Shipping and Marine Issue 118 Final Edition

ISSUE 118 FINAL

The magazine for maritime management

Life savers The complex regulations surrounding liferafts and the pyrotechnics inside them

breathing space

The implications of new safety guidelines from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regarding crew working in enclosed spaces

the ecdis era

2015 is set to be a landmark year for modern maritime navigation, although a large proportion of the global tanker fleet is facing a considerable challenge

back to life

A racing yacht was destined for scrap following a fall while out of the water, but a shipyard in Exeter is giving her a new lease of life

Editor’s comments

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While it’s easy to be dismissive of ‘health and safety gone mad’ working on the ocean is still one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.

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Chairman Andrew Schofield Group Managing Director Mike Tulloch Sales Director David Garner Editor Libbie Hammond libbie @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk Art Editor/Design David Howard Profiles Editor Jo Cooper Staff Writers Matthew High Andrew Dann Steve Nash Production Manager Fleur Daniels Production dhoward @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk studio @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk

Advertisement Administrator Tracy Chynoweth studio@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Head of Research Philip Monument Editorial Researchers Laura Thompson Gavin Watson Mark Cowles Tarj D’Silva Jeff Goldenburg Jo-ann Jeffery Emily Claxton

Safety

first

The topics of safety at sea has recurred throughout this magazine, and the issues surrounding it range from SOLAS regulations for liferafts and pyrotechnics, to breathing apparatus for confined spaces and the need for more sophisticated navigation to avoid collisions.

Naturally, the companies that are profiled also have an intense focus on safety, and in the case of some, not only of their own staff but are in the business of protecting other people as well (see Ambrey Risk on page 86).

While it’s easy to be dismissive of ‘health and safety gone mad’ working on the ocean is still one of the most dangerous jobs in the world (with deep sea fishermen behind only lumberjacks in one online poll.) It’s reassuring to see the companies in Shipping & Marine all place such store on keeping everyone safe.

Editor: Libbie Hammond

Advertising Sales Joe Woolsgrove Tim Eakins Dave King Darren Jolliffe Graham Allinson Mark Cawston Subscriptions ikidd @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk

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.shippingandmarine.co.uk.

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, 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.

©2015 Schofield Publishing Ltd

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Features

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4 News Updates and announcements from the shipping and maritime arena

9 To the rescue Thanks to the generosity of Helix Well Ops, the Crosby Coastguard Rescue team have new drysuits to assist them in their water and mud rescue training

10 Breathing space

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New legislation is putting shipowners and operators under increasing pressure. DFDS Seaways believes it promotes continuing improvements to safety in shipping

12 The ECDIS era Jason Scholey discusses the continuation of the tanker industry’s digital evolution

14 Clever coating A solution from PPG Protective & Marine Coatings is providing Bore with a reliable, efficient coating system that can perform in heavy ice conditions

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16 Plotting the course The implications of recent studies are clear - without drastic change, the North Sea risks turning into an offshore M25 with frequent accidents, delays and lengthy queues at major ports

18 Back to life Challenge Business 45, formerly part of Chay Blyth’s legendary fleet built to sail around the world, had fallen over and was destined for scrap until Brian Pogson decided to save her

20 Life savers Liferafts are regarded as essential inclusions on board vessels. If the crew has the time or ability to deploy one and utilise the equipment on board, their chances of survival are vastly increased

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Profiles

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27 Lanpan PTE 31 Suez Canal Container Terminal 34 SeaKing 37 IBIA 40 Wrist Ship Supply 43 Scanunit 46 Shipyard De Kaap 49 Port of Gibraltar 52 Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc

71 AtoB@C Shipping 74 Norled 77 Ionic Shipping (MGT) Inc 80 Commercial Marine & Piling 83 Steerprop 86 Ambrey Risk

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89 Erik Thun AB 92 Peel Ports Group 95 Fareast Ship Management

55 Athus Container Terminalnal

98 Port of T贸rshavn

58 Burgess Marine

104 Cammell Laird

62 Andriaki Shipping

108 MAATS Tech

64 Reederei NSB

112 Wills Ridley

66 Petro Tank SA

114 B Hepworth & Co

68 Noble Charteringg

116 A&P Falmouth

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118 Rotortug 120 Evoqua Water Technologies 122 Mampaey Offshore Industries 124 Protection Vessels International 126 Stolt Tankers-Stolt Nielsen Group 128 Frisia-Offshore 130 Bogerd Martin www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 3

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Maritime news Vessel order Damen has signed a contract with leading dredging and marine contractor Van Oord for the supply of a CSD 650 custom suction dredger together with an FCS 1605 Fast Crew Supplier, initially for operations in the Caspian Sea. Designed and delivered by Damen Dredging Equipment in Nijkerk, the Netherlands, the vessel will leave the yard at the end of January and travel overland to the Caspian Sea, from where it will begin operations in April.

“Van Oord requires a cutter suction dredger at short notice because of the large number of ongoing dredging projects. Damen’s expertise combined with Van Oord standards will result in a fit-forpurpose addition to our dredging projects in the Caspian Sea,” says Peter Bunschoten, project director at Van Oord.

Breakthrough in composite approval For the first time, combustible, fibre-reinforced, lightweight composite has been approved for use in a SOLAS ship. Panama’s flag authority has accepted a design where hatches in fibre-reinforced plastic composite replace steel hatches. Research and fire risk analyses at SP have helped in making this possible.

Lightweight composites have a number of advantages compared with steel; among others, ships can be made lighter, which reduces fuel consumption and emissions, and there is no corrosion. SP has been engaged since 2004 on a range of projects to develop methods and produce information to enable approval of combustible, fibre-reinforced lightweight composite on ships.

According to Tommy Hertzberg, fire researcher at SP, up to now it has been difficult to obtain approval as all regulations are based on steel.

SP’s experts have been involved in numerous Swedish and international projects, which have had the aim of gaining approval using new materials, but prior to this no flag state had fully accepted the lightweight solution. Panama’s flag authority has now accepted a conversion-using composite, which is a major step forward.

“We have contributed our know-how to the Norwegian group and DNV-GL, which in conjunction with the Japanese shipyard Oshima has produced a clever, lightweight design which resolves many of the problems there are with steel hatches,” he says.

The ship, a cargo vessel of 225 x 32 m, which has now been approved for conversion, is owned by the Danish shipping company Nordic Bulk Carriers AS. “We have been responsible for the fire analysis in accordance with SOLAS Regulation 17, which is used to show how to achieve fire safety equivalent to steel, which has made the approval possible. I would describe this as a breakthrough,” added Tommy.

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Expansion update The first gate has been installed in the new Pacific locks on the Panama Canal expansion project. Carried to its final destination on self-propelled motorised wheel transporters (SPMTs) with more than 400 wheels each, the first gate for the new locks in the Pacific side was installed on 19th January, marking another important milestone for the Panama Canal Expansion Program. Overall, the Canal expansion is currently 85 per cent complete.

This gate, located in what is known as lock head one, is the first of eight gates that will be installed in the new locks at the Pacific side of the waterway. The steel rolling gate is eight meters wide, 57.6 meters long and 22.28 meters in height, weighing 2300 tons. Upon completion, the two new lock complexes will have a total of 16 gates, eight in the Pacific and eight in the Atlantic.

Speaking on 19th January, Panama Canal Administrator/CEO Jorge L. Quijano said: “Today’s installation marks an important step towards the completion of the Expansion Program. This project will have an important impact on world maritime trade and will further position Panama as the logistic hub of the Americas.”

Maritime news Supreme solution

Norwegian joint effort

Eversendai Offshore has made a significant investment in AVEVA’s Integrated Engineering & Design solutions through its deployment of AVEVA Marine. The agreement includes the full suite of AVEVA Marine engineering and design applications that will be used on a series of new marine and offshore projects, including topsides, platforms and ships. “AVEVA Marine was the most talked about solution during our research of the market,” said Suresh Ramadoss, head of engineering, Eversendai Offshore. “It is the best suited for marine and offshore projects and integrates with AVEVA’s PDMS software which is a massive bonus for Eversendai Offshore and our clients. It is also Citrix Ready, which gives us the flexibility to work on the same project across any of our offices. We have already seen how by working with AVEVA’s suite of integrated applications, we can minimise errors, save project time and reduce cost.

This improves our return on investment and gives us a fantastic competitive advantage.”

“Maintaining data integrity is a huge issue for customers such as Eversendai as it can have a massive impact on project schedules and cost,” added Louis Khoury, senior vice president - operations MEA, AVEVA. “AVEVA’s Integrated Engineering & Design solution achieves optimised project efficiency by aligning applications across multiple disciplines. This results in higher quality deliverables and better schedule adherence, benefitting both Eversendai and its customers.”

The Minister of Trade and Industry Monica Mæland and State Secretary for Climate and Environment Lars Andreas Lunde have signed a declaration of co-operation with key players in the Norwegian coastal shipping industry. This declaration aims to ensure that Norway has the world’s most environmentally friendly fleet of coastal vessels.

In the future, LNG and battery power are projected to comprise a considerable share of the fuel used by the global fleet. Norway already has a leading position in this field and has a good environmental and business starting point to more broadly implement these new technologies. DNV GL has now taken the initiative to launch a Green Coastal Shipping programme, a joint effort by industry and authorities to ensure that in the future Norway will have one of the world’s most environmentally friendly and efficient coastal shipping industries.

“We can achieve this if we want to. There are many examples of incentives driving forward a green shift. The technology is there, but we have to scale up its use considerably in order to maintain our international position,” says DNV GL’s Deputy Group CEO Remi Eriksen.

“We envisage a fleet of offshore vessels, tankers, cargo, container, bulk and passenger ships, ferries, fishing and aquaculture vessels, tugs and other coastal vessels, run entirely or partly using batteries, LNG or other green fuels,” says DNV GL’s Narve Mjøs, who is the programme director for the Green Coastal Shipping programme. “We want to make Norway a world leader in, and a showcase for, green coastal shipping and to attract international attention,” added Narve.

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Maritime news Cherry on top Trimline, Southampton-based marine interior refurbishment specialists, has recently completed refurbishment work on Black Watch, one of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ premier cruise ships.

The work to the 28,000-tonne ship required Trimline’s expert joiners to hand-make a nine-metre photo display unit from lightweight aluminium nomex, cherry laminate and solid cherry edging. Creating the display unit in under five weeks, Trimline was also tasked with making a number of bespoke display cabinets to compliment the large photo display unit.

In early November, a team of two fitters from Trimline travelled to meet Black Watch in Newcastle, before sailing on board to Hamburg, while completing the installation of the photo display unit.

Following the work to Black Watch, Trimline has been asked by Fred. Olsen to undertake further refurbishment work on Fred. Olsen’s flagship, Balmoral, the cruise line’s largest vessel, including the creation of another bespoke photo display unit and the removal and replacement of bulk heads, deck heads, cabinet refurbishment and a refresh of the photo kiosk on board.

Sophisticated sailing In the last days of December 2014, the Sunreef Yachts shipyard launched the first unit from the newest line of sailing catamarans - the Sunreef 74. In accordance to the owner’s wishes she has been named Wildberry. Her main characteristic feature is the elegant and dynamic design, which has been achieved thanks to a sleek superstructure with vertical bows and limited freeboards. The yacht has impressive living space and a fully open 35m2 saloon, which is located on the main deck, and offers spectacular panoramic views. The unit is designed to accommodate up to six guests and two to three crewmembers. Just two people can easily manoeuvre the yacht.

Sunreef 74 Wildberry is a private multihull dedicated to long cruises. On the flybridge there is a large lounge area with a sofa and a table that is adjustable in height, which can be lowered and turned into a couch. The cockpit,

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which also provides comfortable dining and relaxing space for guests, can be accessed from the sundeck. The spacious hulls contain a 20m2 master cabin with a king-size bed, a wardrobe and a bathtub, as well as two guest cabins (including one VIP), comfortable crew quarters with a double bed and a fully equipped galley. The lower deck includes a laundry room and storage space for water sports equipment. As the owners are planning a long journey, the catamaran has been intelligently designed and offers plenty of additional storage space for food supplies and water toys. One of the greatest advantages of the new Sunreef 74 line is the short time of manufacturing, which is only seven months. In the near future two more Sunreef 74 units will be launched - 19th Hole and Blue Deer, which are twin catamarans that will be available for charter from the Sunreef fleet.

Maritime news £25m quay extension Powering up Power management company Eaton has been awarded a contract by with German shipbuilder Meyer Werft. The shipbuilder chose Eaton’s uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) to provide secure, reliable power for essential systems aboard two of its cruise ships currently under construction for Star Cruises, a leading cruise line in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Eaton UPSs with power ratings from 20 to 160kVA will be used to protect on-board systems including safety and cruising applications; such as bridge equipment, ship automation systems, propulsion systems and communications equipment. The units can also help provide a reliable power supply for the myriad of leisure activities available on modern cruise ships including casinos, Broadway-style theatres, beauty and spa areas and golf simulators.

The Port of Tyne has appointed the main contractor for the £25m extension of Riverside Quay, the Port’s multifunctional deep-sea facility at South Shields.

The main contract for over 300 metres of quay work includes a 125-metre quay extension, an upgrade of 118m of existing quay and 90m of quay wall renewal at the former McNulty site. Tyneside-based Southbay Civil Engineering Ltd won the £18.6m contract and commenced construction in January.

This development is required to support the growth in cargo volumes being handled by the Port, including the relatively new wood pellet imports used by power stations as they convert from coal to renewable fuels.

Andrew Moffat, Port of Tyne CEO, said: “This is the biggest single investment we have made since we built Europe’s first purpose-built wood pellet facilities back in 2010 and it will significantly increase the Port’s capacity to handle increased volumes of cargoes.

Extending the length of the quay will increase the berthing capacity by almost 20 per cent enabling up to four large cargo ships to berth simultaneously. If we are successful in achieving our plans the added capacity provided by the extension of the quay would deliver new jobs and would add around £2 million to the regional gross value added each year.”

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Maritime news Focus on energy efficiency Hakan Ozcan, the chief financial officer of Ecoships, the technical ship management arm of Newport Shipping Group, emphasises that ship efficiency remains just as relevant and important in a bearish oil market as it does when shipowners have to pay over $600 for a tonne of heavy fuel oil. “With crude oil prices at their lowest since April 2009, the temptation is to put your foot on the gas and speed up a bit but this is not the way forward. When oil prices are low shipowners can benefit more fully from energysaving technologies,” he said.

“Admittedly bunker fuel will continue to be the largest single operational cost for shipowners, but with fuel prices continuing to drop, profit and loss accounts will improve, providing owners with the resources needed to re-invest in new ship designs, equipment and technologies capable of reducing fuel consumption even further. It’s a win-win situation for the merchant fleet.”

Whilst Ozcan does not suggest that the industry embarks on the kind of newbuilding spending spree that will prolong or perpetuate over-capacity, he does believe shipowners have a commercially viable opportunity to replace ageing, less efficient tonnage with vessels capable of meeting increasingly stringent environmental regulations.

“It just makes economic sense. It is highly unlikely that we will see a return to fast steaming, so vessels designed for low fuel consumption to minimise shipping’s impact on the environment will continue to be an integral part of the ship manager’s business model.”

Going live SeaPlanner, an industry leading, web-based, marine monitoring and management system has been selected by Vattenfall as its marine co-ordination and management tool for the Kentish Flats Extension offshore wind farm. This extends SeaPlanner’s presence on Vattenfall sites, which already includes the construction site, Dan Tysk, and generation projects, Thanet and Kentish Flats.

The SeaPlanner system provides the construction team with a complete management and tracking solution for project data and information. This includes personnel and vessel tracking, certification management, document management and also the new ground breaking, online induction module.

Toby Rayner, marine co-ordinator at Kentish Flats Extension noted: “The SeaPlanner software will limit the amount of vessel downtime by ensuring personnel are ready to go the moment they arrive onsite. It was important to us that inductions could be carried out on a PC or mobile device making it accessible to all, especially when working within the offshore sector where desk based PC access is limited.”

Viva Vista

On Friday 23rd January, Carnival Cruise Line announced the details of its most innovative ship ever, Carnival Vista, debuting in spring 2016. Designed to connect guests to the ocean with sweeping views and plenty to do both outdoors and in, Carnival Vista will introduce an exciting array of groundbreaking new features including: SkyRide, a suspended open-air cycling experience; the world’s first IMAX Theatre on a ship; an expanded water park featuring the Kaleid-O-Slide, the line’s first raft-riding water tube slide; Seafood Shack, a New Englandinspired eatery; RedFrog Pub, the line’s first onboard brewery, and other enhanced dining, bar and entertainment options; as well as new scenic and family-friendly accommodation types.

The ship’s inaugural Mediterranean itineraries also mark the line’s return to Europe. The new vessel will debut 1st May, 2016, with a 13-day cruise departing from Trieste, Italy - the first European voyage for Carnival in three years.

Carnival Vista will measure 133,500 tons, 1055 feet long and have a guest capacity of 3936 (based on two per cabin). The vessel will offer a wide variety of well-appointed staterooms and suites including two new accommodation classes. Tropicsinspired Havana Cabanas feature accommodations with private outdoor patios – complete with lounge chairs and hammock – that face the expanded Lanai ocean-air outdoor promenade and offer sea views in addition to easy access to the Havana Bar and Pool.

Carnival Vista will be the largest and most innovative ship with in the fleet. Iain Baillie, managing director of UK Sales, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer our travel agent partners something new and exciting from Carnival. The Vista will allow them to promote experiences that no other cruise line can offer. We are looking forward to working closely with agents to make sure they are fully up to speed with all of the exciting new features the Carnival Vista has to offer customers and help them attract a strong base of repeaters and new to cruise.”

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Dry suits

To the

rescue

Thanks to the generosity of Helix Well Ops, the Crosby Coastguard Rescue team have new drysuits to assist them in their water and mud rescue training The Crosby Coastguard Rescue Team is based near Liverpool in the UK. It forms part of the UK SAR framework and all members are volunteers for Her Majesty’s Coastguard.

There are around 360 such Coastguard teams around the coastline of the UK providing 24x7/365 days callout for coastal search and rescue. These teams work and train alongside other organisations such as the RNLI, Fire Service, SAR helicopters and occasionally Mountain Rescue Teams. The Crosby Coastguard volunteer team are tasked over 100 times per year by a UK Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre and deal with all types of coastal incidents. They specialise in Search, Water Rescue and Mud Rescue techniques.

Steve Mee, station officer (volunteer) for the team at Crosby, Liverpool explained that the new suits offer a multitude of benefits to his crew: “These suits are invaluable training assets. They ensure we can train in the mud or water in our area of guard knowing we have our other supplied coastguard dry suits prepared to don - dry, clean and ready to use - for coastal incidents within our patch when we need them. There’s nothing worse than having to ask your team to get into cold and wet gear to effect what may be a dry’ish mud rescue.

In the past we’ve had to train in the CG suits, and then if we are tasked to an incident anytime within the following 24 hours, then we have to don wet suits - quite uncomfortable for my team of dedicated volunteers!”

The purchasing of the suits was supported by Helix Well Ops who facilitated in the supply and provision of these for the team, and Steve explained that he suggested the specifications purely on the team’s mud working requirements. “What I wanted was good supply

of sizes both width and length and ease of ingress and egress from the suit,” he said.

Steve Sheppard, diving services manager with Helix Well Ops added: “The suits we bought are 2013 Typhoon Hypercurve Drysuits. They feature quad-ply breathable fabric throughout, hypercurve back zip position, metal toothed BDM zip, prebent arms and legs, PU reinforced knees and seat, glide skin neoprene seals on neck and wrists, internal braces and elasticated waist, latex socks and were supplied with a free undersuit.

“We recognise the vital importance of realistic training and hope that the suits will help the team get maximum benefit from their training exercises in dry and (relatively) comfortable gear! We are delighted to be able to support the valuable work performed by the Crosby Coastguard Rescue Team.”

Steve concluded: “Myself and the rest of the volunteer crew would sincerely like to thank Helix Well Ops for their support and generosity in the purchase and supply of these dry suits for the team. These enable us to hone our training skills in water and mud rescue in a safe and comfortable clean and well fitting suit.” n For further information on Helix Well Ops, visit: www.helixesg.com For further information on the Crosby Coastguard Rescue Team please visit their Facebook page here: https:// www.facebook.com/LiverpoolandCrosbyCoast guard?ref=ts&fref=ts Photos by Pauline Morris

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Safety standards

Breathing space Stephen Fairlie looks at the implications of new safety guidelines from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regarding crew working in enclosed spaces The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has amended its Convention for the Safety at Life at Sea, which calls for crew entering enclosed spaces to participate in safety drills every two months. The directive has been introduced to reduce the number of accidents that occur when crew are accessing enclosed spaces and has been in place from 1 January 2015.

The amendment to current safety protocol draws attention to shipping companies’ policy regarding safety in enclosed space entry and re-enforces the importance of safety in this area.

A ship has a number of enclosed spaces, such as the fuel tank and on occasions crewmembers need to enter these areas for cleaning and maintenance.

This IMO directive also coincides with the

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introduction of another piece of legislation, which will impact the shipping industry: the European Union (EU) environmental legislation regarding sulphur emissions.

The EU legislation will take effect in order to substantially reduce marine sulphur emissions and the regulations will heavily impact the shipping industry, including its operating processes and costs. Shipping companies with

trained to choose the appropriate equipment and clothing for each task and also to use harnesses, breathing apparatus and resuscitation lines. Each crewmember is also tested to ensure they are up to date with safety protocol, well practiced for accessing enclosed spaces and for sentry with radio access in case anything happens.

We enforce a very strict ‘Permit to Work’ policy at DFDS Seaways, which means that every piece of work undertaken is preceded by a thorough risk assessment, following industry best practice guidelines. Crew refer to a written risk assessment as part of the Permit to Work and the ship’s Master is always in charge of granting permission for activity due to take place in an enclosed space, ensuring all crew members are aware that this work is taking place. A Senior Officer is also required to sign off the activity once it has been completed, to ensure it has been completed in line with the ship’s high standards.

Enclosed space entry and rescue drills should be planned and conducted in a safe manner taking into account the recommendations and guidelines outlined by the IMO. For instance, any member of the crew who has designated duties for the rescue of personnel from an enclosed space requires drills and training at least every two months. These drills should cover the checking and use of protective equipment, communication devices and instruments for measuring the atmosphere as well as clothing required for entry. They also recap on first aid and resuscitation techniques.

Current safety practices At DFDS Seaways, to ensure that we operate as safely as possible when accessing enclosed spaces, we run regular safety drills so that the crew is prepared for every scenario. The crew is

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vessels operating within the outlined SECA (Sulphur Emission Control Area) will need to either use a low sulphur fuel or an exhaust cleaning system (scrubber technology) to meet the 0.1 per cent sulphur emission target. These changes will have implications for the ship’s crew and could alter current maintenance practices, which will also affect safety protocol.

As shipping companies prepare certain vessels to operate on the new Marine Gas Oil (MGO), to lower their sulphur emissions, they will need to clean out the fuel tanks to accommodate the switch in fuel. Therefore, many ships will be preparing for their crew to enter the fuel tank and will have to ensure that the crew is prepared for working in this enclosed environment and is fully aware of the risks entering into these spaces will entail.

Safety is paramount

and we at DFDS Seaways review all safety procedures at least once a year, working tirelessly with our crew and the relevant industry bodies to ensure that all practices are up to date and working effectively to ensure the safety of passengers and crew Risk assessment for working in enclosed spaces Enclosed spaces pose a number of potential risks to crew safety, which need to be taken into account by all crewmembers ahead of entering an enclosed space. Before entering an enclosed space and undertaking necessary work, crewmembers should assess the risks that may be involved.

To aid risk assessment, it is also important for the ship to display permanent warning signs

indicating potential hazards close to the area, such as on the entrance hatch.

Enclosed spaces have little ventilation, can store potentially toxic materials such as fuel and frequently have no light. When working in this environment, being alert and attentive is of paramount importance. Personnel working in this environment need to be aware of potential risks and prepare for them accordingly to prevent problems arising. These include: l Monitoring oxygen levels to determine whether fully functioning breathing apparatus should be used by anyone entering the space l Using appropriate lighting equipment, which is non flammable and will provide sufficient illumination l If the work involves entering a closed space, such as a ballast water space or fuel tank, crew need to be securely harnessed to prevent a fall l When carrying out work such as welding, crew should minimise the risk of fire by removing any flammable materials beforehand. Depending on the Safety Management System the company uses, a separate Hot Work permit should also be sought for any welding completed in an enclosed space.

Constant improvement of safety We at DFDS Seaways welcome the introduction of the new IMO directive as it promotes continuing improvements to safety in shipping and highlights the importance of incorporating safety into every process.

We believe that the new regulation provides shipping companies with an opportunity to review all safety policies and practices, not only those related to enclosed space entry. Safety is paramount and we at DFDS Seaways review all safety procedures at least once a year, working tirelessly with our crew and the relevant industry bodies to ensure that all practices are up to date and working effectively to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. n Stephen Fairlie is Marine Standards Superintendent at DFDS Seaways. DFDS is Northern Europe’s largest integrated shipping and logistics company, with a network of 30 routes and 50 freight and passenger ships. The company prides itself on offering world-class facilities and services and the widest choice of ferry routes into northern Europe.

In the UK, the company operates passenger ferry services on routes from Dover to Calais, Dover to Dunkirk, Harwich to Esbjerg, Newcastle to Amsterdam, Newhaven to Dieppe and Portsmouth to Le Havre.

For further information visit www.dfds.co.uk.

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Digital navigation

The ECDIS Era Jason Scholey discusses the continuation of the tanker industry’s digital evolution

The transition to digital navigation is one of the biggest challenges facing the shipping industry. As a result of amendments made to the SOLAS Convention in 2009, the mandatory carriage of ECDIS has been introduced on a rolling timetable, with different ship types and sizes facing different dates for compliance with these regulations.

Jason Scholey

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One of the most important dates in the ECDIS transition process is July 2015. From this date, or the first survey thereafter, the carriage of ECDIS will become mandatory for existing tankers.

The current state of ECDIS readiness varies significantly across different tanker types and companies based in different countries, with some less prepared than others. With considerably less than a year to go until the regulations come into effect, UKHO data demonstrates that a significant proportion of the global tanker fleet is still not using

an ENC service and therefore do not currently comply with the forthcoming regulations.

Approximately 8500 tankers over 3000 gross tonnes will be required to comply with the mandatory ECDIS carriage requirements from July 2015. Recent years have seen a rise in the number of tankers using an ENC service, from almost zero in 2006 to 3600 in late 2014. However, this is still only 42 per cent of the current tanker fleet. In other words, 58 per cent of the global fleet - over 4000 tankers - have yet to use an ENC service. This is

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These digital versions

of some of our most important nautical publications are accepted as SOLAS compliant and permitted for carriage on almost 80 per cent of the global fleet over 2000GT

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cause for concern, as this is a large number of ships that now has a limited timescale to ensure that they are ready to comply with the regulations that come into force from 1st July 2015.

In September 2014 UKHO data revealed a substantial divergence between different tanker types and sizes. For instance, only 23 per cent of 1700 product tankers use an ENC service. This figure is much lower than that of crude tankers, where the percentage rises to 51 per cent. LNG tankers and shuttle tankers appear the most ECDIS-ready ship types, with 70 per cent and 62 per cent respectively already using an ENC service, and therefore ahead of the ECDIS carriage requirements.

There is also considerable disparity in the state of ECDIS readiness of tanker fleets of companies based in different countries, with those in Australia being the only companies whose tanker fleet are on course to be 100 per cent compliant, according to UKHO estimations. Companies based in Qatar and the Netherlands closely follow with 96 per cent and 87 per cent of their tankers using an ENC service.

The mixed picture continues across different ship types and regions with companies based in Asia having better prepared tanker fleets in some respects. For example, 45 per cent of LPG chemical tankers from companies based in Asia are using ECDIS, but the percentage of those in Europe stood at zero in late 2014. Similarly, the crude oil tanker fleet in companies based in Asia is more prepared than those in Europe, with 57 per cent using an ENC service, compared to 44 per cent.

The reason this matters is because all these ships will need to be ECDIS-compliant and the transition to ECDIS is a complex and significant undertaking. Whether it is for a single ship or an entire fleet, it is a huge misconception to think ‘because I can navigate with paper, I can navigate with ECDIS.’ Owners and operators of tankers that are not ready to comply need to ensure that they have a plan in place to adopt ECDIS in a comprehensive and assiduous manner. What is more, preparing a ship for compliance means much more than just the physical installation of ECDIS onboard. Owners and operators are also responsible for the delivery of type-specific ECDIS training for crew, for complying with Class, Flag State and Port State Control requirements, for the necessary revisions to bridge policies and procedures, and more. Put simply, it is a very considerable undertaking and time is running short.

The UKHO has been at the heart of industry efforts to support those making the ECDIS transition. Since 2011, over 3400 delegates have benefited from expert guidance at our free ECDIS seminars, which have been delivered in

55 locations around the world. In recent months, these seminars have concentrated on supporting ship owners and operators in the incorporation of ECDIS operating procedures into onboard safety management systems, the ECDIS risk assessment process, and preparing for audits and inspections.

UKHO has also produced an array of publications that provide practical support for shipping companies and bridge teams in managing the introduction of ECDIS, including: l ADMIRALTY Guide to the Practical Use of ENCs (NP231) l ADMIRALTY Guide to ECDIS Implementation, Policy and Procedures (NP232) l ADMIRALTY Guide to ENC Symbols Used in ECDIS (NP5012).

In addition, the ADMIRALTY Vector Chart Service (AVCS) is the most chosen ENC service for ECDIS, offering the widest official coverage and operates on all makes of ECDIS. Of course, digital navigation is about much more than compliance. ECDIS and other digital navigation tools are designed to increase the mariner’s ability to handle challenging conditions quickly, proficiently and safely. In this spirit, UKHO has developed a wider range of tools to support the mariner, including ADMIRALTY Digital Publications (ADP) and electronic Nautical Publications (e-NPs). These digital versions of some of our most important nautical publications are accepted as SOLAS compliant and permitted for carriage on almost 80 per cent of the global fleet over 2000GT. 2015 is set to be a landmark year for modern maritime navigation, notwithstanding the considerable challenge faced by a large proportion of the global tanker fleet in being ready to comply with the mandatory carriage of ECDIS from July 2015. A successful voyage depends upon accurate navigational data that seafarers can trust.

Our goal is to support the mariner every step of the way and provide the products and services that they need to keep their ship, crew and cargo compliant with regulations and safe at sea. n Jason Scholey is senior product manager - Charts, United Kingdom Hydrographic Organisation. Learn more about the UKHO’s full range of ADMIRALTY Nautical Products & Services at www.admiralty.gov.uk.

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 13

Coatings

Clever coating A hull coating is providing the ultimate protection for a vessel operating in extreme ice-going conditions

The customer - Bore Ltd., Finland The location - The SEAGARD Container vessel operates mainly in the Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea and North Sea The challenge - To provide a reliable, efficient coating system that can perform in heavy ice conditions on a vessel operating through ice with a thickness of typically 60 cm (23.6 in.)

The solution - SIGMASHIELD 1200 solvent-free, abrasion-resistant phenolic epoxy ice coating The benefits - Long-lasting durability of the underwater hull protection despite the heavy ice conditions The result - The underwater hull is still in perfect condition even after two winters operating under heavy ice conditions

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highly cross-linked phenolic epoxy technology, further extending the service life of the coating by tremendously increasing the creep resistance.

The benefits Ice is undoubtedly the worst nightmare for an outer shell coating. The SIGMASHIELD 1200 coating addresses this situation by combining these key attributes: l Excellent application properties for a smooth and glossy surface, using standard spraying equipment l Outstanding anti-abrasion resistance, extending fuel savings provided by the smooth, freshly applied surface l Excellent creep resistance, reducing the size (and hence cost) of the repair areas The SIGMASHIELD 1200 coating is the ice solution that provides easy application, optimal abrasion resistance and damage propagation control.

SIGMASHIELD 1200 benefits: l Outstanding impact- and abrasion resistance l Excellent cathodic protection and creep resistance l Standard- and low-temperature version for enhanced curing performances l Application also possible in winter conditions l Single-coat application using standard equipment l Easy maintenance & repair l Recognized by Lloyd’s Register as an abrasion-resistant ice coating l Recognized by Aker as a low-friction surface coating for ice-breaking ships l Independent test certification

The customer Bore has long traditions in shipping, dating back to 1897, when it was founded. Today, the company offers industrial shipping services with a highly maintained fleet, consisting of vessels that have year-round service and Ice Class 1A or 1A Super, suitable for sailing in first year thin and medium ice. Bore’s fleet is composed of RoRo and General Cargo vessels operating under both Finnish and Dutch flags.

The challenge The SEAGARD is a Ro-Ro Container vessel operating all year round in the Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea and North Sea. During winter, the vessel regularly encounters heavy ice conditions.

In order to navigate safely in such an environment, the SEAGARD was built with extra features required to face the ice conditions encountered in the Baltic area. In addition to these construction

improvements, an abrasion-resistant ice coating was required to protect the hull from the ice impact and gouging occurring on the ice belt and flat bottom. The use of such a coating is vital to minimise damage, maintain vessel safety and reduce subsequent repair costs on the hull.

The SIGMASHIELD 1200 product’s excellent performance has been confirmed by Aker Arctic Technology, a major independent testing institution, which specialises in low-temperature testing at the limits of ice-going conditions.

The result The solution PPG Protective & Marine Coatings (PPG) offers two abrasion-resistant, ice coatings (SIGMASHIELD 460 and SIGMASHIELD 1200), selected based on the anticipated ice conditions during service life. For SEAGARD, regularly sailing in heavy ice conditions during the harsh Baltic winters, the highly resilient SIGMASHIELD 1200 coating was recommended to provide it with optimal underwater hull protection.

The SIGMASHIELD 1200 coating is based on a very hard filler composition, providing excellent anti-abrasion properties, and on a

Following close inspection in dry dock, the SEAGARD’s underwater hull is still in perfect condition, which is an excellent result for a vessel operating in harsh conditions through ice.

Mathias Sundberg, technical superintendent of Bore Ltd. stated: “On inspection, after two winters operating in heavy ice conditions, the underwater hull is still in perfect condition. The SIGMASHIELD 1200 coating is performing very well, as expected from a PPG product.” n For more information on PPG Protective & Marine Coatings, visit www.ppg.com.

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 15

E-Radar

Shipping lanes

Plotting the course

Nick Ward argues that our increasingly overcrowded seas necessitate a different approach to navigation

The implications of recent studies are clear - without drastic change, the North Sea risks turning into an offshore M25 with frequent accidents, delays and lengthy queues at major ports.

The North Sea is sailed over 260,000 times a year, and the World Wildlife Fund found that surging sea traffic, combined with worsening weather conditions, means that the North Sea Region is among the world’s top accident hotspots. And recent research by the ACCSEAS Project (Accessibility for Shipping, Efficiency Advantages and Sustainability) noted that proposed new wind-farms will increase sea congestion by further squeezing the amount of navigable space available to ships.

With North Sea shipping lanes rapidly contracting as ever greater numbers of ships

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pass through them, pinpoint-accurate navigation and continuous communication between ship and shore is going to become essential to guarantee safety and continuity at all times. Crucially, we need to see maritime data harmonised and integrated so that we can create ‘intelligent’ ships and ports that can instantly and seamlessly adapt to new events.

Outdated navigation The central problem is that there is no ‘joinedup’ system of collecting and sharing crucial navigational data to enable voyages to operate in

Galatea synchronicity from ‘berth to berth’.

Many ships and ports are still using outdated paper-based systems of collecting and communicating maritime data that are slow, complex and incompatible with those of other vessels, meaning that vital data on everything from rising tide levels to last-minute route alterations are fragmented across an array of administrative procedures. For example, there is no standardised system of delivering tidal flow information or port departure times in the North Sea whilst NAVTEX, a widely-used means of broadcasting weather forecasts and navigational data, prints the information on a paper roll that cannot be quickly integrated with other maritime data. This means that shipping routes cannot be rapidly adapted to unforeseen variables such as changeable weather conditions or delayed departures, and ships and ports never have complete visibility over all maritime data at any one time.

Safety information is often delivered to mariners as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ broadcast so that the data is not customised to the size, movements or location of each vessel to enable ships to make the correct adaptations; tide levels that are too low for a cruise liner may not be too low for a yacht. Crucially, there is no standardised reporting system, causing major disparities in the timing and quality of information sent between ship and shore.

Even worse, crucial navigational information is unreliable and vulnerable to disruption; faraway GPS signals that are vulnerable to signal interference are the main source of Position Navigation and Timing information aboard modern ships. In increasingly crowded seas, we cannot afford any navigational errors or outages, and ports need consistent real-time information in order to ‘model’ the effect of different scenarios, plan arrival times and process large amounts of traffic.

If we are to maintain ‘freedom of the seas’ we have to standardise and improve the means by which vital information is delivered and communicated between ports and ships.

Crucially, we need to improve the quality of that information.

‘Smart’ sea-lanes For three years, the ACCSEAS project has been working towards ‘e-navigation’, a radical new way of maximising mobility across the North Sea and accessibility of ports while minimising hazards. This envisages the electronic collection, sharing and analysis of live maritime data from all vessels to enable the creation of a fast, efficient, harmonised sea transport system.

Ships would receive a 24-hour flow of real-time, integrated, customised and location-specific

maritime data from ‘berth to berth’ and the data could be shared instantly with other vessels, giving ships and ports a complete and continuous overview of the seas.

Everything from Met Office forecasts to live updates from nearby ships could be instantly collected, and provided on an integrated display, possibly superimposed on the surrounding waters through Augmented Reality, giving ships full information visibility over their environment.

Real-time information on tide levels could be adapted to the precise dimensions of each ship, creating an individualised ‘chart’ of access points for vessels of any size, while safety information could be tailored to the exact location and direction of different craft, so that maritime ‘Big Data’ is customised for the receiver.

And the MONA LISA 2.0 initiative now aims to bring some of the lessons of aviation to the seas by enabling the real-time tracking of all sea journeys from departure to arrival. This would also provide a pool of historical data on shipping movements, creating ‘intelligent’ ports that can ‘model’ the effects of different scenarios on sea traffic and work out how to avoid bottlenecks and boost efficiency. Port Authorities could use the information to predict the effect of particular weather events or adapt berthing systems to bigger ships, years before they are built. They could even use modelling to make the case against cuts to port facilities or drive improvements across the logistics chain by combining sea traffic data with information from rail and road.

A new threat This would require an uninterrupted stream of reliable and resilient data on the precise position

timing and navigation (PNT) of all vessels. Yet most ships are reliant on satellite navigation; and the distant GNSS signals that ships depend upon are extremely weak and vulnerable to disruption, putting MONA LISA 2.0 solutions at risk.

In 2014, Britain launched a set of eLoran (enhanced Long Range Navigation) coastal reference stations across its seven busiest ports. eLoran is a vastly upgraded and improved version of Loran-C, and its signals are one million times stronger than those from satellites at the receiver, improving the quality and reliability of navigational data. By upgrading its existing Loran-C infrastructure across the North Sea region, and implementing eLoran, Europe could achieve a terrestrial complement to GNSS (dubbed ‘Galileo Earth’ by some), to supplement sat-nav data and provide truly resilient PNT. This UK innovation could guarantee a continuous stream of reliable, real-time navigational information, with adjustments sent through a secure data channel in real-time, giving ports continuous visibility of traffic and keeping shipping lanes safe and operational in all conditions. It could bring the world’s first regional ‘e-navigation’ system a step closer to reality. n Nick Ward is research director at the General Lighthouse Authorities of the UK & Ireland.

The General Lighthouse Authorities (GLAs) of the United Kingdom and Ireland are Trinity House, the Northern Lighthouse Board and the Commissioners of Irish Lights. Together, they have the statutory responsibility for the provision of marine aids to navigation (AtoN) around the British Isles. The GLAs’ joint mission is the delivery of a reliable, efficient and cost effective AtoN service for the benefit and safety of all mariners.

For further information visit: www.gla-rrnav.org

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Case study

Back to life After taking a fall in 2011, a Challenge 72 sailing yacht has had a new lease of life thanks to a yard in Exeter

With a glowing race record and a successful second life as an adventure sailing yacht, Challenge Business 45, formerly part of Chay Blyth’s legendary fleet built to sail around the world, had fallen over to her port side while out of the water on a pitstop preparing for a trip across the Atlantic in 2011. She lost her rig and sustained damage to her structure.

Thought to be too expensive to repair she was destined for scrap until her new owner Brian Pogson, director of Exeter shipyard Exeter Maritime Services (EMS) which specialises in the build and repair of steel and aluminium boats, realised the damage was not irreversible.

Brian explained: “We motored her back under

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her own steam from Plymouth to our boat yard in Exeter, and she was travelling perfectly straight. I knew then she was not twisted and upon further investigation discovered that her damage was localised to the impact zone.

“I strongly felt that this stunning and well-built yacht was too good to scrap and that we could

‘‘

The Challenge 72’

is a benchmark yacht for adventure sailing at the highest level.

Berthon has sold the whole fleet, some multiple times and they continue to win hearts and minds the world over

‘‘

bring her back to life. We have the facilities, skilled team and knowledge of boats and steel already in place, which made the cost of repair feasible for us.”

Sue Grant, managing director of yacht brokers Berthon International, said: “The Challenge 72’ is a benchmark yacht for adventure sailing at the highest level. Berthon has sold the whole fleet, some multiple times and they continue to win hearts and minds the world over. We are delighted that EMS are going to breathe life back into Challenge Business 45, and we look forward to finding new owners for her once the repairs are complete.”

EMS is collaborating with Mecal, the MCA notifying authority, which is overseeing the repair work and which has been involved with the Challenge yachts from build. Its role is to ensure that once repaired CB45 is restored to MCA Category 0. This coding will give CB45 the ability to sail commercially worldwide with charter guests aboard which is the toughest category available and demands rigorous attention to structure and safety.

Brian said: “We are working with as many of the original Challenge build team as possible to ensure a good-as-new repair.

“The original design engineer is supplying the nested information from the original cutting files for us to cut the new steel parts on our water jet table and we’re using the original Challenge Fleet Rigger.

“Throughout her repair we’ve been amazed at the high quality of the original steel and paint; she has no rust and no degradation. It was this quality of build that minimised the damage to her.”

In addition to the work to the structure, the yacht will have a new rig and sails and any

systems that were damaged by the impact will be replaced or rebuilt. She will also be repainted.

The Challenge 72’ Class yachts are respected as the strongest and most seaworthy fleet ever to have raced around the world. They and their 67’ sisters are the only fleets to have done so against prevailing winds and currents.

Challenge Business 45 had a very successful race record having completed two safe and successful round the world races: BT Global Challenge 2000/1 (as LOGICA) and the Global Challenge 2004/5 (as BG SPIRIT). She won the race in 2004/2005 (winning three of the seven legs) and is still the holder of the class record for the Round the Island Race on the south coast. After Sir Chay Blyth’s Challenge Business stopped trading in 2006, she was sold together with her sister ships by Berthon and had a very successful second life as well-known adventure sailing yacht Big Spirit.

The schedule of repair is anticipated to be complete by March 2015. n For further information, visit: www.exetermaritimeservices.co.uk www.berthon.co.uk www.challengebusiness45.com

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Liferafts

Life savers

Libbie Hammond speaks to Geoff Billington and Chris Feibusch about essential pieces of marine safety equipment – the liferaft and the pyrotechnics inside them Liferafts hit the headlines in 2014, in both happy and tragic circumstances. In April three sailors including a British couple and their Jack Russell dog were saved when a tanker in Atlantic Ocean picked up their drifting life raft. Sadly just a month later, the crew of the yacht Cheeky Rafiki was not so fortunate – the wreckage of their vessel was found with the liferaft untouched and undeployed in the hull.

While these examples may be at opposite ends of the spectrum, they do make it clear why liferafts are regarded as essential inclusions on board vessels. If the crew has the time or ability to deploy one and utilise the equipment on board, their chances of survival are vastly increased.

Reflecting this point, the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) makes it a requirement for modern passenger ships engaged on international voyages to carry

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partially or totally enclosed lifeboats on each side to accommodate not less than 50 per cent of the total number of persons on board (in other words, the two sides together must equal at least 100 per cent.) Some lifeboats can be substituted by liferafts.

Differing from lifeboats, liferafts in general are collapsible, and stored in a heavy-duty canister, and also contain some high-pressure gas (in commercial models, usually compressed air)

as Germanischer Lloyd/Bureau Veritas/DNV and so on. After extensive testing and checks, they will issue an approval certificate. So for example, The Duarry Challenger SOLAS/MED liferafts have been approved by Germanischer Lloyd, to the latest SOLAS 74 Chapter III and amendments, and according to Maritime Equipment Directive (MED). The Chapter covers requirements for lifesaving appliances and arrangements, including requirements for lifeboats, rescue boats and life jackets according to type of ship. The International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code gives specific technical requirements and is mandatory under Regulation 34. The regulations cover areas including construction of liferafts, the minimum carrying capacity and mass of liferafts, float free arrangements, painter system, weak link and hydrostatic release units. There are further requirements for inflatable liferafts covering areas such as access, stability, containers and markings,” added Geoff.

The equipment fitted into SOLAS/MED liferafts is also determined by the IMO (SOLAS) regulations – Chris Feibusch from Drew Marine Signal and Safety (DMSS) gave some further

‘‘

Liferafts are regarded as essential inclusions on board vessels. If the crew has the time or ability to deploy one and utilise the equipment on board, their chances of survival are vastly increased

‘‘

to allow automatic inflation. SOLAS and military regulations require these to be sealed, never opened by the ship's crew; they are removed at a set periodicity and sent to a certified facility to open and inspect the liferaft and contents.

One such certified facility is UK-based International Safety Products (ISP), which is the official distributor for Duarry, a world leading Spanish manufacturer of liferafts and rescue boats. ISP is responsible for ensuring that Duarry liferafts can be serviced in the UK and as such controls a number of liferaft service stations around the country offering a comprehensive service. Geoff Billington is commercial director at ISP, and he noted that the range of Duarry liferafts available to the market is wide ranging and emphasised the need to adhere to a range of strict legislation requirements. “For example, Duarry offers the Throw Over Board for six to 25 people, Open Reversible (ORIL) for six to 65 people, and Davit Launched (DL) models for 12 to 25 people,” he said. “The SOLAS/MED regulations in this area are very clear, and before any liferaft is allowed onto the market, the manufacturer has to have the rafts approved by a notified body such

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 21

Liferafts ISP managing director John Rogers (left) with ISP commercial director Geoff Billington on board the Kathleen & May

details on what this stipulates: “SOLAS specifies a wide range of equipment that every liferaft must carry and that includes six hand flares, four parachute rockets and two floating, three-minute smoke signals,” he said. “The shelf life of these pyrotechnics (pyros) is three years, so they also have to be in-date as well.” The equipment on a liferaft is classified into an A pack and B pack, with the A pack including the items listed above plus items such as a knife and mirror for example, while the B pack will be used on vessels that do not go on international voyages, and operate closer to shore, and so wouldn’t include water or food rations.

Geoff also noted that the shipowner could request additional items such as EPIRB’s to be added into the liferaft. “But since the rafts are certified under SOLAS/MED, any inclusion has to be agreed with the manufacturer to ensure it cannot damage the liferaft in anyway,” he stated.

“For example on passenger ferries, it is now required that every fourth raft has a SART (Search & Rescue Transponder) fitted.”

It is not only the rafts that come under this intense scrutiny. The SOLAS required pyros are also stringently tested before certification, as is the factory manufacturing them. Said Chris: “DMSS has to undergo annual inspections, on both products and facilities, in order to maintain our MED module B and module D certificates.

The product exams includes tests such as temperature cycling, sitting under a metre of water for 24 hours and still being able to fire, the light intensity, the colour intensity, the duration of

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smoke, and so on – a certain amount of products per batch have to pass these tests, and that is every year.

“And on top of this, the factory is inspected as well. This covers the manufacturing process in addition to the testing and proofing, how records are kept, and maintaining operations to the ISO 9001 standard. Its very well regulated and if we don’t pass these tests our certificates can be revoked.”

It also has to be borne in mind that that these products are to be used in an emergency and perhaps not by an experienced seaman, and therefore need to be quick and simple to operate.

“We do recommend training,” said Chris, “but essentially it is just pulling a toggle. However, these are complicated pieces of equipment, and ease of use has to be considered in the design.”

This of course applies to the liferafts as well. “The products supplied/used have to benefit staff when used,” agreed Geoff. “Duarry has recently redesigned its range of liferafts to improve usability and benefit from a more uniform container design, making storage easier on board vessels. This means all types of Duarry liferafts can now be stored on most existing container cradles on ships. This keeps cost down for the ship owners.

Clients place great emphasis on high quality and durability of life rafts and therefore through life costs.”

Another area that both Geoff and Chris noted was servicing, as both liferafts and the pyros on board need to be maintained at regular intervals.

ISP is able to tap into Duarry's extensive network

Chris Feibusch, DMSS

side is also an area where the marine safety industry along with the regulatory bodies such as IMO and flag states are always looking at potential improvements, and in particular there is some work going on currently to ensure that the service support for liferafts is of an equal high standard worldwide. Unfortunately not all liferaft manufacturers apply the same high standard as Duarry when it comes to the training and support of the service station network, which is key to ensuring that the liferaft works when it has to!”

As both Geoff and Chris noted, the overall key function of liferafts and the pyros stored aboard them is to save lives. “Marine safety equipment all works together, and is complimentary,” said Chris.

“In an emergency situation you want everything at your disposal, and every item has a specific function. None is replaceable, nor the last word in absolute guaranteed safety or alerting or location.

But by having them all on board shipowners are doing their utmost to ensure the lives of all those sailing on their vessels.” n

‘‘

Responsible ship

owners will specify a tried and trusted brand, as that sends out a message to their crew and clients that they take safety seriously

‘‘

of service stations, of which there are around 150 worldwide, while DMSS supplies the two largest manufacturers of liferafts, Survitec Group and Viking, and has its own global network of distributors to constantly ensure their service stations are stocked with the correct items. “When it comes to the servicing of the rafts, Survitec Group and Viking have a network of service stations all over the world that handles this, either as part of the group or as an independent station working under licence, and our products are specified as the number one choice for these manufacturers,” Chris said. This means that DMSS needs to ensure its products are obtainable globally, as it is this availability combined with its highly regarded reputation for quality that results in its products being included on rafts on a worldwide scale. “Responsible ship owners will specify a tried and trusted brand, as that sends out a message to their crew and clients that they take safety seriously,” Chris noted.

Geoff added: “The service and maintenance

International Safety Products is a globally renowned manufacturer and supplier of marine safety products, based in Liverpool, UK. It has a broad portfolio of maritime safety products including immersion suits, tactical waistcoats, liferafts, Epribs, PLBs, SARTS and marine safety lights.

For further information visit: www.ispl.co.uk.

Drew Marine Signal and Safety (DMSS) is the world’s leading supplier of SOLAS, MED & USCGapproved marine distress signals, under the brands Pains Wessex, Comet and Aurora. These include man overboard units, line throwers, handflares, parachute rockets, smoke distress signals and illuminating flares.

For further information visit: www.signalandsafety.com.

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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.

A prime example of the specific requirements of SOLAS are those on liferafts - six Red Handflares, four Parachute Rockets and two 3’ Smoke Signals are required to be carried inside the liferaft as part of the mandatory safety equipment. DMSS provides all these products, as well as a number of other products in the range for various applications, such as collision warnings, illuminating flares, man overboard markers and line throwing systems.

As Chris Feibusch, Head of Global Marketing, Drew Marine Signal & Safety UK Ltd explained, the products are also used in other environments – 12 Parachute Rockets are required to be carried on the bridge of all commercial vessels (over 300gwt) for example.

“The Red Handflare is used by recreational boaters and search and rescue organisations as a pinpoint location marker. It is also used in the aviation industry and outdoor markets.

Orange Smoke signals are highly visible location markers particularly favoured by search and rescue pilots as a visual wind indicator,” he said.

DMSS’ products are also reliable, lighter, smaller and have less nett explosive content than those of competitors.

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-ofthe-art technology, best practices and modern innovations are put into practice in the maritime sector.

Lanpan PTE Suez Canal Container Terminal SeaKing IBIA Wrist Ship Supply Scanunit Shipyard De Kaap Port of Gibraltar Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc Athus Container Terminal Burgess Marine Andriaki Shipping Reederei NSB Petro Tank SA Noble Chartering AtoB@C Shipping Norled Ionic Shipping (MGT) Inc Commercial Marine & Piling Steerprop Ambrey Risk Erik Thun AB Peel Ports Group Fareast Ship Management Port of T贸rshavn Cammell Laird Maats Tech Wills Ridley B Hepworth & Co A&P Falmouth Rotortug Evoqua Water Technologies Mampaey Offshore Industries Protection Vessels International Stolt Tankers-Stolt Nielsen Group Frisia-Offshore Bogerd Martin

Profile: lanpan

Ship

shape S

ince its inception in 2006, Lanpan Pte Ltd has benefited from being under the helm of a knowledgeable team of professionals with more than 20 years of experience in services such as shipbuilding, chartering, operation and maintenance.

This expertise, complemented by the vessel owner, operator and manager’s mission to efficiently create value for clients, employees and shareholders, has led to yearon-year growth.

Key services that the company provides include transportation of offshore structures and modules, logistics and supply duties for in-field activities, anchor handling duties to support commissioning, pipe-laying or hookup projects, ocean towage and FPSO support.

Today operating as a niche service provider to customers in

the offshore oil and gas industry, blue chip EPIC companies, national oil firms and oil majors have chartered Lanpan’s vessels, trusting that the dedicated company will provide a prompt, effective and efficient solution to their demands. “Companies such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, Petronas, Cairn Energy, Pearl Oil (currently known as Mubadala Petroleum) and CNOOC are our end users and charterers; other customers include offshore construction contractors such as Nippon Steel & Sumikin Engineering & Construction, SapuraKencana, Hyundai Heavy Industries, and McDermott,” says Fang Yuan, director of Lanpan.

With an average age of two years, Lanpan’s young fleet of anchor handling/towing tugs (AHT), ocean going tug, and barges are predominantly operating in South East Asian and Australian waters. www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 27

Profile: lanpan

Tailored for functionality, the vessel designs ensure greater cost effectiveness to clients as compared to tugs of similar class. Moreover, the company is actively involved throughout the whole shipbuilding process, which provides personnel with an intricate knowledge and familiarity with the vessels. To further enhance this, the fleet consists of sister ships, thus enabling simpler deployment/redeployment, as well as maintenance and operation of the vessels.

A recent project for the company involved the MV Lanpan 26, an 8160hp, 116 TBP, DP1 AHT which sailed out on 17th January 2015 to tow a barge to Korea for the loading of a structure and then towing both vessel and structure to Australia. Built in 2012, the Lanpan 26 is among six 8000hp class AHT vessels within Lanpan’s fleet that have developed a strong reputation for reliability and high quality services over the years.

“Our fleet consists of four 28 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

8000hp class AHT currently in operation, with two sister vessels under construction and due for delivery in Q2 2015; two newbuild 7000hp class AHT which we just took delivery of and are already in operation, with another two sister vessels under construction with delivery in Q3 2015; five 4000hp class AHT and one 3200hp ocean going tug. In addition, we have one 330ft barge and four 360ft barges, all ballastable and in operation. In Q2 2015, we will also be taking delivery of two 400ft self ballastable barges which are currently under construction,” explains Fang. “Our AHT vessels are short and strongly built, which are small in numbers worldwide, while our barges are big with high deck strength. The reason for these features is that we always try to avoid competitive markets that have too many homogenous service providers involved in the same group, where all of them are competing in the same market segments.”

Keen to continue growing with market demand, Lanpan has a newbuild programme underway, with six vessels that are currently under construction and due for delivery in 2015. Fang notes that the company welcomed the second 6962hp AHT vessel into its fleet in January 2015: “She is the second of the four sisters, and is characterised by short LOA thus enabling good manoeuvrability. The Lanpan 31 is equipped with strong winch for towing and anchor handling, forward towing winch which is rare for AHT of similar class, powerful shark jaw/tow pin, long stern roller, DP1 and FIFI 1. She is a workhorse for anchor handling, and there are not many in numbers worldwide of her same kind.”

As its fleet continues to grow, Lanpan remains strongly committed to consistently upholding the most stringent of quality, health, safety and environment (QHSE) policies, not only from regulatory authorities, but those from their

customers. Proudly dedicated to achieving the highest management standards, the company focuses on marine safety, safe working practices and environmental protection to maintain its reputation as a reliable provider of offshore services.

With 2015 just beginning, Lanpan is focused on gaining contracts with clients over the next 11 months, as Fang discusses, “Our objective for 2015 is to occupy our AHT fleet with long term charters; traditionally these vessels are on projects that last a number of months, however, with changes in the market’s structure, the ships may be required for years.”

Looking further ahead, the company sees potential expansion into new geographic regions such as the Middle East, South Asia and Africa, but is also keen to grow slowly and steadily in a turbulent

industry, as Fang concludes: “We do see areas for expansion, and to coincide with the growth in demand we have experienced so far, as Lanpan has been increasing the size of its team gradually over the years. Moving forward, we are also mindful of the uncertainties in the market, which has always been challenging for us. Due to the fact that we have been growing in a storm since day one, Lanpan is just like our AHT’s – we keep sailing in good and bad weather and always

moving forward. Opportunities are always aplenty, yet are accompanied by challenges.”

Lanpan Pte Ltd

www.lanpan.com.sg • Owns, operates and manages a fleet of modern Offshore Support Vessels

• New build programme underway • Plans to expand into Middle East, South Asia and Africa

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 29

Profile: Suez Canal Container Terminal

Contained

growth Terberg Since the first eight Terberg terminal tractors were delivered to Suez Canal Container Terminal in 2008 this location has undergone significant expansion. With the newly developed Phase II the annual capacity is now over five million TEU’s, making the APM Terminals Port the key destination for transhipment in the region.

With increased container volumes comes a requirement for additional horizontal transport equipment. SCCT uses terminal tractors and trailers for this and has recently taken delivery of an additional 45 Terberg YT222 units, taking the Terberg tractor fleet to over 160 units. The key drivers for the Terberg choice have been the quality of the product, the spare parts availability and after sales support.

As a long term partner to APM Terminals and SCCT, Terberg works closely to facilitate their commercial and operational requirements. As part of this and in support of APM Terminals safety policy of continuous improvement, Terberg has been able to supply tailor made tractors with specially requested features such as: a ROPS/FOPS tested cab, a safety support behind the cab to protect drivers if a container may fall down and a three-points safety belt in connection with a warning beacon on the roof to stimulate the drivers using these belts.

C

elebrating its tenth anniversary in operation in November 2014, the Port Said, Egypt, based Suez Canal Container Terminal (SCCT) has undergone major investment and improvements to become the largest container terminal in Egypt and the second largest in the Mediterranean. “We have come from zero to running a fully utilised container facility and reached major achievements; for example, we have handled 16,500 vessels in the last ten years and proudly service 16 maritime container lines every week.

We also handle 50 per cent of the containerised cargo that moved in and out of Egypt and have handled more than 25 million TEUs and 15 million moved since operations began. More than $800 million has been invested in the port so far, and 3000 direct and in-direct jobs have been created. Furthermore, $350

million has been contributed in income to the Egyptian governmental authorities from shipping lines,” highlights Lars Koch-Soelyst, chief commercial officer at SCCT. Located at the mouth of the Suez Canal on the Mediterranean Sea, the terminal’s advantageous location is just one reason for its established reputation as a crucial transhipment hub for the Eastern Mediterranean region and gateway port for local cargoes in Egypt. Complementing its beneficial location with a consistent adherence to international standards and a high level of efficiency, SCCT, under the helm of majority shareholder and major container terminal operator APM Terminals, has been able to strengthen its role as a natural hub for international shipping routes. So far, over $800 million has been invested in the facility, which has not only ensured high quality services www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 31

Profile: Suez Canal Container Terminal

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Abacus Lighting Abacus Lighting has a proven track record for supplying, installing & maintaining port lighting around the world. Over the last four years, Abacus has been responsible for the above ground lighting installation works; running over four phases which included mast assembly, fitting of control gear cabinets and mounting and aiming the floodlights. Twenty 50m Abacus GL800 Raise and Lower Masts, each carrying fifteen Rhea floodlights along with CCTV equipment, were installed. These masts allow for safe and easy maintenance at ground level in order to meet port safety and security requirements.

through the utilisation of ultra-modern equipment, but also through training for personnel.

Previously featured in Shipping and Marine magazine in July 2014, KochSoelyst notes that while the terminal has continued to enjoy positive growth, it is also facing challenges as it waits for the Egyptian government to approve the expansion of navigational access into East Port Said: “With 3.4 million TEUs in 2014, which is based on 2251 vessels handled, we have recorded a nine per cent growth in the volumes handled and a four per cent drop in the number of ships serviced. Although we continue to expand our share of the Egyptian container business, unfortunately the expected improvement of the navigational access to the terminal did not materialise, hence we continue to operate a full navigational capacity also in 2015. We will still see continued growth as we cater to larger ships with higher volume exchanges, but we cannot grow as much as we otherwise would have been able to.

Without the navigational restrictions, we estimate that we would have been able to double our volume growth figures.”

With containerised traffic in the East Mediterranean and Egypt anticipated to grow by double digit numbers, Koch-Soelyst is concerned that SCCT will lose its competitive edge if infrastructure to enhance navigational capacity is not improved.

“Our biggest challenge remains that we are unable to cater for the growing demand of our customers to become their preferred choice as a hub terminal in the region. Moreover, the local infrastructure connecting East

Port Said port with the key markets around Cairo and Alexandria is stretched beyond capacity - which immediately affects the local exports and imports. We believe there to be ample opportunity to address these challenges and to provide worldstandard infrastructure to help expand the growth of the Egyptian economy,” he says.

Meanwhile, in other areas of the container terminal, there has been continued progress with the completion of Phase II, part of a multimillion dollar investment programme to further expand and develop the terminal in line with market demands.

With the foresight to know ships would be getting bigger over the coming years, the terminal focused on investing in its infrastructure to ensure it would be able to meet this future market development; this resulted in the 15,500 TEU Eleonora Maersk completing the 180 degree turnaround manoeuvre, with the assistance of three tug boats, in October 2012 and the Edith Maersk completing the same manoeuvre in the turning basin. This major trial was not only a significant moment for SCCT, but also in Egyptian maritime history.

Over the last eight months SCCT has looked into opportunities to further strengthen its capabilities in handling large vessels, however, as the restrictions of navigational access continue, Koch-Soelyst fears this may not be a worthwhile investment: “We are currently studying to acquire the final four quay cranes and additional supporting equipment as part of the Phase II completion. But with the restrictions on navigational access, we are not sure if this will be a good

investment. We are concerned that the restrictions will allow other terminals in the East Mediterranean to progress faster and hence take important market share from Egyptian ports.”

As it awaits the Egyptian government’s decision to implement a large Suez Canal development project, which will enable prosperity through an expanded international customer base and the capability to take on the largest vessels in the industry, SCCT will remain focused on delivering customer satisfaction through a superior service, as KochSoelyst concludes: “Our key focus remains to be improving the services to our customers. We will continue to invest to improve our operational capabilities to cater to the growing demands of the larger vessels, and we will focus on providing a stable and safe environment in support of the local economies.”

Suez Canal Container Terminal

www.scctportsaid.com

• Celebrated tenth anniversary in

November 2014 • Second largest container terminal in the Mediterranean • Can handle the newest generation container vessels

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Profile: SeaKing

Catering to the

market

A

technology leader and independent provider of functional marine catering systems for the cruise and premium class passenger vessel market, Switzerland headquartered SeaKing Group celebrates 30 years in operation in 2015. From its humble beginnings the company has grown from three people in Finland wanting to provide a dedicated service to the developing cruise industry to a team of specialists within the cruise ships catering field. Having provided its

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superior services, such as initial basic design, consultancy and delivery of ongoing training, maintenance and upgrading of catering systems, to more than 130 projects, the company has developed a strong reputation for supporting ships throughout their life cycle by not only ensuring efficiency, but also profitability.

Looking back over SeaKing’s history, CEO Bruno Wild highlights a major milestone for the company - the opening of its own production facility in Poland in 1990: “The

opening of this facility has definitively been a key element in SeaKing’s history. Over the years our Polish company has developed from a small workshop in a cow house to a factory using the newest technologies and employing more than 260 people. I do not know where the cruise industry would get all the stainless steel products needed today if this factory didn’t exist.”

“The Polish facility has seen unbelievable improvements since 1990. Whereas at the beginning we

were producing only simple so called ‘neutral’ stainless steel items like racks, tables or pallets, our product range today includes all tailor made items we find on a modern cruise ship; this includes high performance blast chillers, complicated bar counters or beautiful displays to name a few. More and more equipment is being pre-installed at the factory or assembled with built-in equipment in order to get a seamless, space efficient product and make the installation work on-board more efficient at the same time.”

Indeed, the establishment of the Polish factory has enabled SeaKing to evolve its products, with all stainless steel neutral and refrigerated furniture covered, as well as full service pantry prefabrications and complex selfwash UV hood systems. On top of this, hot production counters are assembled with built-in equipment to ensure a seamless and space efficient

end product, while its deliverables product range has grown from neutral furniture to complex computer controlled systems.

Heavily focused on functionality, space usage, energy consumption, safety and life cycle costs, which maximise efficiency in catering operations, SeaKing has a dedicated research and development (R&D) centre in place to meet increasing demands on dining and service options as well as ongoing demand for energy and operational efficiency improvements. Aware that this drive for energy savings would only increase as ships continue to grow in size and regulations over energy efficiency become more stringent, SeaKing launched its catering management system (CMS) after four years of development. First installed on TUI Cruises’ recently launched newbuild Mein Schiff 3, the CMS’ two major functions are to monitor the energy use of all galley

MKN

As a global third party ship manager with over 450 vessels in all sectors of the market , Anglo-Eastern is proud to be associated with the Noble Group and to be providing technical ship management to Noble owned vessels. With a singular focus and dedication to technical excellence as a core business, Anglo-Eastern’s network spans right across the world with over 20 offices, to ensure that its technical expertise is available wherever and whenever it is needed.

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 35

Profile: Seaking

and pantry equipment, offering advice on when to turn equipment on and off, as well as offering automatic demand-based ventilation.

“This system allows the gathering, advisory and control of catering operational data in a completely new way. In addition our CMS integrates the galley equipment and the ventilation automation, which enables to steer the ventilation based on demand. This leads to a cut in the ventilation volume by 30 per cent, thus saving tons of fuel,” explains Bruno. “We had been working on the CMS for years before it was introduced on a ship for the first time; you will not be surprised to hear that we have invested many man days and a high six-digit amount of cash for its development.”

With TUI’s Mein Schiff 3 successfully introduced to the market, the company is now focusing on its 2015 contracts with MSC Cruise Lines in France and Italy and Royal Caribbean in France. “We are very honoured and proud to work 36 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

on these great new projects with MSC and the yards in France and in Italy. We had already developed the Musica-Class ships and the FantasyClass ships together with MSC and the new projects will take this to a new level. It is also very gratifying that we were again selected as the galley supplier of the biggest cruise ships of the world. We had already developed and made the galleys of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas in Finland and we will now also do the new pair of Oasis class vessels in France.

The sheer size of the projects is overwhelming and we are very proud that the new vessels will also include our latest developments such as CMS,” enthuses Bruno.

As it continues to provide superior solutions across the globe, SeaKing will remain customer focused and R&D orientated while also

striving towards its goal of being recognised as a leader in CMS, as Bruno concludes: “The SeaKing way of doing business will not change dramatically but we will complement our offerings in line with the clients needs and we will work hard to continuously improve our products and services. There is no question to me that flexibility will be needed more than ever before in many ways and this means to me that our organisation has to be trained to be ready for that.”

SeaKing

www.seaking.net • Celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2015 • Leading provider of functional catering systems

• Focused on cruise liners and premium class passenger vessels

Profile: IBIA

Adapting to

change

T

he International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) celebrated in 2014 21 years as the voice of the marine fuel supply chain - ‘from the wellhead to the engine’. Indeed, since its inception in 1992, the association has steadily grown to accumulate a global membership of more than 660 organisations and members across 67 countries; these comprise of ship owners, charterers, bunker suppliers, brokers, traders, barging companies, storage firms, surveyors, port authorities, lawyers, P&I clubs, credit reporting companies, shipping journalists and marine consultants, and fuel testing companies, and the list continues to grow.

Not only operating as a representative of the industry in discussions and negotiations with international and national policy makers legislators and other stakeholders, IBIA also reviews, clarifies, improves, develops and

endorses industry methods, practices and documentation; increasing the professional understanding and competence of all who operate in the industry and provides services and facilities for members and others.

For example, at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), IBIA represents the industry as a consultative, non-governmental organisation and attends all meetings particularly the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) and the Bulk Liquids and Gases (BLG sub-committee). IBIA has also been granted ‘liaison status’ with the International Standards Organisation (ISO), which thus enables the organisation to contribute in discussions regarding ISO 8217 and ISO 13739.

Furthermore, as an association that is committed to educating and informing, IBIA provides both in-house and third party courses

to its members. In Singapore the association has a dedicated training facility to meet the requirements of local and regional companies; however, training can also be carried out worldwide. In November 2014 the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) accredited IBIA’s new mass flow meter training course, which will provide information on mass flow meters as well as how to install and use them.

Previously featured in Shipping and Marine magazine in 2014, CEO Peter Hall discussed IBIA’s developments: “In 2014 IBIA’s key message to the industry was that ‘The association would aim to improve quality and quantity issues across the marine fuel supply chain.’

After lobbying hard at IMO we were successful in gaining agreement to establish a ‘Fuel Quality correspondence group’ to look at establishing ‘draft guidance’ - (Guide to good practice for the quality of www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 37

Profile: IBIA

fuel on board ships). It was further agreed to look into the adequacy of the current legal framework of MARPOL annex VI.” With the quality of bunkers delivered to ships facing increased scrutiny, the IMO MEP67 agreed to the establishment of a correspondence group in November 2014; IBIA then proceeded to launch its port charter scheme at the IBIA Annual Convention in Hamburg the same month. The scheme will improve bunkering standards across the globe as signatories will be required to demonstrate a licensing scheme for bunker suppliers in their port that proves they are not only able to regulate and enforce these regulations with regards to bunkering operations but they have qualified personnel operating in the bunker supply chain and effective testing regimes in place.

“The port charter scheme emerged after some leading ports contacted IBIA enquiring how IBIA could support them in improving quality, quantity and transparency,” says Peter. “The charter compliments IBIA’s policy with regard to continuous improvement, and the adoption of best practice. IBIA will continue to increase interaction with other key ports across the world throughout 2015.”

During the association’s convention IBIA received news of OW Bunker collapse, following OW Bunker Group filing for bankruptcy on 7th November 2014.

In the wake of this collapse, IBIA announced a series of measures to ensure companies and individuals impacted received support; these included dialogue sessions with MPA Singapore, support from European ports and career support for employees, all of whom received membership to IBIA. “As the OW Bunker scenario unravelled before us, it was clear that this was an unprecedented occurrence. IBIA’s primary concern was with the very large number of competent hardworking ex-employees who now urgently needed support. IBIA’s second concern was to facilitate

dialogue across the supply chain providing a forum and guidance to address the typical questions wanting to be answered.

A third objective was to ensure an uninterrupted supply of bunkers,” explains Peter.

“With regards to the first concern we made available IBIA resources for career support to the employees impacted.

I am pleased to say that IBIA member companies have employed ex OW employees in significant numbers.

There does remain, however, a number still looking for opportunities. The second aspect was to facilitate dialogue and answers, which we did in a number of ways through experienced IBIA members within the legal field and in conjunction with key port authorities,” he adds.

Focused on the continuous improvement of standards across the marine fuels supply chain and providing support to its members in a developing industry, Peter notes that the association has ‘building on strong foundations’ as its theme for 2015: “The International Bunker Industry Association was built on a community of like minded individuals with diverse views but a passion to see communication, education and best practice information disseminated throughout the industry. As we go through 2015 our aim is to build upon these principles. An objective being to help improve standards across the marine fuels supply chain. Also to support our members and the industry develop. Key to this vision is our ability to embrace change, influence change and adapt to change.”

As Darwin said - it is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives.

It is the one that is most adaptable to

Captain Peter W Hall, CEO of IBIA

change. In the struggle for survival, the fittest win out at the expense of their rivals because they succeed in adapting themselves best to their environment.

IBIA

www.ibia.net • Works closely with members on industry issues • Focused on quantity and quality fuel supply issues • Holds Non-Governmental status with IMO • Has representation at ISO, CIMAC and Energy Institute

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Profile: WRIST SHIP SUPPLY

Being at the

forefront

W

rist Ship Supply holds an essential position in the shipping industry, building on its strengths in the supply market since the 1950’s. A string of acquisitions and expansion into new geographical territories has established the business as a global player, complementing the requirements of an international customer base. The company is the world’s leading ship and offshore supplier, providing a round-the-clock service that includes the handling of owners’ goods, shipping, airfreight and related marine and offshore services that meet the demands of both multi-national organisations as well as small local businesses. “We take pride in making it easy for our customers to receive their supplies, wherever they are needed, efficiently and at the best possible price. This is encapsulated in our mission: Expert Care to each ship and offshore location,” says Robert Kledal, CEO.

Over the years the experienced ship supplier has continuously targeted the development of the business within the ship supply market, offering a huge range of products such as provisions and items of deck, engine and cabin stores. In doing so, the company maintains a global reach whilst ensuring a local presence with quality, prices and terms and conditions that are universal across the board.

The catering concept In 2009 Wrist Ship Supply established a catering division, SeaStar Management and over the years since has experienced impressive prosperity.

“Whereas Wrist Ship Supply has built an international company on delivering supplies to ships at all main hubs, this new and complementary business unit, SeaStar, will be a global player specialised in outsourcing and handling the entire ship’s supplies budgets and purchases, and so far this has been done with great success,”

explains Søren Jørgensen, executive vice president.

SeaStar handles supplies budgets and the delivery of goods to ships worldwide. In October 2014 it announced that it had supplied to over 500 ships and has great expectations for continued growth. The SeaStar offering takes care of all the catering surcharges for the ship owner, and coincides well with the growing trend for the ship owner to outsource the catering concept.

The prosperity of the division plays an important role in the overall growth strategy of the organisation.

In the continuous development of the venture, and as part of the strategy it has launched a new parallel concept under the auspices of SeaStar: Stores Catering. “This concept has quickly gained speed within Wrist,” points out Søren. With Stores Catering, the company is expanding the concept to include the purchasing of general consumer goods from tools to www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 41

Profile: WRIST SHIP SUPPLY

workwear, kitchen equipment and non-skid mats.

Polar Tools – part of Wrist’s global assortment Wrist Ship Supply offers a global assortment within provisions and stores of more than 1500 products ensuring consistency in product quality and pricing wherever customers receive supplies. Søren adds: “Economies of scale are key to Wrist’s purchasing improvement being able to use procurement strengths to secure competitive pricing in the market.”

The group has recently introduced a new product group called Polar Tools to its global assortment – a Scandinavian tool brand with a full range of professional hand tools.

The tools are specially developed for customers who want high quality products at a competitive price level.

POLAR Tools come with a lifetime warranty on all products (excl. are ratchets, torque, wrenches and pneumatic airtools, which are covered by standard warranty). The lifetime warranty even applies for incorrect use of screwdrivers and sockets. Also, all chrome-plated products come with an anti-corrosion warranty (wrenches, sockets, extensions adapters etc.).

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A growing company One of the priorities of Wrist Ship Supply is continuous growth in new, strategically important regions, and this is undertaken through both organic expansion and mergers and acquisitions.

Global acquisitions over the last six years have allowed the business to significantly increase its capacity. “Each acquisition strengthens our customer base and business, as well as the scope of possibilities. The more customers we have, the larger the purchasing scales, which is ultimately an advantage for our customers,” highlights Søren, and continues: “Recently, we have upgraded facilities in New Orleans, Long Beach, Singapore and Rotterdam and Montreal is up next. Upgrades throughout the business ensure that we operate from state-of-the-art facilities in compliance with HACCP and ISO standards.” The investment also boosts the volumetric capacity, making it easier to meet customer demands and increases the ability to buy high volumes of individual products at any time directly from the vendor, eliminating price-increasing intermediaries.

Seafarers’ welfare Recognising the importance of seafarers to its customers, Wrist Ship Supply holds seafarers’ welfare paramount, and works hard to ensure delivery of high quality products and services wherever the seafarers may be in the world. “This is essential for them to stay healthy, content and motivated, and it makes their lives at sea better. We assume responsibility and go beyond the primary competitive parameters to make a difference,” concluded Robert.

Wrist Ship Supply www.wrist.com

• Globally expanding company • Guaranteed quality across operation • Low cost assurance

Profile: scanunit

Skilled

supplier S

canunit is Scandinavia’s leading provider of complete solutions in lifting and maintenance for industry and shipping. Operating in four key business areas - onboard marine services, surveys and classification, products and workshop facilities the company can not only provide services such as rigging, lashing and lifting, surveying and testing as well as maintenance and repair, but can also offer benefits such as environmental impact reduction, shorter lead times and enhanced cost efficiency as a total solutions supplier.

The company has witnessed steady growth since it was established in 1988. In its first year of operation Scanunit achieved a turnover of 1.8 million SEK – 20 years later the turnover had reached 96 million SEK. In recent times turnover has exceeded 160 million SEK and the company can boast 75 members of permanent staff and 150 temporary employees.

Scanunit was previously featured in Shipping and Marine magazine

in September 2014, so managing director Per Ekelund began by giving an overview of notable developments in the last five months: “We have broadened our market, especially after the SMM exhibition in Hamburg, which we attended in September 2014,” he said. “The purpose of participating was primarily to increase our international customer base and it was the first time the company exhibited as Scanunit (previously we attended as a sales agent for Samson and Hyde Marine),” he said.

Scanunit followed its appearance at SMM with a stand at the Danish Maritime Fair (DMF) in October.

This was Denmark’s first time hosting a large-scale maritime fair, and it saw exhibitors from all lines of the maritime sector present their advanced products, knowledge and competencies. “SMM was very rewarding and DMF was a fair on a smaller scale, but with – for us – important key players present,” Per commented.

At SMM and DMF Scanunit

highlighted its projects with safety & LSA, GRE piping, welding and surface treatment, as well as its wide product range, and indeed, GRE pipes has turned into a growing market for the organisation: “We have taken further steps into the scrubber market with the installation of GRE pipes for those systems and in 2014 we did ten installations, and we have more coming up this year, so this area is expanding,” Per confirmed.

One such project involved Scanunit installing scrubber units on DFDS’s vessel Tor Ficaria using GRE pipes.

“We use GRE pipes because they are low maintenance, lighter than steel, minimise hotwork on board and offer a longer life-span when compared to most other materials,” added Per. Another development at the end of 2014 saw Scanunit being approved

by DNV GL as a service supplier in safety and life-saving appliances.

Per explained how this certification will strengthen Scanunit’s services: “It helps us when the class society demands that all service companies www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 43

Profile: Scanunit

shall not only be flag state approved and have maker’s approval but also possess class approval, so now we also are approved by B.V and ABS as well as Lloyds and RINA.” DNV GL is one of the leading classification societies in the world; the company was established in 2013 when Det Norske Veritas and Germanischer Lloyd merged to DNV GL. The certificate grants acceptance for Scanunit as service supplier for lifeboats, launching appliances and on-load release gear on ships, high speed and light craft and mobile offshore units. It will allow the company to more successfully compete in the global market, and Per sees the certification as further proof that Scanunit is perceived as a responsible company, built on knowledge and experience.

In addition Scanunit has been accepted to ABS’s list of companies servicing lifeboats. The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) is a major American classification society.

Scanunit is also now on the Liberian Registry’s list of companies that meet all criteria for approval to perform LSA-service on a case by case basis.

“These approvals are fully in line with our long-term vision to be the complete service company for the shipping industry,” Per noted.

The last time Scanunit featured in Shipping and Marine, Per highlighted the Danish and Norwegian subsidiaries that had been established.

Scanunit Denmark has offices in Fredericia and in Brönby, Copenhagen, and the Danish branches stock a large inventory of wire, ropes, chains, hooks, shackles, round slings, safety nets and also test equipment for lifeboats and cranes on board ships.

In Copenhagen, Scanunit carries out service and maintenance, and certifies most types of safety harnesses.

It also manufactures lifeboat and pilot ladders, and its portfolio also includes fall protection and rigging for construction sites. Surveys of lifeboats, davits, cranes and winches, including tests of the fire equipment, are performed by certified staff all over Europe, and it also carries out servicing, installation, cleaning and painting on all types of vessels.

“We see Denmark as a great opportunity for growth,” stated Per. “Last year we increased the business by 150 per cent and we are looking at several projects. These include a tunnel project between Denmark and Germany, as well as contracts in scrubber and ballast water treatment, but in this area we are looking at all markets.”

Moving onto the Norwegian division, Scanunit Norge AS, this was established in early 2013; this development not only gave Scanunit the opportunity to develop a stronger presence in Norway and closer relationships with customers, but also aided its plan to be present in all Scandinavian markets. “The Norwegian market is currently very tough,” admitted Per. “It is suffering from the current low oil prices, and a lot of rig refurbishment contracts were awarded outside Norway. But we will

remain there, to make sure we can still provide our Norwegian clients the best service possible.”

Per also noted that Scanunit has more plans for expansion in Europe.

“We would like to do it with different partners,” he said. “For example, we are both an agent for Hyde Marine Inc. and a service provider and installer of their Ballast Water treatment units, and this works very well for us.”

Per concluded with some thoughts on 2015: “We expect the new Ballast water regulations will be ratified in near future,” he said. “We have already installed several units, and gained essential experience in this area, so this is a market area upon which we will focus this year.”

Scanunit AB

www.scanunit.se • Expects growth in the ballast-water

treatment market • Has plans for further expansion in Europe • Services utilised by all major shipping companies

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Profile: Shipyard DE KAAP

MGT’s drone

Seeking

perfection

S

hipyard de Kaap is part of the Bodewes Group, which also includes Bodewes Shipyards Harlingen, Scheepswerven Gebr.

G. & H. Bodewes, Maritima Green Technology and Koseq.

Thecla Bodewes is CEO of the Bodewes Group, and she is the driving force behind the expansion of the group and of its continued focus on innovation, efficiency and sustainability. Crowned ‘Businesswoman of the Year’ in 2011, Thecla’s leadership has seen the Bodewes Group take on new shipyards, the construction of new products and an expanded vessel portfolio and turnover.

One of the most significant recent developments was the purchase of Bodewes Harlingen in 2013. This is a large facility, which focuses on construction activities for the 46 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

specialist maritime sector. “This yard is used for maintenance and new building,” said Thecla. “Our focus is on new building and main conversions. Damen hires a part of the shipyard for their repair activities.”

She added: “This yard offers us a lot of flexibility as there are no limits on the size of project we can work on. For instance, at Shipyard De Kaap the bridges and entrance dictate the dimensions of our vessels but there are no restrictions with Harlingen.”

A perfect example of Harlingen’s capabilities is an accommodation barge that was completed in December 2014. “This order was taken on the last day of 2013 and was delivered almost exactly a year later, and is already operational in the Congo,” said Thecla. The barge had to include considerations

for high water temperatures, and meet the needs of a large number of personnel. As a result, it features 200 single cabins all with en-suite bathrooms, as well as necessary crew facilities such as messes and day rooms. With her superior capacity and flexibility this vessel is an important and timely innovation for the oil and gas industry as it moves into deeper waters and more challenging operations.

Another division of the Group Maritima Green Technology (MGT) - is also highly focused on innovation and works on a wide range of environmentally driven solutions.

One of MGT’s latest challenges involved the construction of four drones for a French client. “These are for use in the seismic industry, where two drones are positioned at the end of a seismic cable, and they can look for oil and gas in the

day-passenger ships and container vessels.

“We have always built both seagoing and also inland vessels but now we are seeing more development in niche markets, on vessels that are too small to construct in China,” added Thecla. “Our size and location are very attractive to our clients, as is our integrated approach. Our logistics and organisation are very good, which means we can build efficiently and deliver on time, which is something that our customers really value.”

She also explained where the Group is making some further investments. “We are buying new machinery and introducing new procedures for welding, as they will help us become even more efficient.

“We have invested significantly in the recent expansions to the Group, so going forward we are also consolidating, focusing on innovative ideas and products and ensuring our yards can create a varied portfolio of services and vessels. We already offer our customers many benefits such as

n

covered building halls, expert staff and a long history of experience in shipbuilding and maintenance. This will assist us with new contracts – for example we are getting enquiries for LPG seagoing vessels, and LNG bunker vessels.” The Group is also seeing increasing demand from South America and Shipyard De Kaap has already delivered two ships to Paraguay, the Impala Campana and the Impala San Antonio, both type KP4050. Two other push boats are under construction. The KP4050 is one of Shipyard De Kaap’s shallow water pushboat series, and is especially suited for the South American rivers with her shallow draft and ability to cope with tropical climate and high water temperatures. Several of these vessels have also been delivered to clients in Columbia.

As it goes into 2015, the Bodewes Group will continue to utilise its many years of combined experience, knowledge and craftsmanship to produce unique innovations in shipbuilding and ship repair.

sea. This means that oil and gas companies don’t need to use more expensive, technical vessels, as they can undertake their research using drones and a smaller vessel in the sea,” noted Thecla.

Featuring a huge range of technology, the drones include sensors that map the seabed and can send data directly via satellite to the shore or mothership. The prototypes have been extremely successful in their sea trials and as Thecla explained, MGT is now making adjustments, with a view to building 20 more in the future.

Both of these examples illustrate the sort of unique projects that the divisions of the Bodewes Group are regularly commissioned to undertake, and 2015’s forward planning book already shows a number of new projects, including lightweight inland navigation vessels, www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 47

Profile: Shipyard DE KAAP

Remaining innovative, investigating every opportunity for making savings and always seeking the optimal solutions to match the customer’s requirements continue to drive the business forward, alongside building and supporting long-term relationships with customers.

Over the years much has changed in the Bodewes Group thanks to the fresh thinking approach of Thecla and her team - but one area that remains unchanged and unwavering is its dedication to build excellent ships. The company continues to look for inspiration and new

Van der Velden Marine Systems Van der Velden Marine Systems can leverage on over 50 years of experience and is undisputed market leader in the design and production of inland and seagoing manoeuvrability systems. Having successfully completed 9000 rudder and steering gear installations, its clients are assured of ultra-reliable and state-of-the-art technology. The excellent relationship it enjoys with Shipyard De Kaap is a prime example of teamwork in action and has resulted in a fleet of vessels that are renowned for their manoeuvrability.

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techniques, and is not afraid to think out-of-the-box in order to deliver a high quality product at a competitive price, just in time.

Shipyard De Kaap www.shipyarddekaap.nl

• Dedicated to quality and innovation • Versatile approach and wide-ranging expertise • Very successful drone vessels constructed

Profile: Port of Gibraltar

A vital

hub W

ith more than 71,000 vessels transiting the Strait of Gibraltar annually, the Port of Gibraltar has become a vital bunkering port and a hub for ships of all types and sizes. Renowned across the world, the maritime centre of excellence provides turnkey solutions

to meet the requirements of all ship owners and operators across a broad spectrum of markets such as cargo or cruise liners.

Building on its strong reputation, the port has undergone an extensive review of its operations since Commodore Bob Sanguinetti was appointed Captain of the Port of Gibraltar in May 2014. Focused on driving efficiency, Bob a former officer in the Royal Navy, discusses the programme of improvement, which was undertaken not only as part of an internal exercise, but also in consultation with the port’s client base and port community of Gibraltar. “In the past eight months we have introduced new tariffs, so competitive

discounts have been launched for both the eastern anchorage and western anchorage in Gibraltar. In the east this means we have become a more attractive option for ships that come in for ship husbandry, stores and crew changes, while the western anchorage’s cost effectiveness will reinforce further competitiveness for the Port of Gibraltar as a hub for bunkering.

“In addition, we have eased restrictions on the number of bunker barges allowed to operate in the bay, which follows the freeing up of a couple of anchorage slots of the west; this means we now have more than 20 per cent extra capacity for anchoring. Meanwhile, with safety as our top priority at the port, we have also doubled the number of vessel traffic service operators (VTS) from five to ten; this means we have better oversight and control of the waters both in and around Gibraltar.

Parallel to this development, we have recently introduced a web based vessel www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 49

Profile: Port of Gibraltar

management system, linking shipping agents with the port authority, pilots and other service providers, making the administration and logistics of bringing a ship into the bay is far much more efficient.” Coinciding with these developments, the port authority has a new purpose built VTS office currently under construction on the southern end of the rock; offering sweeping views across the Strait of Gibraltar, the office will overlook the busy entrance to the bay, and is anticipated to be fully operational by the third quarter of 2015.

Keen to further strengthen to port’s commitment to safety and responsible

behaviour, the port authority has been developing the port’s safety manual in line with the UK’s Port Marine Safety Code (PMSC), while also introducing increased health and safety training for its entire GPA staff. “We hope to increase awareness and a sense of responsibility with regards to health and safety,” confirms Bob. “Moreover, we are preparing for accreditation of ISO 18001 management system and are beginning to introduce a port environmental management plan; we are also a member of the Green Award scheme, and we work very closely across government to look at issues such as climate change to

Gibunco Group The history of the Gibunco Group stretches back 50 years when it was founded by the Bassadone family. Gibunco has grown from being a ship repair and ship agency operation in Gibraltar and now spans the globe with a network of offices in leading international centres of commerce and prime locations.

Gibunco was established in 1965 as an underwater engineering and ship repair company. It has since grown into one of Gibraltar’s most progressive and diverse commercial organisations. The Group’s operations now include everything from petroleum supplies, marine engineering, shipping and mechanical engineering to property development.

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further increase efficiency and our environmental credentials in the port.”

Struck by the scale and breadth of activity at the Port of Gibraltar when he first took on the role of CEO, Bob brought an impressive range of knowledge and experience to ensure the port will continue flourishing in its three key markets: bunkering, cruise ships and superyachts. “I spent 30 years in the Royal Navy, which was a fantastic career, with long periods at sea - this gives me a good understanding of the marine environment,” he says. “I have also held a number of senior management positions in the military, not just in the Navy, but also the Ministry of Defence. Furthermore, I have senior level experience in operations and planning, human resources, finance and procurement, all of which feature heavily in the day-to-day running of a commercial port.”

Moving forward, Bob and the port authority have a number of plans in place to further drive growth and the development of the Port of Gibraltar, particularly with regards to its bunkering operations. As the market of bunkering is extremely competitive, the port authority has maintained

its edge through a proactive approach to its services; a trend that is to continue as Bob highlights: “We are looking at ways to place our infrastructure on a firmer footing for the longer term; conscious of changing markets and competition, we also need to constantly find ways of delivering our bunkering services in a safe and efficient manner. To help us do this we have a bunkering code of practice, which we have seen emulated by a number of ports across the globe. This is a testament to the high standards we maintain and to our continued commitment to safety and environmental protection.

“There is also the cruise industry, which is very active in Gibraltar, with around 200 cruise ships a year calling at the Rock. We have recently heard that Carnival UK is listing Gibraltar as its third most visited port for 2015, and we are determined to remain abreast of this sector, in support of the

Gibraltar Tourist Board as they renew and refresh the wonderful attractions on offer. Another aim for us is to, in partnership with the private sector, consider ways of developing our infrastructure for superyachts, with a view to making Gibraltar a more attractive destination,” he concludes.

Port of Gibraltar

www.gibraltarport.com • Largest bunkering port in the Mediterranean • Commodore Bob Sanguinetti appointed CEO of the port in May 2014 • Has since been reviewing procedures to increase efficiency

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Profile: Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc

Growing in

strength A

egean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. (Aegean) is an international marine fuel logistics company that markets and physically supplies refined marine fuel and lubricants to ships in port and at sea. The company procures product from various sources (such as refineries, oil producers, and traders) and resells it to a diverse group of customers across all major commercial shipping sectors and leading cruise lines.

Aegean Marine Petroleum developed and, in 2008, introduced in the market its own brand, ALFA marine lubricants. Aegean offers the full range of mineral, synthetic and next generation biodegradable lubricants and greases. Its lubricants are blended from premium quality base oils and additives and are OEM approved by the biggest engine 52 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

builders (MAN Diesel & Turbo, Wartsila, MTU, and Mercedes Benz) in the market.

Through extensive global network of blending plants, stock points and delivery facilities, Aegean marine lubricants are available in more than 550 ports worldwide. 24/7 customer service is provided to customers and this is one of the company’s competitive advantages in the demanding marine lubricants market.

Aegean also offers a full range of technical support services, such as: • Complete used oil analysis in its Lloyds’ certified chemical laboratory in Greece.

• 24/7 technical advice for the engineers’ on board and ashore.

• Technical presentations and seminars on the latest developments on engine and machinery lubrication.

Aegean is one of the biggest independent lubricants suppliers.

Another aspect of business that has always set Aegean apart from the competition is its dedication to green operations. The organisation appreciates the value of the environment and the concerns of those living within it, and is determined to maintain a dialogue with all interested parties in the industry and local communities to ensure that the integrity of its operations meets the health and safety expectations of the local communities and the regulatory requirements of the statutory authorities. Lloyds certify Aegean Marine Petroleum for the environmental management system ISO 14001 and it also adheres to ISO 9001 for its quality management system. Given the increasing regulations surrounding

bunker fuel requirements, and the stringent legislation to which ship owners and operators have to adhere, being able to offer these green credentials provides Aegean with another layer of assurance and confidence for its clients.

The last few exciting developments at Aegean begin in December 2014 with its entry to Los Angeles and Long Beach ports in the US, following the purchase of leftover fuel and infrastructure from the bankrupt OW Bunker. Aegean acquired marine fuel and assumed a storage contract with Vopak Terminal Los Angeles at an auction of OW Bunker’s assets.

The company commenced bunker supply operations at the port of Los Angeles during the first quarter of 2015. Having a presence at the Vopak Terminal in Los Angeles will substantially broaden Aegean’s access to the marine fuel markets of the US west coast, and in so doing round out Aegean’s profile as a global marine fuel provider.

The new deal illustrates Aegean’s strategy to enter new markets to provide its services, at the same time as increasing shareholder value. These plans include the start of bunker fuel supply operations in the Gulf of Mexico. Operating in international waters, off both the Texas and Louisiana coastlines, this service is invaluable to the tanker fleets that operate in this area, enabling them to avoid costly deviations and port calls to other bunker locations.

Also the launch of physical supply and marketing operations in Germany during January 2015 has been announced. Operations include the physical supply of marine fuels and lubricants to all German ports and will be based out of Hamburg, the second largest container terminal in Europe. To support its local German operations, Aegean has assumed the contracts for two modern, doublehull bunkering barges previously under charter to OW Bunker and approximately 20,000 cubic metres of on-shore storage capacity. The company has also established a marketing and business development

office in Hamburg for the sale and marketing of marine petroleum products throughout the Aegean network and to customers on a worldwide basis.

E. Nikolas Tavlarios, president of Aegean Marine Petroleum Network, commented: “We continue to execute on our strategy to opportunistically enter new markets, strengthen and diversify our operating reach, all while enhancing our ability to service our customers on a worldwide basis.

As we embark on a new year we

remain confident that we are well positioned to capitalise on several risk-averse opportunities that will allow Aegean to increase the scale and efficiency of our global marine fuel logistics network, grow our customer base and enhance shareholder value.”

Following the statement that it will commence operations in Germany, on 20th January 2015 Aegean also announced that it would begin immediate marketing operations in Russia. Aegean’s operations in this www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 53

Profile: Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc

We believe that our expansion into Russia, combined with our recent entry into the US Gulf Coast, US West Coast, and German markets, demonstrates our continued actions to strengthen the Aegean network around the world region will include a marketing and business development office located in St. Petersburg, dedicated to sales and marketing of marine petroleum products across all Russian ports.

With the assistance of five seasoned industry professionals, previously employed by OW Bunker, the company expects to gain important local market intelligence, while providing enhanced service to client’s at all Russian ports.

E. Nikolas Tavlarios noted: “We remain committed to meeting the increasing demand of our growing global customer base. This expansion is consistent with our efforts to diversify our operations and enhance our global footprint. We believe that

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our expansion into Russia, combined with our recent entry into the US Gulf Coast, US West Coast, and German markets, demonstrates our continued actions to strengthen the Aegean network around the world.

We are confident that Aegean is well positioned for continued growth, success and value creation in 2015.”

These exciting developments were supported by Aegean’s upsizing and pricing of its previously announced registered public offering of additional 4.00 per cent Convertible Senior Notes due 2018 (the ‘new notes’). The size of the offering has been increased from $40.0 million in aggregate principal amount of the new notes to $42.0 million in

aggregate principal amount of the new notes, and has priced at 111.0 per cent, plus accrued interest, if any, from November 1, 2014. The company will use the net proceeds from the sale of the new notes for working capital required to fund its expansion into existing and new markets.

Heading into 2015, Aegean believes that it will be a landmark year for the company. As E. Nikolas Tavlarios concluded: “We intend to continue executing our risk-averse strategy; strengthening our brand, widening our customer base and increasing the scale and efficiency of our logistics network.”

Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc www.ampni.com

• Global presence in 21 markets • Expansion into US, Germany and Russia • 2015 predicted to be very exciting year

Profile: Athus Container Terminal

Drive for

success

L

ocated in the geographic and economic hinterland of Europe, with links to Belgian Lorraine, France, Luxembourg and the German regions of the Saar, Athus Container Terminal (ACT) is over 250 km away from the three principal North Sea ports – Zeebruges, Antwerp and Rotterdam, which it reaches in an efficient and profitable manner thanks to its rail-road transport solution. Indeed, to and from Arlon, Reims, Nancy, Trier, Saarbrucken or Luxembourg, the company can provide a rapid service straight to the destination port.

Active since 1979, the terminal’s establishment was the result of a common drive for success from local entrepreneurs and various players in the transport sector following a major economic crisis in the region, which resulted in approximately 3000 job losses. “We were the first organisation

to be created after this disaster,” explains Alain Rysman, general manager of ACT. “Since then we have continued to witness strong growth in the maritime container transport business through the provision of a bi-modal transport solution.”

Originally handling containers in a working area of 1.5 hectares, the terminal increased its surface area over the years, which resulted in the terminal’s surface area increasing to 15 hectares and its container handling capacity reaching 120,000 containers per year by 2006.

“Today we have

18 hectares of surface area and 4000 metres of usable rail tracks to receive trains that we then unload and reload; to provide this service we have dedicated equipment such as six reach stackers with a 40 tonne capacity, three GPS guided mobile gantry cranes on tires and one crane for empty

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Profile: Athus Container Terminal

Kalmar Belgium Kalmar offers the widest range of cargo handling solutions and services to ports, terminals, distribution centres and to heavy industry. Kalmar is the industry forerunner in terminal automation and in energy efficient container handling, with one in four container movements around the globe being handled by a Kalmar solution. Through its extensive product portfolio, global service network and ability to enable a seamless integration of different terminal processes, Kalmar improves the efficiency of every move.

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containers,” highlights Alain.

Not only committed to using cutting edge technology, the company ensures rapid and effective transport of containers for customers through the continued development and improvement of the terminal. A recent example of this is the last mile project, which involves towing cargo trains deeper into the container terminal for the last mile. “This is a vital development for ACT as we are able to pull or push our trains from the station to the terminal, which means we are no longer linked to one precise rail operator, but are now independent; this is something we view as critical for our future,” says Alain.

He continues: “On top of this, we have a new business growing now; previously we were only transporting the containers, but we began loading and unloading items inside the containers two years ago. Because of this diversification in our service offering, we have enhanced the skills of our personnel to ensure we give an

exceptional service to our customers.

We have all that is needed and more to provide our personnel with the knowledge and skills they require; most recently this has involved extensively training new locomotive drivers for the last mile project.”

Divided into two segments, the highly experienced team at ACT work on either the management of the terminal by focusing on activities such as handling, reception, container storage and repairs or on the management of transport, which involves organising the road and rail transport of containers. The skill, flexibility and efficiency of these teams mean customers are fully confident that their containers are transported in a safe, secure and timely manner.

Using a rail and road operating system, the ACT organises daily round trips to and from Antwerp, Rotterdam and Zeebruges; for the former it used to use the National Rail Container Network (NaRCoN) system. However NaRCoN was stopped in September 2013 and ACT launched a new rail

organisation system. It can now offer direct trains to/from main quays of Antwerp and it can connect to Zebrugge and Rotterdam by barge or truck from these quays.

Previously working in partnership with rail firm ERS on its Rotterdam route, the independent terminal is currently looking to develop greater business connections with the Port of Rotterdam as it continues with its expansion. “We are beginning to put plans into place with a connection via Antwerp, from which we anticipate to have a direct train connection to Rotterdam with as much frequency as possible,” notes Alain. In addition to enhancing its relationship with the Port of Rotterdam, the terminal will also focus on developing connections with ports further south; a strategy that is anticipated to involve investments into 1.5 km of infrastructure in the south.

With investment plans in place to ensure future growth, the adaptable terminal will focus on finding a new solution for the mobility issues

surrounding the use of trucks in towns and highways, while also maintaining consistency in controlling its relatively new ways of operating. On top of this, it will be paying close attention to upcoming opportunities in the market, as Alain concludes: “We see opportunities in Rotterdam and also Zeebruges, following the partnership between Maersk and MSC; this means a number of our clients will be moving to Zeebruges too. We will be going with them, to continue providing solutions for their containers.

However, I think the connection to the south will really bring up some more opportunities for us to expand our services in both directions.”

Athus Container Terminal www.tca.be

• Maritime gateway of the Saar-Lor-Lux region • Offers an efficient and profitable bi- modal transport solution • Looking to develop connections with ports further south

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Profile: BURGESS MARINE

A diverse

service

T

rading internationally from six 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, Wartsila and Eurotunnel.

“Our largest single customer is BAE Systems,” confirms Nick Warren, managing director of Burgess Marine.

“We work with them predominantly in the UK, across multiple revenue streams, and also with their businesses

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in Saudi and Oman; we also work with Serco Marine and Babcock International as well as numerous large ferry operators and commercial operators.”

Looking to dominate the market and strengthen its services, Burgess Marine acquired its biggest competitor, Southampton based Testbank Ship Repair, in January 2013. This move has proven highly fruitful for the company, as the merging of both businesses enabled Burgess Marine to become the largest independent ship repairer in the UK. On top of this, many of Testbank’s key customers renewed their longterm contracts with Burgess Marine.

Following this strategic development, the company announced its partnership with global fuel injection supplier PB Asher, a specialist in marine fuel injection systems, which further boosted its presence on an

international scale, while also offering a complete solution on mechanical overhauls and renewals.

Since it was previously featured in Shipping and Marine magazine in April 2013, Burgess Marine has witnessed continued growth and gained a number of new contracts and made a further acquisition, as Nick states: “Over the last two years we have moved to a new base in Plymouth where we are doing more work for companies such as Babcock International, the Royal Navy and Serco Marine. We were also heavily involved in the refit of MY Shemara, which was successfully launched in April 2014. Working with Shemara Refit LLP was fantastic for us and involved the rebuild of a 1937 gentleman’s motor yacht that re-engineered from the keel up. It was a project of longevity that lasted circa three years; it was a steep learning

curve, and we are very proud to be associated with this successful project.”

Launched from Burgess Marine’s ship-lift facility in Portsmouth Harbour, the 65-metre classic superyacht was provided with specialist support and personnel for structural and fabrication works as well as mechanical works and pipefitting. The superior level of service delivered was possible thanks to major investment at the company’s Portchester facility over the last two years. For example, the channel and syncrolift pit was dredged to allow vessels with a maximum draft of 4.5 metres to use the ship lift.

Moreover, the wires, bearings and winches were all updated to significantly improve the infrastructure.

In addition to these developments, the company acquired Meercat Workboats in August 2014. “Our intent is to keep Meercat very much standalone. The business has a great product and a great reputation,” say Nick. Jason Coltman, Testbank

Ship Repairs ex Managing Director now runs Meercat. He comments: “Since taking over the business we’ve sold vessels into both the Fish Farm industry and the Dive Support industry - the strength, quality and versatility of the product really do make our offering unique.”

In January 2015 Nick lead an MBO of the business and shortly thereafter announced the arrival of RJD as a new major shareholder, as Nick highlights: “Most recently we have completed a private equity transaction, in which RJD joins the business as a major shareholder.

This transaction will give us the financial security and corporate finance experience to continue growing at the same rate that we have been, so we can continue to expand geographically and further

Rapid Welding & Industrial Supplies Rapid Welding & Industrial Supplies Ltd, along with RentArc Ltd, is an established group of companies well-known for hiring and supplying high quality welding equipment and consumables to ANY industry sector. In the business of ‘Keeping Welders Welding’, Rapid is proud to work closely with Burgess Marine, sourcing equipment and quickly solving welding problems to provide the total package. As supply partners to eminent brands such as Lincoln Electric, Fronius and Kemppi, Rapid offers competitive prices and an unbeatable service.

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Profile: BURGESS MARINE

diversify the service that we offer.

RJD’s investment represents the first chapter of real growth and improvement; not just in turnover and margin but in both corporate governance and business practice. We want to get better. We want to offer better customer services and increased product offering and a high standard of industry best practice.”

RJD’s funding and support will ensure the 130 strong Burgess Marine, which achieved an annual turnover of more than £25 million in 2014, to further grow alongside an ever-changing industry and become a leading operator in the UK marine services sector. With the contract now signed and the transaction publicised, Nick discusses the company’s next plan of action: “The international development of the business has been very positive so far, and the RJD transaction involves further expansion in the North East and North West of the UK and consolidation in our home market from the Thames Estuary to the Bristol Channel. We

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have already successfully established ourselves in Plymouth and become a major supplier to Babcock and Serco, but we are now focused on enhancing our geographical reach in the UK to give us an all-encompassing network.

“We are firm believers in a fair days pay for a fair days work, so what we need to do is to take that concept and create a truly national ship repair network that is built around this ethos. It is all about the level of service that we provide our customers with, the turnaround times, our attitude and the way we communicate with our client base. We are looking to build meaningful long-term relationships with our customers. Our ethos is genuinely different - unlike our competitors our intent is not to maximise our clients spend. We don’t start jobs without permission and we don’t set out to hit the client with extras and variation orders. We want transparency, no surprises and a longterm relationship that brings mutual value.”

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, the future looks positive for Burgess Marine as it continues to operate in a buoyant market.

“One area we see opportunity is in the superyacht market, as that sector has an existing number of firms that charge a premium for their services, however, we can work on a yacht for the same price as could on a commercial vessel or a warship. This is a price that is more competitive than the current players

in that market – we offer good value for money and we’ve plenty of experience,” says Nick.

“Meanwhile, looking further ahead, we want to become an allencompassing national ship repair network with the appropriate geographical locations to keep all of our customers happy from both a price point and service level perspective,” he concludes.

Burgess Marine

www.burgessmarine.co.uk • Specialise in marine engineering and

ship repairs • Acquired Testbank Ship Repair in January 2013 • Acquired Meercat Workboats in August 2014 • RJD became new major shareholder in February 2015

Jarrett Scaffolding Jarrett Scaffolding is a Hampshire based company, delivering scaffold access and containment solutions to the marine sector. The team have enjoyed working with Burgess Marine on a number of projects, predominantly in Portsmouth and Southampton.

Marine projects are bespoke and often complex by nature and the team enjoys the challenges these bring.

Through working closely together, Jarrett Scaffolding and Burgess Marine have developed an excellent working relationship, delivering high quality scaffold structures.

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Profile: Andriaki Shipping

Tanked

up

A

provider of marine transportation services since its inception in 1953, Andriaki Shipping Co. Ltd. has used its knowledge and experience to manage more than 100 vessels of all types and sizes over the last six decades and is proud to deliver a comprehensive range of ship management services, such as technical management, crewing, purchasing and day-to-day operational services, to ships owned by N.J.Goulandris family interests. In 2008 the London based organisation used its well known name to set up Athens based NJ Goulandris Maritime Inc, a move that stemmed from its desire to reunite the commercial, technical and operational aspects of the business together under one roof. The company’s office in the capital now acts as a chartering liaison office that also handles accounts and insurance issues. Following the relocation, Andriaki Shipping, which operates as the group’s management arm, is housed under the same roof as NJ Goulandris Maritime.

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Shipping and Marine in August 2012, the company has continued to provide high quality services to ships of NJ Goulandris family interests while also maintaining a conservative approach to the challenging shipping market, as CEO of Andriaki Shipping Dimitris Korkodilos begins: “Over the last few years we have taken a step away from managing bulk carriers and now concentrate on tankers, with six of these vessels currently operated and managed by us. We manage, operate and charter these ships, which are owned by NJ Goulandris family interests, which we have managed ships for since our establishment.

“Our vessels, two VLCCs and four suezmax vessels, are mainly operating across the globe, however one VLCC is currently on a time charter with BP for one year. The market has been difficult over the last few years, which has left us with the challenge of running ships in a cost-efficient manner while also ensuring the highest possible quality standards. With the co-operation of our sea farers we have managed this successfully.”

Retaining a strong commitment to ecologically sound and safe seaborne trade, Andriaki Shipping continuously strives to deliver a superior service through maximum quality and optimum safety; a commitment that has resulted in a leading reputation in ship management. “We have been in the business for 62 years now and our goal to become a leading name in shipping through excellence has remained the same,” says Dimitris.

“Key to our success is our personnel, both onshore and onboard, most of which have been with us since the start of their careers; this continuity means we can easily pass on the ideas and values of the company and further strengthen our high operating and maintenance standards. Our personnel stay with us because of our values and the way we operate; they know we are a company with high standards that can’t be compromised.”

Committed to continuously improving environmental performance in all operations, Andriaki Shipping complies with all applicable environmental laws and regulations,

one of the best cadet training programmes in Greek shipping. The company hires about ten cadets each year in both deck and engine departments and enables them to obtain their second officer/third officer licenses. “As part of our training we also have an English teacher go on board and travel with the ships so sea farers can take lessons on board,” adds Dimitris.

Cautiously optimistic of the shipping industry’s recovery, Dimitris anticipates potentially expanding its management services to third-party tanker owners while also maintaining its leading reputation for quality. “At the moment we are managing ships exclusively for the NJ Goulandris family, but our next step is to potentially take on ships from other owners who would like to enter the tanker market but aren’t prepared to build a managing organisation. Although we are open to this development, it could only take place if we were to find someone who could share our values and standards,” he concludes.

Andriaki Shipping www.andriaki.gr

• Manage and operate six tankers • Over six decades of experience • Prepared for environmental regulations

such as SECA, which came into effect January 1st 2015. “All of our ships have been modified to meet SECA regulations,” confirms Dimitris. “We are also aware you have to clean certain tanks to meet the 0.1 per cent sulphur in fuel requirement, and have made the necessary modifications to piping, machinery, main engines and diesel generators. Meanwhile, with regards to ballast water treatment, due to the USCG approval uncertainties, we have not made any decisions on installing systems as of yet.”

Another way the company ensures its stringent safety and environmental policy is achieved is through the constant monitoring of its six Greek flag vessels as well as high levels of communication between staff. “Our office personnel continuously monitor the vessels’ safety and environmental performance, while our officers all get briefed and debriefed as they pass through the office to sign on and off.

We also provide both in-house and third party training to our staff and arrange third party audits,” explains Dimitris.

On top of training its staff, Andriaki Shipping’s comprehensive cadet training programme provides people looking to begin their sea career with www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 63

Profile: Reederei NSB

Branching

out

F

ounded by a management with a strong knowledge in shipbuilding, German quality ship manager Reederei NSB boasts more than 30 years experience in managing container vessels, product, crude and gas tankers. Renowned for its experience and commitment to innovation, the company has established successful partnerships with key ship owners such as CONTI Reederei, GEBAB, RWE Innogy and Norddeutsche Vermoegen, as well as charterers such as CMA CGM, Evergreen MSC and Hanjin within the container market.

However, upon seeing opportunities in the offshore market, Reederei NSB expanded its services after winning a management contract for two jack-up vessels that were owned by German blue chip energy provider RWE Innogy in 2010.

Over the following five years NSB Reederei focused on investing large 64 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

amounts into its IT systems, quality management and the improvement of processes, a decision that was strengthened by the training of teams for operations both ashore and onboard. This dedication to continuous improvement has proven highly fruitful for the company, with a number of business expansions taking place since it was last featured in Shipping and Marine in July 2014.

“One milestone for Reederei NSB during 2014 was the opening of a new branch in Shanghai, named Asia Marine Shanghai, in November. This newly founded branch emerges from a joint venture between the Chinese Shanghai Nan Dou International Shipmanagement Co. Ltd. and Reederei NSB. “Although the joint venture still serves local customers, this development means we are currently in the process of opening up our ship management services to the

international market. However, not only do we offer our services in ship management within this branch, we also offer crewing, supply chain and agency services that are tailor made for the Chinese market; in fact, the first Chinese crew will be signing on by the end of January,” explains Tim Ponath, chief operating officer of Reederei NSB. Adhering to its motto of ‘local dedication with global background’, the company is immensely proud of the foundation of this joint venture, and is certain to provide optimum services to customers.

Another major development for the dynamic Reederei NSB is the foundation of NSB Marine Solutions GmbH in October 2014. Offering state-of-the-art technology and processes, the subsidiary combines these strengths with the expertise of parent company Reederei NSB and managing directors Markus Thewes and Tim Ponath, who

notes: “The implementation of NSB Marine Solutions is a very important achievement for Reederei NSB. Customers can select from a broad portfolio of services, pick individual products or receive a full-service package. As a result, they can meet new economic or legislative challenges and focus their own resources where they are required the most.”

Appointed to the management board as COO of Reederei NSB in early 2015, Tim is now managing the company together with his father, CEO Helmut Ponath, and CFO Lutz Weber. “Being from the second generation, I am looking forward to managing the business that my father helped to build and significantly shaped. It will give me the opportunity to actively contribute to shaping the future of our company,” he says.

With a strong presence in Singapore, the US and Shanghai, the international ship and crew management firm anticipates expansion in Manila over the coming years; it also seems further opportunities for growth in the offshore sector, following the establishment of a joint venture between Reederei NSB and Offcon GmbH. This venture has led to the progression of the multi-purpose offshore vessel (MPOV) project and the development of vessel types MPOV-62 and MPOV-32 as Tim notes: “The MPOV-Wind family is tailor-made to the requirements of the offshore-wind market and offers a highly efficient and cost-optimised concept which also includes logistics and maintenance to wind farm operators.” The MPOV-62 and MPOV-32 offer cost efficiency during construction and operation as they both employ the same components and systems; moreover, the vessels are highly flexible and can be deployed during various phases of operation.

In addition to these developments, the company has continued to provide innovative services to its customers while working on a number of projects, such as its widening of a number of boxships on charter to MSC. “This project is progressing according to schedule,” confirms Tim. “We had steelcutting in September 2014, with the first vessel, MSC Geneva, arriving at the shipyard in December. The outfitting and lofting is currently in progress and the converted

relatively smaller propulsion engine due to increasing displacement, as well as a lower speed and enhanced fuel efficiency. “This results in a much better IMO Energy Efficiency Design Index, and a significant decline in CO2 emissions per tonne mile for the widened ship. The result looks even better if the CO2 emissions are related to the pure cargo weight,” explains Tim. Having strengthened its international service offering and with a number of projects in the pipeline, the highly knowledgeable Reederei NSB will be delivering tailor-made solutions to an increasing customer base for years to come. vessel will be delivered in April 2015.”

The innovative widening concept is used on panamax containerships, which, with a beam of 32 metres, have been the backbone of container shipping for many years. This process not only makes the vessels more economic, but also provides greater stability with less ballast water, container slot increase, and a

Reederei NSB

www.reederei-nsb.de • Thirty years experience in ship

management • Recently opened a new branch in Shanghai • Implemented NSB Marine Solutions in October 2014

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Profile: Petro Tank SA

Smooth

operator F

ounded in 1980, Argentinean ship owner Petro Tank SA boasts more than 30 years experience in the ownership and technical management of oil product carriers, chemical tankers, anchor handling and supply tugs and general cargo vessels. Operating as a privately owned family business, the company has expanded its services over the years and consolidated itself as a leader in its field within the South American region. Current main activities include barge transportation, towing, salvage operations and general offshore services.

“We are a top of the line maritime service provider in the South Atlantic area, Rivers de La Plata, Parana and Paraguay,” confirms Nicolas Padilla, operations director at Petro Tank.

“Made up of experienced professionals from the shipping industry that strive to provide both convenient and committed quality services, we want to help our customers achieve their business goals. Key to our success are a number of strengths; these include a highly experienced board of directors, well trained staff, long-lasting positive relationships with clients, safety at work and clearly stated missions and goals.”

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As a family run business, Nicolas notes that the staff at Petro Tank benefit from working with a team of people that can be trusted to move the company in the right direction: “As a family we are likely to share common values as to how things should be done, which gives us an extra sense of purpose and pride; we also have a strong commitment to the success of the business and are more likely to put in the extra hours and effort to become more successful. We have a flexible approach to working hours and strong personal bonds, which means we are more likely to stick together in hard times and show determination to make the business successful.”

Mainly operating within the offshore sector, Petro Tank is committed to meeting the stringent standards that are expected from oil and gas companies as well as the demands from customers within the shipping industry, as Nicolas highlights: “We have long-term experience in managing ships in traditional commercial management structures; our chartering and operations department is in charge of seeking cargoes and operating the vessel through its voyage. Our

philosophy is to operate and maintain vessels to a high standard, as if they were our own; to us a vessel must be technically, structurally and cosmetically sound to commence operations.”

Services from Petro Tank include crew transportation, platform supply, offshore accommodation, maintenance support, standby safety services and anchor handling and mooring capabilities in both shallow and deepwater environments. On top of this, the company provides coastal and offshore towage of all kinds of vessels, barges, wrecks, pontoons, floating cranes and other heavy lift equipment. “Our naval experts participate together with our clients in the planning and confection of the towing schemes, which will later have to be approved by flag authorities and/ or classification societies,” explains Nicolas.

Having earned a strong reputation for its ability to provide instant and professional response to a variety of marine emergency situations, the company has successfully participated in all kinds of operations thanks to its professional staff, fully equipped vessels and its vast network of subcontractors and strategic alliances

throughout Argentina. “We have worked on salvage operations such as refloating, fire fighting, wreck removal and environmental care services both on our own and for third party salvors such as Smit, Ocean Salvage and Tsavliris,” explains Nicolas. “Moreover, we have vast experience of working on our own and with contractors such as Saipem and McDermott on the construction, repair and installation of offshore structures. These include gas pipelines, petroleum products pipelines, jetties and fixed platforms.” For these projects, the company supplies clients with personnel, owned and chartered vessels, logistics at shore and heavy lifting equipment.

In January 2015 Petro Tank was proud to announce that it had been awarded a contract with CGG, a geo-science French-based firm, to offer assistance in its seismic operations on behalf of ENARSA that are ongoing in the Malvinas Basin. Petro Tank’s vessel will perform chasing activities as well as the delivery of supplies and bunkers to CGG’s seismic vessel Oceanic Champion throughout the project, as Nicolas notes: “We have a vast experience in giving support to seismic vessels in South Argentinean Seas; our crew is well trained and

knows what to do for these kinds of projects. We have worked in the past for clients such as WesternGeco, which I’m sure gave CGG confidence when making a decision as to what company should assist Oceanic Champion while operations are conducted in the exploration area.”

As the company tenders for a number of long-term contracts in the offshore and river towing/barge transportation markets, the future

looks positive for Petro Tank as it focuses on expansion into a number of strategic areas, as Nicolas concludes: “We aim to continue our expansion into the barge towing market through the Hidrovia Parana-Paraguay, while also focusing on establishing operations in Uruguay too. At the same time, we are progressing with plans to start business in Brazil; the country is definitely somewhere to be working over the next ten years.

Although our strategic vision depends on the conditions imposed by the new government after elections this year, we are accustomed to change and are flexible enough to adapt to different scenarios.”

Petro Tank SA

www.petrotank.com.ar • Argentinean ship owner and operator • Main operations in South America • Contract with CGG for seismic operations

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Profile: NOBLE CHARTERING

Pump up the

volume

A

subsidiary of Noble Group, a market-leading global supply manager of agricultural and energy products, metals and minerals, leading independent ship-owner, operator and trader Noble Chartering Ltd. (NCL) provides customers with high quality, cost effective, safe and efficient logistics solutions. Not only an essential part of the supply chain for major corporations throughout Asia, Noble Chartering is also the company of choice for many blue chip firms throughout the world. This includes power plants and steel mills in Japan, major shipping companies in Korea and steel mills and power plants in China, as well as major mining organisations in Australia and Brazil; it also delivers exceptional services to high-end clients in Europe and the US. Founded in 1988 in Asia as a business segment of its predecessor Noble Resources, which had achieved one million tonnes of cargo per year in third party freight that year, NCL today is recognised as a superior vessel 68 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

chartering services provider within the dry bulk market. In 2011 it reached a milestone when 100 million tonnes of cargo were carried throughout the year, proof of its commitment to exceptional performance in all aspects of business.

Since then NCL has continued to witness significant volume growth and development, which is thanks to its strong relationships with key clients across a range of industries and a high level of staff retention. In 2012 two two capesize and one panamax newbuild were delivered, while Noble Group invested in logistics with a new port facility in Russia, a new terminal in Mexico and office expansions in Geneva in 2013. Further strengthening its logistics efficiency, the group’s subsidiary Noble Argentina acquired 22.75 per cent of Sitio O de Quequeun, otherwise known as Sitio O, a private consortium that awarded a concession to build and operate a deep-sea port in Quequen, Buenos Aires, in August 2014. The facility will have a storage capacity

of 120,000 metric tonnes and a high speed loader with 1200 metric tonnes loading capacity per hour; the port is anticipated to be in operation by the final quarter of 2015.

One development for NCL took place in August 2014 when it entered into a joint venture agreement with OPG Power Ventures Plc, which will result in attractive long-term rates for international freight. Having previously worked together, the AIM-listed developer and operator of power plants and charterer’s new contract will ensure visibility, control and competitiveness with regards to transportation costs for OPG’s imported coal requirements for the Chennai I, II and III power plants.

With both companies committed to achieving savings against shipping rates, NCL and OPG are to purchase two $28 million 64,000 tonne cargo vessels, with approximately $9 million each being invested up until the delivery of the vessels in the first quarter of 2017.

More recently, Noble Group, which

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Profile: NOBLE CHARTERING

operates from more than 150 locations and employs over 80 nationalities, marked another landmark in its history with the closure of a transaction to sell 51 per cent of its agricultural business to COFCO and an investor consortium in September 2014; a strategic development that resulted in the establishment of new joint venture Noble Agri. With the transaction brought to fruition, Noble Group anticipates significant growth as Noble Agri continues to emerge as a core player in the global agricultural markets.

Focused on engaging in agricultural trading and processing businesses that originate from low-cost producing areas such as South America, East Europe, India, South Africa and Australia, to supply high demand regions such as The Middle East and Asia, Noble Agri owns and operates logistics and processing assets in strategic locations across the globe.

Having carried 46 million tonnes of agriculture bulk product in 2013,

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the company’s growth will be further enhanced by COFCO’s upstream origination and trading operations that are linked to the downstream processing and distribution capabilities of COFCO and its Chinese based affiliates. This creates a wholly integrated value chain and provides Noble Agri with an enviable opportunity to lead the way in the global seabourne market for bulk agricultural products.

Despite being early days for the two companies, the launch of Noble Agri has so far proven a highly fruitful venture that will complement Noble Group’s core strategy, which was decided in October 2014 in issue 39 of its corporate magazine nobleworld: ‘Noble’s core strategy is to be the best merchant in the world at moving the physical commodity from the producer to the consumer and managing the market, credit and operational risk associated with that.’

As Noble Group and NCL continue to perform well and increase

profitability in stagnated markets, the entire group also retains its focus on eco-friendly operations that ensure vessels operate at optimum speed of fuel consumption, which ensures NCL’s carbon footprint remains within the parameters set by Noble Group, while also delivering the most cost efficiency results. With a re-invigorated balance sheet and strong business partnerships, NCL aims to immerse itself further into delivering the needs of its customers to leverage local relationships at a global level and thus become part of the best commodities organisation in the world.

Noble Chartering www.thisisnoble.com

• Leading independent ship-owner

operator and trader • Offers award-winning dry bulk logistical solutions • Renowned for reliability and performance

Profile: AtoB @ C Shipping

Versatile

vessels P

rivately-owned ship owner, operator and logistics firm AtoB@C Shipping AB has developed its fleet and services since its foundation to become a highly reputable transporter of wood pulp, steel, scrap and project cargo within the Scandinavian and European market.

Currently operating a fleet of 30 well-maintained, ice classed, modern multipurpose vessels, some of which are fully owned, while others are on time charter from owner friends and partners, the company has enjoyed rapid growth to become a strong logistics partner that strives for continuous improvement.

Mainly trading in the Baltic Sea, Continent, North Spain, Portugal and the West Mediterranean Sea, the company has a strong customer base of more than 40 clients, mainly operating in industries such as paper and steel. Meanwhile, associates in Holland and Germany handle the

crewing and technical management of its vessels. Proud to have developed close relationships with a number of customers, the company’s dedicated team of young personnel focus on maintaining a successful and reputable organisation through continuous improvements in all areas of operation.

Discussing AtoB@C Shipping’s history with Shipping and Marine magazine in May 2014, managing director Anders Nilsson stated: “I started the organisation in 1998 and was an employee for two years before I made a bet to the buyer of the company that I establish AtoB@C Shipping without any money at all.

My income was commission only at first, but then I progressed into time charters; the company hasn’t had a minus year since it was established and was even generating profit during the economic crisis in 2008.

“Our growth stems from flexibility; when the economic market became www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 71

Profile: AtoB @ C Shipping

challenging we adjusted very quickly and cut the company in half then grew it again. We are conservative with our cash flow, which is why companies in the shipping industry view us as a good partner. We also focus on enhancing our versatility to ensure we deliver on time; this is our main advantage in a competitive market with tight deadlines as it leads to customer satisfaction. One way we do this is by having the same types of vessels, which can then be swapped if there are delays.�

Focused on the 4000 to 10,000 tonne vessel market, AtoB@C Shipping mainly uses 4000 tonne ships to meet the needs of customers trading in the Baltic as these vessels provide cost efficiency and punctuality due to fact they have a one-day turnaround in Baltic ports. “There is a limit for these ports, 5000 tonne vessels and above have a turnaround of two days,� explained Anders.

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To further strengthen its chartering services, the company entered an agreement with Rederi AB Transatlantic, whereby all of Transatlantic’s commercial activities within its short sea bulk division are outsourced to AtoB@C Shipping.

Starting in September 2013, the agreement has enabled AtoB@C Shipping to gain more efficiencies and scale than what either company had independently. Moreover, with AtoB@C Shipping’s fleet more than doubled, the strategic venture has resulted in the creation of a Nordic leader in the Baltic short sea bulk market, as Anders highlights: “This agreement has resulted in our turnover more than doubling over the last 12 months, it is now slightly above 90 million euros, so profit has tripled from what it was previously.

Since this business agreement was made we have been in a period of

consolidation to ensure we have the best fleet to optimise our services.

However we did acquire a vessel in December 2014 and are cautiously beginning our newbuild programme.

“So far design work has begun, but we will wait another 18 months before we progress into the construction phase; everything is upside down at the moment because of the oil price, so we are still figuring our what kind of fuel would be best to use and what engines to install.

However, key to our newbuild programme is low consumption, no matter what we end up burning.”

With the SECA regulations coming into effect on January 1st 2015, the company has been looking into consumption levels with the aim of removing the vessels with the highest pollution levels from its fleet.

With a contract volume increase of approximately 15 per cent over

the last eight months, the company is cautiously optimistic about the future, as demand within the industry continues to increase for highly flexible and punctual shipping services. “With the market remaining challenging, we have seen some players in Europe close down, while others are coming up, so there will be less players in the market over the coming years. Despite the challenges, there is increasing demand for high flexibility in the industry, so we aim to increase our vessel numbers to 35 in the short term. However, to meet this demand we will require a lot more vessels, so we will try to do this alone while also researching potential co-operations with others.

Meanwhile, looking further ahead, our major target is to renew 60 to 70 per cent of our fleet over the next three to five years,” Anders concludes.

AtoB@C Shipping www.atobatc.se

• Leading European multipurpose vessel owner

• Fleet of 30 vessels • Entered partnership with Rederi AB Translatlantic in 2013

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Profile: norled

AFjordable

luxury F

or several generations ferry traffic has been of great importance for those living and travelling along the Norwegian coast. As a fully owned subsidiary of Stavangerske Dampskibselskap, Norled AS is responsible for the groups ferry transport. With 80 vessels across the entire group, the company covers much of the regular traffic along the Norwegian west coast.

In 2009, then Tide Sjø, Norled

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began operating high-speed ferries and boats along the inner fjord of Oslo, including routes between Nesodden and Aker Brygge, and in 2011 began activity in North Troms. With approximately 1400 employees, Norled has a turnover 1.6 MNOK annually, generated from its administrative offices in Bergen and Stavanger, as well as regional offices in Ă…lesund and Oslo.

Today, Norled is one of the largest transportation companies with 50

car/passenger ferries and 30 large expressboats situated along the whole coast of Norway as well as in the fjords. Each year, the business transports approximately 18 million passengers, across tourist routes on the major fjords as well as coastal express. Its ferries operate, from Vest-Agder in the south to Trondheim in the north, and no matter how long or short the journey, its aim is to always provide its passengers with an enjoyable

experience. Reflecting that strong customer focus and desire to offer all amenities and comforts the business has equipped its fleet with the latest, modern facilities.

Western Norway is famous for its stunning coastline and the majestic fjords. The combination of unique and beautiful nature and a rich cultural life provides many opportunities for sightseeing tours and events at sea. The coast and fjords contrast with the landscape in a way that reflects the constantly changing Nordic climate, varying from mystic tranquility to an orchestra of elements. The fjords combine breathtaking nature with folklore and history dating back to the origin of the European culture. With the aim of opening the environment to visitors, the business established a tour programme so that its customers may enjoy some of the best that Norway has to offer. Incorporating travel by boat, bus and hiking, clientele are able to make the most of an otherwise untouchable landscape.

Offered as an exotic retreat from everyday life, Norled provides an express boat service, with a fleet that will take passengers quickly and safely through the some of the regions most beautiful countryside

to their destination. Offered for private travel, vacation, adventure or business trips, the vessels are equipped with comfortable chairs that give the opportunity to work on the trip, or to simply relax.

Recognising the market of people wanting to simply visit the area, not just travel through, Norled established a tour programme in Western Norway. The combination of nature and a rich cultural life provides many opportunities for sightseeing tours and events at sea, offered across three of the major fjords in Fjord Norway: Sognefjord, Lysefjord and Hardangerfjord.

Having been operating in the industry for several years, the business has established links with several fjord restaurants along the west coast of Norway, and has become an expert in tailor-made events, be it for company gatherings, teambuilding or other events.

Through its own coaches and charter boats it is able to transport and entertain from 12 to 280 people.

Whilst much of its customer base is attracted to the landscape, there is a popular following of clientele seeking to immerse themselves in the wealth of history and the Viking past that is strong in the region.

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Profile: norled

and places that can be linked to the Viking Age, and the combination of factors has led the business to offering a tailor-made Viking experience. Visiting several sites such as Swords in Stone, reliving stories about Erling Skjalgsson and Harald FairHair and visiting the Viking Hall at Ørnebergtunet have proved very popular programmes. For those customers looking for a different approach, it offers a city ramble and harbour trip on a veteran ship, taking in 173 of the best-preserved

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wooden houses in Northern Europe.

Today famous for its most important industry, the petroleum trade, attraction to the region is ever growing, fueling the company’s clear commitment to providing a customer and environmentally driven approach. Dedicated to preserving the environment, as the business continues to grow, it has been focusing on replacing all its older fleet with state-of-the-art vessels, particularly promoting its new battery powered vessel,

scheduled for an imminent launch.

In September 2014 the company was awarded the prestigious ‘Ship of the Year’ industry award, recognising the provision of a propulsion system with the extremely low energy consumption. As the worlds first fully battery driven ferry, the ZeroCat’s change in power source will reduce emissions from 50 to as low as five per cent. Whilst completing the fjord crossings using little energy, the technology also ensures a safe and efficient solution for low speed maneuvering when operating near piers. With space for 120 cars and up to 360 passengers, the vessel is a welcomed asset to Norled’s fleet.

Norled

www.norled.no • Ferry service operator • Launching innovative model • Ongoing upgrade of fleet

Profile: Ionic Shipping (Mgt) Inc

Bulking

up

F

ounded in 2013 with a vision of establishing a ship management company that would always remain committed to service excellence, Ionic Shipping (Mgt) Inc’s mission is to provide cost-effective maritime transportation solutions to its charterers and carriers. Benefiting from three directors with an accumulated experience of more than 80 years in the maritime industry, Ionic Shipping has the expertise and knowledge to deliver a dedicated turnkey service; a strength that is complemented by a team of dedicated sea-faring and shore-based employees who aim to enhance fleet operations through the delivery of a comprehensive range of services such as technical, operations and supply management, as well as commercial, insurance, crewing, financial management and new build projects.

Since its inception the company has gained a strong reputation thanks to

the way it operates its fleet of eight vessels, each of which boast superior quality, fuel efficiency and exceptional standards. Spyros Vlassopoulos, managing director at Ionic Shipping, discussed the company’s strengths in a competitive market with Shipping and Marine magazine in May 2014: “Without a question of doubt, there is a lot of competition in the market, however, as many of us here come from a tanker background we are using tanker management practice in managing our fleet of bulk carriers.

This is something that we believe is recognised and seen by our end users because this is one of the crucial points that we are doing to differentiate us from our competitors.

“The quality of the way the ships are run in addition to the tonnage itself is something that we are very proud of. Moreover, there are several extras that we have on the ships that are useful to our clients, such as CO2 in the cargo tanks, A60 steel

bulkheads, fuel efficiency devices and super low friction paints. We want to define ourselves as a quality ship manager,” he continues. “We try to ensure that the ships that we run are of the relevant specification and whenever we get the opportunity to offer our opinions regarding new builds we recommend to owners the equipment that we would think it beneficial to include. This is to make the vessels as ‘bullet proof’ as possible and preferable for our clients because we know what our head charters require.” Complementing these core strengths is the company’s first class technical maintenance service, which ensures minimal down-time and very little risk of incidents at sea.

In fact, health, safety, quality and environmental responsibilities are maintained throughout Ionic Shipping, with high ethical standards a core value for the proud firm.

The company exemplified these standards in 2013, when the United www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 77

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Profile: Ionic Shipping (Mgt) Inc

States Coast Guard (USCG) advised Ionic that two of its vessels had been awarded approval within the Qualship21 programme; an initiative that aims to reward high-quality ships with incentives to encourage operations of a superior quality.

Furthermore, the company became a member of Helmepa (the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association); first established in 1982, the pioneering association is a place for Greek seafarers and ship owners to voluntarily commit to safeguarding the seas from ship-generate pollution.

True to its motto ‘To Save the Seas’, HELMEPA aims to eliminate marine pollution that is generated from ships, while also enhancing safety levels for those onboard.

Despite being a relatively young organisation, Ionic Shipping has generated a strong global presence, thanks to its willingness to forgo short term profitability in order to create a customer-focused

SeaStar Management

SeaStar Management is one of the leading catering providers to the global shipping community and are severing IONIC SHIPPING (MGT) INC. where their team of dedicated specialists ensures that vessels are provided with nutritious, healthy, ample and cost-efficient provision supplies.“ SeaStar Management utilizes their strong supplier network and close communication with the vessels crew to ensure all their requirements are met.

Customer focus and efforts in continually driving improvements, increasing efficiencies and streamlining customers’ procurement processes are the cornerstones of theirs day-to-day activities

organisation that is committed to positive long-term business relationships. Complementing this operating philosophy, the company’s Athens-based dedicated management team is pro-active in meeting customer needs in close partnership with its knowledgeable office staff and crew that operate on board its vessels. “We are keen to ensure that we have a full compliment of well qualified officers and crew,” states Mr Vlassopoulos. “Fortunately, we are closely linked with a manning agency in the Philippines that we work with and have our own pool of seafarers and officers. We make sure that there is a set agenda, training and rotation of crew and more importantly, continuity throughout the fleet and crew. We also run a cadet programme to ensure that the continuity is there for years to come.”

Having earned solid business relationships with first-class suppliers, workshops and marine service providers, the company ensures consistent reliability from its fleet as well as continuous high-quality services. Furthermore, with all bulk carriers presently deployed on fixed term charters, Ionic Shipping’s current client base includes well-reputed firms such as Louis Dreyfus Commodities, Cargill, Bunge and Vitol.

To further enhance its services, Ionic Shipping added the newbuilding Kamsarmax bulk carrier Ionic Kleos in 2014. Constructed at Tsuneishi’s

Tadotsu shipyard in Japan, the vessel complements the company’s existing fleet of three sister handysize vessels (34,000 dwt) from the Korean Dae Sun shipyard and a further three sister Supramax vessels (56,000 dwt) that were built by Mitsui in Japan.

All of the vessels incorporated in the Ionic fleet are of the highest quality and the arrival of the Ionic Kleos represents an important milestone for the company as Mr Vlassopoulos elaborated in May 2014: “With the delivery of the Ionic Kleos we are entering the Kamsarmax segment of the dry bulk market, which underlines the organic growth for our company.

Tsuneishi’s Tadotsu shipyard is well recognised for this series of 82,000 dwt Kamsarmax vessels as well as being acknowledged by our end users.”

Following the addition of Ionic Kleos, the latest vessel to enter Ionic Shipping’s managed fleet is the Ionic Kizuna, which was constructed at the Tsuneishi yard and delivered on 30th January 2015. Not only complementing the company’s Kamsarmax fleet, the 81,868 dwt vessel, which has an LOA of 299,00, a beam of 32,26 and 14,43 draft, will continue to cement its strong commitment to quality tonnage.

Despite facing challenging times ahead due to the political turmoil in the region, the Greek firm will remain focused on delivering a firstclass service to its customers. By remaining conservative in a difficult market, Ionic Shipping aims to ensure its name continues to be associated with exceptional ship management services.

Ionic Shipping (Mgt) Inc www.ionicship.com

• Manage high-spec bulkers and carriers • Strong global presence • Operate eight vessels

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Profile: commercial MARINE & piling

A strong

foundation S

ince its inception in 1991, Commercial Marine & Piling (CMP) has developed a reputation for excellence in the piling field; by using its vast expertise and state-of-the-art technology, the company has gained a strong customer base and worked on a number of major projects.

However, while piling remains a key business activity, the company made the strategic decision to diversify its services through the acquisition of Branford Civil & Marine Ltd in 1999. Since then, the Hampshire, UK, headquartered CMP has successfully expanded into the marine civil engineering and specialist marine piling markets.

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“We provide two core capabilities – Marine Civil Engineering services and steel foundation construction.

Underpinning our capabilities is 25 years of experience in project management and professional services. We can deliver projects through the full procurement cycle from project concept through construction to completion and handover. Whilst primarily based in the UK we have also successfully delivered projects in Europe and Africa,” states Kris Branford, Operations Director at CMP. Committed to providing a range of services to suit its clients’ requirements, the company uses in-house project management

systems, which involve strict quality control procedures, to deliver superior solutions. Furthermore, CMP has acquired a wider skill base through the recruitment of experts to combine skills that complement its own; a move that has resulted in a strong team of knowledgeable professional directors, project managers and technical experts.

“Our skill base is perfectly suited to operating within the marine renewable energy sector and we have successfully delivered a number of projects to market leaders such as E.ON, DONG Energy, and Siemens,” explains Kris.

A recent major project for the innovative firm involved the

successful construction of a 68 metre long concrete berthing facility for DONG Energy in partnership with Scottish Power Renewables Ltd at Barrow in Furness. Awarded the contract in April 2013, works commenced on site at the end of June, with CMP’s scope of work including a non-intrusive UXO survey of 5000m2 of sea bed at the site, localised dredging of uncontaminated silts that lay beneath the proposed pontoon to eliminate the risk of grounding the pontoon at low astronomical tide, movement monitoring of the dock wall during dredging and piling operations as well as the design, supply and installation of 4No tubular steel mooring piles at the ends and internally to the inside face of the pontoons.

“The project comprised of the design and construction of a new pontoon berthing facility for offshore wind farm crew transfer vessels. The new pontoon is fully equipped with light, power, fresh water, high speed refuelling stations, sewage and bilge water pump out services and a 20 metre outreach dockside crane,” says Mike Coster, Project Manager at CMP. “The 68 metre long x 5 metre wide x 270 tonne berthing pontoon comprises of three heavy duty pre cast concrete floating modules which were manufactured close by in the sheltered conditions of Barrow port.

Each 90 tonne module is heavily reinforced with 15cm thick walls and weighing 90 tonnes each. The units were lifted into the water by 500t crane, connected end-to-end with semi flexible connections and towed through the lock and attached to the mooring piles.

“The project presented some interesting design and operational challenges due to its location and DONG Energy’s bespoke requirements. The site is in an exposed and unprotected location in the Barrow estuary and subject to an 11 metre tidal range, waves of 1.5 metres and wind speeds up to 45m/s, all of which were experienced

on site during construction.” Despite these challenges, the company completed the project ahead of time, which was thanks to CMP’s project management shortening the design and construction phases and forming close co-operation between DONG Energy’s engineers and CMP’s designers and construction staff.

Following this project, Harwich International Port awarded the company a contract in May 2014 to reinstate the berthing and mooring dolphins to berth two and carry

Rollins Marine Services Rollins Marine Services were pleased to work with Commercial Marine & Piling on their DONG Energy Project at Barrow in Furness which involved the design and installation of service pedestals, SOS stations, pump out stations on specially constructed heavy duty concrete pontoons.

Recently we also carried out work for them at Port of Harwich, which included installation of large mains services and high level LED flood lighting.

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Profile: commercial marine & piling

out concrete repairs to the quay at berth three after a collision by Sirena Seaways. “The scope of works included the installation of 2No steel mooring dolphin piles 2.25 metres diameter x 39 metres long x 73 tonnes each, 150t mooring bollards, new access platforms and linking footbridges and the installation of a new 30t torsion fender panel to the berthing face of the piled dolphins,” says Mike. “The torsion fender panel also had to be installed to the dolphin pile within a seven hour window between ferries and tide level restrictions. Only two days in September were available to carry out the works, which required suitable tide times and very low

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equinox low tides levels. It was thanks to careful pre-planning and favourable weather conditions on the day that the installation and final welding works were successfully and quickly completed, the jack up legs raised and the barges were able to withdraw with more than two hours to spare before the arrival of the ferry.”

Having proven its flexibility and expertise during the most challenging of projects and difficult environments, the future looks positive for CMP as it prepares to embark on a £12 million project to construct a new Combi-Wall cofferdam as part of the new Wood Wharf development, in Canary

Wharf, London. The company is also working on the marine bid for the Thames Tideway Tunnel in London, which will include the construction of a number of large marine structures that will facilitate the £40 billion installation of London’s new super sewer.

Commercial Marine & Piling www.cmp.uk.com

• Marine civil engineering and piling contractor • Acquired Branford Civil & Marine in 1999 • Capacity to act as principle contractor for projects up to £15 million

Profile: steerprop

At the heart of

technology F

ounded in 2000, Steerprop Ltd. is at the centre of azimuth propulsion technology. The company was founded by personnel with decades of experience with azimuth propulsion and specialises in the design, production and service of azimuth propulsors of superior quality. Its special focus is in developing and delivering efficient and reliable bespoke propulsion solutions for the most demanding applications through the combination of decades of experience and proven technology with the latest 3D-design software and advanced calculation methods to produce azimuth propulsion systems of exceptional quality and excellent lifetime economy.

Through its worldwide network of agents and partners, Steerprop

provides first-class, tailor-made Steerprop azimuth propulsors to a global maritime market, as managing director, Petri Tolonen elaborates: “Our main customers are shipyards, vessel owners and design offices that respectively build, own and design vessels. As customer satisfaction is vitally important to a specialised company like Steerprop, every customer is just as important as another to the company. In addition to the research and development centre at our headquarters in Rauma, Finland, we work closely with a number of partners. For example, we work with companies that conduct open-water and ice-basin model tests.

Co-operation with such companies has been particularly fruitful to Steerprop in developing high power and high

efficiency CRP ECO propulsors for cruise ship and arctic operations.”

As such, Steerprop is dedicated to providing a reliable solution in any application, including harsh arctic conditions, technical offshore environments and demanding cruise and cargo markets. By categorising its propulsors into roughly three categories, Steerprop is able to quickly indentify the needs of its clients according to market. However, the company considers these categories to be merely a raw definition, the final delivered product is always customised to meet and exceed the individual client’s and the vessel’s operational profile. Steerprop azimuth propulsors are available in every application with open propellers and ducted propellers as well as Steerprop dual-end contrawww.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 83

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Profile: Steerprop

rotating propellers. Furthermore every system is designed and built in accordance to the regulations of the appropriate regulation society.

To ensure that it is able to deliver world-class azimuth propulsion solutions to clients today and into the future, Steerprop continuously invests the latest design technology and training, as Petri explains: “We keep our design and engineering software up-to-date at all times and also make sure that our staff are well trained through on-going training.

Co-operation with universities and other educational institutions is also very important for us; we always have young students working on their theses within the company. Of course this is obviously not purely altruism on our part, as we want these talented students to stay in Steerprop and thus secure the continuity of the business.”

Steerprop works to ensure that it is focused on the quality of its propulsion systems at every stage of the business and at every stage of production. As well as ensuring that the company maintains the right in-house design skills and knowledge base, Steerprop also employs a rigorous testing regime so that its clients can rely on a proven, effective solution every time. “Our Factory Acceptance Test is designed to test every aspect of the propulsors and their control systems function before delivery. We test every single propulsor with the same control components that it will be delivered with. Because of this, we are able to guarantee easy commissioning of the units and the flawless performance of the entire propulsor system,” Petri says.

“Of course, even before the control system and propulsor are connected to each other, each individual system is meticulously tested and inspected to ensure that it is up to our stringent standards.”

The success of Steerprop is built on a combination of its dedication to delivering the highest standards in the design and manufacture of its products and also in part, due to the benefits of the azimuth propulsor systems themselves. Commenting on the advantages of the azimuth system, Petri says: “The main benefits of Steerprop azimuth propulsor systems are long-term cost savings, aftersales

close support and environmental friendliness. Primarily due to their propulsive efficiency – they are able to produce the same propulsive thrust with less fuel, meaning that less fuel is consumed. Secondarily due to the reliable nature of the systems, less spare parts are needed and consumed.

“As reliable and efficient propulsors, our products offer the best lifecycle economy – resulting in fuel savings and lessened need for service and less off duty time,” he continues. “As I mentioned before, we have an organisation of experts and we are also able to provide service quickly and flexibly to our customers. And of course, as legislation concerning maritime emissions is introduced worldwide, environmentally friendly products will be very beneficial.”

The high level of service offered

by Steerprop coupled with the natural advantages of the azimuth system has made the Steerprop azimuth propulsor system the propulsion system of choice for clients in a number of challenging environments. Furthermore the company’s dedicated investment into research and development will ensure that its azimuth propulsor systems will continue to lead the market well into the future, as Petri details: “During the past few years we have put enormous efforts into research and development. For example, we have developed new, very powerful propulsion for icebreakers. We also designed the new Steerprop CRP ECO product family both for cruise ships as well as ice going vessels. The first references with both of these propulsion types are about to go into operations. Vyborg shipyard in Russia and Arctech Helsinki Shipyard in Finland are building 18 MW icebreakers for the Russian Ministry of Transportation. Each of these icebreakers is equipped with two of our SP 110 PULL ARC units at nine MW in the RMRS Icebreaker seven ice class.”

Although the current low price oil and the political uncertainty concerning Russia and the Ukraine has created relatively challenging market conditions, Steerprop is both confident and excited about the future of the business, as Petri concludes: “My

Petri Tolonen, managing director

predecessor, Jarmo Savikurki has done excellent work in building and steering Steerprop to this current excellent situation and I have big shoes to fill. I am very excited to continue this work and the starting point is great - the company is in a good situation and people in the organisation are highly skilled and motivated. This year a special emphasis will be on allocating resources to growing and improving the after-sales service business and we will continue to strengthen our organisation and to further improve our strengths.”

Steeprop

www.steerprop.com • Founded in 2000 • Azimuth propulsor systems • Bespoke design solutions

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Profile: Ambrey Risk

Proper

protection A

mbrey Risk provides security services to maritime, private and corporate clients, and in the five years since the company was established it has grown into a major player and market leader. As John Thompson, a co-founder of the company explained, it supports a wide variety of clients, including ship owners, ship management companies and major charterers. It also works closely with insurance underwriters, the UK Government, industry associations and international initiatives to set and maintain high standards across the sector.

A fast pace of expansion has been a trend that Ambrey Risk embraced from the beginning. “This was all down to the economics really - we always knew that the price our clients were willing to pay would decline, as emergent security threats usually cycle in this way. It is exactly what 86 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

happened in the Iraq/Afghanistan private security market. So we knew we had to grow fast to fight the economics of being paid less and less for what we do. The situation we predicted has indeed come to pass but because we managed to grow relatively quickly, we have been able to pass on savings to clients that we have made due to our economies of scale, and that has been key,� said John.

He continued: “When we set up the company we were very focused on our core business, which is the armed guarding sector, and we spent a lot of time analysing the market to make sure we are agile enough to make very fast changes and give the market what it wants when it needs it. For example when we first got into the armed guard business it was largely dominated by UK nationals but we quickly saw that costs needed to come down, so we set our office

n

up in India and began recruiting from Indian military leavers. We were the first company in the sector to do that and we now have over 220 Indian staff making up 50-60 per cent of our business. We’ve always made sure to constantly monitor the market, move early and then reinvest very heavily wherever we can to make sure that we reinforce success.”

This pace of growth has continued since Ambrey Risk was last in the pages of Shipping and Marine in July 2014. John noted that in just seven months the company has grown by about 40 per cent in terms of volume of business. That was in part facilitated by an acquisition, as he explained: “We bought Drum Cussac’s armed maritime security business, a great move in support of our growth plans and also for them as strategically they were very focused on expansion in their broader risk management and technical businesses.

“This was a good fit for us, as it has given us significantly more capacity. In buying that business we have ensured our ability to always have the right equipment in the right place at the right time, a major challenge in our line of work. It is not possible to deliver an armed security service on a ship if you haven’t got firearms and everything you need in position at the right port of embarkation. We also brought across their pool of deployed manpower, many of those guards bring a lot of experience from the last four or five years in anti-piracy work.”

The integration of the company into Ambrey Risk has been smooth, largely because of the prior similarities between the two businesses: “Much of Drum Cussac’s equipment was procured from the same supplier as us in the UK. How they did business logistically resembled many of our own systems.

In addition, their training and compliance standards were geared for the rigours of oil and gas majors, just like ours and that made the process much simpler,” added John.

This last issue has always been a priority for Ambrey Risk, as it works in a business with strict standards and demanding clients. “We have

a really top drawer training and compliance team that has been central to the business right from day one,” confirmed John. “They make sure our activities are carried out in compliance with the relevant regulations, and that all our team are properly trained because we are only ever as good as our last job. Our operational performance is entirely dependent on training and this has been a key differentiator for us in a crowded market place.”

When looking at Ambrey’s performance in the market it has seen exceptional results. This has been upheld by a recent and significant award. Just before Christmas 2014 Ambrey Risk was placed in the top ten of the Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100, which identifies the 100 fastest growing companies in the UK, based on sales growth. “We came eighth in the country and in the Midlands where

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Profile: ambrey risk

we are based, we were the fastest growing company,” noted John, proudly.

This recognition strengthens Ambrey’s belief that its approach to business is working and that it needs to continue to build on this going forward. One part of this future plan is continuing to develop its international presence.

“The business was founded in rural Herefordshire, but at considerable cost as a small business we invested in offices overseas early on to keep bringing in more business. As a result of this strategy we now have offices in Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, and India, all of which bring in work to the UK, from where our services are delivered.”

John concluded: “This year I think we will enhance and build on our strong base in the Somali Piracy market. As naval forces start to drawdown the need for services

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of PMSCs are likely to grow rather than diminish. We will also look to raise awareness of our West Africa services, growing and improving capability as that market matures.

We will also look to drive growth in our training business which trained over 1000 maritime security guards in 2014 in the UK, Greece, Poland, India and Sri Lanka. Overall, we are always striving to be recognised as the global leader in maritime security risk management services in all parts of the world and we will continue to work hard towards that goal.”

Ambrey Risk

www.ambreyrisk.com • Ranked 8th fastest growing company in

the UK in Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 in 2014 • Successfully acquired and integrated competitor • Plans for further growth in East and West Africa

Profile: ERIK THUN

The next

generation

W

ith a history extending back more than seven decades, Erik Thun AB is a third-generation ship owner and management company that operates a number of subsidiaries as part of the wider Erik Thun Group. Further to its vessel ownership and management services, the group maintains a diverse portfolio of interests including the operation of the Segerhammars Skeppsmäkleri AB and Citadel Shipping AB port agencies; aircraft sales and leasing, prominently within the Nordic market and Ireland; and Direkt Chark AB, which produces high quality processed meat products in its own facilities in Gothenburg and the company operates one of Sweden’s largest facilities for cold smoked and air-dried processed meat. Throughout the history of the business it has continued to

grow and remains a family-owned business.

Although the Erik Thun Group is presently active within a number of business areas, shipping has always remained at the core of its activities since it was established by Helge Källsson during 1938. “The company was founded in Lidköping, Sweden as a shipping company and today operates with several integrated parts of the business,” elaborates deputy managing director, Henrik Källsson. “Erik Thun AB manages everything from technical through to commercial departments and has traditionally always been involved in local short-sea shipping within Northern Europe. Being a family company is a very strong advantage because it means that the business does not have to look at each quarter so much, instead it is possible to consider a further

outlook and to have a longer investment profile. Erik Thun also designs all of its ships in-house in co-operation with Ferus Smit in the Netherlands. To date the company has built its last 30 ships at the same yard and the result has always been well performing, high-quality vessels.

The strategy of the business is to source its vessels in a good way so that they have a relatively strong comparative advantage - in total Erik Thun presently have around 40 ships.”

As the main shipping arm of the Erik Thun Group, Erik Thun AB further subdivides it activities into four main areas comprised of its tanker business, operated by the Thun Tankers subsidiary, which represents a market leader in the operation of smaller tankers around 8000dwt; dry cargo vessels that sail off the west coast of Sweden to the www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 89

Profile: ERIK THUN

Baltic Sea and Continental and Mediterranean ports; self-unloading ships, equipped with Thun Cargo Scooper discharging equipment that trade throughout Nordic Europe and the Mediterranean, as well as between Brazil and Canada; and cement carriers, which it operates through a 50-50 joint venture with the Norwegian ship owner Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Skipsrederi AS. The venture is known as JT Cement AS and owns a fleet of eight tankers under 6000dwt that operate within Northern Europe.

Throughout its history, Erik Thun AB has developed a reputation of building strong relationships with both its clients and partners in a number of sectors through the implementation of innovative joint ventures. Presently Erik Thun AB is in the process of building a further joint venture with Swedish partners Ahlmark Lines and VT group of Holland. This is in response to Sweden’s decision in December 2014 to apply for EU-wide rules applying to inland navigation.

As the use of inland waterways begins to take off within Sweden, Erik Thun and its partners intend to provide a competitive alternative to road and rail links throughout Sweden and throughout Europe.

A further development for the company in recent years has been the successful launches of its MV Alice and MV Helge general cargo vessels. The vessels are named after the founder of Erik Thun, Helge and

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his wife Alice and are described as Trollmax ships. Trollmax vessels are orientated bulk vessel that have been specifically designed to sail the locks of the Trollhättan canal and Lake Vänern, which is the largest inland lake in Sweden. This makes the vessels perfectly suited for sea river shipping duties and furthermore, the ships are designed to incorporate modern, fuel-efficient technology.

Erik Thun is a market-leader in the design of economically responsible vessels and is currently due to receive its first LNG powered vessel in 2016, as Henrik explains: “This is quite an interesting project because to our knowledge this will be the first LNG powered dry cargo vessel.

We believe that LNG is a very good bunker as it is a very clean fuel that will satisfy increasing regulation and that as such this is the future for our segment.”

By designing its vessels to be highly fuel-efficient, Erik Thun has managed to mitigate the impact of increasing regulations such as the Sulphur Emissions Control Area (SECA) that arrived in 2015. However, the company is still committed to improving its performance and is embarking on a process of switching to LNG and retrofitting scrubbers to parts of its existing fleet. These will occupy much of the company’s time during 2015, however over the longer-term Erik Thun is focused on growing the business in new markets, as Henrik concludes: “The company will look to move into new regions in the future, we are doing some trade

into Africa and we will possibly look into South America and Asia to investigate opportunities there.

The North Europe market is very well established so we will look to other areas for growth, possibly with further joint ventures and acquisitions.”

Erik Thun AB www.thun.se

• Established 1938 • Vessel owner and management company • Fleet of 40 modern vessels

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Profile: Peel Ports Group

Bold

investments S

trategically located to serve the whole of the United Kingdom, the Peel Ports Group is one of the largest port groups in the country, with seven ports and terminals under its ownership and operation. Committed to investing in its future, the group’s increasingly diverse offering of agility, efficiency and promotion of progressive partnerships ensures customers receive cutting-edge, optimum solutions.

Not only in the centre of the country but also at the heart of the group are the Port of Liverpool and Manchester Ship Canal; the former of these significant assets is one of the busiest and most diverse ports in the UK, handling more than 30 million tonnes of cargo annually and serving 92 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

over 100 destinations across the globe. Meanwhile, the 36-mile long Manchester Ship Canal handles eight million tonnes of cargo per annum and operates as one integrated waterway with the Port of Liverpool to provide a multimodal solution; a strategic decision that significantly reduces congestion and carbon emissions on major UK road and rail networks.

Having invested millions in the promotion of Manchester Ship Canal as a green-highway alternative to road and freight, the Peel Ports Group has also invested in the upgrading of the infrastructure, as David Huck, Peel Ports Group’s port director discusses: “Aside from general maintenance, we have also been investing in two key areas, Port Cheshire and Port

Salford. Port Cheshire is now a cleared site so is now completely waterside connected and is being marketed as a potential site for tri-modal connections. Meanwhile, Port Salford will operate as a container terminal on the outskirts of central Manchester; we already have some anchor tenants taking warehouses planned for here.”

Moreover, the group has invested extensively in improving Runcorn Docks over the last five years in a bid to boost its standing and reputation as a significant port of call on the Manchester Ship Canal.

Strategic developments have proven highly fruitful, with Runcorn Docks recording a 48 per cent increase in tonnage over the 12 months leading to January 2015.

Since it was previously featured

in Shipping and Marine magazine, Peel Ports Group has continued with its major investment programme across all seven of its UK ports and terminals while also receiving visits from prime minister David Cameron, transport minister Jon Hayes and Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin at the Port of Liverpool. These visits allowed the business to show how it can support the ongoing economic recovery and add to the UK’s trading infrastructure thanks to its proximity to the majority of the population and ability to help boost efficiency in the supply chain.

“We have invested in cranes and a new fleet of wheel loaders for bulk handling equipment at Runcorn Docks. We have also installed a new IT system called DBIS CommTrac, for which we won the IT Solutions Award at the International Bulk Journal Awards 2014 in Rotterdam alongside DBIS. The system is operating at our agri-bulk terminals in Liverpool and Manchester,” says David.

Moreover, Mr Ram Bhogale,

representing the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, endorsed the new Liverpool2 deepwater container terminal at the Port of Liverpool, hailing it ‘visionary’ after a visit in December 2014. Currently undergoing a £300 million investment, Liverpool2 will double the port’s capacity and enable it handle next generation container ships once it is completed in the final quarter of 2015. “This year will see the first phase of the quay completed and commissioned as

well as the arrival of our five megamax ship-to-shore cranes, which are scheduled for delivery in September 2015,”explains David.

Once opened, Liverpool2 will not only double the Port of Liverpool’s container capacity, but will also connect directly to a number of port-centric logistics hubs along the Manchester Ship Canal and serve as a major transhipment hub to Peel Ports terminals in the Irish Sea in Dublin and Belfast, and Glasgow. It will also

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Profile: Peel Ports Group

play a strong role in reducing cost, congestion and carbon footprint in cargo owner supply chains.

In addition to these developments, the group has continued to strengthen its role as a turnkey solution provider with the upcoming implementation of the latest Navis N4 TOS (Terminal Operating System), which will allow the organisation to streamline operations and align customer experience at all container terminal locations. “We are migrating the existing Liverpool system, Navis 3.7 TOS, onto the Navis N4 TOS platform. The beauty of the Navis platform is that it will work across the group, so the whole of the Peel Ports Group’s cluster will operate on one platform, from Dublin to Belfast, Manchester to Glasgow,” highlights David.

Due to go live alongside the Navis N4 TOS in March 2015 is the AutoGates technology, which forms part of the group’s £5.5 million investment in introducing advanced infrastructure and technology at the Port of Liverpool. Replacing the group’s manual system, AutoGates will provide a fully-integrated and streamlined process from entry to loading/unloading.

“The AutoGates technology is cutting edge,” confirms David. “It will allow hauliers to drive through the OCR (Optical Camera Recognition) gate and it will then take an image of the container number and vehicle registration number before identifying any hazard placards and whether or not there is a bolt seal present on the container. It will then electronically match that image, translating it into a data image and then match that data up with a vehicle booking number and data provided by the shipping line via the port community system in the port community system, thus enabling the truck to transit straight through into the port.” Once this part is completed, the driver’s association with the booking is confirmed via an electronic scan of the driver’s finger and an electronic registration of their ISPS card. Should this match, the haulier will receive a small to docket as to where he or she will have to go from there. “This is a much more effective process as the driver won’t have to get out of the vehicle,” adds David.

With a major focus on growth over the coming years, the port’s customers will continue to reap the benefits of its major investments into the future.

Furthermore, the innovative group will remain fully engaged with the requirements of the market place to ensure it provides optimum services and solutions.

Peel Ports Group www.peelports.com

• One of the UK’s largest port groups • Own and operate seven UK ports and terminals • Massive investments over recent years

94 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

Profile: Fareast Ship Management

A fine

crew F

ounded in 2012 by a young yet highly experienced team of professionals, Fareast Ship Management Hong Kong Ltd. (FSMHK) was established to offer high quality and personalised services in ship management operations to the owners of various ship owners throughout the world. As such, in only a short amount of time the company has established its own and associated offices within Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.

Throughout its history the company’s team of well-trained and like-minded professionals has developed FSMHK according to a combined synergy concept that combines experience and expertise to offer bespoke ship management solutions to well reputed oil majors, owners and ship management companies. These solutions include technical, commercial, legal and insurance, ship purchase and takeover planning, dry docking/repairs and

conversion management, certifications and day-to-day operational problem solving and its services allow the ship owner to concentrate purely on cargo fixture and freight collection.

In addition to its comprehensive ship management services, FSMHK also maintains close relations with a number of chartering and brokering houses that assists owners with commercial fixtures and provide prefixture and post-fixture value added services. As such the organisation handles a huge range of services across a wide scale of shipping related projects, which enables it to provide full flexibility to select any type of service or package of services that suits a clients’ needs. Furthermore FSMHK is also part of the Fareast Group, a group of pioneering ISO certified companies covering various sectors in the marine industry from consultancy to shipbuilding, operations and commercial, human resources, technical ship management,

insurance and logistics solutions.

“FSMHK has moved under the group umbrella of the Fareast Group, which has activities like ship owning, ship chartering, sale and purchase of ships, shipping agency, marine consultancy and surveys and marine recruitment agency, new building projects and site supervision which has helped the company to assist owners to obtain all services as one stop solutions,” elaborates managing director, Surinder Singh. “The group profile assists new and upcoming ship owners, investment firms or private equity funding to comfortably enter the shipping sector to earn excellent benefits and positive returns. We offer various tailor-made projects suited to the individual investor’s requirements and profile. The company policies of all of the businesses within the group maintain the personalised and bespoke approach that clients look for and there is no compromise to work that is below the company benchmark, which www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 95

Profile: Fareast Ship Management

is designed to follow the compliance standards of the shipping industry.”

Since FSMHK was last featured in Shipping & Marine magazine during October 2014, the business has continued to grow and has increased its presence within the tanker market as Surinder explains: “Since the last feature the company has expanded its fleet to over 20 vessels and specialised more in tanker management with its present fleet of very large crude carriers (VLCCs), very large gas carriers (VLGCs), oil, chemical and gas tankers. We have also been very actively involved in vessel operations, assisting the ship owners and further offering our commercial management services. We have gone further to extend commercial management along with technical management to owners that seek these services under one banner. As such our seagoing staff and shore team have proportionally

UNIMARINE UNIMARINE, a member of USTC group serving the shipping industry since 1876, provides unique marine lubricants supply solutions and technical services globally.

Supported by a lubricants team experienced in technology, product development, supply chain management and vessel operations, UNIMARINE focuses on worldwide 24/7 technically reliable and cost efficient marine lubricants supply solutions through its extensive network.

UNIMARINE LUBESAFE innovative and reliable technical services offer used oil analysis, on board minilabs, cold corrosion monitoring and trainings on board and onshore.

UNIMARINE is proud to support the growth of FAREAST HK Ship Management by providing innovative and reliable marine lubrication services to their fleet.

multiplied, giving us more room to accommodate more vessels.”

Growth within the marine sector is not always an easy prospect with a turbulent global market and increasing pressure to address new regulations creating challenges for vessel owners and ship management companies alike.

Despite these challenges, FSMHK has enjoyed a successful and sustained history of growth and remains prepared to anticipate the needs of its clients as well as the changing tides of the marine market. “Any good ship management company, whether it is FSMHK or another, will share a similar line of approach of preplanning all regulations, which are planned to come in say over two to three years,” Surinder says. “So 2015 regulations which were declared in 2012 or 2013 or example, were planned for right away so there would be no last minute rush to comply. For vessels coming into service as late as 2014, work was arranged promptly so we don’t see challenges in deploying them in 2015. The real challenge on the other hand, is working with older ships to reach the standards put forth by various countries and in this we take assistance from the class and makers to find the best solution to ensure the vessels do get compliant. The sulphur emissions control area (ECA) and the ballast water treatment regulations have been some recent examples of new requirements.”

Although the market has been challenging for vessel owners in

recent years, FSMHK has forged ahead and proven itself to be a reliable and effective partner to clients seeking to weather the turbulent conditions created by the global economic downturn and increasing environmental regulation. “We operate as an opportunity for ship owners under distress where with our experience and vast network, we can assist them with vessel’s commercial, chartering and technical handling to help keep them afloat in the market,” Surinder comments. “In fact this is one of the company’s biggest strengths. In the past we have assisted many owners who suffered setbacks and helped them to revive in the industry. We take up these challenges more and more often and the services that we provide are advertised as word of mouth through owners, charterers, ship brokers and even insurance brokers, which we consider our best marketing tool. It is the practical experience of our clients which really helps FSMHK to get more business.”

As FSMHK transitions into 2015, both it and the wider Fareast Group will continue to serve ship owners and management companies with expert vessel management solutions.

As part of its association with the Fareast Group, FSMHK will acquire a number of new vessels over the coming moths that will allow it to continue to develop its presence in the tanker market and beyond. “We have obtained the assignment for another two new buildings to commence from March 2015,” says Surinder.

“The new building supervision and chartering of these vessels will be handled by the group companies and the technical and commercial management has been awarded to FSMHK.” Indeed through the management of an established fleet and the building of new vessels and partnerships, the future of FSMHK is set to be extremely buoyant.

Fareast Ship Management www.fsmhk.com

• Provider of ship management services • Operational worldwide with global offices • Part of the Fareast Group

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Profile: Port of Tórshavn

Planning for the T

future

he Faroe Islands lie northwest of Scotland, halfway between Iceland and Norway. The archipelago is composed of 18 islands and its capital city, Tórshavn, is one of the smallest capital cities in the world.

While it may be small on a global scale, for the Faroes, Tórshavn is a vital hub. Home to just under half the total population of the Islands, and the location of the Government, is also hosts the main port – the Port of Tórshavn – which is an essential entrance for imports, as well as an exit for exports, and an established stopover point for cruise ships. There is also a growing amount of visits from supply vessels.

As Annfinn Hjelm, business 98 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

development director of the port, began by explaining, the Port has been in existence since early settlers arrived in the Faroes, and its name originated as ‘The Port of Thor’, after the Nordic god. Having existed for over 100 years, the port has been through many evolutions, and as the capital city expanded it amalgamated with neighbouring villages and their facilities – as a result today the Port consists of several harbours, at three different ports. “This gives us a lot of flexibility, and means we can always find the best solutions for our customers. In total we cover an area of around 270,000 sq m, and we have around 2.5 km of quays, with a maximum draft up to around 11 metres,” said Annfinn. “We are the

landing and a shipyard. In total we have around 2600 calls a year.”

While the Port of Tórshavn itself isn’t a private company – the Tórshavn Municipality owns it – Annfinn noted that it is run like a private company and is therefore constantly looking for ways to improve and expand its turnover. “Our income stems from our customers, it doesn’t come from taxes or financing, so we have to look at developments that will keep our existing clients returning to us and

new ones coming to us,” he stated.

“Our analysis highlighted that what they need is space for growth.”

As a result of these findings, the Port of Tórshavn has a £45 million expansion project due to commence in 2016, which is designed to facilitate efficiencies and increase the attractiveness of the port to new users.

“The expansion will focus on the container and passenger side of the business, as these are our key areas,” added Annfinn. “We are seeing that

only port in the Faroes that is manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and we have never experienced a close down due to bad weather or any other cause, for that matter!”

He continued with more details on each location: “Kollafjord has two different quays, one of them is mainly for fisheries, with a very large fish factory, and on the opposite side is a large container area, used by one of our good customers. Sund is mainly used for handling bulk and bunkers, as a large power station is based there, which provides electricity for a significant percentage of the Faroese population. Finally, looking at Tórshavn itself, our main business areas are container vessels and passenger ship traffic, as well as fish www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 99

Profile: Port of Tórshavn

increasing amounts of goods are being transported in containers so we need more space to accommodate those, and additionally we can see that container vessels are growing in size, and our draft limitations at Tórshavn mean we are already at the maximum size we can accept. We want to be ready to receive the next generation of container ships, in order to future proof the harbour.

“On the cruise side, there are already ships sailing in the North Atlantic that have drafts too big for us, so we hope an expansion would make us an attractive new stop for them.” The Port of Tórshavn already has a thriving cruise business and wellestablished customer base, so it would be able to draw on existing expertise to handle any new business, and is keen to highlight the many attractions of the Faroe Islands to tourists.

The expanded port facilities would also be able to handle the Port’s increasing exports in salmon and mackerel, as well as exciting new opportunities, which could be on the horizon in the oil and gas sector.

“Test wells have already been drilled in Faroese waters, but so far no oil has been discovered,” added Annfinn.

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Profile: Port of Tórshavn

to gain access to it. Some of these support and supply vessels could come to us for services such as crew changes and maintenance. If you are operating west of the Shetland Islands it is a shorter distance to the Faroes than if you have to go to Aberdeen for example, and I believe there are tax advantages to British operators if they use a foreign port once a year. While at the moment we don’t have a long track record for working with supply vessels, we are trying to build up our customer base in that area.”

In fact, the location of the Faroes is one of its major benefits and Annfinn noted that with the increasing talk of using the North East Passage through the Arctic, it could also offer

services to potential customers in China or the US. “In 2014 around 30 ships in total sailed from China to Europe, north of Russia, through the Arctic area – it is only ice free for four months of the year currently but we know the ice is melting so going forward this window may get bigger.

“In theory, once our expansion is in place we can use our geographical position to become more of a hub for containers between Europe and Asia, for example, for the traffic that goes north of Russia. We could also become a hub for traffic that goes from Europe to the US.” It is clear that this major expansion plan is going to significantly benefit both the Port of Tórshavn and also its customers and the residents of

the Faroe Islands. Annfinn is pleased with the organisation’s performance, but is keen to ensure that going forward it continues to evolve in order to meet the needs of the future.

“I think we are doing quite OK, but we are never better than our customers say we are,” he concluded.

“This is why we must continuously strive to improve.”

Port of Tórshavn www.torshavn.fo

• Port operates around two thirds of the

import and export of Faroes • £45m expansion project planned for 2016 • Ideal location halfway between Iceland and Norway

Kemilux

Since 1967, Kemilux has been in the business of providing all kinds of cleaning products for private homes, institutions and all manner of industrial workplaces, including ships and vessels. In addition to cleaning products, Kemilux currently also sells work wear, cleaning suits and various solutions for packaging.

Ever since it was established, Kemilux has grown rapidly and it remains the only Faroese provider of cleaning products, having become a permanent fixture in the Faroese workplace, and now, also in workplaces abroad since Kemilux is successfully and increasingly exporting a substantial part of its products.

Kemilux’ headquarter are located in Tórshavn while wholesalers and offices can be found everywhere in the Faroes, as well as in Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Greenland and Scotland.

Needless to say, Kemilux, as an ISO 9001 and Achilles registered company, is ideally placed for future co-operation in the Faroe Islands’ growing oil industry. All employees are trained in HSEQ and Kemilux adheres strictly to the EU’s regulations regarding dangerous chemicals and air pollution. Additionally, since Kemilux’ products are made in the Faroe Islands, where the water is lime free, its products are free of chemicals reducing lime. As Andreas Falkvard Hansen, sales manager stated: “Together, we can find a clean solution.”

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Profile: Cammell Laird

Yards

ahead C

ammell Laird is the busiest and most dynamic commercial shipyard in the United Kingdom. It specialises in ship building, complex ship conversion projects, military ship refit and turnkey retrofit installations. Its site on the River Mersey includes four dry-docks and a wet basin with direct river access, one of the largest modular construction halls in Europe and an extensive network of workshops.

With an illustrious history stretching back to the 1820’s, Cammell Laird has years of experience of monitoring the market, seeing what changes are coming and predicting what services its clients will need in the future. As John Barnard, project manager, explained, currently green issues are at the top of the agenda: “Regulatory pressure on shipping has increased

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with new environmental constraints aimed at a reduction in carbon emissions and airborne pollution.

Further regulations are directed at restricting the spread of invasive aquatic organisms,” he said. “Ship management resources, already stretched, are having to navigate a multitude of rapidly developing technologies. Unfortunately the most effective and efficient answer is different in each case. There’s no simple solution to suit every vessel.

“So we are proactively bridging the gap. Having forged excellent links with a wide range of technology providers, we are currently supporting a number of clients in finding optimum solutions with services ranging from initial feasibility studies to comprehensive turnkey retrofit projects.”

This latter capability is becoming increasingly important to Cammell

Laird and its clients, and John explained exactly what the yard offers: “We maintain all of the skills and experience required to provide turnkey solutions, including a strong Technical Department. We are proactive in building relationships and partnerships with an ever increasing number of technology companies offering a diverse range of ‘green’ technologies, and we are able to involve any particular manufacturer according to the client’s preference,” he said. “We can relieve the ship owner of the time and expense of repetitive on-board surveys, and offer the benefit of providing a turnkey quotation for the installation of their proposed solution.”

The yard often takes a partnership approach to these projects, and customers value the experience of its staff and their ‘can-do’ attitude:

“The majority of our business is from repeat customers,” added John.

A perfect example of this is the recent £49.5 million refit contract Cammell Laird completed for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Fort Victoria. “I would say that from project inception, maintaining a strong partnership with the customer was key to the successful delivery back into service on this project,” he stated. “The biggest challenge was the sheer amount of interdependent work happening in a relatively limited area in a short time frame.

Our experience in delivering complex refits on an annual basis was vital, as although every project and ship is different we had an excellent understanding of the intricacies and problems involved in the upgrades and were able to mitigate these in our planning. Thanks to our knowledge we were able to

reduce the timescales, reduce the project risks and plan and estimate the project with a high degree of certainty.”

Cammell Laird’s approach and experience in retrofit projects will stand the yard in good stead, given the increasing amount of environmental legislation that ship owners and operators are now faced with. John warned that going forward, there will be a big demand for these services, which not all yards will be able to address: “The industry is anticipating equipment availability bottlenecks. A surge in demand will put a strain on shipyard resources globally and there will be insufficient experienced installation and commissioning engineers,” he said. “Pre-planning is essential as ship owners who have left their planning to the last minute will find themselves with fewer options, and possibly not being able to install their preferred solutions at the most cost-effective time.”

John also noted that ship operators often have difficulty in assessing the sales offerings from technology equipment suppliers, whilst technology suppliers struggle to get their products fully understood by the ship operators, particularly when the technology is relatively new and complex. To help with this, Cammell Laird has created a technology hub with a proactive shipyard at its centre: “In establishing the ‘shipyard hub’ concept, we have forged excellent links with a wide range of eco-efficiency technology companies to provide a neutral hub where ship operators are able to draw on the cost-effective expertise and assistance of the shipyard in arriving at the optimum solution for their vessels.

We also offer complete turnkey quotations for their projects. Careful planning can minimise downtime and capital costs, and improve operational efficiency.”

Whilst regulatory compliance is essential for the ship owner, operating costs remain an area of increasing concern. Fuel costs in particular have become a major headache. The shipyard utilises its experience in innovation and its www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 105

Profile: Cammell Laird

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considerable connections to offer the ship owner a wide range of ecoefficiency retrofits, all contributing to efficiency improvements and a consequential reduction in fuel consumption, and hence a reduction in carbon emissions. Eco-efficiency retrofits encompass the relatively simple and inexpensive such as variable speed pump control, thermal insulation and efficient hull coatings to the more esoteric and

Wood Group Wood Group Industrial Services Limited (WGIS) provides unrivalled expertise in the provision of specialist, high quality industrial services & project management skills to support the construction, maintenance, de-commissioning and replacement of major assets such as ships, bridges, chemical plants, oil rigs, wind farms and power stations.

Previously known as Pyeroy, WGIS continues to offer a wide range of fabric maintenance services, protective coatings, access, insulation, industrial cleaning, asbestos remediation, specialist construction services, electrical and instrumentation services.

complex such as trim optimisation, propeller ducts and air lubrication.

Cammell Laird is able to assist the ship owner by providing turnkey solutions from concept to completion.

It is clear that Cammell Laird has a lot to offer clients and it is therefore no surprise that the yard has an ongoing relationship with several blue chip clients, such as the Aircraft Carrier Alliance. It is currently building centre blocks for two new aircraft carriers, and as John explained, the project, which started in 2010, will complete in 2015. “We have built and fully outfitted 10,000t of the new aircraft carriers, split over 15 modules that have been shipped to Rosyth for integration. We also had a team working on the module integration into the ship in Rosyth.

The project has been a great success for us and ultimately led on to a contract to fabricate modules for the Astute Submarine programme,” he said, before adding details of another project: “We have just won a contract to design and build a double ended ferry for the Department for Regional Development Northern Ireland for Strangford Lough.

She will be a similar ship to the Portaferry II and will be delivered in 2016. We will be looking to provide a modern, more efficient and more environmentally friendly ship.”

The last five years have seen a lot of positive developments for Cammell Laird, with consolidation as the top support partner to the RFA, moving back into new builds and achieving the status of the busiest commercial ship repair and conversion yard in the UK. “Over the next five years we are looking to consolidate these new building activities, utilising our skills on both specialist and ‘one-off’ vessels and offshore structures,” John concluded.

“We are also looking to increase our support to the offshore services industries, including dry docking, refit and conversion projects.”

Cammell Laird

www.cammell-laird.co.uk • Delivers shipbuilding and conversion

projects, eco-efficiency installation concept surveys and design consultancy • Maintain a strong in-house technical department with extensive practical experience including a number of ballast water treatment design and system installations • Provide turnkey solutions for customers’ projects

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Profile: MAATS TECH Tensioners are supplied to complement the company’s Karmsund main traffic harbour.

Photo:out Torthe Inge Vormedal carousels.

Tensioners are used in loading product to be stored in the carousel from the shore storage or manufacturing facility

Expert

service

O

riginally founded with a focus on specialist subsea vessel design and shipyard supervision, MAATS Tech has since developed its services over the last 25 years to become a marine engineering organisation with a major presence in the offshore engineering industry.

Today a key supplier to all blue chip offshore contractors, such as Subsea 7, Technip, Aker, J Ray McDermott and SBM, the group has also developed strong relationships with a range of world-class shipyards; these include IHC in the Netherlands, Bergen, Kleven and Vard in Norway and HHI and DSME in South Korea.

An expert in turnkey, ship-based carousel systems, MAATS Tech acts as a main contractor throughout 108 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

the design, build and installation process for both on-deck and underdeck carousels as well as any other loading and unloading equipment.

Having supplied approximately 35 carousels in various sizes to around 25 different vessels, the company has developed significant experience in carousel systems, resulting in a world leader status in the supply of carousels that are installed below deck.

Since it was previously featured in Shipping and Marine magazine in June 2014, the company continued to enjoy a record-breaking year, while also expanding its services into the new cable lay market, as John Holt, managing director at MAATS Tech, begins: “The most notable development for MAATS Tech since

we last spoke has been our strategic change in direction from pipe lay vessel requirements to cable lay vessels; this has come as a result of a shift of emphasis in shipbuilding to the new cable lay business in support of cabling to offshore platforms, wind farms and, in some cases, power from one island to another when DC power is used instead of AC. “Meanwhile, the main driver behind our incredible success throughout 2014 was Brazilian oil firm’s Petrobras’ decision to replace its aging fleet of flexible pipe layers and increase the number and capability of the replacements.

MAATS Tech already had lay and loading systems on the older vessels that had been in service for

Petrobras since the early 1990s and had a reliable history – when the specifications came out they reflected considerable elements of MAATS Tech’s standard components.”

With its knowledge of both ship design, naval architecture and the lay/load equipment interfaces and operations, MAATS Tech attracts operators thanks to the beneficial cross-over between a client’s engineers and MAATS Tech’s engineers. Proud to work closely with clients during the design phase of deck layouts on which its products are installed, the company also provides ship design services for new-build and/ or conversion projects. Typically, these design activities begin with a vessel conceptual design study before the decision is taken as to whether or not to proceed. If the company is interested in continuing, MAATS Tech then undertakes full production drawings as well as providing a

Coral De Atlantico

supervision team to represent the owner when conversion or new-build phases progresses to the shipyard.

The company’s core market area is South America, where it has witnessed major demand, as well as steady success in West Africa, however, with demand growing

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Profile: MAATS TECH

3D image swung open

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in the DC cable lay business, the company anticipates future contracts to come from international shipyards that are building vessels for operators operating in areas such as the North Sea and the Baltic. “We have already started to expand into the cable lay/cable handling business as MAATS equipment is easily transferable from umbilical handling (flex pipe operation) to the large DC cable products,” says John. “We are extending our product line in way of two and four track tensioners, the new four-jaw specifically suited and targeted at the cable laying business.

MAATS Tech has its own design of cable laying vessel aimed at the 0-1000m water depth with an ability to ground on shore approaches; we have had discussions on building the vessel in conjunction with Cammell Laird Shipyard, so this is an opportunity.”

Recent projects for the quality

conscious firm include the supply and commissioning of nine carousel systems on a number of vessels in three different countries, as John highlights: “Two of these vessels were completed by DSME Korea for the Technip Odebrecht Partnership (TOP) in Brazil. The vessels had MAATS Tech 2500te carousels below deck and some eight dollybases on deck for flexible pipe storage; the vessels are now in Brazil and operating.”

On top of this, John notes that the company currently has equipment being constructed and installed on three vessels for Sapura, three vessels for Subsea 7 in Holland and one vessel for Subsea 7 in HHI Korea. “The HHI project for S7 includes a 7000te basket Carousel system, which is probably the first of this size below deck. Trial assembly of this unit is to take place shortly at our fabricators MFL in Middlesborough.”

Following an incredible year, MAATS Tech is keen to add core strength to its engineering team, while also extending its baseline of design and build products for both cable and flexpipe operators and entering into the market of subsea equipment design only packages.

The company also anticipates it will be providing services outside of the offshore business, with work having already successfully been completed within the aircraft engineering and nuclear energy business. However, for now the company is focusing on the projects it has in hand, as John concludes: “Our focus throughout 2015 will be on the completion and commissioning of eight or more contracted underdeck carousels and at the same time moving forward to obtaining a market share in the cable lay equipment market.”

Dollybase

Maats Tech Ltd www.maats.co.uk

• Marine engineering consultancy for specialist ship design • Record breaking year in 2014 • Expanding into cable-laying vessels

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Profile: Wills Ridley

Strong E

stablished in 1963 with the aim of manufacturing and marketing steering gear for small boats, Wills Ridley Ltd has developed a strong reputation over the last five decades for unrivalled before and after sales services. In addition, the dynamic organisation has responded to market demand with a range of products that deliver enhanced quality and optimum performance. Having supplied its steering systems to a variety of vessel types, the company’s products have become recognised on a global scale thanks to its ability to design equipment from standard or tailored components, which are manufactured to the best possible quality.

Located in Penryn, three miles from Falmouth and its famous harbour, Wills Ridley is strategically placed to work on vessels from the commercial, military and leisure markets. Vessels that have benefited from Wills Ridley’s high quality services over the years include mega yachts, super yachts, patrol boats, tug boats, large ships, commercial vessels and ferries.

It is here in its well-equipped Penryn-based facility that the company’s departments work on

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wills

products such as hydraulic steering gear, hydraulic systems, rudders and universal isolated dimming equipment.

The company’s electronic design department provides superior steering gear design services through open communication with customers that enables Wills Ridley’s expert designers to take vital information and draw components from designed, tried and field tested items. Once complete, the designs are confirmed by fully qualified engineers. On top of this, the company has accumulated a number of associates over the years and imports and supplies products such as deck machinery, full stern gear packages, custom aluminium deck hatches and custom carbon fibre equipment to its customers in the UK. Adhering to ISO 9001 Design and Manufacturing Quality Assurance

Triton, hand hydraulic helm pump

Certification, Wills Ridley prides itself on its ability to provide vessels across the world with steering systems of exceptional quality. Moreover, its aftercare service can supply 96 per cent of spares for vessels that use its steering systems on board and free advice is provided when needed on both steering systems and spare parts.

Products within Wills Ridley’s product range include power packs and starter cabinets, hydraulic actuators, steering controls, valves, hydraulic ring main and dimming equipment. For customers requiring power packs, the company has longterm experience in manufacturing equipment to best suit their requirements and offers optimum adaptability to ensure satisfaction. Key to the design of each power pack are a number of issues such as the level of power on board the vessel, whether the power pack is driven by an electric motor, belt driven or direct from PTO (power take off). For example, if the power pack will be driven by an electric motor, the size of the motor, pump and tank capacity all need to be designed in accordance with rudders being moved through the requested angle in a time frame that is requested

Left: 2 X AC WR45, hydraulic power pack

Top: R Series, hydraulic actuator Below: KS Series, hydraulic Actuator

by the client. Using their knowledge and expertise, Wills Ridley can assist customers in finding the right power pack to suit the most demanding of requirements.

Dedicated to continuous improvement, the company is constantly developing its product range and designing new systems; the most recent example of this being the isolated dimmer system, which was fitted to M5, the largest single masted vessel in the world, despite being a new product on the market in. On top of this, the isolated dimmer system has also been fitted to the new Sunseeker 155, which was launched in 2014.

Designed to overcome issues encountered on marine control panels where indicators from a variety of ships systems need to be dimmed in unison from one control, while also keeping each electrical system isolated and independent, the isolated dimming system consists of a six channel control card that can be controlled by a single potentiometer or momentary push buttons. Each of these output channels are wholly isolated and can drive one amp 24V pulse width modulation for the lighting of instrument systems.

For customers that require more than six channels, a second isolated dimmer switch control cards and more cards can be added alongside the first master card; the additional cards are all driven from the master card. Each channel uses pulse width modulation to control brightness and calibration knobs are provided to set a minimum brightness pulse width as well as a maximum brightness pulse width, which mean different indicator lamps can be setup to reach these brightness

levels in unison. Furthermore, two of the channels have a knee point adjustment knob, which enables a non-linear response to be setup for any non-linear lighting systems.

Standing by its ethos to work with the customer to find the engineering solution, Wills Ridley’s future looks positive as it continues to enhance its product range and provide customers with superior customer service thanks

to its highly competent manufacturing, sales and aftercare/service teams.

Wills Ridley Ltd

www.willsridley.com • Supplier of hydraulic steering systems • Export globally • Launched new isolated dimmer switch in 2014

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Profile: b hepworth & co.

Wiping out the

competition O

riginally founded as a Yorkshire based manufacturer of chemicals for the local carpet industry by Mr Benjamin Hepworth, B Hepworth and Company Ltd has since diversified its markets and strengthened its services to become a global market leader in the design and manufacture of windscreen wiping systems. Acquired by Mr EG Eddy in the early 1900s, B Hepworth has remained within the Eddy family, with managing director Mr JP Eddy responsible for the company’s strategic and highly successful move into the marine and rail markets from its traditional UK commercial vehicle and bus markets in the 1980s.

Keen to continue its success in the shipping and rail industries, B Hepworth acquired its largest competitor, Wynstruments Ltd, in 2004; following this strategic development, the company witnessed

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significant growth, which resulted in its relocation to a new factory of 42,000 sq ft in 2008 and Wynstruments being moved from Cheltenham to Redditch in 2009.

CEO Jonathan Eddy discusses the company’s current status and its progression over recent years: “We employ 140 people in our 92 sq ft facilities and export to 54 different countries; our products cover all areas of the shipping and marine industry, from naval ships to cruise ships, if it floats our equipment is on it.

“Our mantra is ‘Showing the Way’, which not only refers to windscreen wipers and visibility, but also shows how we operate in terms of product quality, customer service and speed of delivery. Over the last 12 months we have seen growth of nearly 40 per cent in comparison to the previous year, which is a record for us. We have ambitious plans to continue this growth as we have so far gone

from £13 million to £18 million in turnover and hope to achieve £24 million next year. We manufacture everything in house and made over 800,000 components last year and invoiced out 42,000 product lines to customers across the world.”

Operating as a bespoke designer and manufacturer, B Hepworth’s systems are custom made to meet each of its clients’ unique requirements. Able to offer a cradle to grave project management service, the company’s highly dedicated and qualified design team uses accurate 3D SolidWorks, 2D AutoCAD, design analysis and specialist design simulation packages. Currently consisting of five mechanical engineers, two electrical design engineers and one production engineer, the team is committed to the continuous improvement of its products through R&D and adapting to new technologies, which thus

enables B Hepworth to meet the stringent demands of its customers.

“We have seven 3D SolidWorks in our facilities, which are £5000 each and allow us to unwrap a whole bridge or ship structure until we find where the wipers will be mounted.

From there we create drawings to show where the equipment will be installed and what electrical control systems will be used before we go back to the customer to double check we meet their requirements. The beauty of the 3D Cam SolidWorks is that it allows you to run the wiper on the screen and use all the data to push production by manufacturing straight from the designs.”

By prioritising the quality of its produced systems, Jonathan notes that the DNV, ISO 9001 and IRIS2 accredited company has gained an enviable client base that includes the US Navy, US Coastguard and oil majors: “Through our American distributor we have been serving the US navy for a number of years; we supply to at least half of their vessels, which range from nuclear powered aircraft carriers to enormous hovercrafts. Our last contract with the US navy was approximately 18 months ago. We also do a lot of work with the US Coastguard as well, which is an established customer for us as we have been working together for 25 years. On top of the US navy, we work with the Singapore navy and also recently won a refit contract with the Indian navy to replace their wipers. It is an Indian wiper that functions poorly and is so noisy you can barely hear yourself think, so what we did was supply one of our wipers for free while leaving the rest

of the Indian wipers in place; the difference was staggering in terms of noise and performance.

“It is a battle when competitors offer the cheapest price with none of the quality, for example we have had phone calls from three ship owners this year alone that went with one of our European competitors and now want our wipers installed because the other product just doesn’t work.”

Having enjoyed a successful 2014, the company looks set to flourish over the coming years as it prepares to launch a number of new wiper products during 2015 while also improving the speed of transactions and delivery times, as Jonathan concludes: “Since 2010 we have been manufacturing our products in two to three weeks, but we aim to half this to five to ten days in the future, which will mean our customers won’t have to order in advance and will make us more efficient. Meanwhile, over the next three to five years, it is our goal to reach up to £30 million in turnover; this will be reached through both organic and acquisitional growth.”

B Hepworth & Co. Ltd www.b-hepworth.com

• Global leader in windscreen wipers and cleaning systems • Can supply systems on all types of vessels • Supply to 50 countries worldwide

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Profile: A&P Falmouth

Maritime

gateway

O

perating from the UK south west coast as part of the A&P Group, the A&P Port of Falmouth represents a vital hub for both local business and international clients operating within a host of maritime sectors. With one of the world’s largest natural deepwater harbours, A&P Falmouth delivers a unique service offering that rivals that of any port facility in the world.

The port boasts three large graving

David Daniel

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docks and 750 metres of alongside deepwater berths that are able to accommodate vessels of up to as much as 100,000 tonnes. A&P Falmouth is a busy facility that handles in excess of 100,000 tonnes of product per year as well as offering extensive workshop facilities, the ability to drydock without gas-freeing, in addition to inwater surveys and propeller polishing.

Furthermore, the port is home to more than 30 firms that offer a turnkey range of specialist services and supply chain including towage, area port health, diving services and bunkering facilities meaning that A&P Falmouth is the ideal location for clients, whatever their needs.

A&P Falmouth was last profiled

by Shipping and Marine during July 2014, when the magazine spoke to managing director Peter Child, who discussed the port’s position as the recognised maritime gateway for Cornwall and a vital component in the

region’s social and economic makeup.

Indeed A&P Falmouth has nurtured relationships with clients that have lasted as long as 25 years and during 2012 the port saw the 50th Grimaldi ship drydocked by A&P Group over the course of 12 years. Today A&P Falmouth continues to serve a wide range of clients that operate in a broad spectrum of markets, as commercial director David Daniel addresses: “The port’s regular customers include Condor Ferries, P&O, the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Stena, UECC, Solstad and Serco to name a few. Work with the MoD includes RFA (Royal Fleet Auxiliary) and Naval ships through our partners BAE Systems.”

During January 2015, A&P Falmouth announced the award of a multi-million pound MoD contract to complete the fit-out of the RFAs new fleet of four tankers.

The announcement was made by Chancellor of the Exchequer, George

Osborne during a visit to A&P Falmouth on the morning of 26th January 2015. The four Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) tankers will maintain the Royal Navy’s ability to refuel at sea and will provide fuel to warships and task groups. Furthermore the tankers are able to support deployed amphibious, land and air forces close to the shore and will have the ability to operate helicopters. The tankers are intended to enter service from 2016 and A&P Group will continue to provide operational support to the vessels for a minimum of three years.

“Essentially, the project has already begun with planning and design work,” says David. “We will receive the first ship in December this year and the remaining three will arrive at roughly six monthly intervals. The plan is to carry out a customisation package to UK MoD standards, and then support the vessels as they go through their initial capability assessment trials. That will involve numerous tests to ensure they can perform their intended role.”

In addition to its work on ships the company is actively expanding into new areas. For example it has been working on an innovative project based around wave energy, as David highlights. “We have now built two prototype wave energy converters for different owners and have supported them during trials both in Falmouth bay and the wave hub test facility offshore the North Cornish coast. This industry whilst in its infancy at present is one we hope will develop and we intend to stay at the forefront assisting developers to build and trial their devices.”

Since we last looked at A&P Falmouth’s operations the business

has certainly been busy, among the aforementioned projects for example it has also completed work on its third vessel for client Beltships, involving a major and complex re-fit of one of its self-discharging bulk carriers. As the year progresses there is much to suggest that the business can maintain this momentum and while David himself is set to take a step back from the company he is confident it will be left in safe hands.

“We have a good order book

moving forwards and we intend to remain at the forefront of legislation with ballast water and exhaust scrubber installations,” he says. “We have the MARS contract requiring a lot of attention, and there is much to focus on before the first vessel arrives, and more generally we are looking to expand our infrastructure at the port.

My successor will be Ian Douglas, who was previously general manager of our yard at the Tees. He has over 20 years commercial, sales & project management experience, working for Tees Dockyard, Cammell Laird, Grand Bahama Shipyard & A&P Group.”

A&P Falmouth

www.ap-group.co.uk • Vital hub for local and international clients • Working on projects with the MoD • Busy order book for the future

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Profile: rotortug

Pulling

S

ince Mr Ton Kooren in Spain constructed the first Rotortug® design in 1999, the innovative Rotortug BV has established a reputation as a pioneer within the specialised towage industry. Originally founded under the name Kooren Shipbuilding and Trading BV, later known as KST, the company’s first generation of Rotortugs were exclusively built for the use of international maritime service provider Kotug; however, following an increase in demand for specialised towage services, the company made the strategic decision of extending the sale of its design to third parties.

As KST BV continued to develop over the years, its efforts became increasingly focused on design and new building consultancy, marketing and training solutions; this move away from shipbuilding resulted in an exclusive design agreement between KST BV and Robert Allan in 2012 that enabled 118 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

forward potential customers to contract either organisation for a license to construct a Rotortug. Two years after this strategic contract was signed, the company underwent a successful rebranding operation, thus further cementing its position in technical marketing and consultancy.

Speaking with Shipping and Marine magazine during January 2014, managing director of Rotortug Evan Willemsen said: “Under its new name, Rotortug BV will continue its focus on the technical marketing and development of the Rotortug as an established brand as well as other towage related solutions.

Now that the shipbuilding aspect of the business is gone, it’s the perfect opportunity for us to rebrand.”

Having realigned its core business with the shipping industry, Rotortug enjoyed a productive and prosperous 2014 as KT Maritime Services Australia Pty Ltd awarded a contract for the design and operation of three of the world’s first purpose

built FLNG infield support vessels, as Evan highlights: “Steel cutting of the 100 tons, 42 metre Rotortugs commenced for the KT Maritime Services contract; as is customary, in September 2014.

“Keen to take advantage of the growing opportunities within the LNG market, three Rotortugs were transported to the Shell LNG Brunei terminal to support LNG carriers,” confirms Evan. “This contract is a natural development for Rotortug as we are looking for expansion into this field; we aim to provide a towage solutions concept, a system based approach to maritime risk management for oil majors and terminal operators both on shore and offshore. That would be our main market plan for the future.”

Supporting this strategy is the company’s state-of-the-art, game changing new design, the ART 80-32. Viewed as an industry benchmark and designed by Robert Allan Ltd, the next generation

series has generated significant buzz in the market, with four on order at Cheoy Lee Shipyards in Hong Kong. To date, two of these Rotortugs, named RT Discovery and RT Endeavour, have been delivered to their owner, Elisabeth Ltd in Malta. Delivered in October and November, respectively, the two tugs deliver high performance, unrivalled maneuverability and optimised safety during operations.

Elaborating on the benefits of the ART 80-32, Evan states: “The main features of this tug design includes its combined high bollard pull of 86 tons, made up of three thrusters and two winches, which means you can always work in the direction you are going to, rather than having to work backwards. The ART 80-32 has a very good speed of 13.5 knots, with 7.5 knots sidestepping capabilities; this key feature provides crew comfort that they can always move towards a safe position, should the tug get into a dangerous situation.

Moreover, if the towline fails, the

vessel can be turned around and reconnected. We have paid attention to all details, and have worked extremely hard to come up with something very close to the perfect tug design.”

Although the design ticks all of the right boxes for the tug boat market, the ART 80-32 is now in the process of proving itself to a conservative customer base, as Evan notes: “Since being delivered in October, the RT Discovery has given a few sneak previews of its capabilities and generated attention from the market.

However, a tug can look nice and be well designed, but it also has to work and perform for us to convince clients that this is simply a much better system.” On the tipping point of early majority market acceptance for industries in need of enhanced safety and optimum performance.

The future looks promising as the first ART 80-32 vessels commence operations and opportunities continue to develop. “We see increased demand for infield support

vessels throughout 2015, so we will focus on delivering this concept to other FLNG and FRSU operations, while also expanding our presence in the LNG and FPSO markets,” concludes Evan.

Rotortug

www.Rotortug.com

• Leading designer, developer and

supplier of the Rotortug® • Launched the game-changing ART 80-32 • Exclusive design contract with Robert Allan Ltd

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Profile: EVOQUA WATER TECHNOLOGIES

Refreshing

concepts J

anuary 2014 saw the birth of Evoqua Water Technologies following the sale of Siemens Water Technologies to the investment organisation AEA. “We are a global organisation with 170 locations across the world, employing more than 4000 people,” says Darren Dale, Sales and Marketing Director.

The company actually has a very long history in the water treatment market, with the Wallace & Tiernan systems brand name being synonymous with disinfection for over 100 years, whilst its Electrocatalytic brand has been accepted in the power and marine markets for over 50 years.

“Through the Electrocatalytic brand Evoqua supplies the oil and gas industry with our industry standard Chloropac® system, providing the most effective, environmentally safe method of preventing biological marine fouling, using technically superior equipment for energy efficient and reliable long-term plant operation,” highlights Darren,

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continuing: “The perpetual growth of sea life (marine fouling) within a platform’s or floating vessel’s cooling systems can have a high cost, which is often overlooked, not to mention the shortened life of equipment affected by corrosion caused by marine fouling.

Marine fouling can restrict cooling flow in pipe runs and certainly reduces heat transfer rates across the heat exchangers and condensers thereby reducing the efficiency of the system and potentially even increasing fuel consumption.”

The Chloropac® system treats the water system by producing and injecting a sodium hypochlorite seawater solution in to the main water cooling flow to provide a hostile habitat in which organic life cannot thrive. “The Chloropac® system assures that marine growth is not only prevented, but can clean previously fouled equipment due to fitting ineffective alternative treatments and thereby restoring the efficiency of heat transfer,” explains Darren.

The Chloropac® system has for over 40 years been of great interest to the marine market, with over 3000 installations globally.

“Currently there is a pressing interest from the Shipping industry in reliable Ballast Water treatment solutions that will met the stringent requirements of the US Coast Guard.

We have submitted our SeaCURETM ballast water treatment system for US Coast Guard testing, which will commence shortly and this is expected to be concluded in the summer of 2015. These tests will take place at US Coast Guard approved laboratories, located within the United States for all three required salinities, including fresh water. The SeaCURETM utilizes some patented features to enhance reliable operation and has the Chloropac® technology at it’s core. First the ballast seawater is filtered before injecting generated hypochlorite (from seawater) back into the ballast line at a consistent and repeatable level, which can

be monitored and recorded. The SeaCURETM design allows the system to be used in a dual purpose mode for marine growth prevention to provide some return on investment on equipment that is otherwise fitted for regulatory compliance.” explains Darren. The SeaCURETM system is available as a compact skid or as modular components depending on customer requirements for installation in new builds and existing ships. “We are also seeing our clients request a standardised container approach,” he says, adding: “The system is particularly well-suited for retrofit installations because hypochlorite generation takes place in a small side seawater stream from the ballast water main to minimise footprint. The side stream generation method offers advantages for installation on tankers because the modules can be placed in a way that only the filter and analysers are installed in the hazardous area of the pump room, while the main parts of the system remain in a safe area.”

To complete the company’s portfolio for the Shipping industry the CAPAC® System (impressed current cathodic

protection) for cathodic protection of ship hulls from biological growth and corrosion from attacking the submerged surfaces of a broad range of sea-going vessels and fixed or mobile offshore structures. “Our CAPAC® systems are the ultimate long-term solution to corrosion problems, and are recognised as a superior alternative to sacrificial anode systems, which require frequent replacement. The systems are preferred by ship owners because they reduce fuel cost and work by supplying a controlled amount of DC current to submerged surfaces, using durable long life platinum anodes with a 25 year life.” explains Darren.

Understanding the many challenges that owners can face to meet legislation in an uncertain market, Evoqua has optimised its solutions to customer requirements. Current market conditions pose great opportunities, as well as challenges that need smarter solutions, as Darren highlights: “Notably, the recent dramatic drop in oil prices can increase the pressure on our customers to demonstrate best value.

Our flexibility as a business to offer a range of upgrade services and certified engineers to go on to the offshore installations, we are able to help owners continue their operations without the immediate requirement for capital investment and demonstrates a willingness to work in partnership.”

As a global organisation, Evoqua relies on its vast network to support the product lines, and its experience within the oil & gas and marine markets to deliver the right solution its customers. “Through our engineered solutions that provide technologically sound products to the market, we aim to continue to meet the requirements of our customers, increasing the speed and precision of our service,” concludes Darren.

Evoqua Water Technologies Ltd

www.evoqua.com

• Globally active business • Long experience in water technologies • Ongoing development of new systems

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Profile: Mampaey Offshore Industries

In the

E

stablished in 1904, family owned firm Mampaey Offshore Industries today has a comprehensive range of products that enhance the safety of mooring and berthing. Discussing the company’s history, business development manager Wouter van Reenen begins: “Mampaey is currently led by Mr Gerard Mampaeij; he is the fourth generation to bring the company to the next level in technology and innovation.

Mampaey has been active the maritime sector since 1904 when Gerard’s great grandfather was asked to create a smart towing hook for what is now SMIT Towing & Salvage, a subsidiary of Boskalis. Our towing hooks have since evolved to become essential integral equipment for tugs.”

Divided into three categories, towing, berthing and mooring, the ISO 9001 certified company’s product portfolio has a strong reputation for quality as well as a long life cycle with low operational costs.

“Innovation has always ensured a leading position and growth for this company,” confirms Wouter.

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docks

Examples of Mampaey’s commitment to innovation include the SCADA based iMoor operating software, an in-house development that enables safe, sound and solid jetty management. “The iMoor operating software enables monitoring as well as the control of mooring units; our mooring hooks can be equipped with intelligent mooring load monitoring and remote controlled release, which can all be monitored and controlled through iMoor.

“We also produce a berthing approach system, which informs everyone involved in the mooring procedure about the approach speed, distance and angle of the vessel in relation to the jetty or quay. In combination with our environmental monitoring system, providing information about the circumstances in which a vessel will be moored, the iMoor system is the umbrella under which all components operate, thus creating a clear and real-time oversight of every aspect of the mooring situation,” states Wouter.

Proud to retain its commitment to quality, Mampaey is the only mooring

hook supplier to still forge hooks from steel plates. This dedication to creating superior products has resulted in the company playing a key role in boosting the safety and efficiency of many terminals and vessels. “One example of this is the ATEX large LED displays, which are used for the berthing approach system. These have enabled the highest visibility for captains and deck crew during mooring, while maintaining safe operation in hazardous areas.”

Mampaey recently used its research and development and engineering capabilities to help deliver the innovative DOCKLOCK product to the market. Working alongside pioneering international bunker tanker operator VT Group, which wanted to find a more productive way to deliver fuel oil to its clients vessels at a reduced cost while improving safety, the two progressive companies created a product that takes intelligent mooring to a new level.

Discussing the process of creating DOCKLOCK, Wouter explains: “A first version was developed inhouse, but after the trials of the first

system, VT Group understood that further improvement would require specialised knowledge. As engineering is not its core business, Mampaey, as a mooring specialist with in-house engineering capacity, was asked to continue the project. Mampaey brought DOCKLOCK to a higher level, creating a market-ready system through intense R&D and engineering efforts. It was an ideal situation where every step could be verified with feedback from a direct market incumbent and eventually enabling the trial tests of a full-scale system on board of one of its vessels, the MTS Valburg, in close co-operation with VT Group’s captains.”

Wouter notes that the core advantages of DOCKLOCK are efficiency and safety as the product brings the mooring and unmooring process down to seconds instead of hours and drastically minimises the risk of injury: “With DOCKLOCK there is no need for shore line personnel, nor ship crew line handling, which leads to less injury risks. It is possible to monitor the

mooring operation and external influences and conditions in real time, which increases the response time to emergency situations. Furthermore, the possibility of snapping lines is eliminated. Meanwhile, in terms of efficiency, DOCKLOCK provides customers with faster turnaround and better ship utilisation, which shortens bunker time for client vessels as an extra competitive advantage.”

Having completed trials, DOCKLOCK has received a vast amount of attention from the market, with enquiries coming from a range of potential customers such as ferry terminals and companies within the dredging industry. Moving forward, Mampaey anticipates the west and east European regions as well as Asia to be growth markets for DOCKLOCK, while its conventional business units continue to see steady growth in the Middle East, South America and Asia.

As engineers are pivotal for the quality and constant improvement of products and play an integral role in the service given to customers,

Mampaey is focusing on strengthening its engineering department to ensure it maintains its strong position in the long-term. Moreover, the company is looking to boost its in-house software skills and is taking on new staff to bring added value to customers, as Wouter concludes: “We have recently added two programmers to our current in-house software team who will be responsible for DOCKLOCK and iMoor. Furthermore, in line with the growth prognosis and additions to our team, we are acquiring junior engineers; if our new team members manage to grow together with the organisation we will have devised a strong team, well-equipped to contribute to our ongoing success.”

Mampaey Offshore Industries

www.mampaey.com • Leading supplier of mooring, berthing and towing systems • Innovative new product, DOCKLOCK, launched in 2014 • More than 110 years of expertise

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Profile: Protection Vessels International

The best

L

defence

eading the way as one of the world’s largest private maritime security firms, independent and privately owned Protection Vessels International Ltd (PVI) was founded in 2009 by former Royal Marine Dom Mee. “Dom is an explorer of note whose exploits led to him becoming a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society. In 2009 one of the big tall ship firms was providing exclusive holidays for various wealthy people. They asked Dom if he could provide security for their vessels. Dom procured a number of Norwegian coast guard vessels and sailed them down to the Red Sea as escort vessels and that’s how PVI was born,” begins managing director of PVI Matthew Parker.

“With the threat from Somali piracy growing at a rapid rate PVI pioneered the idea of having guards on board commercial vessels. In parallel we lobbied government for better

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regulation of the growing industry and set the compliance bar high from the outset. The outcome has been a hugely commercially successful company, which has been as high as third in the Times Fast Track list of fastest growing companies.

Working with top-class global shipping companies, national flag carriers and a range of notable UK firms, PVI uses its own high quality team and fleet to deliver the greatest level of assurance alongside optimum compliance and due diligence; this enables customers to operate in a safe and profitable manner in the world’s most hostile locations. “We are the only PMSC to own a fleet of vessels.

Having our own fleet means we can provide escort vessels, which we have done for a number of slow moving rigs and vessels travelling through dangerous areas, as well as maintain our own floating armouries to ensure complete supply chain ownership of

weapons and equipment at all times.”

Key to the company’s success is its commitment to going beyond security to offer a professional and wholly reliable service through the delivery of respect, integrity, trust, excellence and teamwork. Moreover, as a pioneer of ensuring safe passage for vessels through areas with high piracy and terrorism risk, the company mainly employs UK Royal Marines that follow a strict code of conduct and ethics, as Matthew notes: “In the past we have only ever employed UK Royal Marines; we have expanded a little on this now, but it is very clear that the quality of our people is the best you can get. Royal Marines are recognised across the globe as some of the finest soldiers, but more importantly, they are specialised in protecting maritime interests; they are the UK’s sea soldiers.”

As the armed maritime security market continues to stabilise in

the Indian Ocean, Matthew notes that the company has grown in to others areas: “If you do anything in the security industry you need first rate intelligence. To meet this growing demand we have developed an intelligence division headed by a former senior MI6 officer. We provide due diligence and bespoke reporting for a number of blue chip companies and governments. We also train a number of companies and defence forces in everything from first aid to defensive coastal patrolling.”

The fastest growing part of the Group is the Cyber Division, based from its unique Cyber Academy in Bristol. “There’s barely a day goes by without hacking or information loss being in the headlines. We promote awareness of the threat, provide practical training and technological solutions to combat information theft.

We also offer forensic investigation of attempts to attack our clients’ networks so that it cannot be done a second time. In short, we help protect information, often the most valuable item on a company or government inventory.”

Matthew concludes: “There’s now very few security problems that PGI cannot provide a solution for. We sit with clients, listen to their problems and find a bespoke solution. If we cannot solve them, we are honest about it. We built our strongest and most enduring relationships in shipping when we stood shoulderto-shoulder with customers when Somali piracy was at its height. We

have developed our maritime security offerings to fit those same customers’ needs and we are still protecting them on the high seas today but the same partnerships are now being forged daily with our cyber customers whose information and systems are under attack online.”

Protection Vessels International Ltd

www.pviltd.com • Global leader in armed maritime security focused on the Indian Ocean • Parent company at the forefront of cyber security and intelligence

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Profile: Stolt Tankers - Stolt Nielsen Group

The legend

continues S

tolt Tankers operates one of the world’s largest and most sophisticated global fleets of deep-sea, regional, coastal and inland parcel tankers, providing safe, reliable, high quality transportation services to the world’s leading manufacturers of chemicals and other bulk liquids.

As part of the Stolt-Nielsen Group, it has a long and rich history dating back more than half a century when Jacob Stolt-Nielsen first established and developed three companies that led the way in dynamic and emerging industries. He invented the modern parcel tanker, built a leading offshore services company and pioneered the aquaculture industry. Unfortunately, February 2015 saw the passing of the company’s founder, whose name is 126 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

synonymous with innovation, quality, leadership and success. His reputation in the industry is carried every day by the successful group of individually operating subsidiaries.

By working with its sister company - Stolthaven Terminals, and its worldwide network of high efficiency terminals, the business has built up a fleet of more than 150 ships and barges, functioning as an integral and vital part of its customers global supply chain. The tanker fleet is equipped with sophisticated handling equipment, including heating and cooling systems, specialised cleaning equipment, and nitrogen generators.

These capabilities, combined with the unrivalled experience of its officers and crew, enable Stolt Tankers to safely handle virtually any liquid

cargo, including specialty chemicals, petrochemicals, commodity chemicals, oleo chemicals, vegetable oils, clean petroleum products, lubricating oils and acids.

Stolt Tankers’ focus on safety and environmental protection enables it to meet the most stringent demands of its customers, as well as all applicable local and international regulatory requirements. Addressing the transportation and storage needs in a manner that is safe for both people and the environment is its foremost objective. Another objective however, is reducing port time, and therefore increasing efficiency - given that a deep-sea parcel tanker spends roughly one-third of each voyage in port loading and unloading. The integration of Stolt Tankers and

Stolthaven Terminals is a key element of this effort, which gives the business complete control over the tanker/ terminal interface. This control, combined with an in-depth knowledge of its customers’ supply-chain flows, gives the company a significant competitive advantage in meeting customer needs. Additional advantages are gained from its unrivalled productinformation and cleaning database, which has been paramount to its ongoing success. This database, which is based upon decades of accumulated operational experience, enables Stolt Tankers to efficiently handle and clean even the most difficult cargoes with a quick turnaround.

Together with its sister operating units, the company strives to operate in a manner that is safe for both people and the environment. Its efforts to achieve these goals are supported by a broad range of existing policies and practices, and the business remains actively engaged in long-term planning to enhance safety and environmental performance for the future. Reducing CO2, NOx and SOx emissions through increased efficiency is one of the key objectives of Stolt Tankers’ Energy Management Project. The project, launched in 2006, is an ongoing effort to improve the energy efficiency of the existing fleet, as well as the fleet of the future.

Actions include tuning engines for optimal performance, using travelling specialists to analyse ship performance and provide best-practices guidance to crews, smoothing hulls and propellers to reduce resistance, lowering sailing speeds, making more efficient use of shipboard heating and other operating systems, optimising voyage planning, and working with crews to increase efficiency awareness. Already it has successfully reduced the fleet’s fuel consumption by a significant amount, and innovative design on future tankers will deliver substantial long-term fuel efficiencies. As part of its overall efforts to improve its environmental performance, Stolt Tankers obtained ISO 14001 certification in March 2010, which focuses on requirements and guidelines for environmental management systems.

Recognising that training is the key to safety and environmental performance the business administers one of the most comprehensive training programmes in the industry.

From captains to cadets, it seeks evaluation through specialised assessment to ensure that personnel possess both the qualifications and the traits required. Further leadership training equips management with skills to lead the crews and ships under the rigorous specifications demanded by the industry. Growing a skills base for the future, cadets are handpicked from leading maritime schools using a screening process to identify those with competencies best suited to the specific demands of parcel tanker operations. Training, both ashore and at sea, is a continuous process that reduces incidents and increases performance at Stolt Tankers.

Managing its ships throughout their complete life cycle, from design specification, through construction,

operational life, dry-docking, midlife modernisation, life extensions and, ultimately, recycling, the business is able to achieve standards of operation, maintenance and repair well beyond the averages of the industry. In addition to managing ships owned by Stolt Tankers, it also provides a management service for third-party owners. No matter which role the company plays, it does so ensuring that the assets it manages meet or exceed the highest standards demanded by customers, regulators, classification societies and the industry at large.

Stolt Tankers Stolt Nielsen Group

www.stolt-nielsen.com • Deep-sea, regional, coastal and inland

parcel tankers • Fleet of more than 150 ships and barges • Chartering and ship operations teams

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Profile: frisia-offshore

Exploring

opportunities

F

risia-Offshore provides offshore services from its base on the North Sea coast of Germany. Having tendered for its first contract in 2008, just seven years later the company has the longest track record of a

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German company within the German offshore wind industry, and can draw on years of experience on a variety of projects.

The company was last featured in Shipping & Marine in June 2014, and the following months have borne witness to two major developments. As Stefan Goldbach, project manager highlighted, the first of these was the winning of a longterm crew transportation charter for the offshore windfarm RIFFGAT (a co-operation between EWE Vertrieb GmbH and ENOVA Energiesysteme GmbH & Co. KG.) “The contract secures one of Frisia-Offshore’s crew transfer vessels (CTVs) for two and a half years, which is a long time for one of these charters,” he stated, before going on to highlight what set FrisiaOffshore apart from the competition

in the tender process. “I think we had several advantages, not least of which is that we had already worked with EWE on RIFFGAT in 2012, when it first began to install turbines, and already had a very good relationship with the organisation.”

He continued: “During the tender process itself I think it was a big advantage to be one of just a few operators of CTVs that can provide 24 passenger (PAX) capacity on one vessel. We were the first operator in Germany to provide 24 PAX and while some others have now appeared, not many of them have vessels available. The ability to transfer 24 passengers was one of the criteria on the tender and as we can do it with one vessel means our costs are lower. A competitive financial offer is a big part of a tender as the charter rates can dictate about 50

per cent of the award decision. So our price had to be good value as well!”

Another reason for Stefan and his team to celebrate is the imminent decision by the Frisia-Offshore board to build a new CTV vessel, the Wind Force III. “It looks like we are building this third CTV completely on our own, partly financed by the yard but with no other shareholders or anyone else, just investment from the company,” said Stefan. “I think this illustrates how we are looking forward to the future and standing on solid ground as a business.”

The Wind Force I and II have already proven themselves in the field and perform above average in comparison to other vessel designs.

“Being catamarans means they are more stable during harsh conditions, and of course the 24 PAX capability is also a huge bonus. The design was also targeted to the weather conditions in the North Sea, and this has performed very well in practice.”

The new Wind Force III will be very similar to its sisters, with a few tweaks and improvements based on Frisia-Offshore’s experience with the vessels at sea. Stefan added: “From the outside there will not be very much noticeable difference, but there are bound to be changes needed to meet the requirements of Class and Flag as well as a new offshore code in Germany, which was only introduced very recently and is something we might have to align with.”

While the new charter and vessel are at the top of the agenda for Frisia-Offshore, the company is serving five major contracts, for both CTV and guard vessels. “Wind Force I is working as a CTV on the Alpha Ventus project, on a contract which runs until Spring 2017, while we have another vessel working for E.on,” said Stefan. “We also have a contract with DONG for a guard vessel, as well as a consulting contract with another client.”

Guard vessels are another area where Frisia-Offshore has years of experience. “We have served a lot of projects, beginning with the first one ever in Germany. As companies such as RWE, EWE, ABB, and E.on were building their wind farm projects we were supporting them,

even with measurement equipment and so forth. In fact, there is not a single project in the German Bight where we weren’t involved, which we regard as an incredible achievement.”

The new vessel and contract will require new staff, and Stefan noted that the company directly employs all crewmembers, which can be a challenge. “We can find people with experience at sea, but not always on smaller vessels like ours,” he said.

“We also like to use crew who are fluent in German and English, as some projects require German as the project language. Also we like to use local crew, as knowledge of the Wadden Sea is so valuable.

Experience of these waters can’t be gained from sailing any other seas across the world. Finally, of course wages are a consideration so meeting all these criteria can be a challenge, but one we are confident we can address.”

As we go forward into 2015, Frisia-Offshore has an exciting

12 months to look forward to.

Alongside the new tender and vessel, Stefan noted there are other tenders on the table and he is confident that the company will be exploring many new opportunities in the future.

Frisia-Offshore

www.frisia-offshore.de • Recently signed new long-term CTV

charter contract • New vessel in planning stages • Looking forward to further developments

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Profile: Bogerd Martin

Navigating

success

W

ith a history dating as far back as 1911, Bogerd Martin has more than 100 years experience of supplying charts and nautical publications to the marine industry. As one of the largest distributors in its market, Bogerd Martin boasts a global customer base thanks to its ability to respond to customer requests for printed and electronic charts that ensure vessels receive critical navigational data wherever they are in the world in a quick, accurate and efficient manner. By delivering a simple endto-end solution, Bogerd Martin can successfully meet all navigational needs.

Under new SOLAS regulations,

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any vessels over 500 gross tonnes must be fitted with ECDIS (electronic chart display and information system) by 2018. As a leader in the supply of electronic charts since they were first launched more than ten years ago, Bogerd Martin has the expertise to help ship owners and managers select the right product at the right time. The implementation of ECDIS is spread over a period of six years, from 2012-2018, with new passenger ships over 500 gross tonnes and new tankers up to 3000 gross tonnes the first required to legally comply by July 2012. The next ships required to have ECDIS installed were new cargo ships up to 3000 gross tonnes and existing passenger ships up to 500 gross tonnes, which became mandatory

in July 2014. Existing tankers over 3000 GRT are next and need to be compliant by July 2015.

To enhance availability to customers across the globe, the company headquartered in Antwerp - has strategically expanded its presence with offices in Shanghai and Tianjin, China, where it not only provides charts, but also technical and safety equipment to bustling shipyards, including a significant quantity of ECDIS from PC Maritime.

On top of this, Bogerd Martin established a new office in the heart of Hong Kong’s shipping community in January 2014 to help meet the needs of its growing customer base in this region, as Michael Martin, managing director of Bogerd Martin, notes: “We

opened a new office in Hong Kong with the intention of being closer to the many shipping firms in the market there; because of the developments in electronic charting and the fact that the whole process is quite complex, we feel it is important we are close to our customers to offer tailor-made supply and support services as they make the transition from paper to electronic charts.�

Located on Container Port Road in Kawi Chung, the new office is staffed with knowledgeable and competent local personnel under the management of Enrico SR D’Souza. Here Bogerd Martin provides a comprehensive range of services, including printed and electronic charts, folio management and digital publications.

Moreover, its newly updated Chart Track programme will be available to customers wanting to optimise the management of charts and new editions on their ships through the automated order facility.

Discussing the new and improved Chart Track Navigator solution, Michael states: “We have had Chart Track on the market for some 13 years and we have completely revamped the programme so it is now a platform onto which we can add value added products. In phase one we basically revamped what it did already, the management and updating of paper products and paper applications and as we speak, we are rolling out this new version to our subscribing vessels.

By the summer time we will have

We feel it is important we are close to our customers to offer tailor-made supply and support services as they make the transition from paper to electronic charts

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Profile: bogerd martin completed phase two, which will add functionalities to manage and update electronic charts and publications.

This enables vessels, from the same platform, to manage different types of media without having to switch from one programme to the other to update electronic charts or paper charts. It can all be done on a single platform.”

Taking folio management to the next level, Chart Track Navigator helps those on board ships to manage inventories, orders and corrections by enabling crews to list their inventory, activate or deactivate geographical areas and to download vessel-specific notices to mariners and tracings via email. Moreover, Chart Track Navigator integrates with Findaport so users can click a destination and find all the information they require.

As a complete chart and publication management solution for both paper and electronic, the key features of Chart Track Navigator include a more user friendly interface, a graphical display of the catalogue, which enables users to select charts with ease and see what they already have on-board, and full ENC management, which allows the user to identify active ENCs to see which need updating and expiration dates.

Chart Track Navigator will also allow customers to add on optional applications at a modular cost.

These include route planning, port information, weather information, piracy information, port entry forms management and advanced planning.

Moving forward, Bogerd Martin is looking to open up offices in strategic locations over the next 12 months, while also continuing its mission to deliver support to customers as they make the transition to electronic charts and publications. “The sale of electronic products will overtake the sale of paper in the next three to five years. However, to make this attractive to customers we must develop solutions that add value to this process,” concludes Michael.

Bogerd Martin

www.martin.be • One of largest distributors of charts and nautical publications • Recently updated the Chart Track Navigator programme • Strengthened foothold in Asia with new office in Hong Kong

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Shipping &MARINE

The magazine for maritime management

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

Schofield Publishing Schofield Publishing Limited Unit 10, Cringleford Business Centre, Intwood Road, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 6AU, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1603 274130 Fax: +44 (0) 1603 274131

Editor: Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Sales manager: Joe Woolsgrove jwoolsgrove@schofieldpublishing.co.uk