services via worldwide dealer network plus Naiad regional offices in UK, Holland, Connecticut, Florida & Maryland USA.

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Profile: hakvoort

shipyard

Taking delievery of a steel hull for the latest project

JVS Scheeps- en Industrietechniek BV JVS Scheeps- en Industrietechniek BV is a well-known trade and engineering organisation whose collaboration with all major yacht builders goes back some 40 years. Highlights in trade: Jastram steering gear, Jastram low-noise thrusters and ETB soot filters and catalysts.

Engineering emphasis is on: more comfort in terms of very low noise and vibration levels.

Current orderbook contains more than 20 yachts from 30 to 115 metres.

Other features on the yacht include the owner’s suite, complete with stateroom, kingsize bed and bathroom; a main lounge with two sofas in an open plan arrangement with dining area; fine ensuite accommodation on the lower deck and crew quarters.

Meanwhile, the contract for the 63 metre

superyacht, Zeus, was signed in January 2013 and will be the largest superyacht ever built by Hakvoort upon its completion.

Boasting a unique contemporary profile, which was designed by Rene van der Velden, the vessel’s naval architecture will be designed by Diana Yacht Design while the interior will come from Sinot Yacht Design.

A modern classic with a difference, the superyacht’s design has been integrated with the streamlining style of the 1930s and 1940s.

“We are working on the hull of the 63 metre superyacht while H2 makes the joints for the interior; we are also busy with the 38 metre vessel. The yachts are getting a little bigger every year, which I think will be an ongoing trend over the next 20 years, however, we do also get enquiries for smaller boats in the 35-45 metre range,” says Albert.

With an impressive back catalogue and global reputation for building exceptional superyachts, Hakvoort Shipyard is certain to remain in demand as it continues to take on challenging contracts with confidence.

“Over the next 12 months we will be looking for another one or two clients for the main shed and smaller shed and I think it will be interesting to see what the market will be over the coming year. The bigger boats will always be there but the smaller boats have made a comeback,” concludes Albert.

Hakvoort Shipyard www.hakvoort.com • World famous builder of superyachts, sail and motorboats • Just delivered the largest superyacht it has ever built • Currently working on two other boats due for delivery in 2017

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Ship

shape

T

he Gdansk Shiprepair Yard Remontowa SA, part of the Remontowa Holding capital group, has developed a reputation for excellence since its establishment in the marine industry in 1952. Privatised in 2001, Remontowa SA today is a leader among European ship repair yards and has become a major player on the world market thanks to its long-term expertise in ship conversion and repairs, financial stability and coveted facilities. Indeed, Remontowa SA currently has the largest repair and conversion yard in Poland; it is also one of the biggest in the world.

Discussing the history of the specialist shipyard is Director of Commerce at Remontowa, Jan Paszkowski: “Remontowa Shipbuilding SA was established in June 1945; in the first phase of its existence it was named Shipyard No. 3 and its activity covered the construction and repairs of wagons, tramways and small ships. In the

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early 1950s, the Shipyard resigned from the manufacture of wagons and began to specialise in the construction of fishing vessels, as well as small cargo and scientific research vessels. It was also in 1955 that the Shipyard began to build navy ships and technical vessels.

“In the last decades of the 20th century, Remontowa Shipbuilding SA extended its offer to car-passenger ferries, fishing vessels, tugboats, offshore support and cargo vessels. We currently belong to Capital Group Remontowa Holding SA, and membership to Remontowa Holding SA gives us an opportunity to offer complete technical solutions, which greatly increases competitiveness of the shipyard in the rapidly changing worldwide shipbuilding market.”

Today the company specialises in the building of a wide range of advanced vessels for a diverse customer base that includes Siem Offshore AS, BC Ferries, Port of Tallinn, Amament Inspectorate of the Polish Navy

Profile: Remontowa

and the Algerian Navy. Vessels constructed at the shipyard include cable lay vessels, rescue vessels, PSV’s, container vessels, open deck carriers and LNG/LPG/LEG carriers; navy ships, training ships, hydrographic ships, patrol boats, multi-function buoy tenders, tugs and fishing vessels. These ships sail under the flags of Denmark, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Singapore and the US. Since Remontowa SA was previously featured in Shipping & Marine in September 2015, the company has remained busy with a number of notable projects including a prestigious contract to build a series of four modern platform supply vessels for Siem Offshore, one of the biggest Norwegian offshore fleet owners; the first of the contracted vessels, Siem Pride, left the shipyard in November 2015. On top of this, the company has also completed works on an arctic supply vessel with high Ice Class for Danish Owner Royal Arctic Line (RAL),

SA

which left the shipyard in March 2016, and handed over the avant-garde cable lay vessel Siem Aimery, in April 2016. The multipurpose offshore support vessel, Avalon Sea, was later completed in May 2016.

Alongside completing these projects, Remontowa SA has also invested in its facilities by increasing its launch capacity.

With two new launch places where boats can be moved to the dock, the company will be able to simultaneously build bigger vessels and move them once the final connection is completed in June 2016. “Presently 14 vessels of different types are being built in Remontowa Shipbuilding. These include three platform supply vessels, five car to passenger ferries, four cargo vessels, one minehunter and one training sail ship.The diversity and number of simultaneously carried out projects has made it necessary to modernise infrastructure and make new investments, one of which is a new line for vessel assembly,” says Jan. “The new technological

We currently belong

to Capital Group Remontowa Holding SA, and membership to Remontowa Holding SA gives us an opportunity to offer complete technical solutions, which greatly increases competitiveness of the shipyard in the rapidly changing worldwide shipbuilding market

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SCHO_Anz_A4_STP_0516_Anzeige 27.05.16 11:46 Seite 1

YOUR PROPULSION EXPERTS

SCHOTTEL STP 1515 (1750 kW)

TRUST THE QUALITY If you are looking for highly efficient and manoeuvrable propulsion systems, you cannot miss SCHOTTEL. Two SCHOTTEL driven Canadian BC Ferries under construction at Remontowa Shipbuilding. www.schottel.com

Profile: Remontowa

line is designed for the mounting and moving of vessels, with the possibility of launching ships up to 130 metres long; this increase in the number of units under construction at the same time is facilitated by a self-propelled gantry crane, which is equipped with a hydraulic vibration compensation system that stabilises it, even when it is moving on uneven ground.”

This strategic investment follows the company’s investment in a production hall that is devoted to naval ships that opened in April 2014. The hall has been fitted with special devices such as monitoring and filtering systems to prevent air pollution inside the hall through the intake of iron fillings from the outside production site, which contains a high amount of polluting materials. This investment also ensures the company complies with the stringent requirements necessary for working with non-magnetic steel.

Although the number of projects simultaneously taking place at the shipyard

SA

has at times posed challenges for the company in terms of the limited resources that could be put into the work, Remontowa SA has continued to carefully plan and optimise operational activity during every working hour to successfully deliver high quality services to its broad customer base.

This flexibility is set to continue as the company’s full order book has expanded into 2018.

Despite the enviable level of work that it has accumulated, Remontowa is to continue its plans for expansion as ship owners and operators search for high quality, fuel-efficient vessels. With opportunities for growth available on a global scale, the shipyard looks set to fill another order book over the next 12 months.

Remontowa SA www.remontowa.com.pl • Leading European shipyard • Full order book until 2018 • Recently increased launch capacity

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Charting

success

The main update to the software is the inclusion of ENC data visualisation and the ADMIRALTY Information Overlay (AIO) which provides information on temporary and preliminary Notices to Mariners - notoriously tricky for the navigating officer to manage effectively

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orn out of the long established Kelvin Hughes Group to develop an electronic means to communicate chart corrections to vessels at sea and around the globe, ChartCo Ltd is today the world’s leading and largest distributor of nautical charts, navigational data, marine technical publications and digital products. The company’s flagship product, PassageManager, a software package providing vessel operators with corrections for digital charts and navigational information, is the most widely used of its type in the world. In operation on approximately 6700 ships around the world, it is estimated that PassageManager is used in two to three times as many vessels as its nearest competitor.

In addition to a range of electronic software systems and navigational aids, ChartCo also supplies daily-updated paper charts, training and consulting and acts as a distribution partner for a range of marine equipment and instrument manufacturers. Amongst those represented by the firm is Weems & Plath,

ChartCo’s preferred supplier of chartroom instruments.

Nearly a year since Shipping & Marine last spoke with ChartCo, Global Sales and Marketing Manager Robert Corden is able to report a number of new product developments as the company sets out to diversify and expand its offering. “The first thing to note is that PassageManager 6.0 has just started sea trials and we hope to see this fully released in about three months’ time,” he says. “The main update to the software is the inclusion of ENC data visualisation and the ADMIRALTY Information Overlay (AIO) which provides information on temporary and preliminary Notices to Mariners - notoriously tricky for the navigating officer to manage effectively. The ability to view official AVCS chart data on the ChartCo PC means you have what is almost an additional ECDIS machine at the back of the bridge.

One of the key driving factors behind ChartCo’s service to its customers is in supporting them to monitor and adhere to various legislation and compliance

Profile:

ChartCo Ltd

ADMIRALTY Information Overlay (AIO)

requirements around the world. A recent addition to the PassageManager programme is a work and rest hours monitoring system.

“It’s a requirement under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) that all ships have to monitor and record crew hours according to strict rules on the periods which individual mariners are permitted to work and more importantly, how long they must rest,” Robert explains.

“All that data has to be recorded and monitored by the ship and they have to be able to prove to inspectors that they are recording all that information correctly and

that none of the crewmembers is working in contravention of the MLC. Quite a few ships are still using spreadsheets and paper to record those hours, but our software allows them to monitor, record and also share data back to their office in real time. The ship managers ashore can then be confident that the vessels they are operating are complying with the legislation.”

Similar support is currently being sea-trialled to help vessels comply with challenging MARPOL legislation. Designed to clarify areas of zero discharge and emission control areas amongst others, ChartCo has

taken the lead in allowing vessel operators to quickly and easily visualise where they are in relation to controlled areas and what they can do. “For instance, our software tells them and shows them at any given position whether they are allowed to discharge garbage, sewage or any other pollutant covered by MARPOL,” Robert adds.

Keen to continue delivering as simple and effective service to its clients as possible, another recent business development has been the introduction of a fixed price offering.

Covering all navigational products and services, the package includes everything an operator needs to manage the navigational products and data on board a vessel for a single annual cost. “The idea behind this is to provide budget certainty and to cut down on the costly and time consuming admin that comes with multiple purchase orders,” notes Robert. Whilst its first package sold came into effect at the start of January 2016, the company is pleased to report a positive reaction to the service and Robert highlights that several customers have now signed up with more in talks.

By providing customers with up-to-date digital navigational products and services, ChartCo is playing a central role in the industry as more and more ships switch to the digital solutions. The acquisition of

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Profile:

ChartCo Ltd Our focus is on continuing to support our existing customers with regular updates and new services

Routes and passages products en route

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Regs4Ships, a specialist in the provision of digital regulations, technical information and IMO material, in 2014 is proving fruitful for the company in this regard. “It has given us another unique digital service offering, and also allowed us to expand our training and consulting capacity in areas that we did not have previously,” Robert outlines.

Overall then, it has been a successful year for ChartCo as it expands and updates its product offering. As economic challenges continue to put pressure on vessel operators

around the world, tightening profit margins and creating uncertain conditions, anywhere the company can help its customers to reduce operating costs and manage navigation more effectively is a sure opportunity. On a concluding point, Robert sums up a clear strategy for the company moving forward: “Put simply it is to sell more services to more ships. Our focus is on continuing to support our existing customers with regular updates and new services, whilst at the same time being able to acquire new customers. Of course, continuing to push new product and service developments will be key to achieving this.”

ChartCo Ltdlargest ship www.chartco.com • Largest distributor of navigational data, charts and digital maritime publications • Supplies most of the world’s largest ship owners and ship managers • Part of the Kelvin Hughes Group

Profile: wightlink

An Isle of

S

ince the company was officially established during 1991, Wightlink and its forerunners have operated to provide a safe and efficient ferry service between the Isle of Wight and the UK mainland. Indeed, the roots of the company extend back over more than 160 years while today the business carries in excess of 4.6 million passengers every year, making it one of the country’s largest domestic ferry operators. Presently Wightlink offers several crossing routes that offer clients the very best in safety, reliability and choice when travelling to and from the Isle of Wight, be it for business or pleasure. Crossings include journeys between Portsmouth and Fishbourne; and Lymington to Yarmouth; as well as a highspeed catamaran service between Portsmouth and Ryde.

These services are provided with a long history and a tradition of excellence that has enabled Wightlink to establish a leading presence within the UK ferries industry and the company is dedicated to giving excellent customer service and the best facilities on board and at its terminals. Typically crossings take approximately 22 minutes by catamaran and from 40 minutes by car ferry, meaning that Wightlink is able to sail around 46,000 crossings a year. “I think that as an operation Wightlink works very well and that this is reflected in the reliability record that we maintain - we really know how to turnaround and operate a ferry service very effectively.

The company’s competitive edge is also partly to be found in the fact that we have the shortest links to the Isle of Wight and a choice of routes,” reveals CEO Keith Greenfield.

discovery “I think what is also important is the rail-to-rail connection that we have from Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde Pier. The island’s railway network is an important mode of transport for people for whom travelling by car is not what they want or is simply not possible.”

Keith is a relatively new addition to Wightlink, having officially taken the role during June 2016. A chartered engineer with a background in both transport and telecommunications, until recently Keith was Managing Director of the highly successful Heathrow Express rail service. In joining Wightlink, Keith brings with him a proven track record of customer service and a strong background of management in safety critical applications. “Beginning with my career in telecoms, which was quite some time back, my roles there were predominantly in marketing and commercial development, which is where I learned those important skills.

Moving into transport my first experience

within this market was in the aviation sector at Heathrow airport,” Keith explains. “I think that the aviation industry is ahead of other forms of transport in terms of customer service, particularly at Heathrow, so it was a great place for me to understand how customer service enables a business to retain clients and expand. Furthermore, while working with Heathrow Express I was able to experience the importance of very high levels of customer service and quality in a demanding environment.”

The lessons learned during his tenure at Heathrow are an important influence on Keith’s vision for Wightlink and in growing the company’s already impressive service record. “The first focus I have in any transport business and the primary focus I have here at Wightlink is safety. That is irrespective of what level we are actually at and although I think that Wightlink represents a very safe operation,

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Profile: wightlink

Cemre Shipyard

Cemre Shipyard has already delivered 42 vessels over a ten-year period, and furthermore there are ten more projects under construction at the shipyard.

Cemre Shipyard gives importance to human based investment alongside physical investments and as a consequence the company is ready and able to sign new orders, even tailor-made offshore projects from the Northern European market.

Today the number of employees of the shipyard is around 1000, and it actively encourages recruitment of young people, with the ‘Young Experience’ slogan accepted as the motto of the company by the shipyard’s employees. Cemre’s management understands that experience is indispensable but also appreciates the importance that young staff can have when given the initiative at more stages. Cemre believes that it will have more success with this young, innovative and ambitious team.

safety has still been my first theme in terms of further developing a culture for continued development and enhancing standards within the company,” he exclaims. “A reliable service is my second concern and the bedrock of having a good product, as well as being able to grow the business. There really is no taking the ‘foot off the gas’ in terms of either safety or service reliability and I really want to keep pushing those forward as a platform to grow the business and increase our customer service offering.”

With a new CEO and continuing investment, this is an exciting time for the company. Indeed, since Wightlink was previously featured in Shipping & Marine magazine during 2015, the company has won planning approval for its £45 million development of its Portsmouth to Fishbourne route, which comes off the back of an overall level of investment of over £70 million over the past seven years. This has seen some five new ships come into service, with a further vessel on the way. The new flagship is set to enter service during 2018 and will be the company’s most environmentally friendly vessel to date, featuring a modern hybrid diesel-electric system. Furthermore the ship

will have the capacity to carry the equivalent of 178 cars and over 1000 people on each crossing.

“I am also looking forward to us being able to use the new ship in order to set a new standard in ferry travel to the Isle of Wight.

One of the things I feel quite strongly about is that particularly for visitors to the island, which represent a significant part of our business, is that their holiday should start at the ferry terminal and not just when they reach the island itself. This is something that I have brought with me from the aviation world and I would like to create that same experience for clients travelling with us,” Keith concludes.

“The next 12 months are very much focused on getting our new investment project safely landed and off on the right footing while continuing to deliver the highly reliable service that our customers have come to expect. The other thing that I would like to do is see more people from around the country visiting the Isle of Wight, as well as the city of Portsmouth.

Both of these are great locations and I see it as part of our responsibility as a ferry company to communicate this fact to travellers who might not have known what they have to offer.”

Wightlink www.wightlink.co.uk • New CEO for 2016 • Investment into port facilities and vessels • Focus on customer service

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Profile: Garrets

International

Driving

progress Piri Reis Ship Supply

PIRI REIS is a young and dynamic ship supply company demonstrating it’s expertise and capability by serving the world’s reputable cargo ships, cruise ships, ferries and navy fleets at the crossroads and major ports of Turkey.

As a preffered supplier of GARRETS INTERNATIONAL in Turkey, our mission is to give the best and complete service, anticipate and customise our clients needs by providing truly personalised and friendly service, just in time, with the most competitive prices.

PIRI REIS transit warehouse stores a wide range of frozen and dry provisions which address many local tastes all around the world and enables us to serve with a succesful blend of high quality products. A strong connection with the local market gives us the chance to serve you with most fresh and natural products; A gift to all of us from this productive geography.

We are proud to have been nominated as Garrets Preferred Supplier in Turkey for the last 18 months and continue to strive to be the best Supplier in this Region.

O

perating as part of the wider Wrist Ship Supply, Garrets International represents one of the marine industry’s largest and most accomplished provision and stores management companies. Garrets became part of Wrist as of 28 January 2016. SeaStar operates as a business unit within Wrist and was established in 2009 to specialise in the handling of consumable budgets and the delivery of consumables to ships all over the world. With the support of Wrist, the company quickly established a strong reputation and a customer platform of 600 ships.

Garrets International was founded in 1991 to facilitate full co-operation between ship owners and managers, crew and suppliers by providing a complete provision management service. By 2015 Garrets was recognised as a world-leading marine provision management company with a fleet of over 1000 ships of all types and sizes

under supplying them in ports around the world. Today both companies operate as a single entity under the Garrets brand with offices located within Denmark and the UK, as well as a dedicated sales office within Singapore. “If you consider the legacy of the business, SeaStar had organic growth of around ten per cent during 2015 and with the acquisition of Garrets the company collectively has in excess of 1600 ships under management,” explains CEO, Niels Snog. “Our ambition is to be the best, and this acquisition provides optimum conditions for just that.”

Following the acquisition the former SeaStar and Garrets continues to operate as a leading supplier of provision and stores management solutions for the marine industry that combines the expertise of Garrets with the global presence of its new parent company. Wrist represents the largest ship supplier in the world, offering Garrets a strong professional base from which to

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Profile: Garrets

International

First Choice Marine Supply

“We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to work with a prominent organisation such as Garrets International”, says First Choice Marine Supply Director Gary Guy. “This Partnership has resulted in strong, professional relationships which equates in a delivery method between the two companies as a ‘Team Approach.’ There are many parallels between our companies such as insistence on quality products that are competitively priced and world-class customer service. This is a strategic, long-term relationship and one of great value to First Choice Marine and one that we believe is mutually beneficial to both our companies.”

Experienced staff co-ordinate on-board deliveries with the ship and their appointed agent, always looking for opportunities to consolidate with other deliveries to optimise logistics, alleviating customers’ purchasing departments of time-consuming purchase and logistics tasks

agent, always looking for opportunities to consolidate with other deliveries to optimise logistics, alleviating customers’ purchasing departments of time-consuming purchase and logistics tasks.

Since becoming part of Wrist Garrets has also taken on the diversified services of SeaStar, which had introduced a new stores management edition as of January

G. Pierotti

G.Pierotti is a general ship supplier with more than 65 years of experience. It is able to offer items ranging from provisions to general stores (cabin, deck, engine, safety, charts & publications, ecofriendly chemical products, etc). Based in Santos - Brazil, the largest port in South America, it also serves: São Sebastiao (Branch office), Paranagua, Sepetiba-Itaguai, Angra dos Reis, São Francisco do Sul, Rio de Janeiro and other Brazilian ports under consultation. G. Pierotti is able to cover with high quality performance a diverse range of clients, such as International Caterings.

continue to develop its service offering.

Garrets sources from the best suppliers worldwide. Last year Garrets made supplies throughout 712 ports across 113 countries, for each ship’s specific provisioning needs, screening quotations from multiple suppliers on its customers’ behalf. Its experienced staff co-ordinate on-board deliveries with the ship and their appointed

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Profile: Garrets

Garrets was

awarded a Good Egg Award by Compassion in World Farming in recognition of its commitment to source only cagefree eggs across its European operation

SamShip

Raymond Samandar & Co. Shipchandling NV (Samship) were founded four decades ago and have grown to become the leading ship supply company in Willemstad, Curaçao. We cater to our customers’ needs 24 hours a day every day of the year offering the widest range of high quality products and services at the most competitive prices. At Samship we carry large assortments of provisions, deck, engine, cabin and bonded stores in stock at our warehousing facility with cooler and freezer storage spaces, giving us the ability to provide fast turnaround service and meet your scheduled deadlines with whatever you require.

2014. Today the implementation of this stores division compliments Garrets’ provision of consumable items and provision management solutions by providing year-round solutions in non-consumable stores for ships globally. “With provision management, we’re expanding our concept to also include the purchasing of general consumer goods. This can be everything from tools to work wear, kitchen equipment and non-skid mats,” Niels outlines. “A yearly budget is compiled, and we will then help the ship stay within this budget. Prices can differ upwards of 200 per cent from port to port, but when shipping companies outsource the management of all purchases,

International

they don’t feel the price difference as we have agreed on a fixed budget. This means peace of mind for the shipping companies, knowing that we can guarantee a consistent quality on the ships, regardless of where they are in the world.”

While Garrets is a proven industry player in the field of ship supply, the company is also a prime mover in the training of chefs onboard and the introduction of the highest standards of food quality within the marine industry. During 2015 for example, Garrets was awarded a Good Egg Award by Compassion in World Farming in recognition of its commitment to source only cage-free eggs across its European operation. Garrets represents the only maritime company in the world to have received this award. “Presently the improvement that has been achieved in products sold in supermarkets on land in terms of quality and ethics is generally ahead of what is supplied at sea,” Niels explains.

“There are many countries around the world where it is hard to be able to meet these standards and we would like to be part of trying to drive those changes throughout the marine sector. Being a market leader, we would like to try to set the tone and while we accept that we cannot do this alone, we feel that we have a responsibility to drive some

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Profile: Garrets

International

progress in this area and sometimes to be the first mover in the industry.”

As part of its commitment to quality and co-operation with customers, Garrets also operates training courses for ship’s crew in association with a local school in Manila and is in the process of setting up a similar

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facility in Mumbai. Further to delivering expert training on land, the company also maintains a core of first-rate chefs who act as superintendents that can operate aboard customer’s ships to train staff and identify areas of improvement. During the next 12 months, the company will focus on further establishing these services inline with the company’s wider activities to deliver a fully comprehensive marine supply solution.

“We are currently working to develop the stores management division to the same level as the provisions management part of the business,” Niels concludes. “Over the next five years we intend to continue to grow organically above market rate, and we continue to seek acquisition possibilities, while ensuring a good quality of service in terms of both provisions and stores and to act as a prime mover in bringing new services to the market.”

Garrets International www.garrets.com • Part of Wrist • 1600 managed ships • Provisions and stores management specialist

Profile: ShoreTension

A swell

system D

eveloped by the KRVE, the ShoreTension system delivers permanent tension without the need of constant external energy to those in the maritime industry.

A flexible stand-alone mooring system, it is based on a permanent tension of shore mooring lines and reduces the movements a connected ship by counteracting the effects of issues such as strong winds, fast currents, waves and passing vessels. In addition, ShoreTension ensures the tension of the shore mooring line doesn’t exceed the safe working load of a vessel’s ropes and bollards, which thus prevents any potentially disastrous situations should a mooring line break.

Discussing the development of the innovative system, Managing Director of ShoreTension Martijn Breuer begins: “Following an incident in Rotterdam Port in 2007 where a vessel lost its moorings and destroyed an oil jetty, which caused huge financial damages, the harbour master at the time asked the service providers to come up with a solution. We then undertook a large investigation as to what happened and came up with ShoreTension; we later modified the

system as we realised swell was huge factor in disturbing mooring operations across the globe, whereas previously we focused on the fact common factors such as wind and passing vessels that cause search, sway or breaking mooring lines or incidents.”

The cylindrically shaped ShoreTension works by exerting the same constant pressure on the ship’s mooring lines while they are fastened to the bollards on the quay. Requiring no electricity save for an external hydraulic system that needs to be used only once to get the ShoreTension at the correct setting, the system then hydraulically moves along with the forces that the mooring line is exposed to. Because the mooring lines are kept permanently at the same constant tension, regardless of changes in wave or wind conditions, the systems offers safe and stable mooring for vessels.

Furthermore, the system provides high tension and pays out the line and copes with peak loads without exceeding the minimum break loading of the line (MBL).

Doing this dampens the ship’s motion while the system absorbs the energy of the ships; when peak loads are over, the ShoreTension

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Royal HaskoningDHV Royal HaskoningDHV is a leading independent maritime consultancy firm. In recent years it has specialised in the analysis of the dynamic behaviour of moored vessels exposed to forces such as winds, swells, long period waves or passing vessels. It is proud to be the only company in the world to have integrated the behaviour of the ShoreTension system in to its vessel motion software, which means that you can benefit directly from the company’s know-how. From improved up time and safety of your terminals to reduced investment cost; you can count on Royal HaskoningDHV’s expertise today and into the future.

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heaves in line with the energy stored and goes back to its initial position. To further cement its capabilities as a system that enhances safety, the ShoreTension is used in combination with a high-quality mooring line made of HMPE that are issued to the ship from the shore.

“The system is a versatile standalone system,” confirms Martijn. “To give you an idea of flexibility, we had six systems onboard a vessel that was moored in a remote area of Australia. Five were installed on the deck while one was installed on the shore; this was because the deck was very narrow and limited in space. The installation took place in August and September of 2014 and the systems were sent back to us a month ago. Within those 16 months of operation the customer would receive electronic alerts and could log on the website and monitor the system via smart phones or computers in realtime. However, customer’s can’t operate or influence the system, we did consider enabling customers to operate the systems but decided against this.”

With the port’s

records showing that up to 6.5 per cent of available time for berthing was lost by customers through the swells, these early results have given those at the port a new confidence that operations will continue to improve in key areas such as safety and efficiency Another noteable project for the company took place in the Port of Taranaki, New Zealand, where four additional ShoreTension systems were purchased in January 2016, bringing the total number of mooring systems to eight at the port. Acquired to negate the impact of long period waves and to enhance safety during the mooring of tanker and LNG vessels, ShoreTension had already made noticeable difference to operations at the port a mere two months after installation. With the port’s records

Profile: ShoreTension

showing that up to 6.5 per cent of available time for berthing was lost by customers through the swells, these early results have given those at the port a new confidence that operations will continue to improve in key areas such as safety and efficiency.

“The Port of Taranaki was sending vessels that were approximately 0.1 metre in length, however, in the past four or five months since installation the port was able to go to about 0.25 metres, which is a huge benefit when it comes to safety and finances,” comments Martijn.

A more recent project for the company took place in March 2016, when ShoreTension was successful in mooring the cargo ship Modern Express, which came adrift in the Bay of Biscay; a total of six ShoreTension systems held the Modern Express in position during the project.

Despite the incredible benefits that

ShoreTension offers customers and the global demand it is enjoying, the company will continue to seek out improvements that will increase safety, efficiency and ensure smooth operations. For example, the company will soon be launching a vertical ShoreTension system that will be suitable for platforms in the oil and gas market.

Currently under construction, this system is anticipated to be launched in 2016.

“Regarding the markets, we have recently been to a conference in Japan to show the benefits of our system to potential clients in the country; we also see opportunities in

Southern America and Chile, where we are also sending equipment over for first trials.

Meanwhile, when it comes to the system, we will be taking the next steps in its development by adding more intelligence,” concludes Martijn.

ShoreTension www.shoretension.com • Delivers permanent tension without the need of constant external energy • Recent project with Port Taranaki • Reduces the problem of swell and shortens turnaround times

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JML Rib at Poole, Dorset

A new

venture

The company’s investment into developing its fleet has also been complemented by an active order book that has seen Jenkins Marine complete several, technically demanding operations across a range of applications

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F

rom its base in Poole within Dorset, Jenkins Marine Ltd has developed an expert reputation for the delivery of a variety of marine services comprising vessel charter, dredging services and facilities management. Jenkins Marine was founded during 1988 and continues to operate as a family business, managing a fleet of specialist vessels including hopper barges, deck cargo barges, multi-role vessels, motor tugs, modular pontoons and workboats. The diverse fleet of vessels and equipment maintained by Jenkins Marine matches the diverse needs of the company’s clients and it operates to meet and exceed the expectations of its customers with a both professional and personal approach. Because the business values its clients and is able to nimbly adapt to their needs, Jenkins Marine enjoys many long-lasting and profitable relationships with operators throughout the marine sector. Additionally the company also operates as an approved contractor for several local authorities and industry players, including registry on the Constructionline preapproved contractor database.

Jenkins Marine was previously featured in

Shipping & Marine magazine in September 2014, during which time Managing Director, Dan Jenkins discussed the company’s ambition to maintain a modern fleet of vessels including the 2013 acquisition of a 25 metre multi-cat Avon. Over the past 18 months the business has continued to focus on the development of its fleet to address the diverse needs of its clients. During June 2015 for example, the company announced the purchase of two additional deck barges in response to an increasing client demand for stable marine platforms to accommodate larger equipment. JML18 represents the smaller vessel with dimensions of 18m x 12m x 1.2m and a cargo capacity of 75 tons while JML50 boasts dimensions of 50m x 14m x 3m, making it one the largest vessels in the Jenkins Marine fleet. Both vessels will provide additional stable work platforms for the company’s increasingly busy deck barge contingent and are designed as swim-ended, rectangular, flat top deck cargo barges with two spud legs for precise position holding and a shallow draft that makes the craft suitable for work close to shore. Each barge also features a large deck load capacity for

Profile: Jenkins

Marine Ltd

The Doreen Dorwood with the Hopper Barge, Needles dredging

bulk cargos including rock and heavy plant.

Originally built in 2009 and operated by Neptune Marine in Holland, JML50 today also represents one of the newest vessels within the Jenkins Marine fleet. With her newly installed spud legs and impressive 1300 tonne capacity, JML50 will allow clients the option of using large construction items, including crawler cranes, for marine projects.

“The addition of these two vessels clearly demonstrates our continued commitment the needs of our customers and the importance we place on offering them greater choice and flexibility. When we saw JML50 come up for sale for example, we thought that the vessel would complement our existing fleet of flattop barges as we frequently get enquiries from customers for larger barges and we felt that the barge would fit it in well with the fleet as a ‘next size up’ solution,” Dan says. “When we bought the vessel it was located in Ostend, so we sent one of our own tugs, the Handfast to bring her over. It was delivered to ship repair company Manor Marine that worked on the vessel to make it ready for service. JML50 is now in great condition with a new MCA loadline certificate and is ready to go.”

During November 2015 Jenkins Marine also announced the increasing versatility of its workboats through the addition of the JML RIB to its fleet. JML RIB was previously owned by Red7Marine and is a highly manoeuvrable, twin inboard diesel engine ridged inflatable that is ideal for crew

support duties, safety work, dive support operations and as a working platform. The vessel is certified for MCA Cat. 3 Workboat Code of Practice and has all the required safety equipment. It has a capacity of up to six persons including crew and its own road towable trailer for delivery. It comes with a

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JML Rib

JML RIB’s manoeuvrability and a top speed of 30 knots makes her our fastest vessel and a valuable addition to what is already a versatile and wide ranging work boat fleet

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customised set of certified lifting slings for a single point overhead lift as required. Rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) are regarded as one of the safest ways to transport people and equipment over long or short distances at sea in the most challenging of conditions.

“JML RIB’s manoeuvrability and a top speed of 30 knots makes her our fastest vessel and a valuable addition to what is already a versatile and wide ranging work boat fleet,” Dan exclaims.

The company’s investment into developing its fleet has also been complemented by

an active order book that has seen Jenkins Marine complete several, technically demanding operations across a range of applications. “We have been relatively busy of the past 18 months, which is very positive,” Dan elaborates. “There are two main parts of our business, one of which is the hire and charter of either manned or unmanned vessels, while the other aspect of our operations involves the provision of a full dredging service – this has been very busy in the past six months.”

Projects completed by Jenkins Marine in recent months include salvage and maintenance dredging operations throughout the UK. All of its operations require the company to meet demanding levels of industry standards, as well as high levels of environmental legislation. “It is interesting when we work with contaminated sediments for example, as this has been a hot topic for several years and contaminated mud requires special measures to deal with. Therefore any work that involves any contaminated mud is naturally quite heavily regulated and it is a requirement to be qualified to a high

Profile: Jenkins

Marine Ltd

Kaymac Newport at Parrog, Pembrokeshire

Wytch Farm oil field. Operations on the island are expected to continue day and night 365 days a year and some 13 new employees have been bought onboard to help deliver continued support services and maintain this activity. As an exciting addition to the existing business, the activities of Jenkins Marine are easily transferable to Jenkins Marine Oilfield Services, offering the company significant opportunity for the future. “It has been a lot of work but the company is all set up now and it has been a relatively smooth transition,” Dan concludes. “We certainly hope that the relationship with our main client will result in further work that may make use of the other Jenkins Marine vessels. While focusing on this business we will also keep our eyes open for new vessels that either complement or replace parts of our existing fleet.” standard to work in that environment,” Dan observes. “We have a good customer base in this area and every year we work with several customers, including port authorities such as Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight where we have a term maintenance-dredging contract.”

During the course of its operations, Jenkins Marine has formed several working relationships with several providers of specialist equipment. The company’s relationship with WM Plant Hire and its Managing Director Damian McGettrick, for example has lasted over two decades. “We have worked together with WM Plant Hire for many years now and created a great working relationship with Damien,” Dan explains. “We have come trust the reliability of their excavators and the experience of their operators. The vessel of choice for working with WM’s larger long reach excavators such as their CAT 345 is usually the Doreen Dorward, on such projects as dredging the deep water quays of the Port of Jersey.”

A defining moment in the development of Jenkins Marine was the founding of a sister company named Jenkins Marine

Oilfield Services. Starting in March 2016 with a contract for Perenco UK the new company will be operating vessels within Poole Harbour to transport passengers, freight and equipment to and from the oil wells located on Furzey Island, part of the

Jenkins Marine Ltd www.jenkinsmarine.co.uk • Dredging contractors • Growing fleet of specialised workboats and barges • New sister business

WM Plant Hire

WM Plant Hire operates one of the largest fleets of long reach excavators in the UK with over 50 years of experience. The company’s expertise lies in providing specialised plant; particularly in the marine industry working on dredging and marine construction projects together with flood and coastal protection works.

The company has a long-standing relationship with Jenkins Marine, having worked together on many projects over the last 15 years including marine dredging, sea outfalls, offshore windfarms and most recently the Cowes Breakwater project.

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Dynamic

innovation F

ocused on providing superior vessel control solutions to the international offshore and commercial shipping industries since its establishment in 2002, Marine Technologies LLC (MT) has become a world leader in the development of vessel control systems and a one-stop-shop resource for clients operating in the shipping and offshore industries. Having equipped its first vessel with an improved dynamic positioning (DP) system 16 months after its formation, the company went on to deliver more than 300 type-approved DP systems of all IMO classes alongside less complex DP and joystick solutions.

Based on a distributed architecture that focuses on both redundancy and segregation, the company’s Bridge Mate DP concept boasts a robust design with distributed operator stations, DP control computers and distributed thruster and

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sensor interface units. Each interface can be placed close to the thrusters, reference systems and sensors to be interfaced, while the interfaced units design makes the Bridge Mate system highly suitable for retrofit and upgrades.

Three systems are available to clients: Bridge Mate DP 1, DP 2 and DP 3. The first system is based on a fully distributed concept and has a single control computer, one operator station and separate IO units that interface the sensors, power source, positioning reference system and thrusters.

The DP 2 system has the same modules as DP 1, but instead uses three control computers and two operator stations to comply with Class 2 rules. Using three control computers makes majority voting possible between the computers and also for a computer to be rejected, should it break down or fail. Meanwhile, the DP 3 system has an extended hardware

Profile: marine

configuration and consists of a triple redundant DP controller, three IO units to interface components and a physically separate, fire-safe compartment where one control computer, one operator station and one sensor IO unit are to be located in order for the system to comply with Class 3 requirements.

technologies

Since it was previously featured in Shipping & Marine magazine in July 2015 the company has responded to the challenges that are currently taking place within the offshore oil and gas industry by expanding into new markets; these include yacht, cruise, windfarm, fish farming and general maritime industry. This has proven

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While it is presently in the process of starting to commission the first of the two Windea vessels at the Ulstein yard, MT is also focused on delivering high quality solutions to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) – the company’s first entry into the cruise market

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to be a judicious decision for the firm, which today boasts a healthy order book thanks to a new contract to supply new windpower vessels that are being built by Ulstein as well as a number of other large contracts for clients within the offshore and commercial shipping industries.

“Over the last nine months we have mainly been operating on windmill support vessels,” says Sveinung Tollefesen, Managing Director & R&D manager of Marine Technologies LLC. “We have delivered a number of complete bridges for the windfarm support vessels. Based on the feedback we have received and the requirements for the next delivery to Ulstein on the Windea vessels we are now in the stage of delivering the first vessel that has extended functionality for windfarm support vessels. This includes functions to minimise the time used to get the vessel ready to connect the gangway and automatic sailing from one windmill to the next. The MTECDIS have also added special functions like drawing the vessel and gangway to the windmill in exact dimensions, time to other windmills and so on.”

He continues: “We have also been involved in specialised DP operations and delivered the first two cable lay and anchor assisted vessels in March 2016, which means special functions for cable lay and anchor/towing assistance are now available in the system. This is also able to be used on the external force environments. Furthermore, we have added more applications to the yacht specific market to our integrated solution; this is for navigation light, search light and other small bridge functions to get them available in the integrated solution.”

While it is presently in the process of starting to commission the first of the two Windea vessels at the Ulstein yard, MT is also focused on delivering high quality solutions to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) – the company’s first entry into the cruise market. “MT got the first contract with RCCL for an upgrade of the DP system on one of their Cruise vessels. This is an important step into this company and market for MT and we hope to demonstrate our products successfully here so more Cruise vessels can be added to our project list,” highlights Sveinung.

Having taken a step away from more traditional markets, the company is currently enjoying a wave of success.

Profile: marine

technologies

including a new radar basis, a new chart radar, new navigation support applications as well as preparations for INS approval.

Overall we believe this will make our total integrated bridge solution one of the most comprehensive and user friendly in the market.”

Keen to stay at the forefront of innovation in the maritime technology sector, both within the DP segment and with regard to integrated solutions for navigation, automation and communication as a whole, Marine Technologies’ goal of steady growth in all business segments is certain to continue as further opportunities in a diverse range of markets open up to the dynamic firm over the coming years.

However, not a company to rest on its laurels, MT has also maintained its focus on the development of new products and enhancement of existing products; a trend that will remain at the forefront of its operations, as Sveinung explains: “The upgraded MT-BB100 VSAT antenna has

been in the market for almost a year now and we have received very good feedback on it. So we have extended this upgrade also to the MT-BB125 and MT-BB150. On top of this, we are also in the process of upgrading our IBS solution with several new or improved features and functions,

Marine Technologies www.marine-technologies.com • World leading developer of vessel control systems • Expanding into new markets such as cruise, windfarm and fish farming • Enhanced newest broadband system in 2016

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Exceeding

expectations The ability to meet the needs of clients in a diverse range of markets is due to Tasneef being comprised of an expert team that has gained years of experience within the oil and gas market, which ensures the needs of customers are wholly catered to in a thorough, knowledgeable and dedicated manner

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E

stablished in 2012 as the first classification society in the United Arab Emirates as well as in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and Arab world, Tasneef focuses on its core mission of serving the interest of the UAE and its clients through promoting the security and safety of life and property. Moreover, the organisation also seeks to protect and to preserve the natural environment in its vital maritime domain.

Within the marine sector, Tasneef’s core operations are vessel certification, inspections & audits, research & development, training and technical advisory. Activities include classification services related to newbuilds and ship in service, merchant ships, naval ships, yachts, statutory services, certification of materials and components, maritime and naval advice and consultancy. Furthermore, the Emirates Classification Society ‘Tasneef’\ has also launched Tasneef Academy, which specialises in delivering health & safety

training, management system training, marine training and naval training for the maritime sector.

In line with its focus on the classification and certification of ships and offshore platforms, Tasneef signed a service agreement with the Italian Classification Society RINA in 2012, which established three years of a strategic partnership to assist Tasneef in the development of classification services. This development resulted in the launch of the TASNEEF-RINA Business Assurance, an entity for the issue of international certification, verifications, training and advisory services. In more detail, this includes management systems certification for quality, health and safety such as ISO 9001, BS OHSAS 18001, SA 8000 and ISO 27001 alongside environmental, energy and GHG; this includes ISO 14001, ISO 50001, ISO 20121 and BEST 4 Business Sustainable Task for quality, environment, safety & social accountability. Activities within

Profile: tasneef

TASNEEF-RINA Business Assurance also include product/service certification, personal certification and business assurance for inspections and testing for customers within a diverse range of industries.

Indeed, although the organisation focuses on the marine sector, it also delivers services to business segments such as ports planning & design, energy, aerospace & defence, transport engineering, transport & infrastructure, audit programme and geo-sciences sectors. The ability to meet the needs of clients in a diverse range of markets is due to Tasneef being comprised of an expert team that has gained years of experience within the oil and gas market, which ensures the needs of customers are wholly catered to in a thorough, knowledgeable and dedicated manner.

Following the signing of this service agreement, the firm achieved UAE National recognition from the UAE maritime flag administration in July 2013 and more recently became the first classification society in the UAE to gain accreditation from road and transport ministries in the Arabian countries.

Approved by transport ministers in the region in November 2015, this development enables TASNEEF to explore new horizons in the region’s maritime sectors while also supporting a single vision to strengthen the principles and foundations of a strong maritime industry in the UAE. Indeed, by working together, Tasneef and those operating within the UAE’s maritime sector aim to unify the necessary laws for shipbuilding in the UAE and supervise ships in accordance with global standards.

Having undertaken this significant leap, Tasneef’s short-term objective is to obtain the recognition of the flag administrations of all GCC and surrounding countries; it will do this while remaining true to its commitment of providing up-to-date classification services of the best possible standards of quality.

For example, in September 2015, it was announced that new rules for domestic ships not covered by international conventions came into force, with Tasneef surveyors currently ensuring compliance with regards to the new rules in the UAE. Developed by Tasneef, the rules have been adopted by GCC countries and have become known as the GCC code, which is comprised

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Profile: tasneef

Mouawad Consulting AS

Mouawad Consulting AS and Tasneef, as partners, are able to offer consultancy on best strategies to meet the requirements of the BWM Convention, as well as turnkey solutions for ship owners and operators. Some typical services we are able to offer include: 1 Market Study to choose 2-3 systems which will fit the ship or group of ships 2 Survey onboard where our naval architects will use the latest of 3D scanning technology and know how in ship design to find the most suitable area for installation 3 Pipe-in the equipment in 3D and present a solution for the ship owner in 3D,based on which we can produce drawings for class approval and pre-fabrication of pipes and structures 4 Installation onboard the ship either during dry- dock or with riding crew With our turnkey solution, we are able to recommend, design, install and commission a BWM System onboard ships, using in-house software, hardware and know-how.

of a set of safety regulations for cargo ships not covered by IMO conventions as well as small passenger vessels that have less than 200 person capacity. This code will not only enhance the safety of vessels operating within these waters, but will also help protect shipping personnel, shipping assets and the environment.

Indeed, the Society is committed to playing an integral role in the launch of environmental initiatives in line with developments in the UAE and recently signed a landmark partnership agreement with Drydocks World to develop initiatives for the regulations required for the world’s first LNG powered harbour tug.

Launched under the trademark Elemarateyah, the vessel is part of the Dubai Maritime Green Initiative that aims to encourage environmental excellence in the marine, oil and gas and energy sectors.

This landmark boat will have a dual engine capable of operating with both traditional MDO and LNG and is anticipated to drive the shipping and maritime industry into

using LNG over MDO in the future. The design, steel cut, installation and fitting out supervision of Elemarateyah will be carried out under Tasneef’s rules. Once the build is completed and the vessel is in operation, Tasneef surveyors will carry out periodic inspections of the vessel.

While Tasneef will continue to operate in regional markets at its headquarters in Abu Dhabi, it also has its sights set on global expansion over the coming years having recently expanded its reach to areas such as Australia and Asia. This progression is due to the society’s development of the Sahara Rules, which can be applied to vessels that operate in Gulf waters only. The first ships to be built to these rules are in Romania and Australia under the supervision of Tasneef to ensure the ships can operate in conditions that include high temperatures, humidity and water salinity levels.

Furthermore, in a significant step towards supporting floating marine facilities, Tasneef and Kleindienst Group of Dubai signed a contract in December 2015 under which

Tasneef will provide classification standards, design assessment and surveillance during construction for the floating villas, also called ‘Floating Seahorses’ being constructed by Kleindienst Group. The project is the first of its kind in the world.

With more than 150 ships under its class, the Society is currently in the process of setting up other offices in the region to ensure it can keep up with the demand for a locally based classification society. Having exceeded the expectations of those operating within the Society, the world is Tasneef’s oyster as it continues to raise awareness on the significance of applying safety regulations on ships to ensure the best possible levels of security, safety and quality in the gulf maritime industry.

Tasneef www.tasneef.org • Emirates classification society • Achieved UAE national recognition from the UAE Maritime Flag Administration in July 2013 • Recently signed contract for floating villas

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A show-stopping Within the marine industry we are working around the propulsion shaft and specialise in making custom size brake systems, locking systems, and turning systems; we call this STL (Stop Turn and Lock) Marcus Aberg, CEO of Dellner Brakes

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system

S

ince its foundation in 1941 by Master of Science Jan Dellner, Dellner Brakes has been part of the Dellner Group of companies that today has more than 700 employees and production or service offices in all parts of the world. Divided into two major sectors, industrial and rail, the Dellner Group industrial segment is the coming together of three companies within the Dellner Group - Dellner Brakes, Dellner Dampers and Dellner Woodville. These three companies are at the forefront of their fields in brake systems, damper applications and polymer technology.

Having expanded strongly over the last few years, Dellner Brake’s brake systems are used in industries from shipping, offshore, mining, paper, oil and gas and energy. “We are a small organisation in a big group with a lot of engineering knowledge; because

we are small and have this expertise we can easily adjust to market demand and find new opportunities. We also use these capabilities to develop strong customer relationships that involve working with customers instead of for them. Customer satisfaction is very important to us,� says Marcus Aberg, CEO of Dellner Brakes.

To be able to deliver solutions to a broad range of demanding sectors, the company has achieved high technical competence, with staff working daily on tasks such as mechanical, electric and hydraulic design, assembly and testing. Small and flexible, the ISO 9001:2008 certified Dellner Brakes benefits from fast decision making and accessibility and is careful when it comes to documenting its systems, progress and unique solutions.

A world leader in marine applications,

Profile: Dellner

the Swedish firm develops, manufactures, markets and maintains brake solutions for both the industrial and marine industries.

Proud to deliver reliable and cost-efficient turnkey solutions, the company is able to use different combinations of its own standard products to ensure customer satisfaction to owners/operators of a comprehensive range of vessel types. Within the marine industry, the company’s products are used in large military ships, oil tankers, freight ships, ferries, luxury yachts and luxury liners.

“I would say around 50 per cent of our entire revenue comes from the marine industry and we have delivered brakes to almost every type of vessel. Within the marine industry we are working around the propulsion shaft and specialise in making custom size brake systems, locking systems, and turning systems; we call this STL (Stop Turn and Lock),”comments Marcus. “The first STL system we made wasn’t actually for the marine industry, however, we took the knowledge from that specific project and used it in the marine industry. This knowledge has been developed over the years and we are now on the fifth generation of the STL system; we will soon be launching a new generation of the system, which will be lighter, tighter, stronger and more usable than the ones currently on the market.”

Since the introduction of Generation 1 in 2002, STL has been developed and enhanced over the years; it also quickly changed the world market for industrial and marine locking systems. Offering one or several of three functions, all of which are contained in one customer interface, STL includes stopping, in which Dellner Brakes’ hydraulic or electric disc brake calipers effectively handle the stopping operation; turning, where mechanical linkages with hydraulic cylinders or electric motors position the disc brakes, and, together with an intelligent control system, the shaft is turned or indexed without the need of other turning devices. Last but not least is locking, in which the device LM has a specially designed tapered pawl that is engaged into the machined slot on the outer peripheral of the brake disc; this locks the shaft into place mechanically. This device can be operated manually, hydraulically or electronically.

Features of STL include a robust and maintenance friendly system, a range of different friction materials for the varied requirements of customers, remote and/ or local operation, fully automatic push button availability and lock-out maintenance functions. “When you buy a three-function propulsion shaft from Dellner Brakes you are

Brakes AB

The STL-System: A multifunction unit all contained in one customer interface

effectively buying a system that saves a lot of time,” says Marcus. “This is a major advantage for our customers; alongside these benefits we take care of the installation and the customer then has a product that can stop, turn and lock all in one.”

With innovation at the core of Dellner Brakes’ activities, the company is soon to launch the newly developed STL system, which is based on ther knowledge of working with this technology for more then one decade. Features of the product within the stopping process include faster directional changes and maneuverability as well as less load on propulsion systems, while features on the turning process include hydrodynamic bearing conditioning while in port; a reduction in marine growth on shafts, stern seals, propellers and hubs and optimised propeller blade positioning while sailing (sail, twin screw). Improved features of the locking function include reduced fuel consumption during feathering while sailing, less load on propulsion systems, lock-out maintenance

function and personal safety, with equipment and environmental protection.

“This new generation of the STL system will be launched at SMM, however, we are already working on the seventh generation of the system, which will be launched at some point in the near future,” says Marcus.

While the company focuses on enhancing its highly respected system and seeks out opportunities to expand its broad customer base at exhibitions such as SMM. It also has a number of developments in the pipeline for both the marine industry and the industrial market. It would appear that no one is putting the brakes on this successful company any time soon.

Dellner Brakes AB www.dellner-brakes.com • Brake solutions specialist for industrial and marine applications • Global customer base • Will soon launch new generation of the Stopping, Locking and Turning (STL) system

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Perfect

solution

D

UC Marine Group first emerged in 1984 focusing predominantly on providing diving services to inshore projects. An initial foray into offshore work began in 1987, and since then the company has steadily been expanding both into the international inshore market and the offshore sector. Today, DUC operates two vessels on its own fleet, the largest being a 56-metre multipurpose diving support vessel (DSV) called Ram, perfectly suited to undertake coastal operations with two cranes and a four-point mooring system.

However, as the company looks towards the offshore renewables and oil and gas markets as its major opportunity for the future, a second state-of-the-art vessel is currently being built.

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“Ram is employed throughout the year and we have been chartering several vessels that were either too big or too small for the required services,” explains Henk Kapitein, Owner of DUC Marine Group. “The charter vessels would have insufficient accommodation, deck space or cranage, no proper mooring system, or they were simply too overkill and completely cost ineffective. Some of the bigger vessels were using up to 12 tonnes of fuel per day.”

The decision was made then to order a purpose built vessel to support the growing demand for DUC’s services in the offshore market. Appropriately named the MPSV Solution and with the official naming ceremony taking place in May 2016, it was decided that the vessel would remain a Dutch enterprise with naval architects Hernand Jansen, hull

Profile: DUC

yard Shipcon and outfitting-yard Hoekman Shipbuilding all based in Holland.

“We believe that at 55 metres, Solution is perfectly sized with 42 beds on board, 250 square metres of deck space and a proper four point mooring system, which can be radio controlled,” details Henk. “It has a shallow draught, so can be operated near to shore, is capable of beaching, and has two moon pools for survey work. There are two knuckle boom cranes mid-ship (90Tm) and on the aft deck (290Tm), and the main crane includes a ten-tonne active heave compensated winch. It is more or less the Swiss army knife of vessels, particularly for the offshore wind industry.”

Displaying an average fuel consumption of around three tonnes a day, the smaller but well-equipped MPSV Solution is a perfect

fit for today’s offshore industries, particularly amidst challenging economic conditions.

Henk notes that with the state of the current oil price, more and more service companies are starting to diversify from oil and gas into renewables making it a very crowded and competitive market place. “It is getting tougher, but we think with this new vessel we can provide a one-stop-shop for clients,” Henk adds. “We can provide rope access, we have the divers, we can perform the surveys and so on, so as soon as Solution is ready we can start promoting ourselves as a complete service package and we think this will be of interest to the market.”

Alongside this fleet expansion DUC has also been making significant progress towards gaining full accreditation within the industry.

Marine Group

We can provide rope access, we have the divers, we can perform the surveys and so on, so as soon as Solution is ready we can start promoting ourselves as a complete service package and we think this will be of interest to the market

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Profile: DUC

Marine Group

Over the past few years the company has invested heavily to achieve ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and SCC two-star certification. Helping to deliver such quality is a team of committed and highly experienced divers. “We employ most of our divers directly, which means that our personnel are

committed and we can keep that excellent know-how within DUC Marine Group,” says Henk. “With the business, many of these divers have amassed years of experience diving in inshore conditions with strong currents and with numerous vessels, so they have a DNA within the company to operate and adapt to changing conditions whether they be in or offshore.

“We’ve got a great family-feel and a lot of our operatives are able to use this open culture to think very inventively and apply new solutions to projects. We try to monitor our customer satisfaction scores with regular questionnaires and we have averaged about 8.8 over the past two years, which is fantastic for us.”

The addition of the MPSV Solution will be vital to DUC expanding its capacity within the market whilst at the same time providing a cost effective service within a highly competitive sector. Over the coming months the new vessel will enter service and the company is confident that it will start to show its talents immediately. “The focus for the next year is going to be trained mainly on the wind industry but oil and gas will also feature,” Henk concludes. “We expect to sign a joint venture agreement in Iran over the next couple of months to take advantage of the growing opportunities for offshore maintenance and inspection work in the Middle East. In the longer term we continue to see the biggest opportunities in offshore, rather than inshore projects, and I can see us expanding into ROV services as well.”

The challenges of low oil prices are sending reverberations throughout the offshore industry and these pressures are facing everybody.

However, the need to continue operation remains and companies like DUC that are able to adapt and refocus their market offering are those best equipped to overcome the stresses. Whilst operators are looking to bring the cost of offshore work down, with a clear strategy and a growing fleet of perfectly suited vessels, it looks like DUC Marine Group may just have the solution.

DUC Marine Group www.ducmarinegroup.com • New vessel Solution under construction • Expanding capacity going forward • Invested into achieving ISO certification

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Profile: ECU-WORLDWIDE

Going

global

Ecu-Line becomes Ecu-Worldwide and introduces new services into Africa

P

ioneering the NVOCC (Non Vessel Operating Common Carrier) service, Ecu-Line has redefined its global LCL (Less than Container Load) and FCL (Full Container Load) operations with its wide network in over 164 countries, making it equipped to cater to ever kind of business need. In line with its strategy to strengthen its presence in new markets, the global leader has revamped its logo and name to thrust its leadership across all geographies, with Africa being one of its key targets.

With its new logo introduced in May 2016, the company will also be changing its name from Ecu-Line to Ecu-Worldwide; these developments will also coincide with a new slogan: ‘Geography simplified’. Keen to focus on its global presence, these changes also highlight Ecu-Line’s commitment to being viewed as a multinational logistics company. In fact, Ecu-Worldwide belongs to the Avvashya group of companies, which is also the parent company of Allcargo global

logistics. Headquartered in Mumbai, the Avvashya Group has been one of the Indian success stories in the logistics field for over two decades, and this new look from one of its subsidiaries infuses freshness and energy to make its identity more contemporary.

With offices in Africa, the US, Latin America, Europe, the Far East, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East and the Sub Indian continent, Ecu-Worldwide is truly capable of taking care of its customers LCL shipments across the globe. In Africa alone, EcuWorldwide runs 13 offices and has partnered with reputed associates, providing hinterland services to all major countries in Africa.

Through 27 direct export lanes out of Africa and more than 100 direct import lanes into Africa, the company is present in the majority of major seaports in Africa. As many freight forwarders still lack a proper presence on the continent, Ecu-Worldwide offices and agents also offer their services to forwarders that need a reliable partner on the continent.

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Now is the time to be present in Africa and who better than Ecu-Worldwide for a dependable partner?

Africa has emerged as an important part of the operations and strategy that is in place for Ecu-Worldwide. Indeed, with a wide network of trade lanes, it offers vast possibilities to seek and do business around its coastline.

On top of this, the continent houses some of the most buzzing economies, which are keen to expand their business interests to other continents. Despite the global economic crisis, the region has witnessed rapid growth, which also indicates a bright future ahead, with countries that are not resource-rich also witnessing an increase in their GDP. With poverty on the decline and opportunities to be had, the region is attracting serious amounts of private capital.

Collectively, all of these developments have resulted in Africa being projected as the second fastest growing region in the world by 2020, with the continent witnessing growth across multiple sectors like tourism, infrastructure, agriculture, FMCG and mining.

This large scale economic activity gives EcuWorldwide immense confidence about the growth that this continent is posed for and is happy to assist and be a part of this growth story with its own hubs based in strategically located ports. With 25 years of adhering

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to high service standards, Ecu-Line has a proven track record in the market; it also boasts exclusive partners and delivers more than 5.5 million freight tons across the globe annually.

Furthermore, the company’s LCL services have provided good benefits to its customers across the globe over the years, and through the acquisition of FCL marine, an FCL NVO, Ecu-Line is now one of the frontrunners for FCL as well. Following this acquisition, Ecu Worldwide has introduced new services that will support the operations of its business partners in the region.

On the LCL side, new direct services were launched from France, Le Havre/Abidjan in January, with a service from Marseille/Abidjan following suit in February. Furthermore, two new services into West Africa have been launched from Milan, one into Abidjan and one into Dakar; these will operate on a fortnightly basis. Additionally, from South East Asia, the company has launched services from Hong Kong to Abidjan; these services link China, Taiwan, the Philippines and Japan.

Alongside these developments, the LCL giant increased its frequency from the UK into Tema port to weekly from February 2016.

Meanwhile, in April 2016, Ecu Line launched a new direct lane LCL service out of Antwerp and into Port Said. Further

Profile: ECU-WORLDWIDE

developments are looked at for Algerian ports. Naturally, West Africa remains a vital part of the company’s development on the continent with Ecu-Worldwide servicing more destinations than any of its competitors.

On top of that Ecu-Worldwide will also complement its already existing sea services into Maghreb with a complementary truck service going from Belgium and The Netherlands into Morocco; this new service is anticipated to be launched in July 2016.

Ecu-Worldwide France is also expanding its services into Morocco with a truck service in view of the growing demand for this product with the expectation that this development will open the door for more truck services into North Africa.

With regards to East Africa, Ecu-Worldwide is increasing its presence into this market and also relaunched the Massawa service in February 2016. Focus is being put on the development of Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi and the eastern part of the DRC. Ecu-Worldwide has its own offices in Nairobi and Mombasa and a dedicated EcuWorldwide representative with the agent in Tanzania; these teams also offer air services,

Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Mozambique as well as options for the eastern DRC. The company caters to the needs of everybody by offering direct lanes from Europe, Asia and the US into South Africa.

With a comprehensive expansion of trade lanes, Ecu-Worldwide has access to all major seaports in Africa, thus giving its customers a convenient gateway to the continent. With a bright future ahead of it, Ecu-Worldwide will continue to work with reputable shipping lines with the goal of offering a wide scope for possible direct calls. Furthermore, EcuWorldwide is offering airfreight into Africa, which will further cement its reputation as a strong global player when it comes to NVOCC services, both in the African region and across the world. customs clearance and inland trucking, with over-sized cargoes being handled more and more in this area. These services are also offered into the Sudan, as well as Djibouti and Ethiopia.

When it comes to the company’s presence in South Africa, Ecu-Worldwide has four offices that strongly focus on promoting the overborder cargoes into Zambia, Malawi,

Ecu-Worldwide www.ecuworldwide.com • International NVOCC cargo shipping company • Launching shipping lines into West Africa from Europe • In process of revamping company with new name, logo and slogan

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Your partner towards green shipping World wide engineering, project management and turnkey installations “Imagine what you know tomorrow”

Committed to

quality

H

Anders Sjostrom

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eadquartered in Sweden, M.E. Solutions AB (MESAB) was established in 2009 with the aim of providing turnkey environmental solutions to the shipping and shipbuilding industry worldwide. Offering ballast water treatment, exhaust gas cleaning, fuel consumption reduction and other energy and environmental solutions, its mission is to actively contribute to technological solutions that minimise emissions to air and sea, and which deliver tangible cost savings to shipping companies as well as environmental sustainability.

In 2014, the company witnessed a five-fold increase in sales thanks to a vast increase of orders for scrubber integration in line with the implementation of the IMO sulphur restrictions; this growth continued throughout

2015 as more customers became aware of the company’s abilities in laser scanning and 3D and increased numbers of customers sought out energy solutions. In response to this growth, the company opened a manpower supply company in Poland in 2014, which enhanced its provision of crew and office training and thus enabled MESAB to successfully increase the level of personnel within the business throughout 2015.

Discussing the onsite training programme to Shipping & Marine magazine in July 2015, Managing Director of ME Solutions AB Anders Sjostrom commented: “We demand that all the installers are certified for plastic glass reinforced epoxy (GRE) pipes as well as undergoing our own specific training on how this should be done. It is vital that they are able to read drawings and interpret the instructions

provided through the 3D modelling. This commitment has turned out to be very successful for the business, and the difference achieved by the labour being able to visualise the design is very clear. We are very busy with survey work, carrying out laser scanning on board vessels and producing proposals that highlight the restrictions, and the problems that may be encountered when installing a scrubber.”

Following the installation of a scrubber on a cruise ship as well as the integration of systems on four RoRo vessels operating in the Baltics in 2015, the company has continued working its way through its busy order book, as Anders highlights: “Since we last spoke MESAB has seen an ongoing order intake increase; this is with the same customer as the previous article, but a new brand: Princess Cruises. We are pleased to have received continued confidence from this long-term customer.”

Alongside delivering solutions on Princess Cruises ships, Anders notes that the company has also been involved in other notable projects such as the installation of four scrubber systems on the Queen Mary 2: “This project encompasses approximately 800 metres of GRE pipes in sizes DN350 and 400. This project has been challenging as the system had to be started before any equipment was installed, such as pumps, overboards or scrubber towers. This means that we had to start building with floating fixed points, which was almost like starting in the middle of a pipe system. While work continues on the Queen Mary 2 we are also currently underway with an extremely challenging project fitting three scrubber systems to a ship while sailing. The challenge here lies in that there is absolutely no space to install a pipe system, at least not to the surveyor’s eye.

However by using laser scanning we have found routing options and actually already completed the most difficult part of this project.”

The company’s ability to find solutions to the most challenging of customer demands has not been ignored by the market, with MESAB enjoying enquiries and orders from customers via reference, says Anders: “We have a lot of customers that contact us by reference nowadays. They say things like: ‘We heard you did such a great job on this and that ship and can you therefore take a look at my project?’ It is a very positive market for us.”

In response to this increased demand, MESAB made the strategic decision to expand into the US market with a warehouse in Miami, Florida, with plans to further expand with a warehouse in Seattle. “A local presence in Miami is very important to us as it will enable us to visit ships faster and also cut our costs for projects,” explains Anders. “We want to deliver reverse engineering offices such as laser scanning of existing pipes, for example; we also want to manufacture pipes onshore and then go onboard and replace the same pipes. This is a quick and cost-effective way of working that will significantly minimise a ship’s downtime.”

Not only expanding its geographical reach, the company has also increased its product portfolio after establishing a partnership with NK Group, a South Korean specialist developer and manufacturer of ballast water treatment products. Within NK’s portfolio are shipboard fire control systems, shipboard ballast water treatment systems; high pressure gas cylinders, natural gas vehicle (NGV) cylinders and environmental protection technologies. Furthermore, the company is also branching into new IMO products and markets that include green energy.

“NK, a South Korean ballast water treatment product maker has selected MESAB as a partner in the EU; following this agreement, we are now selling NK products and are also providing the full scope of services we can offer for shipowners: engineering and installation plus after market services,” says Anders.

With an expanded portfolio and strengthened presence in the US, MESAB is in a strong position thanks to its unrelenting commitment to quality in all areas of a project, as Anders explains: “By continuing to focus on the quality of systems that we deliver and by solving issues for owners, we ensure a long life time of our installations. It may sound a contradiction, but delivering a high quality service is actually more costefficient than delivering a standard service.

The high quality of our systems is guaranteed due to a focus on engineering before any work is undertaken onboard; moreover, this guarantee is strengthened because as much fabrication of components as possible is made onshore in workshops suitable for this type of production.”

Looking ahead, the company will use these impressive capabilities to make its goal of global expansion a reality, as Anders concludes: “We believe reverse engineering will be in demand over the coming years once its potential has been realised, so this is an area of the business we will certainly focus on.

We will also support NK products as well as the engineering, sales and developments of our client base over the coming years.”

ME Solutions AB www.mesabab.eu

• Provider of turnkey environmental solutions • Working on the Queen Mary 2 • Established new office in Florida

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Transhipping

history

L

ocated in the south-western region of the Baltic Sea, the port of Lübeck operates as a major transhipment hub, with a dense network of liner services that establishes the port as a central turntable for traffic between the economic metropolises in western, central and southern Europe, including further routes to Scandinavia, Finland, the Baltic States and Russia. Since January 2008 the Lübeck Port Authority (LPA), operating as part of the public administration of the City of Lübeck, has been solely responsible for the management of all of the port’s infrastructure

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and finance, as well as the operation of its railways.

The port at Lübeck has a rich history that embodies a wealth of maritime tradition of knowledge and experience, which continues to serve the port and its users today.

“Lübeck is a city located within ScheswigHolstein, northern Germany and is the third largest seaport in the country, as well as the core port in the TEN-T Transport Network ScanMed Corridor. The town of Lübeck was founded in 1143 as the first German harbour on the coast of the Baltic Sea. In 1160 Lübeck officially received its city charter

and has since grown to have a population of 218,523 as of 2015. During its early history the City of Lübeck was also the capital city of the Hanseatic League, which existed as a commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and associated market towns between the 12th and 18th centuries.

Owing to its impressive cultural history and its extensive Gothic brick architecture, UNESCO has listed Lübeck as a World Heritage Site.

Today the port is a Baltic market leader in RoRo traffic, ranking as number six in Europe overall meaning that the importance of the port in the supply chains of central

Profile: Lübeck

ATR Landhandel

Lübeck is centered in one of the most fertile regions in the World. Wheat grown in this area serves the import needs of countries in Northand Subsaharan Africa and the Near East. The ATR export terminal in Lübeck provides a very efficient link between our overseas customers and the farms in Northern Germany. With a storage volume of more than 160,000 tons and a throughput capacity of over 10,000 tons per day all types of vessels can be loaded. In combination with the ATR terminal in Rostock Panmax vessels can be completed for a sailing draft of up to 13 m.

European transport remain unbroken,” details port planning division manager, Michael Siemensen.

“From its location in the south-western region of the Baltic Sea, Lübeck acts as an important transhipment hub and thanks to its Hinterland connections incoming cargo has several transport links to its required destination,” he expands. “The three-lane A1 motorway in the direction of Hamburg connects Lübeck with three main economic centres in Europe, while the rail network offers high-efficiency in terms of both carload and combined traffic. In addition, the ElbeLübeck canal provides a direct link to the European inland waterway network.”

As a major European transhipment hub, the Port of Lübeck has developed a strong presence in the surrounding area. The City of Hamburg for example, is an important harbour at the North Sea that is located 65km southwest of Lübeck and has a close relationship with the port. In terms of infrastructure the Port of Lübeck is about 375 hectares in size and encompasses a total quay wall of circa 31.6km with space for 41 berths. Lübeck supports 13 terminals

Port Authority

located along the River Trave with modern handling equipment and highly trained staff.

All of the terminals have excellent links to the Hinterland, with access via road, rail and inland waterway. The total harbour traffic from the Port of Lübeck in 2014 was 26.4 million tonnes, with 98 per cent of harbour traffic running inside the Baltic Sea region.

Its strong network of transport infrastructure makes Lübeck an ideal route for the transport of goods throughout Europe and the Baltic. Presently around 89 per cent of the cargo traffic to pass through the port is handled by the public port operator, Lübecker Hafen-Gesellschaft (LHG) (Cargo: RoRo & ConRo-Cargo, forest products, high & heavy project cargo, cars and anything else) while the remaining 11 per cent is carried by private port operators. The company Lehmann (Cargo: dry bulk, forest products, short sea container & RoRo) is the biggest private harbour operator. In addition, the port works with companies like Claus Rodenberg Port Logistics, Lagerhaus Lübeck, ATR Landhandel and Burmann Hafenlogistik who all handle cargo like dry bulk, liquids or wood.

This has made Lübeck a vital trade route for

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players operating within several markets.

Lübeck offers all of the advantages of a modern logistics centre with the highest levels of quality and know-how, especially concerning forest products such as paper and pulp. This has made the terminal the largest transhipment and distribution centre for the Swedish and Finnish paper industry in Europe. “At first glance it is Lübeck’s geographical position that is so attractive to Scandinavia and Finland’s export industry. Lübeck’s location gives

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the port the shortest connections to the industrial centres of western and central Europe,” Michael observes. “Secondly, its excellent Hinterland transport connections such as the A1, A7 and A20 motorways, an outstanding intermodal rail network and the European inland waterway offer a significant advantage. Thirdly however, and perhaps most importantly, LGH and Lehmann have developed dedicated terminals with tailormade solutions for their clients in the Swedish and Finnish paper industry. Furthermore, the daughter company of LHG, ECL, takes care of the distribution of destinations all over Europe. These factors combined provide a package that is highly attractive to our Swedish and Finnish partners. For these clients, the Port of Lübeck lies in the straight direction to the print production industry.”

The port also maintains a very good network of ferry connections as well as intermodal service connections. These allow over 100 short-sea shipping departures per week to its main partner harbours. The

Profile: Lübeck

Port Authority

To ensure that the Port of Lübeck will be able to remain as a leading transhipment and logistical hub during the coming years, the port authority is currently implementing its harbour development plan with a projected timescale leading to 2030. “The harbour development plan investigates on the basis of traffic/trade prognosis together with type, quantity and size of the vessels using the port and developments in cargo loading/ unloading equipment to determine the future requirements of Lübeck,” Michael concludes.

“In time this will result in the development of new equipment, piers and the development of further space. It is the intention of the Lübeck Port Authority to increase the competitive capacity/competitiveness of the harbour into the future.” top ten harbours in 2014 were Trelleborg (SWE), Malmö (SWE), Helsinki (FIN), Hanko (FIN), Liepaja (LET), Hamina/Kotka (FIN), St. Petersburg (RUS), Kemi (FIN), Husum (SWE) and Rauma (FIN) - following Paldiski (EST) and Klaipeda (LIT). Also served and relating to the ship schedule are intermodal connections (70 trains per week) to the following main destinations: Ludwigshafen, Duisburg, Köln, Karlsruhe, Hamburg (all GER), Verona and Novara (both ITA).

Further to its comprehensive logistical connections, the port incorporates several other significant strengths. For example, Lübeck offers 24/7 terminal operations; handling from RoPax-vessels of a length of up to 250 metres; and handling from bulk vessels ranging from coaster class vessels to handysize and panamax ships. The Lübeck Port Authority has also contributed to the ReaLNG project that is funded by the EU by upgrading its port infrastructure to facilitate LNG bunkering in the future.

Although the Port of Lübeck its currently and will remain an important transport hub, the terminal will face some challenges during the coming years with the construction of an immersed tunnel under the Fehmarnbelt.

Commenting on this development, Michael elaborates: “Looking at the traffic/trade prognosis, the port will lose cargo to the new land bridge. The ferry links between Lübeck and Swedish ports will be under pressure - unless there is an investment of unilateral public spending. What we demand is a fair competition among the road, rail and ferry transport sectors. That means the costs for using the development must not be subsidised, otherwise there will be a distortion of competition and that damages the prospect of growing together.”

It is the intention of the Lübeck Port Authority to increase the competitive capacity/competitiveness of the harbour into the future

Lübeck Port Authority www.lpa.luebeck.de • Historic German port • Key Baltic transport hub • Continued development

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Ruling the

seas

We have been able to improve fuel consumption of the vessels by 15 per cent on an annual basis, compared to previous, similar-sized vessels, as well as having reduced our environmental footprint

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N

eptune Lines (NL) was first founded in 1975 by Nicolas Travlos as a cargo and ship handling services company soon expanding its services to operate across the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Today the business is a leading independent short sea operator, having developed a strong reputation for its ability to offer tailor-made solutions and adapt to market trends.

With a current fleet of 16 pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) vessels, NL carries close to one million units annually between 30 key ports strategically placed in 20 countries in its core markets. Operating one of the youngest fleets in the region, NL’s reputation with some of the world’s largest car manufacturers is almost unrivalled. Providing its services to customers such as Renault, VW Group and Ford, the business has demonstrated an impeccable safety record over the years, achieving a near zero per cent damage ratio,

and having one of the lowest claim levels in the entire industry.

When Shipping & Marine last featured NL back in July 2015, owner of Neptune Lines, Melina Travlos was pleased to report the recent growth of the company’s fleet following delivery of two new build vessels, Neptune Galene and Neptune Thalassa, from Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) in South Korea. These were soon accompanied by the acquisition of two additional, previously chartered, vessels – Neptune Hellas and Neptune Horizon.

Speaking at the time, Melina commented on the state-of-the-art energy efficiency of the two new build vessels. “Some of the improvements we made included hull optimisation to operation conditions, use of an electronic and de-rated engine and use of the Promas system by Rolls Royce to improve the efficiency of the propulsion system,” she said. “Through these enhancements we have been able to

Profile: neptune

improve fuel consumption of the vessels by 15 per cent on an annual basis, compared to previous, similar-sized vessels, as well as having reduced our environmental footprint.”

Under NL’s wider ‘Greener Shipping’ vision, yearly plans and constant monitoring are implemented to drive significant improvements into NL’s operations, and recent figures suggest that these efforts are paying off. Since 2010, for instance,

lines

the company has seen a 10.66 per cent reduction in its CO2 emissions and energy usage, something that has been significantly promoted by voyage optimisation and speed reduction, the use of advanced silicon based antifouling products on the hull of the company vessels and re-blading of two company vessel propellers. On top of this, a ‘zero waste disposal at sea’ policy and company-wide recycling efforts, hail NL as an environmental pioneer in its industry.

Moreover, Neptune Lines has also built its reputation on consistency along with flexibility as necessary to suit its customer needs. In an ever-changing market, there is a constant challenge for improvement and for providing a competitive edge, an improved service and the quality required by major multi-national corporations. According to Melina, “our customers do not just ship their products with us. We operate with the philosophy of being an integral part of the total supply chain. We are committed to providing a seamless operation for them; we strive to be part of their own customer service”.

Neptune Lines stands out thanks to its dedicated services and personal attention

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Profile: NEPTUNE

We pride ourselves on developing new markets, but without abandoning our long-established ones. We have been serving lines for more than 20 years and never left our customers without a service, even when that meant more cost to us.

Loyalty to our customers is one of our leading values

to customers. “We pride ourselves on developing new markets, but without abandoning our long-established ones. We have been serving lines for more than 20 years and never left our customers without a service, even when that meant more cost to us. Loyalty to our customers is one of our leading values,” says Melina.

Corporate responsibility, diverse corporate culture and sustainability goes hand in hand with Neptune Lines core business.

The company is committed to conducting its business in a socially responsible and ethical manner and is the first Greek shipping company to submit a ‘Sustainability Report’ as per GRI G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines in Greece. According to Nikos Paterakis, Neptune Lines’ Chief Operating Officer, “in our Company’s values the principles underlying good corporate governance and business ethics are deeply rooted. This year is marked by the

LINES

formalisation of our commitment to fight corruption and confront anti-competitive behaviour. In addition we have joined the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) and all employees have officially endorsed the Company’s Code of Conduct in which these business principles are clearly defined.

In addition we embrace diversity in our workforce, women are promoted to senior positions both on shore and off shore.”

NL’s mission is to be the most trusted car carrier company in its operational markets.

Investing in and developing its people remain core to realising this vision, as Neptune Lines continues to lead the way not only in the way it approaches the environment, but also its services, its customers and its surrounding communities. With a number of awards under its belt, including the most recent ‘Dry Cargo Company of the Year’ in Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards 2015 it is clear that NL is well on its way to succeeding in this vision.

Neptune Lines www.neptunelines.com • Leading car carrying operator • Winner of ‘Dry Cargo Company of the Year’ at 2015’s Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards • Exemplary focus on environmental responsibility

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Ronja Polaris

License to

chill R

enowned as the world’s leading live fish carrier, Sølvtrans Holding ASA (Sølvtrans) has been dedicated to transporting fish from source to shore since its inception in 1986. Headquartered in Aalesund, Norway, the company’s primary function is to deliver live salmon, trout and cod so that the end product is as fresh as possible.

Well suited to handling challenges such as controlling water quality and taking care of fish while in transit, Sølvtrans is at the forefront when it comes to ‘closed system’ technology, an environmentally friendly and innovative concept that minimises the danger of infection and has a positive effect on animal welfare; it also ensures the cost effective transportation and handling of fish. To do this effectively, the company has transportation and refrigeration technology that holds fish in an aquarium and gradually cools the water by 1.5 degrees Celsius per hour until it reaches the processing

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temperature of six degrees Celsius. The first vessel within the company’s fleet to utilise this technology was the Ronia Skye, which continues to serve Scottish Sea Farms today.

Founded by CEO Roger Halsebakk and three other people three decades ago, the business underwent a number of changes before Roger acquired the company from the other three owners between 1992 and 1994 and signed an agreement for a new 337 cubic metre vessel; when launched in 1996, Ronja Fisk was one of the largest wellboats in the world. When Ronja Fisk was named, Roger said: “When I turn 50 I will have 20 vessels.” This vision has proven true for the company, which, with five newbuilds on the way, will have 20 vessels with the arrival of Ronja Support from Aas Mek in October 2016.

One notable development in this impressive expansion of vessels was Sølvtrans’ acquisition of Bomlo

Profile: SøLVTRANS

HOLDING ASA

Ronja Supporter

MHSERVICE MHSERVICE is a Norwegian-based supplier of marine gasoil (MGO) and lubricants. The company has an extensive network around the world in order to serve its customers. With three strategic facilities on the West-coast of Norway, MHSERVICE is a strong partner in Norway.

Bronnbatservice, a shipping company with five modern vessels: Oydrott, Oylaks, Oyfjord, Oysund and Oytind. Made public on 16th December 2015, the buyout included the vessels, a strong crew and management staff and opportunities for Sølvtrans to enter south of Norway.

Robin Halsebakk, Business Developer at Sølvtrans Holding ASA, discusses Solvtrans’ plans to further expand its fleet: “Our fleet consists of 19 modern vessels.

Ronja Challenger is the 19th, and a vessel we are very proud to introduce to the UK market this year. We have four vessels under construction, and they will be delivered this year and 2017. The first one, Ronja Supporter, is the sister vessel of Ronja Challenger, and will be delivered in October/ November. Meanwhile, Øystrans is 3600 cubic metres, and will be delivered early 2017. Ronja Ocean is 3200 cubic metres, and will be delivered first quarter 2017. The last one is not yet named, but will be the exact same vessel as Ronja Ocean; she will be delivered in 2017. We are very pleased with our current vessels, but we continue to look forward.”

With the company celebrating 30 years in operation this year, Robin goes on to discuss the reasons behind the company’s ongoing success and growth: “Sølvtrans has always been in the forefront of advanced technology, and even though this is expensive, I believe it has made

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Left: Ronja Fisk

Ronja Harvester

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Sølvtrans what it is today. We also have a very good strategy of recruiting our own employees and then building them up within the company. This way of training and developing our personnel is why I believe we have the best employees in the market, and there are more to come. The crew is our most important resource, and it is important to be close to them. Therefore, we have hired more technical inspectors to be closer to the crew on board.

“We are also very focused on the daily operations, and do our outmost for the satisfaction of our customers; they are important for us, which is why we want to give the best possible service for them. In line with our commitment to continuous improvement and delivering high quality services, it is our goal to develop new technology that makes every operation easier; we also want to find ways to further improve our business.”

With the Norwegian fish farm sector one of the most prolific in the world, Sølvtrans’ home country remains one its most important markets; however international expansion has resulted in the company

Profile: SØLVTRANS

HOLDING ASA Ronja Superior

Ronja Huon

Sølvtrans Holding ASA www.solvtrans.no • Largest wellboat company for the transport of live salmon and trout • 30 year anniversary in 2016 • Four vessels under construction

gaining strong footholds in the UK, Canada, Chile and Tasmania. While the company’s primary function is to deliver fish, the company also provides a number of other services that add extra value to its logistics; one example of this is its heavy involvement in anti-sea lice systems, for which it has installed filtration solutions that are wholly capable of eradicating the lice.

As fish farming looks to continue growing across the globe, the company’s strategic decision to expand its fleet is certain to help it maintain its foothold as a leader in the fish carrying industry. However, looking more closer to home, Robin tells how Sølvtrans will enjoy celebrating 30 years in operation this year: “We are very proud of what we have done with the well boat market, and we look forward to the next 30 years. We will celebrate this at my home island Sandsoy, located outside Aalesund. It is a fantastic island surrounded by the sea, with lovely nature and atmosphere. A few famous Norwegian bands will play and it will also be the naming ceremony of Ronja Challenger; my wife Anita Mek Halsebakk will be the godmother for the occasion.”

With a great deal of positive developments in the pipeline and the majority of its vessels in long-term contracts, it is clear that Sølvtrans has plenty to celebrate.

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Information and

insight

S

Vessel motion monitoring system

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ince its foundation in 2011 by Gijs Hulscher, BMO Offshore has created a firm foothold in the offshore wind market with its innovative Vessel Black Box (VBB) technology. “The VBB is a vessel motion monitoring system that has its own dedicated online data management and reporting service,” explains Kirstin Timpte, Business Development Manager at BMO Offshore. “VBB is the tool that enables us to gather data and write an analysis on this and provide vessel profiling for the maritime sector. This ultimately gives a better grip on operations on how to reduce costs, increase and maintain revenues and enhance safety and efficiency during operations.”

With approximately 30 VBBs installed in the offshore wind industry across the North Sea since its first installation on a vessel of offshore services and vessel management firm Offshore Wind Services (now: Acta Marine WS) in September 2012, the entrepreneurial firm has become an established leader in the market.

Working on three levels, BMO Offshore collects and analyses data before reporting easy-to-interpret and actionable insights that enable organisations to continually improve operations on the strategic, tactical and operational decision making level. Part of the service is shown real-time on-board the vessel. In addition the client receives custom made reports on vessel performance.

“We recently provide vessel motion monitoring systems for the Greater Gabbard offshore windfarm, which is jointly owned by SSE and RWE with the aim of enhancing safety, monitoring asset integrity and increasing workability,” says Kirstin. “The companies felt an urgent need to gather more information on the developments taking place offshore, particularly in the summer time when they have a lot of vessels operating for them. We won the tender for this project and our vessel motion monitoring equipment is being installed on all of the vessels operating on the windfarm, which will deliver a performance report each month. We will also inform them on the docking against the offshore wind turbine and whether it was in the norm or if any impact limit was exceeded. Should it be

Profile: BMO

Offshore

maintenance side of the offshore industry. It is during this phase that vessels will be going to windfarms on a daily basis, so we are in a good position for continued growth. However, our product is still not a requirement from some health and safety organisations, which is why we are focusing on speaking with a lot of institutions on the health and safety side such as RenewableUK as well as giving presentations to developers. By using our products in all windfarms everyone will be on the same page wherever they are; we speak at a lot of conferences to address these benefits,” Kirstin concludes.

exceeded we will alert them. We also inform them if there is a drop in speed and offer suggestions as to how to save on fuel and train them a little in how the vessel master may influence their behavior.”

Crucial to clients in a world where time is money, BMO Offshore’s VBB helps ensure that time spent at windfarms is spent on wind turbine maintenance by analysing where time is lost through issues such as weather conditions, personnel suffering from sea-sickness or a lack of information.

By ensuring customers make the best use of their valuable time at sea by measuring motions, positions and speed fed with video images, BMO Offshore gives a clear overview of offshore logistics and the various aspects involved in a contract. This is particularly necessary in an environment where every wind project is different due to the distance of the windfarm to the harbour, the harbour itself and the windfarm itself.

Furthermore, BMO Offshore also focuses on the integral human element of each project and finds facts in issues such as whether a skipper made a judgment error or whether another cause was to blame.

Indeed, the human factor is a massive influence on crew comfort and a safe transfer.

Skippers can be empowered by a vessel display that gives a comprehensive overview of the vessel at all times. This is particularly important during the transfer of the vessel to the transition piece and during higher sea state limits. By showing if the movements of the vessel are within the safe, caution or extreme caution categories, the VBB display objectively reports and assists the skipper throughout the journey and enables them to recognise a hazardous situation.

“Other examples of influencing human behaviour are perhaps training your vessel master. It is all about influencing behaviour and creating awareness as to how they use

the vessels when they go offshore,” says Kirstin.

While the offshore market is currently challenging for most, BMO Offshore can give more insight into the operations. BMO is increasingly seeing the need for having vessel motion monitoring equipment on board their fleet. “A product that reduces cost and increases safety will be an even more crucial factor for our clients in the offshore and

BMO managing director Gijs Hulscher is listed as a speaker at Windpower Monthly’s Vessels & Access forum in Amsterdam, 24-26 May. BMO hopes to see you there!

BMO Offshore www.bmo-offshore.com • Delivers operational intelligence to the maritime industry • Collects and analyses data to offer insights for improvement • Develops innovative technology, including Vessel Black Box

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Profile: PT

Anggrek Hitam

Modern and

successful E

stablished in 2008, PT Anggrek Hitam is the proud owner and operator of a modern and successful shipyard in Batam, Indonesia. A subsidiary of Holotan Pte Ltd (Singapore), the company acquired a land area of approximately ten hectares in the year of its inception, which has a deepwater frontage of 300 metres; since then the company developed the land into a fully operating shipyard with ground stabilisation and infrastructure comprised of workshops, offices and a jetty. Today services available to customers include shipbuilding, ship repair, naval architecture, marine fitting, steel cutting, steel painting and blasting and steel bending.

Located a mere 20 kilometres from Singapore, the strategically based shipyard can be reached by ferry in less than an hour; this close proximity not only benefits PT Anggrek Hitam in terms of marketing and

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business development, but also enables the company to take advantage of Singapore’s logistic hub, personnel and equipment.

Indeed, this ideal location has resulted in access to numerous international blue chip suppliers, a strong network comprised of qualified specialists, efficient and expedited international deliveries, alongside transportation of two voyages and two air freights per day and access to many specialist sub-contractors. Additionally, Batam has been a free-trade zone since 1989, which offers a simplified and economical import and export environment for those operating in the area.

Founded independently and driven by the ownership of Indonesia citizens, PT Anggrek Hitam is fully supported by its parent company as it continues to achieve growth, success and a solid reputation for quality. Since being awarded its first contract for a deck cargo ship with capacity amounting to 12,000

deadweight tonnes, while still in the process of completing the yard, the company has improved both facilities and project delivery.

For example, the yard itself now focuses on engineering and has its own in-house team and project management department, while the labour is subcontracted to external partners. This way of operating means there is greater flexibility when it comes to managing several projects at the same time at the shipyard as workers can be increased according to the number of contracts at any given time.

Furthermore, the company has also gained recognition through numerous certifications and licences, such as ISO 9001:2008, RINA and CISQ/IQNET; it is also certified

by Hamburg-based Germanisher Lloyd for prefabrication services. In addition to a focus on quality, PT Anggrek Hitam is also renowned for its commitment to safety, with the company

reaching two million man-hours without any lost time injury (LTI) in August 2014. This was beaten in October 2015, when the company announced it had reached five million man hours without LTI. Having created the shipyard from scratch, PT Anggrek Hitam has ensured it can carry out construction projects effectively.

Facilities include four building berths, a large fabrication area and workshops. Within the workshops, the company has a number of facilities, not limited to but including a CNC plasma cutting machine, an autoblasting and shop priming workshop, a steel storage warehouse, bending and welding machines; two units of 100 tonne mobile cranes, two units of 70 tonne mobile cranes, one unit of a 40 tonne mobile crane; one unit of a seven tonne lorry crane; automatic welding machines and automatic cutting machines. Designed for a production output of 25,000 tonnes of steel per annum, the shipyard has also calibrated its infrastructure for the construction of self-propelled deck carriers up to 20,000 deadweight tonnes and floating cranes.

A recent project was announced for the company in the first quarter of 2016, when state-owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina ordered eight tanker vessels with a total investment of $200 million. PT Anggrek Hitam was one of the three local shipbuilders chosen for the construction of the tankers and will be constructing MT Parigi and MT Pattimura.

Each of the eight vessels will have a dead weight tonnage of approximately 17,500 metric tonnes, will be environmentally friendly, with strong safety measures and will also meet international regulatory requirements.

With a wide range of vessel types of various classes and ranges in capacity in its portfolio, PT Anggrek Hitam is certain to remain busy as it further strengthens its reputation for building

vessels of exceptional quality in a safe and reputable manner. From fuel oil & chemical tank barges to supply vessels or product oil tankers, PT Anggrek Hitam and its dedicated, fully AMDAL (Environmental Impact Analysis Recognition) compliant team has developed an operating method that ensures optimum quality in all areas of operation each and every time.

PT Anggrek Hitam www.anggrekhitam.com • Indonesian shipyard able to build vessels above 10,000 DWT • Expanded workforce in 2015 • Reached five million man hours without LTI by October 2015

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Profile: VYBORG

SHIPYARD

In demand W

ith more than 65 years of experience in shipbuilding, Vyborg Shipyard PJSC today is one of the largest shipbuilding companies in the North-Western Region of Russia. Since its foundation in 1948, the company has built more than 200 vessels with a deadweight of up to 12,000 tonnes, with a total displacement of 1,550,000 tonnes. To ensure its impeccable reputation continues, the company employs more than 1500 personnel, many of which are specialists that are certified by the leading international classification societies such as Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, Bureau Veritas, RINA, Germanischer Lloyd and the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.

Core activities of Vyborg Shipyard are the construction of small and medium tonnage vessels, a service that began more than 50 years ago when the company began building and trading vessels such as timber carriers, cargo ships, container vessels, and special vessels. Well-equipped for constructing vessels to the optimum levels of quality and safety, the shipyard is able to perform the full production cycle, from the issue of working

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documentation, to planning, calculations, procurement, fabrication, testing and, finally, the handing over of a completed vessel to the customer both on time and at the agreed contract price.

In addition, the company has gained a leading reputation for building drilling platforms for open seas in Russia over the last 35 years. Indeed, since entering the oil and gas market in 1978, Vyborg Shipyard has been involved in major projects such as building offshore facilities for the Caspian Sea block-modules and pontoons for six semi-submersible drilling rigs along with four ‘turnkey’ built drilling rigs. Moreover, during the period of 1994 to 1997, the company performed modernisation works on two semi-submersible drilling platforms in order to allow them to work in the Atlantic at a sea depth of up to 2000 metres. To extend columns and pontoons of the platforms during this project, a unique lifting operation was performed. The capabilities and expertise of the company within this sector has not gone unnoticed in the industry, with Vyborg Shipyard being recognised as the best company in the construction of floating

drilling rigs and supply vessels at the tenth annual Neftegazshelf 2015 conference.

Alongside operations within these areas, the versatile Vyborg Shipyard is also able to take on special projects, ship repair and modernisation and steel production. Special projects include the production of a power distribution module for the first sea ice-proof stationary platform in the world, which was delivered on June 4th 2006.

More recent projects for the shipyard include the construction of two project 21900M icebreakers, Vladivostok and Murmansk, under the Federal Target Programme for the Development of the Transport System of Russia (2010 – 2015).

In comparison to the older project 21900 class icebreakers, the newer project 21900M vessels boast higher performance characteristics and has been classified by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RMRS) as the ice class, Icebreaker6.

Intended for operations in the Baltic Sea and the Northern Sea Route along the Russian Arctic coast, the vessels will have a maximum icebreaking capability of 1.5 metres.

since been busy performing further outfitting works in advance of sea and ice trials before the vessel will be delivered as part of the development of the Russian transport system (2010 – 2020).

With the keel-laying ceremony of the icebreaking support vessels for Gazprom Neft taking place in November and December 2015, the company has enjoyed a fruitful 2015 thanks to its dedication to quality, safety, efficiency, innovation and punctuality. As it moves forward, this proven reputation is certain to result in continued success for Vyborg Shipyard as major shipping and oil and gas firms increasingly rely on the company to deliver the very best solutions to their ever-evolving requests.

Vyborg Shipyard With Vladivostok fully constructed in mid 2015, the official ceremony of lifting the National Flag onto the vessel took place on September 23rd where it was announced the most up-to-date and most powerful of all diesel-electric powered icebreakers in operation within the Russian Federation.

Following the ceremony, Vyborg Shipyard completed sea trials of the icebreaker in October 2015; these trials included testing the vessel’s speed and maneuvering characteristics, performance and compatibility of ship systems and equipment as well as operation capacity of the propulsion plant alongside electrical, radio and navigation equipment. Confirmed to be in compliance of all technical characteristics of the icebreaker technical design by Vyborg Shipyard specialists, the vessel was then delivered to the customer.

Hot on the heels of its sister vessel was the Icebreaker Murmansk project 21900M, which was delivered to the Federal Agency of Marine and River Transport on 25th December 2015. With a full range of design and turnkey construction works completed on these projects, the icebreakers 21900M will ensure optimum winter navigation assistance in the Baltic Sea as well as the Arctic region. As part of the commemorative event, the icebreaker Murmansk also had the flag of the Russian Federation hoisted onto it. Both vessels will offer independent ice escorting of heavy tonnage vessels, as well as towage, fire fighting on floaters and other facilities; additionally, they will offer salvage and assistance to distressed vessels as well as the transportation of cargoes.

Following the hand over of Vladivostok and

Murmansk, the company is now focusing on the construction of the third serial build Icebreaker Novorossiysk project 21900M. With the solemn launching ceremony taking place on October 29th, the company has

vyborgshipyard.ru/en/

• Leading shipyard in Russia • Recently constructed icebreaker 21900 M Vladivostok • Preparing to construct anither vessel currently

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Profile: NGM

Energy

Fast

movers Operating as a

provider of reliable transportation services across the globe, the group boasts more than six decades of experience, which it has used to develop a solid reputation and strong industry relations with most of the major charterers, brokers, suppliers, bankers, shipyards, agents, bunker suppliers and traders around the world

F

ounded by Mr Nicholas G Moundreas in 1961, Nicholas G Moundreas Shipping SA, (NGM Energy SA) is a leading international shipping company that today operates as a family run group comprised of three business segments: Nicholas G Moundreas Shipping SA, NGM Energy SA and Unimar SA. Operating as a provider of reliable transportation services across the globe, the group boasts more than six decades of experience, which it has used to develop a solid reputation and strong industry relations with most of the major charterers, brokers, suppliers, bankers, shipyards, agents, bunker suppliers and traders around the world.

Not only the proud founder of the highly

successful conglomeration, Nicholas also co-founded Good Faith Shipping Co. S.A, a leading dry cargo vessel operating company in 1964, a feat that involved managing a fleet of up to 50 diversified vessels at times.

Renowned as one of the oldest and most reputable shipping establishments in Greece, the group is active in commercial ship-management as well as the sale and purchase of vessels, newbuildings, insurance and other projects. Mainly operating in the dry cargo sector, the group’s fleet of dry cargo and tanker vessels are commercially managed by NGM Energy and Unimar SA; the latter of which was founded by Nicholas in the 1960s to specialise in ship-management in the dry cargo market, while the former was

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Profile: NGM

Energy By keeping abreast of the constant changes in the shipping market and adjusting to these developments accordingly, the company will safeguard its future by turning opportunities for ongoing profits and success into reality established in 2003 by George, Harkilia and Natalia Moundreas, the children of Nicholas.

The fleet boasts a carrying capacity of more than three million dwt, and features a range of vessel types.

Committed to delivering a streamlined, competitive and efficient service, NGM Energy focuses on the continuous improvement of its operations; a recent example of this is its recent investment in Thomas Gunn’s Voyager Chart Management Service, which will enhance efficiency on board. Known as a series that has earned a strong reputation for reliability, innovation and responsiveness, NGM Energy chose Voyager 4, the most recent system, to manage paper and digital charts on all 16 vessels within its fleet in 2013. In addition to using Voyager, the company is also taking advantage of Thomas Gunn’s outfit management service (OMS) for the automated supply of paper charts. By rolling out Voyager 4 across its fleet, personnel will be able to manage all navigational information through a single service that includes NAVAREA warnings; it also boasts new route planning functionality, which makes the identification of charts, publications and updates that are necessary for a voyage even more simple and efficient.

As NGM Energy looks to the future it remains entirely aware of the fiercely competitive and difficult nature of the industry it operates within, however it is the company’s business policies, the professionalism of its employees, the striving of all within the company to maximise profits and the overall integrity of the company that has led to ongoing success. Indeed, by keeping abreast of the constant changes in the shipping market and adjusting to these developments accordingly, the company will safeguard its future by turning opportunities for ongoing profits and success into reality.

NGM Energy www.gmoundreas.gr • Part of the Nicholas G Moundreas Shipping SA group • Family run organisation • Operate a fleet of 16 tankers

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Why you are our #1 priority In shipbroking, financial opportunities are plenty, and if the global economic downturn has taught us anything, it is that you do not entrust your financial interests to an inexperienced broker house.

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In everything we do, we always start with you – creating opportunities and always to your best advantage.

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our business partners, the better able we are to meet their needs. In fact, this insight has shaped our whole business model.

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This combination of global reach and local presence is your guarantee that we hear you – and that our analysis and insights are always available to you quickly and conveniently.

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Editor: Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Sales director: Joe Woolsgrove jwoolsgrove@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

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