Price EUR 12 No 4 – September 2, 2011 www.shipgaz.com
Ro-ro shipping Vessels utilizing ro-ro cargo handling are the ultimate users of the busy sea lanes of the Baltic Sea. Shipgaz has visited the latest newcomer Bore Song. PAGE 32
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A Swedish ro-ro specialist Swedish TTS Marine AB deliver ramps, hoistable decks and other ro-ro solutions to the world fleet of car carriers and ro-ro vessels. PAGE 24
Front page picture is sponsored by Volvo Penta
Focus on:
A shipping enthusiast 74-year old Niels Aage Henriksen is still heading Svendborg Bugser. PAGE 16
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Adress: P O Box 370, SE-401 25 Göteborg, Sweden Phone: +46-31-712 17 50 Fax: +46-31-80 27 50 E-mail: info@shipgaz.com Internet: www.shipgaz.com ISSN 2000-169X Acting Editor-in-Chief/Publisher Pär-Henrik Sjöström, par-henrik@shipgaz.com
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No 3 is published on June 3.
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Specialists in Ship Finance
Office: Gรถtgatan 15, Gรถteborg Postal address: Box 11010, SE-404 21 Gรถteborg, Sweden Phone: +46 31 63 12 50 | Fax: +46 31 15 80 85 e-mail: loan@skeppshypotek.se | www.skeppshypotek.se
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No 4 2011 Shipgaz 5
Intro feature
4/11 In this issue
32 On the motorway of the sea Vessels utilizing ro-ro cargo handling are the ultimate users of the busy sea lanes of the Baltic Sea. Shipgaz has visited the latest newcomer Bore Song, which now is entering a longer charter on the North Sea. page 32
24 report The Gothenburg based Swedish TTS Marine AB deliver ramps, hoistable decks and other ro-ro solutions to the world fleet of car carriers and ro-ro vessels. page 24
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60 newcomer In June, Faergen’s new HSC ferry was named on the isle of Bornholm. It nearly doubles the capacity on the Ystad–Rønne service, the main “highway” to Bornholm. page 60
11 13 15 16 20
Playing on the same team In old footsteps Coasters in distress Still going strong Lack of safety culture is dangerous
22 24 28 30 32 60 62 70 76
OVID – new inspection regime
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The doomed ship
A Swedish ro-ro specialist P-MAX series completed Herning sold to equity fund On the motorway of the sea Leonora Christina delivered The pilots setting the rules OL’s ferry project short-lived Retro image
In every issue 11 13 17 20 60 64 70
Editorial Market Column Portrait Spotlight Newcomer Fleet Review Retro
»To be able to tackle future challenges, all players have to be on the same team« editorial page 11
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M. Di Lorenzo
World Leader in RoRo transport
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Via Marchese Campodisola, 13 - 80133 NAPOLI • Tel. +39 081 496 777 • Fax +39 081 551 74 01
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M. Di Lorenzo
GRIMALDI LINES The Leading RO/RO Carrier The new generation of Grimaldi Lines vessels, have proven to be extremely effective and are the most technologically advanced RO/RO multipurpose carriers on the Northern European, Mediterranean, South American and West African sea routes. The service speed is 19–20 knots to ensure the fastest transit time and to tie the vessels to programmed calls as scheduled. As a GRIMALDI LINES customer you can count on: n Fast transit times, bringing your overseas market closer to you n Competitive rates n High level of damage protection by skilled GRIMALDI LINES staff, a guarantee for the safety of your cargo n Regular sailings: Mediterranean Service fixed-day sailings every 7 days, South American Service regular sailings every 10 days, West African Service regular sailings every 7 days.
The GRIMALDI LINES RO/RO vessels can carry cars – all kinds of vehicles – standard and special containers – forest products – general cargo – project cargo. GRIMALDI MEDITERRANEAN SERVICE port of call: Wallhamn – Esbjerg – Antwerp – Southampton – Portbury – Cork – Livorno – Salerno – Palermo – Valletta – Tunis – Piraeus – Izmir – Ashdod – Haifa – Limassol – Alexandria – Savona – Setubal – Lattakia – Tartous – Beirut – Mersin – Khoms GRIMALDI SOUTH AMERICAN SERVICE ports of call: Hamburg – Antwerp – Le Havre – Bilbao – Tilbury – Southampton – Setubal – Salvador – Rio de Janeiro – Santos – Paranagua – Buenos Aires – Zarate – Montevideo – Asuncion
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Nominated by Lloyd’s Loading List as Deep Sea Ro/Ro Line of the year 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 For further information and bookings please contact: Grimaldi Maritime Agencies Sweden AB, P.O.Box 2185, SE-403 13 Gothenburg, Sweden Tel. no +46(0)31-60 72 80 • Fax. no +46(0)31-13 57 24 www.grimaldisweden.se Via Marchese Campodisola, 13 - 80133 NAPOLI • Tel. +39 081 496 777 • Fax +39 081 551 74 01 www.grimaldi.napoli.it • switchboard@grimaldi.napoli.it
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Thank You!
For the second time Donsö Tanker Meet was held on the island of Donsö gathering 220 participating shipowners, suppliers and organizations from 13 countries. Together with Shipgaz we have established and further developed Donsö Tanker Meet into what it is today and we intend to make it even better in 2013. We would like to thank all participating companies for a great Tanker Meet and also welcome you in September 2013.
the shipping companies of donsö
DONSÖ TANKER MEET
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Welcome to Stockholm Repairyard We carry out all types of ship repair and maintenance works. With our dry-docks and the strategic location of the yard we offer excellent availability and service to our customers in the region of Stockholm and the Baltic Sea.
• Dry docks 180 m x 25 m and 100 m x 16,5 m • Cranes range from 12- 35 tons • Quay 75 m with a depth of 5 m • Quay 110 m with a depth of 7 m Don’t hesitate to contact us, we are available 24 hours when necessary. Welcome!
Stockholms Reparationsvarv AB Beckholmen SE- 115 21 Stockholm, Sweden Phone: +46 (0)8 54 56 63 50 Email: info@srvab.com Web: www.srvab.com
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No 4 2011 Shipgaz 11
Editor-In-Chief Pär-Henrik Sjöström par-henrik@shipgaz.com
Editorial
Playing on the same team »Today the short sea ro-ro market is characterized by poor freight rates, high bunker costs and too much capacity. It is also difficult to sell out surplus vessels«
he summer holidays are over – at least here in the Nordic countries – and although it has been a fine and warm summer, some dark clouds are gathering on the horizon. We have barely escaped the deep downturn in the economy after the global financial crisis, ruining the freight markets in autumn 2008, before a new crisis is now at hand. One of the large operators in the Asian container trades reports that the rate of new capacity introduction has outpaced demand growth. Particularly on the routes between Asia and Europe, the freight rates have steadily deteriorated since last year. The deterioration in freight rates has occurred despite the need for improved revenues to offset the significant increases in the price of bunker and other energy related costs that have occurred this year.
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How the global markets are reacting to Standard & Poor’s downgrade of the US’s AAA credit rating for the first time may mean more bad news. ”The world is currently feeling the pain of a lasting crisis, with massive debt problems in Europe and the United States, tumult in the markets and fears of a new global recession,” a leading German economist recently wrote. The bulk of Sweden’s and Finland’s foreign trade is carried in short sea traffic. These trades employ a significant part of the merchant fleets of the countries, especially ro-ro vessels and ferries. For us, a new global downturn in the economy would be disastrous. But the right decisions about these crucial issues are definitively not to be made within the shipping community. We just simply have to trust our decision makers and then adjust ourselves to the harsh reality.
running their own race. If the costs for those state-controlled activities, providing certain basic services for shipping are sharply rising, there simply have to be other methods for adjusting them than to collect more money. Especially when the target group already suffers heavily from dramatic increases in bunker costs, a variety of additional costs caused by environmental issues (of which the SOX-related problems are perhaps the hottest topic).
The ship owners and their employees have done a lot to cut costs, but there is always a limit for everything. So far, it is not possible to run a high-technology vessel without a skilful and experienced crew. There is simply no room for further cuts in manning, despite all modern technology onboard. The last resistance to mixed crews has fallen, as also vessels under Finnish flag nowadays can sail with other than EU-nationalities on board. All large cargo vessel new buildings from this year have made use of this possibility. It is now high time for the other players on the field to pull their weight, too.
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Pär–Henrik Sjöström, Acting Editor-in-Chief
Today the short sea ro-ro market is characterized by poor freight rates, high bunker costs and too much capacity. It is also difficult to sell out surplus vessels, as the demand for second hand tonnage is close to non-existent – especially if the vessels are old. Today the charterers want modern and flexible ro-ro vessels, which are fast in port and economical at sea. In addition to that, the green values are becoming increasingly important. This is not only a matter of international regulations, but also a matter of image. When our short sea shipping is in such a fragile state, it is hair-raising that, for example, Finland is preparing a substantial increase in both fairway dues and pilotage fees. Talk about bad timing. To be able to tackle future challenges, all players have to be on the same team. Within shipping, we cannot longer afford that some are
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NO 4 2011 SHIPGAZ 13
Carl–Johan Leijonhielm info@stemshipping.se
Mikael Jarlhammer info@stemshipping.se
Market column
Small tanker market:
Walking in old footsteps »From a chartering perspective one major difference from last year has been the trade for fuel oil vessels up to 15,000 DWT, which has been surprisingly good«
he summer of 2011 has in general been mers, and since being a rather time consuming walking in old footsteps. There have trade with 3-5 days sailing depending where been few news of commercial interloading takes place, this has further suppressed est. However, a number of Danish the market. These sophisticated tankers which companies have been involved in transactions. are capable of carrying a wide range of high The Swedish private equity group Triton has ingrade chemicals rely mostly on Contract of Afvested in Danish Herning Shipping, while the freightment, seemingly decreasing. Danish shipping companies Uni-Tankers and S & P market is fairly quiet in the North Erria A/S have decided to join forces in order to West European small tanker market. However, achieve “a critical mass” in the small tanker according to market reports Rigel has sold two segment, according to a pressrelease. of their 1994-built vessels (17,000 DWT) HavelFrom a chartering perspective one major stern and Alsterdifference from stern en bloc, last year has been What is the income per day? while Knutsen the trade for fuel T/C Equivalent 6,000 DWT tanker. OAS Shipping oil vessels up Riga–Rotterdam–Kalundborg–Stockholm–Riga reportedly has to 15,000 DWT, sold their 1989 which has been 17000 and 1990 built surprisingly good vessels (15,000 with decent or 14000 DWT) Torill and even high rates ocHilda Knutsen casionally. en bloc for USD 12 Some smaller 11000 million. Rederi vessels have been Utkilen has reemployed in timeportedly bought charter or COA 8000 the 2008-built driven trading, stainless steel leaving a few ves■ Income per Day USD tanker Goldsels open for the 5000 en Mia (19,700 spot market within DWT) for USD the Baltic / NWE. 28 million from Dorval Kaiun. Utkilen will also This has been advantageous for some owners. take delivery of two newbuildings (9,500 DWT) The intermediate clean tanker market later this year. (10,000–17,000 DWT) has been and still is unBroström Tankers acquired the Red Teal and der severe pressure. We have seen Hellespont Alice from Gotlandsbolaget in their efforts to leaving the NWE and closing down its German build up an even larger small tanker fleet. The office and handing over the commercial manfleet now consists of some 18 vessels under agement in the hands of Navig8. Navig8 also 8,000 DWT. Some of the competitors are wortook over the commercial management from ried over the development, fearing that BrosUPT consisting of 7-8 vessels trading in this segtröm is growing too big, while others believe ment. Both Hellespont and the previous UPT the freight rates might be positively affected fleet are now employed worldwide. Rigel Shifwhich smaller owners/operators can take adfart has deployed two of their newbuildings in vantage of. South America. Bunker prices were previously, prior the finanThe other two major clean segments; 5,000– cial turmoil, at rather high levels at abt 675 USD/ 8,000 DWT and the 20,000 DWT have also sufmt ex Rtdm, but have dropped some 60 USD/mt fered from lower activity and softer freight within two weeks. A fall in bunkers with 60 USD rates. But most owners seem to have managed pmt will give a 14,000 DWT tanker operator some to maintain their vessels employed, with few USD 1,100 in cost savings per day. days as spot open. STEM SHIPPING The European stainless steel tonnage has
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2010
2011
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faced less demand and a slowly softer spot market, where most owners have had short spot open positions ready to trade. The Baltic–ARA trade has been less active than previous sum-
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Stem Shipping is an international shipbroking company focusing on liquid products.
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Shipboard handling excellence RoRo equipment • Hatch covers • Deck machinery Equipment for cruise vessels and megayachts • Marine cranes Side loading systems • Global service solutions www.ttsgroup.com
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MARINE
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No 4 2011 Shipgaz 15
Geir Jerstad, broker geir@norbroker.no
Market column
Shortsea dry bulk market:
Coasters in distress »Present T/C earnings are on a ten year low. When adjusting for inflation and general increase in running costs there is no doubt that the European coaster market is near an all time low«
he plunge in worldwide shipping markets has brought the European coaster community into serious distress as liquidity is drained from the markets and financiers are forcing a major selloff of assets without any will to re-finance. Since beginning of July we have witnessed a further deterioration in market conditions set off by the massive over-capacity of tonnage, and backed by the growing concern that troubled EU economies will end in a global recession. There is fear that imposed budget cuts in several EU countries will affect investments in railways and road building projects especially with the effects this will have on the shipping markets.
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It is now clear that the fundamental overcapacity of tonnage has left the market totally off balance. There are unconfirmed reports of about 50 units in the size 4,000–6,000 DWT yet to be delivered mainly from Chinese yards with Bergen based Wilson alone taking delivery of total eight 4,500 tonners as from September 2011. The same operator, which has some 120 vessels under management, is reporting in their Q2 report that contractual cover (COA’s) is now down to around 50 per cent which has resulted in a spot market exposure far higher than desired. Spot tonnage is visible in all corners of Europe with major operators getting desperate to secure any sort of employment. As before it is the largest units (4,000 DWT+) that are hardest hit with a majority of ships being idle or in best case trading far below breakeven levels. Present T/C (Time charter) earnings are on a ten year low. When adjusting for inflation and general increase in running costs there is no doubt that the European coaster market is near an all time low and on the brink of a complete melt down unless action is taken. A Continent–Mediterranean round voyage of about 30 days is giving a 6,000 ton vessel T/C earnings of about EUR 2,000 per day. Average breakeven level excluding capital costs for this size is around EUR 2,500–3,000 per day. Baltic waters which normally has been a prime position for loading steels, fertilizers and grain cargoes to the Continent and the Mediterranean is presently offering little but sporadic orders of steels, aluminum and agri products. Regular shipments from St Petersburg to ARAG area in the 5,000–6,000 MT size are quickly covered around the USD 19 p/mt level giving a front haul T/C earning equivalent of about EUR 2,500–3,000 per day. Earnings on traditional front haul passages
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like Continent to Mediterranean have fallen below operational costs leaving little left after covering bunkers and port costs. Bearing in mind that back-haul earnings are close to zero per day it is not difficult to understand that the ongoing market situation is unsustainable.
Soaring bunkers prices on the other hand are also adding to the problem as despite a broad fall in both commodity prices and freight rates in general we have only seen marginal decrease in fuel prices in recent months. MGO fuel is presently costing around USD 900 p/mt in ARAG area. Liquidity is being drained from the market leaving owners in a very difficult situation where daily operational costs have to be financed in order to continue trading. Bunkers suppliers and shipyards have all tightened credit-lines, and already we are seeing units being detained due to unpaid bills. S&P (Sale & purchase) brokers are busy quoting distress sales on behalf of creditors, but obviously with very little buying interest reported. Taking on the financial burden of ship management is the last thing that is on an owners mind at the moment. Lay-up will only have temporary effects on the market. The lesson learned from 2009 in the wake of the first financial crisis was that once the effect of reduced tonnage availability was noticeable owners decided to re-enter the market dragging the market right back down with it. It appears that owners have lost the little confidence that was left after the first wave of the shipping recession in 2009. Operators no longer believe in a rapid change in market sentiment, and focus has instead shifted to short terms cash flow in order to make it around the next bend. The only sustainable solution for the market is to permanently reestablish balance by reducing tonnage supply. This has to be done by scrapping older units and selling off tonnage out of European waters. Considering the number of vessels being delivered last ten years alone we believe that eventually we will be seeing scrapping of units up to early nineties built. Changing management will simply not solve the problem. It is hard and brutal, but that is in the nature of shipping where fear and greed walk hand in hand.
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Geir Jerstad
Norbroker Shipping & Trading is specialized in coaster and project cargo movements.
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Photo: bent mikkelsen
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No 4 2011 Shipgaz 17
By Bent Mikkelsen bent@shipgaz.com
Niels Aage Henriksen
Portrait
Still going strong 74-year old Niels Aage Henriksen is still heading Svendborg Bugser, which makes him the oldest active ship owner in the local shipping community. Captain Niels Aage Henriksen continues to show up at the office of Svendborg Bugser on the waterfront in Svendborg every morning. That has he done for 34 years since he founded the company in December 1977, after a career as a coaster captain. “I think I am doing what I am best at by coming to the office every day. I am still the overall leader of the company even though I have my son Niels Ove Henriksen, called Junior, as coowner in the company. I am really not the kind of person who could retire to a rocking chair in my home and do as little as possible or watch TV all day”, says Niels Henriksen, who usually is called Senior.
In his overall capacity as head of the company, he normally says go or no go to the suggestions and proposals coming from Svendborg Bugser’s commercial department, as well as making the decisions of buying or selling to or from the tug fleet. Presently the fleet consists of seven tugs and two flattop barges. Recently Svendborg Bugser sold its veteran tug Norsund, which had served the company for 14 years, as it was purchased second-hand in 1997. It was taken over by a Dutch owner the day before it turned 40 years old, from
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»I am really not the kind of person who could retire to a rocking chair in my home and do as little as possible or watch TV all day«
Captain Niels Aage Henriksen, founded Svendborg Bugser 34 years ago.
the time of its original delivery in 1971. “Well, it struck me that I am a little old, when I sold Norsund. I did not want to sell the tug as it performed well and almost had the same crew onboard in all the years under our flag, but I had to be realistic and face the facts that it is 40 years old and is aging and under pressure from the classification society, Port State Controls and underwriters every time we suggested it for a certain job.”
As replacement, Rederiet Junior ApS, which is owned by Niels Henriksen’s son, has purchased Hunter, which now is the most modern and even the youngest tug in the fleet ever. It was built in Malaysia and delivered in 2008. After the purchase, the tug was renovated and fitted with new accommodations to comply with Danish rules and regulations. All these changes were done alongside outside the office on Nordre Kajgade
in Svendborg and mostly by Svendborg Bugser’s own technical staff from the workshop. “We have done a similar job on the latest couple of tugs purchased by the company. I think we have saved a bob or two by doing it ourselves instead of sailing to a proper shipyard and letting the money roll out a whole lot quicker than around here. It takes a little longer time, like, for example, Hunter, which spent around three months in Svendborg before being approved to sail under the Danish colours of Dannebrog”, says Niels Henriksen.
The new tug, Hunter, was purchased by Rederiet Junior ApS, as Niels Henriksen, who owns Svendborg Bugser A/S, has stopped investing in new tonnage. “No, I am too old for buying new modern tugs for the company, Junior must take over, but I continue to come to work every day to keep an eye on my investments.” “So far my plan is to continue working on a daily basis depending on my health. I think that’s best for me and there might only be one who knows how long I am going to work in the company”, says Niels Henriksen, with a glimmer in his eyes. “It is hard to predict how the fu-
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18 Shipgaz No 4 2011
Portrait Niels Aage Henriksen Photo: bent mikkelsen
In June 2011, Svendborg Bugser sold their oldest tug in the fleet, Norsund. She was built in 1971.
ture is going to look from my desk in this office, but there is no doubt in my mind that the trend from the latest years with more control and more paperwork both onboard the tugs, but certainly also for our office staff, will continue. More documentation and more need for performance records before your tugs get prepared for a certain job”, says Niels Henriksen. “I am glad the Svendborg Bugser and Rederiet Junior are strong family businesses where both my children are employed. Apart from Junior, my daughter Lone is working in the accounting office, so despite some of the years when they were between six and ten years old, when I was sailing on my coaster, we now see each other more than most parents see their children after growing up. We are together during all the working hours in the office”, says Niels Henriksen.
“Hopefully we will be able to attract good crews in the future. I don’t think that we will ever be able to buy new tugs and the most modern gear, but a combination of slightly used tugs and a good and dedicated crew has proven to be a very workable combination. There is no doubt in my mind that what we have achieved
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so far has been possible thanks to our dedicated crew onboard the tugs. Of course, there have been accidents and sunken ships from time-totime, but a lost ship cannot always be avoided because we have several hundred towing operations per year”, says Niels Henriksen. Earlier this year, Svendborg Bugser lost an Icelandic trawler in the North Atlantic, while towing it bound for Grenå for recycling. “The trawler suddenly took in water and sank within a very short time. The crew had to go on the deck to cut the towing wire in heavy seas during the dark of the night. But they managed to cut the tug loose from the tow, while the trawler sank.”
»A combination of slightly used tugs and a good and dedicated crew has proven to be a very workable combination« Svendborg Bugser Svendborg Bugser, with their fleet of tugs with the red hull colour, is one of three towing companies in Svendborg. Nordane Shipping and West Coast Towing are also situated in the city.
There has been no exact explanation on the sinking, but it’s believed the trawler cracked its bottom plates while working in the heavy swell in the North Atlantic. It had been laid up for several years and was not docked before leaving Iceland. The tow (trawler) as well as towing condi-
tion (weather) was approved by the underwriter’s surveyor. The reason for starting a towing company 34 years ago was really a personal tragedy. Niels Henriksen’s wife and mother of two children of the ages of six and five, died suddenly. As a coaster captain, he was not able to conduct his parenthood being away with his ship. On the other hand, he could not earn any money for living by staying at home being a father for his children.
So he developed the idea of being the owner and captain of a tug working in his homeport of Svendborg and the nearby areas like the Great Belt area. There, he could work as captain and still be a father for his children. However, the start was tough for several reasons. One of these was the Em. Z. Svitzer, the major tug owner and main operator at that time, saw Niels Henriksen’s only tug as a threat to their position in Svendborg. So they decided to give him a hard time by placing one of their surplus tugs in Svendborg. “Oh, yes, that was in the spring of 1978, but we are still here, alive and kicking, and it has not been that bad throughout the years since.”
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No 4 2011 Shipgaz 19
Niels Aage Henriksen
Portrait
It never became a local tug business working in the port of Svendborg, but, from the very start, the towing assignments were spread over Scandinavia and the Baltic area. Later, several of the company’s tugs were fixed for trading with steel hulls from Romania to Norway for several years. The largest tug, Eurosund, holds the record of the longest voyage in Svendborg Bugser for a tow from Norway to the Mexican Gulf, where it connected to another tow from Texas StenaBulk_ad_184x118mm_No4.pdf
Photo: bent mikkelsen
Niels Henriksen managed to make the tug business grow and totally abandoned his old segment with coasters. He even left his earlier partners in that business and set up his own commercial office with its own staff. Since the start in 1977, the fleet list has gone to, all told, 31 ships under the colours of Niels Henriksen and, of which, four have been coasters, the rest tugs in various sizes, from small Damen-tugs with only a few tons of bollard pull, to Eurosund, which since 2001 has been the flagship of the of the fleet with a bollard pull of 50 tons.
Niels Henriksen onboard one of the company’s tugs. to Nigeria, where the tug remained working with a dredger for nearly nine months before returning to Texas with it and the tug continued back to Europe with a tow. “I have never regretted that I took the rather unusual step away from 1
2011-08-11
sailing on coasters to the tug business. During the years I have noticed that several of my colleagues have taken the very same step and abandoned dry cargo coasters and have tugs as their major business now-adays”, says Niels Henriksen.
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2011-08-26 14.39
20 SHIPGAZ NO 4 2011
By Bob Couttie, bob@shipgaz.com
Spotlight Safety
Lack of safety culture is dangerous Safety: Bob Couttie Bob Couttie is the administrator of Maritime Accident Casebook. His background in radio, TV and film as well as reporting for several renowned maritime publications gives him a multidisciplinary approach to maritime safety issues. iracy gets a lot of attention these days, a welcome change from twenty-odd years ago when it was the industry’s ‘dirty little secret’ and noone heard or cared about the seafarers who fell victim to attacks. I’m surprised at how often my more than two-decade old reports on piracy in southeast Asia for a maritime daily newspaper still get referenced in scholarly papers from thinktanks like Rand and Chatham House, but there remains another elephant in the room: the link between pirate attacks and safety aboard ship.
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it gone on his return. His response might be to demand more police patrols on the streets; he might organise other car drivers to rally for government action against car thieves; if well-connected he might get car-owners’ organisations across the globe to call for greater intragovernmental action on the issue.
»It is worth pointing out that piracy happens around the globe, not just off the coast of Somalia« Bob Couttie, administrator of Maritime Accident Casebook.
Anyone who leaves his car unlocked, with keys in the ignition and the alarm off in a dark alley in the wrong part of town can expect to find
Chance are that you would be sympathetic but wondering why he left his keys in the ignition, did not activate an anti-theft alarm, left the vehicle unlocked, and did not consider getting someone to keep an eye on it.
Perhaps shipowners and flag states should be asked the same sort of questions. It is worth pointing out that piracy happens around the globe, not just off the coast of Somalia. The African west coast is an increasing problem, south east Asia continues to be a challenge, as do parts of Latin America. As someone who analyses accident reports on a daily basis the parallel between successful piracy attacks and the causes of, say groundings and collision, are pretty obvious. Inadequate lookout and lack of use of available information sources are common
PHOTO: BENT MIKKELSEN
In the case of the Danica White, for instance, it is difficult to see how the flag state minimum manning requirement could allow for adequate manpower to provide the necessary lookouts while also providing the necessary hours of rest for the crew. Just as many on-board incidents occur because procedures were not followed and many successful piracy attacks occur for the same reason. In other words there appears to be a direct link between safety culture and vessel vulnerability. To cut to the chase: A ship run by a company with poor or non-existent safety culture, and a flag state with low manning requirements and less than robust concern for the vessels entered into it, a combination which is not unusual, is most likely to be a victim of piracy. That, at least, is the theory and it makes sense: security is a subset of safety and one is unlikely to find a lack of safety awareness accompanying a high level of security awareness. After all, a driver who ensures that his vehicle is clean and well maintained, with safety systems like brakes properly attended to is not likely to leave his car unlocked, unattended, with keys in the ignition in a location where the risk of theft is known to be high.
The coaster Danica White was held by Somali pirates for 83 days.
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There is support for the theory. Recently, Intercargo released the latest edition of its annual statistical survey Benchmarking Bulk Carriers 2010-11. Among its conclusions was:
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Beskrivning
»Hiring armed guards may be the defence of choice but may not be quite the easy fix some would like it to be« “The propensity of a ship to be able to resist a piracy attack appears to be correlated with their company DPI/performance.” Detentions resulting from port state control inspection are a measure of a company’s commitment to overall safety, or lack of it, and a sign of serious shortfalls in management determination, as do other negative performance indicators. It is not perfect , there are issues of a lack of across the board consistency between port state control regimes, but it does generally seem to be valid. It may be that the Paris MOU’s Ship risk profile calculator and Company performance calculator could be useful tools to identify those ships and companies particularly at risk from piracy
Piracy stats Piracy at sea hit an all-time high in the first three months of 2011, with 142 attacks worldwide, according to the International Maritime Bureau. The sharp rise was driven by a surge in piracy off the coast of Somalia, where 97 attacks were recorded in the first quarter of 2011, up from 35 in the same period last year.
Portrait
INTERIOR INSULATION VENTILATION PIPING ELECTRICAL
Given the industry’s preference for the quick fix, the thought of upping safety standards generally as part of defence against pirates may not find too many takers among those most at risk. Hiring armed guards may be the defence of choice but may not be quite the easy fix some would like it to be. Recently I met with a couple of counter-piracy service providers who handle armed teams for shipboard security. One had recently placed a team aboard a vessel which shall be nameless shortly followed by a call from his team leader complaining that living conditions aboard the vessel were so bad he was not willing for the team to stay aboard. The team was withdrawn from the ship and photographs taken by the team leader showed that the conditions were, indeed, appalling.
Shipowners who insist that their crew live in subhuman conditions may find it difficult to find effective armed guards willing to stay on their ships. In the end they may have to get their vessels shipshape and work on their own safety culture before demanding that everyone else ‘does something’.
ADRESS: BÄRINGE 1B, ANNEXET, SE-241 95 BILLINGE PHONE: +46 413-54 40 00 FAX: +46 413-54 41 10 E-MAIL: SCANMARINE@SCANMARINE.SE
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2011-08-26 14.39
22 Shipgaz No 4 2011
By Eddie Janson, eddie@shipgaz.com
Spotlight Safety
OVID – new inspection regime four alternative sets of questions, depending on which type of tanker. The OVIQ chapters are covering 19 operation types and five operational modes/ configurations. All questions shall be answered with Yes, No, Not Seen or Not Applicable.
Safety: Eddie Janson Captain Eddie Janson of MariTrain AB, instructor and consultant in maritime safety, points the Shipgaz spotlight at safety related matters.
ince SIRE, OCIMF’s Ship Inspection Report Programme was introduced in 1993 the tanker accidents has reduced by almost half. In 2010 OCIMF introduced a similar inspection regime for offshore vessels – Offshore Vessel Inspection Database (OVID). “Tanker assurance has been effective. Despite tankers and offshore vessels are different, the causes of incidents remain the same…”, says Captain Phil Davies, Director of OCIMF.
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All of you that work onboard or with tankers are well aware of the SIRE
The Offshore Vessel Particulars Questionnaire (OVPQ) is also similar to the Vessel Particulars Questionnaire (VPQ) for tankers. The OVPQ is completed by the ship operator online and contains vessel information such as dimensions, tonnages, tank capacities, crane capabilities, dive spread details et cetera.
inspections and the vetting procedures. I believe most of you agree that it has made the vessels safer to operate. Now offshore vessels will have similar inspections. The Offshore Vessel Inspection Questionnaire (OVIQ) used for OVID is similar to the tanker VIQ. The VIQ has 13 chapters, the OVIQ has 15. In the VIQ chapter 8 targeting “Cargo and Ballast Systems”, there are
»Despite tankers and offshore vessels are different, the causes of incidents remain the same…« Phil Davies, Captain and Director of OCIMF.
Photo: fredrik davidsson
The inspection process is almost the same as for a tanker. The inspection is requested by the ship operator, the vessel is then inspected by an accredited inspector. The inspection report is uploaded to a database where the operator can comment on the observations. After this step the report can be made available for oil companies and charterers. Currently over 2,700 vessels are registered by over 350 operators in the OVID database. Further more, over 1,900 OVPQ’s have been published. More than 500 inspectors are accredited today. The VIQ as well as the OVIQ concentrates on the marine elements of the vessel. In 2004 OCIMF introduced the Tanker Management Self Assessment (TMSA), which is a programme for tanker operators to measure and improve their Safety Management System. In the third quarter of 2011 a similar system called Offshore Vessel Managers Self Assessment (OVMSA) will be launched. The OVMSA will also be divided into a number of elements (chapters).
Each chapter is divided into four
In 2010 OCIMF introduced a similar inspection regime for offshore vessels.
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stages and each stage has defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) where stage one is the easiest to accomplish. A KPI is a requirement that the company must live up to and be able to show objective evidence of. Every KPI is accompanied by a Best Practice
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Beskrivning
Portrait
»Quality operators will see this as an opportunity to improve their safety management systems« Guidance, which is an advice on how to meet the requirements of the KPI. There is no OVMSA certification process. It is based on self assessment where the offshore vessel managers assess their own organization and safety management systems. The management companies themselves will share the result of the self-assessment in a database, which can be viewed by all the OCIMF members.
OCIMF OCIMF – Oil Companies International Marine Forum. Is a voluntary association of oil companies having an interest in the shipment and terminalling of crude oil and oil products.
The easy-to-use online tool for maritime training and certification
One important part of the OVMSA is the Continuous Improvement Cycle: • Plan: Ensure effective strategies and provide clarity in company policies, purposes, possesses, roles and responsibilities. • Act: Work to achieve the organization’s objectives by consistent implementation of plans. • Measure: Check, evaluate and feed back information on results achieved. • Improve: Define targets and focus efforts on areas where maximum benefits and improvement can be obtained.
Tankers not fulfilling stage 1 of TMSA will most probably be rejected by oil companies. Some oil majors require stage 2 in TMSA in order to consider a ship for service. In order to ensure that ship operators fulfill their self assessment commitments the oil majors might perform a TMSA audit at the shore organisation. This procedure will most likely be applied to offshore vessel operators as well.
I am sure that some operators will struggle to fulfil the new requirements in the beginning. But as with the TMSA, quality operators will see this as an opportunity to improve their safety management systems. I am also confident that the OVID and OVMSA will improve the safety standards for offshore vessels in the same way as SIRE and TMSA has done for tankers.
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2011-08-26 14.39
24 SHIPGAZ NO 4 2011
By Pierre Adolfsson pierre@shipgaz.com
Report Ro-ro equipment
PHOTO: PÄR-HENRIK SJÖSTRÖM
A Swedish ro-ro specialist Swedish TTS Marine AB deliver ramps, hoistable decks and other ro-ro solutions to the world fleet of car carriers and ro-ro vessels. When talking about shipping it is easy to forget the equipment suppliers and other subcontractors – they form a vital part of the industry. The Gothenburg based TTS Marine AB is one of them.
Per Croner, President of TTS Marine AB since October 2010, sits down in a green leather chair at his office close to the river Göta Älv, when he starts to talk about the company’s order book. ”We are still living on the orders contracted during the good years. We had an extreme boom until spring 2008, but later that year the market collapsed. The 2009 order intake is best not talked about. It improved last year and now the order intake is decent. But it will take
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time to reach the pre-crisis levels.” The Swedish ro-ro specialist (formerly Kvaerner Ships Equipment and then HamworthyKSE), was acquired by the TTS Group in 2001. The TTS Group is divided in three divisions: Marine, Energy and Port and Logistics. The Group’s Marine division has three business units: Cargo access, Deck equipment and Services. TTS Marine AB and TTS Ships Equipment AS in Bergen form the cargo access business unit. TTS Marine AB is more or less exclusively a supplier of ro-ro equipment to ro-ro, ro-pax and car carrier operators. The company’s main
»We are still living on the orders contracted during the good years«
Per Croner left the car carrier Wallenius for TTS Marine in the fourth quarter 2010.
competitor Cargotec is also based in Gothenburg. ”It’s actually quite special that the two dominating companies in the ro-ro equipment industry are based here in Gothenburg, it’s after all a global market.”
TTS Marine’s product portfolio includes bow equipment, car decks, cargo lifts, external doors, external ramps, internal doors and internal ramps and covers. ”A contract is always based on one of three levels; the first is design and key components, the second is manufacturing and delivering of equipment and the last one is turnkey solutions, which means we are both the manufacturer and the installer of the equipment.”
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NO 4 2011 SHIPGAZ 25
Ro-ro equipment
Report PHOTO: PIERRE ADOLFSSON
»There is more of a balance today between roro and car carrier projects« According to Per Croner, the level of the TTS scope of supply varies between different contracts and markets. ”It depends on the market. In Asia design and components dominate whilst in Europe we have more turnkey deliveries. In the last couple of years we have had a fair number of turnkey conversion projects.”
Among the recent conversion projects are additional end-hinged ramps/covers for Wagenborg Shipping’s ro-ro ship Spaarneborg and Transatlantic´s Transpulp, additional hoistable car decks on Stena Roro’s Stena Foreteller, delivery of slewing ramps for Keystone’s Cape Rise, Cape Race and Cape Ray and delivery of side ramps and stern ramp modification on two DFDS vessels. As a result of the order boom of
TTS Marine’s headquarters in Gothenburg, close to the river Göta Älv. car carriers in 2007–2008 TTS Marine has had a period with many car carrier newbuilding projects. But according to Per Croner, there is more of a balance today between ro-ro and car carrier projects. One of the recent newbuilding
projects is the ro-ro carrier Tønsberg (read more about the newbuilding in Shipgaz no. 3 2011). The vessel was delivered from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Nagasaki. This is the first Mark V ship in a series of four ordered by Wilh. Wilhelmsen ASA
Added value to logistics.
www.portofturku.fi
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26 Shipgaz No 4 2011
Report Ro-ro equipment Photo: pär-henrik sjöström
TTS has delivered ro-ro equipment to the ro-ro vessel Finnsea built in 2011 at Nanjing shipyard, China. and its partner Wallenius. TTS delivered 3,000 tons of cargo equipment for the vessel, mainly comprising a huge quarter ramp, a wide stern door, internal ramps and hoistable car decks. The second unit will be delivered in August 2011.
”Wallenius and Wilhelmsen are among the car carrier majors and are important customers. But we are also collaborating with several other car carrier operators, among them the Norwegian Höegh Autoliners and NOCC as well as Israeli Ray Shipping.” Another newbuilding project is Viking Line’s car and passenger ferry. The 214 metre long vessel will be built to Finnish/Swedish ice class 1A Super specifications by the Turku shipyard and will begin sailing in the Turku–Åland–Stockholm service at the beginning of 2013. The contract is worth EUR 5.7 million and TTS will deliver and install a stern ramp, bow doors and hoistable car decks, among other things. The company also supplied cargo access equipment to the previously built Viking XPRS.
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Shipping is often regarded as a conservative business where innovations and fresh ideas are regularly ignored. However, for equipment manufacturers wanting to remain in the business, conservatism might not be the best option. ”Revolutions in shipping are rare, the pace of the development is slow but constantly ongoing. Big steps are often connected to new regulations. When IMO decided on a regulation for ballast water cleaning systems the industry said it was impossible to put the regulation into practice as there were no manufacturers. Today, there is an abundance of such manufacturers”, says Per Croner and continues: ”What drives developments in our business is cost-effectiveness, now customers also ask for energy-effectiveness. And there is much to do. If we reduce the weight of our equip-
»Revolutions in shipping are rare, the pace of the development is slow but constantly ongoing« TTS Marine The Gothenburg based company was founded by Kvaerner in 1983 as a specialist centre for roro equipment and was acquired by Hamworthy in 1999 and then by TTS in 2001.
ment, less ballast and fuel are needed. We have been exploring the use of aluminium. When I worked at Wallenius we designed a deck made of aluminium with great performance, but the material costs need to be controlled”, Per Croner says and continues: ”We have supplied several vessels with a combined plywood-steel car deck. 20 years ago plywood was very common on vessels, and it has found its way back.” Plywood is one of the most widely used wood products. It is flexible, inexpensive and re-usable.
TTS has also established a partnership with Swedish Chalmers University of Technology. Chalmers students are experimenting with different composites, for example, combining glass fibre and steel. ”Weight reduction is an important area but there are more areas, for example, cargo handling effectiveness. How to make load planning even more efficient? How to make our systems even easier to operate? How to reduce the risk of damage to goods?
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Ro-ro equipment
Report Photo: PIERRE ADOLFSSON
»With electric systems there is no oil that can damage the cargo or leak into the ocean« ”The trend is very clear, more and more systems are electric rather than hydraulic. When using hydraulic systems, there is a very small but existing risk for leakage. With electric systems there is no oil that can damage the cargo or leak into the ocean.”
When asked about new innovations, Per Croner starts talking about IT, Information Technology. ”The interface has changed and with touch panels for ramp control the range of application has improved, now you can access the manual and receive error messages and other important information. This is one kind of technical innovation that really improves our products.” Another concern for TTS Marine is how to better integrate the logis-
TTS Marine’s CEO Per Croner at his office. He was recruited from the Swedish shipping owner Wallenius. tics chain in port. There is still a lot to do to make the goods flows more efficient, this is a question not only for equipment suppliers but also for the port and shipping industries as a whole. ”We have participated in several
European projects focusing on the integration of shipping, road and railway transport by means of more intelligent cargo handling systems. As a result of this development TTS Port Equipment AB, also based in Gothenburg, was founded.”
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INNOVATION – PERFORMANCE – CARE ...our values for good business
www.stenaroro.com
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28 SHIPGAZ NO 4 2011
By Pierre Adolfsson pierre@shipgaz.com
Report The P-MAX concept
PHOTO: CONCORDIA MARITIME
The P-MAX vessels were at the Croatian shipyard Brodosplit.
P-MAX series completed The wheel has come full circle – tanker owner Concordia Maritime has taken delivery of the tenth P-MAX tanker. Will it be followed? In 2003, the Stena-controlled tanker owner Concordia Maritime, headquartered in Gothenburg, ordered its first four P-MAX tankers at the Croatian shipyard Brodosplit. The yard was to receive orders for a further six vessels in the series. In June 2011 the tenth vessel was delivered, the 65,200 DWT Stena Premium. Concordia Maritime has still not decided whether it will place new P-MAX orders or not.
”The next step is of huge strategic importance. We have started to outline the next generation of P-MAX’s. Are the current dimensions optimal? How to reduce fuel consumption? Can we improve safety even more? We are looking at P-MAX Air, but it might be too futuristic”, says Hans Norén, President of Concordia Maritime. So, what is the essence of the P-MAX concept? The P-MAX tankers, developed in the Stena Group, have a shallower draft and higher speed than traditional MR tankers. Due to their larg-
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er beam they are also able to transport 30 per cent more cargo than competing tankers of the same length, and without burning more fuel. But P-MAX is just not about transport economy, draft and speed; it is really about safety. The ice-classed P-MAX’s have two engine rooms divided by a fireproof and watertight bulkhead, two main engines with separate fuel supply, two propeller shafts, independent control and monitoring systems and a double hull, among other things.
»P-MAX is just not about transport economy, dra and speed; it is really about safety« Hans Norén, president of Concordia Maritime.
The vessels have all been signed to long-term contracts since delivery; today, the tankers are operating worldwide for Total, ST Shipping (controlled by Glencore), Neste Shipping (controlled by Neste Oil) and Argo Shipping. Recently, the contract with the American oil company Hess for
the product carrier Stena Performance expired. The contract ran from mid 2006 to the second quarter of 2011.
”Hess were interested in the PMAX concept at an early stage. They operate a refinery in the Caribbean together with Venezuelan Pedevesa. For the last five years, the Stena Performance has been sailing from the Caribbean to New York. With a limited draft of 11.3 metres in New York the P-MAX’s are spot on as they take more cargo, without compromising safety. Unfortunately, the refinery has had some major technical problems resulting in a lower output”, Hans Norén says and continues: ”So, one of our P-MAX’s is exposed to the spot market for the very first time. The market conditions could be better, frankly speaking.” The Stena Performance as well as Stena Premium, has been upgraded to chemical class III, IMO III classification, for transportation of vegetable oils at a cost of around USD 1 million.
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The P-MAX concept
Report
Hans Norén joined the company in April 1995. He has worked for several Swedish shipping companies.
”The P-MAX’s still give us major advantages, but not necessarily the way we planned from the beginning. Some years ago, the petroleum trade from Europe to America was dominant, not anymore. The trade is perfect for the P-MAX’s. But we have had to find new markets, often special
trades. For example, the oil trade on the St. Lawrence River, Canada. At one time, three of our P-MAX’s were operating there. Due to the P-MAX’s larger beam, we had to get an exemption, which the Canadian Coast granted us, they were impressed by our safety standards.”
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In January, Stena Bulk, which is the commercial operator of Concordia Maritime’ tankers, acquired 50 per cent of the Danish shipping company Weco and formed the new brand Stena Weco. Weco specializes in edible oil transportation. The operation of Stena Performance is now handled by Stena Weco. Another P-MAX vessel will soon also be exposed to the spot market, the Stena Provence. ”The French energy company Total has been involved in the PMAX project since the beginning in 2002/2003. We have now agreed on the re-delivery of one of the four PMAXs they charter from us about 1.5 years in advance.” When summarizing the performance of the P-MAX series, Hans Norén points out that the motives and discussions dominating the process before ordering the vessels have changed somewhat.
Photo: pierre adolfsson
”We see it as a competitive advantage to operate vessels that can carry both petroleum products and edible oils.”
Experience is worth gold on stormy seas Alandia Marine is a marine insurance company with traditions. The company was started in 1938 on Åland. Today we operate all over the Baltic Sea region. 1,700 vessels with a total insured value of almost 5 billion Euro are entirely or partly insured by us. Since the beginning 70 years ago we have stood by our insurance customers in both stormy and calm seas. You are welcome to contact us. Together we can build a stable future, based on knowledge, commitment and confidence. The maritime insurance company since 1938
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Ålandsvägen 31, AX-22100 MARIEHAMN Tel. +358 (0)18-29 000 Hamnvägen 8, SE-18357 TÄBY Tel. 08-630 02 45 marine@alandia.com
2011-08-26 14.40
30 Shipgaz No 4 2011
By Bent Mikkelsen bent@shipgaz.com
Report Herning Shipping sale
Photo: bent mikkelsen
Herning sold to equity fund Herning Shipping is now in the safe hands of multi European equity fund Triton after a turbulent year with heavy losses in a slow market. In the beginning of June 2011 Herning Shipping changed hands and was taken over by the equity fund Triton with a letter of intent. The change does not make any changes to the day-to-day business with the fleet of product carriers in sizes up to 13,000 DWT. The sale was a culmination of three years of turbulence because of heavy losses in the business.
In 2009, Herning Shipping logged a loss of EUR 16.2 million (equal to DKK 120.5 million) and a similar loss in 2010. It drained the company of its equity capital and Herning Shipping’s bank, which is Svenska Handelsbanken, took over and guaranteed the continued floating of money until a solution was found. The previous
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owners of Herning Shipping, which purchased the company from the Lysgaard family in July 2007, lost all their invested money in Herning Shipping. There were several investors in the company, among them were Kommandor Romo (Erik Hays Thøgersen) and Herning Shipping’s CEO Lars Vang Christensen. In the time of distress they and the other shareholders had some controversies over the company’s future, which made it impossible to reach an agreement among the shareholders to put more money into the company. Instead, Handelsbanken stepped in and secured the day-to-day business and took
»Indeed we look forward to working with Triton and are highly pleased«
Lars Vang Christensen, CEO of Herning Shipping.
over power by replacing most of the members of the board of directors with professionals appointed by Handelsbanken.
The equity fund Triton has chosen to be anonymous in Herning Shipping and has, so far, not even taken a seat on the board of directors. Triton has chosen Herning Shipping chairman of the board, Bengt Kjell and CEO Lars Vang Christensen to be the only spokesmen of the new ownership. “Indeed we look forward to working with Triton and are highly pleased, that in a market with many uncertainties. Herning Shipping will continue to provide stability and opportunities for our customers, employees, suppliers and ton-
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NO 4 2011 SHIPGAZ 31
Herning Shipping sale
Report
Herning Shipping’s trouble came after several expansive fleet renewals in the years up to 2008, when the market collapsed. The old fleet has almost been completely replaced with new ships in a mix of chartered and owned vessels. Of the present fleet of 40 vessels, only five have been in the hands of Herning Shipping more than five years. During the expansion, Herning Shipping also took a number of ships on time charter, but a lot of these were redelivered shortly after September 2008 because the charter
PHOTO: BENT MIKKELSEN
nage providers”, says Lars Vang Christensen. Triton will, when the final agreement is signed and approved, take over the debts of the company and, on top of that, provide the company with a solid equity injection in order to continue business. In the coming month, however, Herning Shipping will undergo development of its business model in a market where consolidation is high on the agenda, as stated by the chairman of the board, Bengt Kjell.
The Ida Theresa, 12,713 DWT, was built in 2009 at South Korean STX Shipbuilding, Jinhae. parties were done with rates much higher than the market could pay after 2008. A number of these “hostile” redeliveries had afterwards been settled in arbitration. The fleet renewal is ongoing and Herning Shipping has postponed the delivery of two new boats from the Chinese shipbuilder,
Nantong Mindge Heavy Industries, which already has delivered 10 units each of 8,000 DWT for the Danish company. Herning Shipping’s largest chartered vessels are the trio Ida Theresa, Ina Theresa and Irene Theresa, all 12,835 DWT, and built by Nantong Heavy Industries.
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2011-08-26 14.40
On the motorway of the sea Vessels utilizing ro-ro cargo handling are the ultimate users of the busy sea lanes of the Baltic Sea. Shipgaz has visited the latest newcomer Bore Song, which after a brief visit on the Baltic Sea now is entering a longer charter on the North Sea. Text & Photo: Pär-Henrik Sjöström
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The Baltic Sea can truly be characterized as a motorway of the sea. A fair share of the cargo shipped on the regular liner services along and across this 413,000 square kilometre sea area is carried on ro-ro vessels. he Baltic Sea is one of the busiest centres for short sea trading in the world. It is estimated that there are each moment some 1,500 vessels moving in different directions. Of these some 900 are different types of dry cargo vessels. General cargo is carried mainly by two categories of vessels within short sea shipping: Feeder container carriers and ro-ro vessels. The conditions for shipping are ideal on the Baltic Sea. The sea is surrounded by nine countries, all having a vital foreign trade. In addition to cargo, also passengers are carried across the sea between many of these countries by car- and passenger ferries and ropax vessels.
T
Although having a rather small merchant fleet, Finland has a probably larger share of ferries and ro-ro vessels in its fleet than any other European seafaring nation. Also Sweden has a relatively large number of ferries in its national fleet. This reflects the fact that liner shipping is vital for the two neighbours’ foreign trades. In Finland, which in practice is lacking the possibilities of rational cargo shipments by land to Central and Western Europe, ro-ro liner shipping forms a basic part of the export industry’s transport system. Especially Finland, but also Sweden lives of its forests. It is a renewable nature resource, which for centuries has been of great importance. In the old days tar was the main export article. Not least the large navies in Europe needed huge volumes of first class pine tar to protect the wooden hulls of their mighty ships of the line against rot. Also roundwood was shipped in large volumes for the mining industry of England. Pitprops was a common Finnish export article still during the first half of the 20th Century. Today tar and pitprops has been replaced by highly processed forest products. Indeed sawn wood is still a major export article, but the bulk of the export is consisted of paper and paper products as well as different types of board. The idea is process the raw material as much as possible before it is shipped to the markets of the end-users.
For the forest industry the ro-ro vessel is the ideal paper carrier. The risk of damages on the sensitive paper reels may be reduced by sophisticated cargo handling solutions. Shipped either on cargo units such as cassettes and mafi trailers or stowed
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You can not really complain on the view from the bridge. Second Officer Kendall Rosales and AB Mario Giman in the cargo hold on the Bore Song’s main deck.
Ro-ro cargo handling on the Bore Song’s weather deck.
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Deck cargo. The large weather deck of the Bore Song is also suitable for vehicle shipments.
directly in the holds, rational handling equipment and methods have been developed during several decades. Ro-ro vessels are also suitable for other shipments, such as metal products and machinery. Further, all kinds of road vehicles are carried and the ro-ro vessel is the ideal carrier of road trailers. And last but not least, all ro-ro vessels are also container carriers – many of them even with possibilities for lo-lo handling on weather deck.
Today the Baltic Sea is certainly one of the busiest areas in the world regarding ro-ro traffic. Ferries, ro-pax vessels and different types of ro-ro vessels are plying the Baltic on numerous services, covering most of the main ports. In addition to that the Baltic Sea is an important transit route between Baltic ports and ports in the North Sea area. Despite many similarities, the evolution of the ferry and the ro-ro vessel has to a great extent gone different paths. The ferry is based on passenger traffic and has its roots in the motley variety of vessel types intended mainly for carrying people across water. Today the ferry is regarded as passenger ship with usually drive through capacity on its vehicle decks. Cargo handling is as uncomplicated as possible, as usually no stevedores are needed. The passengers drive their own cars onboard and ashore and the same goes for the lorry drivers. Only trailers are handled by own or external workforce.
Ro-ro shipping Ro-ro ships are vessels designed to carry wheeled cargo such as automobiles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, trailers or railroad cars that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels. This is in contrast to lo-lo (lift on-lift off) vessels which use a crane to load and unload cargo. Source: Wikipedia
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The ferry is indeed a short sea phenomenon, bridging relatively short gaps between islands, over fiords, gulfs or sounds or across the open sea between countries. The first ferries were introduced in the mid 19th century, before the automobile was even invented. On their small cargo decks they carried railway wagons, but otherwise they were typical passenger vessels with various types of accommodation, depending on the length of the routes. During the interwar years the train ferry was adapted for carrying cars too. The number of private cars was increasing and purpose built car ferries were developed for the main routes. Denmark, consisting of many large and densely populated islands, was a pioneer of the Nordic countries, and in many aspects the modern car ferry of Scandinavia is of Danish origin. The need for car carrying vessels exploded in the 1950s, when the standard of living in Europe improved fast after the heavy years of war. Many of today’s main ferry routes were initiated in the 1950s or in the early 1960s. They were no longer just short inter-island services, but also longer sea legs across larger sea areas, connecting the road networks of different countries.
The cargo carrying ro-ro vessel utilises the same principles for loading and discharging as the car ferry. However, the ro-ro vessel is an evolvement of the general cargo vessel, aiming at more rational cargo handling. In the early 1950s the European industry was back in business after World War II. Of great importance became the European car manufacturing business, which now started to get a grip of the US market. Although the Americans of course still preferred their own made cars – in the 1950s the American car industry was no doubt the leading in the world – the interest for importing European cars was growing. The cars were carried overseas by conventional general cargo vessels and handled by crane. This was of course slow and risky
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The bow crest of the Bore Song and the Bore company’s other vessels is a heraldic lily.
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Green values are becoming important also in shipping. Bore’s RoFlex-class is designed for low environmental impact.
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»Typically ro-ro vessels are carrying inter-European shipments of goods, while the feeder container vessels are carrying units to or from ports on other continents«
Cargo is handled by a stevedorer.
with frequent damages. Probably many had thoughts about how to make car shipments more rational, but one of the seafarers in the car trade took his ideas to the next level. A Swedish master mariner developed an idea of large vessels like floating garages, where a considerable number of cars could be driven aboard, like on a ferry. The Swedish shipping company Wallenius soon realised the potential of the idea. In 1953 a chartered bulk carrier was converted with additional car decks in the holds. The experiment became successful and already in 1954 the company ordered its first purpose built car carriers. The Traviata and Rigoletto were equipped with side doors and had capacity for 300 cars.
In 1963 Wallenius introduced a pure ro-ro vessel with bow door and in 1966 a variant with stern door. The modern roro vessel was born. In Finland the Bore company soon followed. Their first ro-ro vessel Bore VI was also the first to fly the Finnish flag. The ro-ro concept immediately became successful in Northern Europe and within a few years a large number of new short sea and overseas ro-ro service were established. The concept was here to stay.
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Typically ro-ro vessels are carrying inter-European shipments of goods, while the feeder container vessels are carrying units to or from ports on other continents. The port of Hamburg is a major player in the feeder service to and from the Baltic region, counting for more than 1.5 million TEUs in 2010. From the port of Hamburg there are som 150 weekly sailings to the Baltic Sea area and the Nordic countries. Finland is one of Hamburg’s most important handling partners in sea-borne container traffic, ranking at place six in the first half-year of 2010. Main cargos exported from Finland via Hamburg include paper, wood, machinery and chemical products. Finnish imports are dominated by manufactured goods, beverages, clothing and textiles as well as fodders. Finnish ports also have an important function as transit ports for Russian import and export. By taking a closer look at the cargo distribution in Finland’s leading commercial port Helsinki some conclusions might also be drawn about the general cargo traffic on the Baltic Sea in general. In 2010 some 63 per cent of the unitised general cargo was shipped via road vehicles and road trailers, 33 per cent in containers and the rest on mafis and cassettes. Of all cargo units handled in the port 73 per cent were carried by ro-ro vessels and 27 per cent by container vessels. The importance in Finland for the ro-ro concept is obvious. Looking at Finland’s total seaborne foreign trade we realise that of almost 31,000 calls with vessels in foreign traffic in Finnish ports in 2010 ro-ro vessels counted for close to 5,000 calls. In addition there were more than 12,000 calls of ferries carrying both passengers and vehicles. More than 93 million tons of cargo was handled in international traffic in Finnish ports and of this volume more than 14 million tons was carried in road trailers, trucks, railway wagons, mafis and cassettes and 10.5 million tons in containers. As also ro-ro vessels carry containers, the figures speak for themselves. Ro-ro vessels and ferries are simply crucially important for carrying Finland’s foreign trade.
Although seaborne transports are extremely important for Sweden’s foreign trade too, Sweden still has more options than Finland regarding international transports. For example Swedish forest products are transported by rail from Sweden to Central Europe, involving no sea leg at all due to the fixed links across Öresund and Greater Belt. Although road transports also may use ferry links from Sweden to Germany, Poland and Denmark. It is still a fact that the fixed links enables carriage of goods without any sea transport to destinations in Western and Central Europe. Also the Swedish figures show a clear dominance for roro regarding general cargo shipments. According to official Swedish statistics more than 44 million tons of goods were handled in ro-ro units in Swedish ports. In 2010 ro-ro units counted for a quarter of their total cargo volume. The volume of containerised cargo totalled some 13 million tons. These volumes also include domestic shipments.
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The pilot boat is standby to fetch the pilot off Paldiski.
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The Bore Song and her sister Bore Sea are of a type designated RoFlex.
Flexible, green and efficient – these are key words for the latest generations of ro-ro carriers on the North European trades, reflecting some fifty years of development. hen the modern ro-ro cargo vessel was introduced in the 1960s, no one was truly worried about a neglectable issue such as the price of bunker oil. Neither were there any particular concern about the environment. We thought the sea is so large that it can take any punishment and that it heels itself. But a quality which has been demanded from this type of ships throughout their existence is efficiency, with focus at cargo handling in port. Bore Song is a brand new, German-built ro-ro vessel, sailing under the Finnish flag with a mixed crew. She was making her inaugural voyages on the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a route she was originally intended for. The global financial crisis
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reduced the foreign trade also in Northern Europe, hitting the short sea market hard. The intended charterer and the owner of the vessel agreed to a solution where the vessel, at least initially should be employed on other routes. The Bore Song will be trading across the North Sea, but her first real test was on one of the most demanding ro-ro routes in Northern Europe with a schedule including five ports in seven days, spanning both the Baltic Sea and the North Sea.
Managing director Thomas Franck of Bore confirms the roro market is still weak. “It is under great pressure. There is a surplus of tonnage and there are still more ro-ro newbuildings to be introduced.” To employ one of their own laid up vessels, the 1977-built Borden, Bore last winter introduced HelOx, a liner service in their own regime between Helsinki and Oxelösund. This brings to mind the 1970s and 1980s, when Bore operated an extensive short sea ro-ro network under the brand Bore Line. “HelOx started as a way to create employment for an older vessel and see if it will fly,” Thomas Franck explains. However, HelOx has so far not been a great success, even if the market shows clear interest in the route. The main problem is that HelOx is intended mainly for trailers, as the driver capacity on the ro-ro vessel Borden is limited to twelve. “As a matter of fact we are trying to move cargo from the road
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Chief officer Patrik Norrgård (right). Thomas Franck, CEO of Bore Ltd, is pleased with the performance of the RoFlex vessels.
to the sea. Because we employ a ro-ro vessel we introduced a trailer-concept without accompanying drivers. It is not so easy as the market is used to the ferry links, carrying trucks and drivers. It is of course understandable, especially in cases where the driver also owns the vehicle. Then they naturally take the cargo themselves from the sender to the customer.” According to Thomas Franck a decision about the future of the HelOx service has soon to be made. “We have to decide if we will continue and in that case how. Our options are to operate the traffic ourselves, as a partnership or to close down the service. If we choose to close down there are not many alternatives remaining for the Borden. It is difficult to find a charter for her, why selling the vessel would be the most likely option.”
Indeed Bore’s long term strategy is now focusing at the ongoing renewal process of the fleet. The first step included the renewal of the ro-ro tonnage. Thereafter the general cargo vessels will stand in turn. “We will replace old tonnage with newer. Three of our ro-ro vessels are more then thirty years old. They are to be replaced by vessels incorporating newer technology to better meet the demands of the market with more flexible solutions.” One of the ro-ro vessels previously on charter to P&O will now be returned and replaced by the Bore Song.
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»There is a surplus of tonnage and there are still more ro-ro newbuildings to be introduced« “We would of course have preferred a solution where P&O should return both Norking and Norqueen and get our two newbuildings instead. In that case they could be operated in an optimal way as a pair on the same route. Still it is quite understandable that they want to proceed step by step in expanding their capacity,” Thomas Franck says.
Despite some initial problems, typical for newbuildings, Thomas Franck is impressed with the performance of the newbuildings Bore Sea and Bore Song. “Their flexibility in ports have definitively corresponded to our high expectations. The 22 metres wide stern ramp is exceptionally wide and may not be used in any ro-ro berth during existing circumstances, but this can be taken care of, depending on where you are trading.” According to Thomas Franck P&O has taken care of this matter and they see it as a clear advantage that it is possible to access all three cargo decks simultaneously. Also cargo handling with the hoistable car decks involved has turned out to run smoothly.
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First officer Randy Borja operating the mooring vinches on aft deck at departure.
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The slender hull lines of the Bore Song form a crucial part of her performance.
“Regarding the energy consumption we have already very positive experience from the Bore Sea and the Bore Song will probably perform even better. We still don’t know how much better, but during the sea trials with the Bore Song the reached theoretical consumption was lower than on the Bore Sea. Partially it is about adjustments, but both Wärtsilä and Rolls Royce have upgraded their control systems for the main engine and the propulsion system. The process concerning the software is still under evaluation on both vessels and when we have the final configuration there seem to be a potential for further improvements from the original one.” In their class the vessels therefore have a relatively low impact on the environment. Further modifications are to be made when new stringent rules for SOx emissions come into force, probably already in 2015. It will be possible to either install scrubbers or to convert them for dual fuel operation. The latter alternative is pending on whether it will be allowed to install LNG tanks on the weather deck. “The installed engines are all designed for the use of dual fuel, so that detail will cause no problem,” Thomas Franck assures.
As Bore is not a liner operator, the vessels ordered had to be flexible, making it possible to offer a multiple of possibilities on the market. “We also negotiated with Chinese shipyards but the solution offered by Flensburger turned out to be much more flexible and suited our needs better. In hindsight the order might not have been placed at the actual time, but we don’t regret building the vessels.” He stresses that the company has received what ordered from the Flensburger shipyard. “The shipyard has delivered exactly the product that we ordered and we are most pleased with the result.” A new feature in Finland is the mixed crews, which have been introduced on both Bore’s and Finnlines’ latest newbuild-
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»The installed engines are all designed for the use of dual fuel, so that detail will cause no problem« ings. This new possibility has made it possible to place the Bore Sea and Bore Song under Finnish flag. When the vessels were ordered they were built to fly the Dutch flag, but during the project it became possible to employ mixed crews on Finnishflagged vessels. Both vessels were after delivery registered in the Netherlands, but immediately thereafter the process was initiated to reflag them to Finland, which was carried through a few days later. “Without the possibility to employ mixed crews the vessels would not sail under Finnish flag. If you are trading in liner traffic from Finland it might be an advantage with a completely Finnish crew. However for us, mainly employing our vessels in cross trade, it would definitively be a disadvantage,” Thomas Franck admits. Another hot topic is whether the expected future cuts in government supports in Finland also will affect shipping and the tax refunding when employing Finnish seafarers. “In that case we must reconsider the issues about flying the Finnish flag. This will undoubtedly affect the decisions of many other ship owners too in the future.”
Today Bore has the vastest experience from operating mixed crews under Finnish flag. More than a year ago two dry cargo vessels in the fleet acted as pilot cases. In addition to that, the Dutch-flagged Bore-fleet are manned by Filipino crews and Dutch senior officers. “It was more difficult than we thought to find employees
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Chief officer Patrik Norrg책rd and the foreman of the stevedoring company in the lower hold.
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The Bore Song was delivered on July 22, 2011, from Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft mbH & Co.
from the Philippines with ro-ro experience as ro-ro shipping is a special segment. Now the challenge is to train these seafarers and then find a system where the same employees return to us after their time off. We need a larger pool and a rotating work scheme better suited for a system with six months aboard and three months ashore,” Thomas Franck informs.
As Bore today has two ro-ro vessels under Finnish flag and two under Dutch flag, all of them employing Filipino seafarers, a system is being created for these vessels to ensure that the ro-ro competence will not be lost. “A local manning agent is required in the Philippines. Regarding our new vessels we are in direct contact with the local agent while we handle manning issues for the Dutch ro-ro vessels via an European agent with a sub agent in the Philippines. When we gain enough experience ourselves we want to build up a competence of our own in manning issues and drop the additional intermediary. It seems like we would be able to better control what we get with just one intermediary instead of the present two.” At least for Bore it would not be an option to employ only foreign crews if it would be possible. Thomas Franck stresses that it is most important to have a basic crew, bringing continuity
Bore RoFlex The newbuildings Bore Sea and Bore Song introduce a new concept for Bore, registered as RoFlex. The main features of this concept are flexible cargo handling and cargo carrying capacity, fuel efficiency and reduced emissions due to a common rail engine. The design is adaptable for a future installation of SOx scrubbers or a dual fuel solution using LNG. Built by Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft mbH & Co KG in Germany, the vessel type is derived from the shipyard’s ConRo 220-design.
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»Manning with all foreign crew and officers would not work with our system« and also knowing the Finnish circumstances in detail. “Manning with all foreign crew and officers would not work with our system. We are quite dependent upon knowing the competence and know-how of the key persons in the crew. During the recruitment process for the Bore Sea and Bore Song these key persons were are all recruited internally.”
As long as the government is willing to create competitive conditions for Finnish flag Thomas Franck does not see that the future of Finnish seafarers is threatened regarding neither crew nor officer vacancies. “We are very far away from a situation where we would even think about employing no Finnish crew members at all. There are a lot of seafarers in all categories that are going to be retired during the years to follow.” He also thinks that it is important to preserve the possibility for Finnish seafarers to enter the trade in a crew position and then advance to officer. “We need to secure that we also in the future have Finnish junior officers that have a versatile experience as deck hands and know all sides of the trade.” Thomas Franck, who also is chairman of the board of Finnish Shipowners’ Association, explains that the owners through the association try to convince the maritime colleges in Finland that mixed crews bring totally new challenges also for the senior officers. “It is a totally new situation for them regarding knowledge of language and cultural differences. There is a wholly new dimension of leadership when it comes to seafarers which are not from the same country as you. The training should better reflect
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Chief officer Patrick Norrgård on the bridge during his 20.00–00.00 watch.
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Jan Knip, master on the Bore TheisBosun. Robert Karlman Song, most likely the first has been working at sea he was a teenager. Dutch master on asince FinnishPhoto: ship. flagged
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»I realised that the European Community has everything well organised except something as simple as a EU citizen wanting to work in another EU-country« the future needs of our shipping companies. It will be a long process to change training so that it meets up with the needs and demands of the future,” he states.
The Bore Song also makes history in Finnish shipping by having a Dutch master. It is most likely the first Finnish-flagged vessel ever to have a master from the Netherlands. Without any doubt this has at least never been the case in the Bore-fleet before. Jan Knip has been employed by Bore since 1999 and was immediately interested in the job when it was offered him. Born and raised in the city of Groningen in the Northern part of the Netherlands, it was a obvious choice for Jan Knip to go to sea in the first place. “This part of the Netherlands is very well known for its coasters and captain/owners. I wanted to sail since I was eight or nine and it finally happened when I went to nautical college at an age of seventeen. I graduated at eighteen and became chief mate on a Wagenborg-vessel at nineteen. Jan Knip was employed by the Dutch division of Bore, coming from the cruise vessels of Holland America Line. As a chief officer he also sailed as relieving master on the Dutch flagged ro-ro vessels Norsky and Norstream before the opportunity to get a command of his own on the second of Bore’s newbuildings. “I had to pass a Finnish law test in English and then I got a Finnish endorsement for my Dutch captains licence. I was not allowed to sail on a Dutch contract on a Finnish ship, so I had to have a Finnish labour contract. After many hiccups with labour contracts and social security I realised that the European Community has everything well organised except something as simple as a EU citizen wanting to work in another EU-country. You got a pile of paperwork and it still is not all sorted out yet, but we are getting there.” Jan Knip explains that the working language onboard the Bore Song is English. “I am learning some Swedish too, so I understand pretty well what the Swedish-speaking members of the crew are talking about. Learning Finnish however is out of question, it is far too difficult.”
The Filipino seafarers have already for a long time become used to work with foreigners but for a lot of Finnish crew members this is totally new. “They have taken the challenge and I must say it has worked out well. Everybody is very much involved in making this work,” Jan Knip says. He admits that he also was perhaps a little bit concerned about how it would work with a Dutch master on a Finnish ship, but so far his experiences are only positive. “I always stress that I am not here to change things towards the same way that they are on Dutch ships. I try to find the best things from both. But as a Dutchman I must say that we are perhaps twenty years ahead of the Finnish in the respect that
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After dinner discussion in the After dinner discussion messroom. From the left Bosun Robert in the messroom. Karlman, Electrician Tommy Sjöblad, Cheif Engineer Kenneth Lindström, First Engineer Leif Jacobsson and Steward Jens Aalto. Photo:
we have been sailing with foreign crews for a long time. In the Netherlands you are allowed to sail with a completely foreign crew and still fly the Dutch flag.” According to Jan Knip there are indeed certain differences between Finnish and Dutch ships. “Especially on those Dutch ships where I came from people were around there for so long time, that they started considering them like their own ships, making them busy with work all the time. They don’t really cared too much about working hours. I have not worked long enough on Finnish ships to see how it is under Finnish flag.”
Jan Knip also says that Dutchmen are well known for expressing their opinions. “We do not do it because we want to complain, we do it because we see things happening. Dutchmen complain indeed but they usually come up with a solution as well.” “But it works both ways. If the employer is not pleased, the Dutchman usually accepts that as well. Perhaps it is a result of the fact that if you want to have your opinion heard in the crowded Holland you have to scream a little bit louder to get your message through, because there are 16 million of us.”
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Jan Knip thinks that it is good that Bore has a lot of young officers, getting used to the idea of mixed crews. “This is simply how shipping works in 2011. If you want to get a chance in the international shipping world as an officer, this is something that you definitively have to learn. The situation is not going to change. You can of course demand that we want to stick with one nationality onboard that works hard, but in the long run you will be like a dinosaur and you will finally disappear. So you would better adjust to the new times and make the best out of it.” “I think it is a wise idea for Bore to do this. Saving money is necessary if you want to be competitive in the international market whether you like it or not. The ideal solution would of course be to employ a totally Dutch crew on a Dutch vessel and a totally Finnish crew on a Finnish vessel, but that is not possible. The worst case scenario is to reflag everything an put foreign officers all the way or you can do it like Bore does. It is neither the ideal situation, nor the worst situation. Instead Bore tries to find something in the middle that eventually Finnish seafarers and Dutch seafarers benefit from as well.” The Filipino AB Ronald Tagorda on the Bore Song has ten years of experience of ro-ro shipping and working with Scan-
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Safety first. A lifebuoy attached on the rail. Chief Engineer Kenneth Lindström checking the hot box of the main engine, housing the common rail equipment.
dinavians from Wallenius’ car carriers. Like his colleague, AB Ricardo Gumba, he is for the first time on a Bore vessel. “I have worked on American vessels before, but now I wanted to get a job on an European vessel. I like working on the Bore Song very much,” Ricardo Gumba says and Ronald Tagoda agrees. “This is a nice new ship with a nice crew and officers.” Also the Filipino officers like their job onboard the Bore Song. First officer Randy Borja has been at sea since 1994 and has a long experience of international shipping. He has however never worked on a Scandinavian ship before. He is especially pleased with the state of the art navigation equipment on the bridge of the Bore Song. Also second officer Kendall Rosales and AB Mario Giman are both looking forward to return to Bore-vessels after their six months contracts have come to an end.
On a vessel with a relatively large share of crew members and deck officers lacking experience of ro-ro shipping and short sea trades, chief officer Patrik Norrgård and bosun Robert Karlman are true key members of the crew. Their accumulated experience from many different vessel types are of utmost im-
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»Saving money is necessary if you want to be competitive in the international market whether you like it or not« portance to make the work on the deck department of the Bore Song work smoothly. Robert Karlman, a native from the island Kökar in Åland archipelago, is an old school seafarer, who has experienced the last era of shipping in the old days. In the beginning of his career he worked on Gustaf Erikson’s small reefers, trading world wide. He has also been on the ferries trading between Finland, Åland and Sweden as well as on ro-ro vessels. “For the last eight years I have worked on Godby Shipping’s vessels,” he explains. As a bosun he knows everything worth knowing about how the Bore Song works. He welcomes his new crew members from the Philippines and is always willing to give advice and share his vast knowledge. Without real professionals like him it would not be possible to run a brand new ship like Bore Song
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»I think that it is important to change ship now and then, it keeps you on the alert all the time and brings new challenges«
smoothly. Chief officer Patrik Norrgård and bosun Robert Karlman always seem to be on the right place during cargo handling. Still Patrik Norrgård admits that this is a large ship and that the working hours in port on this trade are quite hectic. Patrik Norrgård came to the company via Rederi Ab Engship, which was purchased by Bore some years ago. He has also worked on the company’s container feeder vessels. “I think that it is important to change ship now and then, it keeps you on the alert all the time and brings new challenges.” Another seafarer of the old school is the steward Jens Aalto. Like Robert Karlman his roots are in Kökar too. Jens Aalto sailed on Rederi AB Slite’s ferries until the company was forced into bankruptcy in 1993. “This was really sad because the Myrsten family was a fantastic employer. They really took care of their employees,” he recalls. Compared to the large kitchen departments of Diana II and the even larger Kalypso, it was a contrast to move to cargo vessels, where one has to do everything by oneself.
After the bankruptcy Jens Aalto was employed by Godby Shipping. When Bror Husell Chartering took delivery of the ro-ro vessel Seagard, he took the opportunity to move to the brand new vessel. He then sailed on the Seagard until he came to another new vessel, the Bore Song. As Bror Husell Chartering was another company bought by Bore, he did not have to change employer this time.
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“This vessel has a well equipped kitchen and plenty of easily accessible stores for supplies,” he describes his domains on the Bore Song. The engine department has had some busy weeks with some initial troubles, which indeed is quite normal for newbuildings. “If you want a peaceful workplace with not too much work to do, you shall definitively not go to a newbuilding,” first engineer Leif Jacobsson jokes, while he and the electrician Tommy Sjöblad are finishing some details in connection to a previous re-installation of the dishwasher in the kitchen. Also in the engine room there is always plenty to do. Today chief engineer Kenneth Lindström and Leif Jacobsson are doing some service on the aft end of the impressive main engine, while second engineer Sami Sternvall runs some tests by the computer in the engine control room. “We have a single Wärtsilä 46 common rail engine with twelve cylinders,” Kenneth Lindström informs while he opens up the hot box, concealing the electronically controlled common rail system on the side of the engine. “The common rail technology means lower fuel consumption in total, providing operational and economical benefits. Last but not least this also mean environmental benefits,” he continues. The powerful engine has an output of 12,000 kW, providing the vessel with a service speed of 19 knots. Although the Bore Song has a single screw configuration master Jan Knip thinks that she manoeuvres amazingly well. The rudder is of twisted edge type with a maximum rudder angle of 65 degrees. Together with the effect of the 1,800 kW bow thruster and 900 kW stern thruster captain Jan Knip turns the 195 metres long vessel around on spot when we arrive at the port of Turku. The deck officers fore and aft are monitoring the distance to the quays in the basin. There are just some tens of metres to the quays at shortest, but despite the fresh breeze the vessel is kept exactly in position during the manoeuvre.
When the massive ramp has been lowered the foreman from the stevedoring company comes aboard and goes through the load plan with chief officer Patrik Norrgård. Soon the first tugmaster rolls in, taking the first mafi trailer nearest the ramp out. Some eight hours later the cargo bound for Turku is discharged. The holds are filled with new cargo units and the ship gets ready to sail. This short charter for Mann Lines will end when the Estraden is back in service after a docking in Bremerhaven. In September 2011 the Bore Song will enter a long term time charter for P&O Ferries, sailing mainly on the route Teesport–Zeebrügge. “We have thoroughly investigated our options and the Bore Song will perfectly fit our service on this route both from an environmental but also economical stand point. Our cooperation with Bore has always been appreciated and we are pleased to have this fine newbuilt RoFlex in our service,” John Garner, Fleet Director for P&O Ferries stated in a news release about the charter. Bore Song and her international crew has an interesting charter before them.
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60 Shipgaz No 4 2011
Newcomer The Leonora Christina
By Bent Mikkelsen bent@shipgaz.com
Photo: faergen a/s
Leonora Christina delivered In June, Faergen’s new HSC ferry was named on the isle of Bornholm. It nearly doubles the capacity on the Ystad–Rønne service. The vessel was named after the controversial lady, who in 1651 fled the country, but was later captured and detained in the castle of Hammershus on the isle of Bornholm. The HSC ferry Leonora Christina was named by the Municipality of Bornholm’s mayor Winni Gråsbøl. She was more than pleased with the huge capacity added to the service from Ystad to Rønne on Bornholm. This service is the main “highway” to Bornholm.
The size of Leonora Christina was chosen by the Danish Ministry of Transport, which via Trafikstyrelsen set up the framework for the companies which gave bids for the service. Trafikstyrelsen has also decided that Leonora Christina’s predecessor, Villum Clausen will remain as a reserve
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ferry with a guaranteed service of 35 days per year. The vessel is capable of carrying up to 357 private cars along with 1,400 passengers, which is nearly double from Villum Clausen’s capacity of 215 private cars and 1 055 passengers. The car-deck is fitted with a hoistable deck for private cars and has strength for carrying busses and small lorries in the centre lane. The passengers on board Leonora Christina have the possibility to dine on board the ferry. It is fitted with galley and facilities to cook meals during the one hour and twenty minutes crossing to Ystad. The ferry is also fitted with a large shop (not tax-free). The passenger areas are divided
»This service is the main “highway” to Bornholm« The merger of Bornholmstrafikken A/S, Sydfynske A/S and Nordic Ferry Services A/S took place in January 2011. The new name of the company is Danske Faerger A/S (Faergen).
into a restaurant in the front of the ferry and a main lounge on the upper deck, where around 850 of the passengers can be accommodated.
In the engine room, Leonora Christina also has a first as it is the first HSC ferry fitted with MAN engines. Until now, most of the HSC ferries have been fitted with Ruston engines. A lot of tests had been done before the ferry left the builder’s yard in Australia, but unfortunately the ferry suffered from damage to one of the engines on July 8, 2011. Leonora Christina was out of service until July 31 because of repair to the engine, but also because of some pre-accident work on the other four engines on board. The price tag on Leonora Christina is DKK 437 million.
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No 4 2011 Shipgaz 61
The Leonora Christina
Newcomer Photo: bent mikkelsen
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Photo: bent mikkelsen
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Photo: bent mikkelsen
Photo: bent mikkelsen
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1. The vessel is capable of carrying up to 357 private cars along with 1,400 passengers. 2. The HSC-ferry has two passenger decks. 3. The upper deck. 4. The car-deck is fitted with a hoistable deck for private cars and has strength for carrying busses and small lorries in the centre lane.
LEONORA CHRISTINA IMO No.....................................................9557848 C/S.............................................................OWGM2 Builder................................................Austal Ships Length o.a................................................... 112.6 m Length b.p................................................... 101.3 m
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Breadth......................................................... 26.2 m Draft.................................................................3.8 m Tonnage...................................................10,371 GT ......................................................................3,112 NT ............................................................... 1,000 DWT
Engines................... 4 x MAN type 28V28/33D Out put............................................. 4 x 9,100 kW Service speed..........................................40 knots Class..................................................................DNV
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62 Shipgaz No 4 2011
By Dag Bakka jr, dag@shipgaz.com
Analysis Pilotage
Photo: trondheim havn
A Trondheim-based pilot boat in operation.
The pilots setting the rules New regulations for pilotage in Norwegian waters have further undermined the use of what many Norwegians think of as their naturual maritime infrastructure. Since the beginning of this year, all vessels above the length of 70 meters trading in inshore waters, or of 35 meters if they carry dangerous cargo, or any vessels at all if they carry more than twelve passengers, are liable to carry a pilot at all times. This is a good precaution for cruise vessels or fully laden tankers, but not for local vessels serving coastal communities on a regular basis. Even the evening ”cruise & booze” vessels operating in the Oslo archipelago are liable to have a pilot on board. The system of ”Farledsbevis”, a Pilot Exemption Certificate, has been in use since 1995, but has seen its rights being limited.
The new regulations were introduced in the wake of an evaluation of the 1995-pilotage regime required by the Storting, with instructions to also look into the application of new technology. A ”Pilotage efficiency project” was initiated by the Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA) and left to a working group with members drawn from the pilotage administration,
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the pilots, the pilot boat crews and their unions. The simple prescription was to introduce general pilotage in Norwegian waters, out of a presumption that ”more pilotage is equal to more safety”. No consideration was given to the fact the major maritime calamities the last few years have all happened with pilots or traffic control involved: Rocknes and Crete Cement with pilot on board, Server and Godafoss where the pilot had just left ship, or Full City which was assigned a precarious anchorage by the Traffic Control at Brevik and driven ashore.
»The Pilots’ Union are now demanding higher pay to do the job« The Norwegian Coastal Administration (Kystverket) is responsible for the pilotage services.
The pilots’ recommendations passed through a hearing process, overseen by the director of NCA, unharmed by any consideration of response from the industry. The regulations were duly authorized by the Coastal and Fishery Ministry and entered into effect.
Those who had been looking forward to a modern safety organization which could also promote competitive maritime transport were disappointed. Now the costs are bound to escalate.
The interesting thing is that the NCA in 2010 also delivered a section to the next National Transport Plan 2014-2023. I order to promote maritime transport, the NCA proposed ”forceful initiatives like cutting government duties and fees on maritime transportation”, etc. By its own accord, the NCA is doing exactly the opposite. Meanwhile the pilots have had a busy season with piloting cruiseships. They have voiced angry concern as the NCA has had to give more exemptions as the scope for pilotage has increased, as the pilots have refused to work overtime. Having first sett the rules, the Pilots’ Union are now demanding higher pay to do the job. Sea transportation must be the last corner where a trade group, not even accountable for their services, has managed to make themselves essential by law.
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No 4 2011 Shipgaz 63
Photo: Color Line
Photo: ShipPax Information
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64 Shipgaz No 4 2011
Fleet Review Photo: joachim sjöström
Photo: pär-henrik sjöström
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Photo: bent mikkelsen
Photo: mols-linien
Mols–Linien sells duo sale Mols-Linien has sold their two ro/ pax vessels Mette Mols and Maren Mols, which were both delivered from Ørskov Staalskibsværft in Frederikshavn in 1996. The sale came after the decision to close down the service from Aarhus to Kalundborg with a combination of lorries, trailers and private cars. This service has generated a substantial loss over several years due to the recession with less transport of goods on lorries and trailers.
The buyer of the two ferries is the German FRS Group in Flensburg, which has several ferry services in Europe. They took over Mette Mols at the end of July and renamed it Tanger Express. The ferry will be put in service on the Tarifa-Tanger run over the Strait of Gibraltar. The sister vessel Maren Mols will be taken over on September 15, when Mols-Linien terminates the service. It was expected that FRS Group would divert Maren Mols to Gibraltar service as well, but it will continue to operate on the Aarhus-Kalundborg route under a new name.
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THH Shipping in lay-up lay-up Danish THH Shipping ApS in Svendborg has laid-up its fleet of six coasters due to the weak market conditions. The company, owned by Thomas HøjlundHansen, has seen been struggling with low rates for months. Instead of loosing more money, the company decided to minimize the costs by docking the vessels at Svendborg.
“It is far more cheaper for us to have the vessels lying at Svendborg than at any other port in the world. We can keep and eye on all vessels with a minimum of staff ashore”, says Thomas Højlund-Hansen. “The rates must improve before our vessels leave the port.”
The THH-fleet consists of four sister vessel on 2,880 DWT (Nural Stevns, Oliver Stevns, Buse Stevns and Niels Stevns), and Anna Stevns, 2,000 DWT, and Stevns Pearl. 5 900 DWT. All vessels are built in the mid 1980s. THH Shipping is not the only ship operator struggling in the present market. A number of operators are sailing for rates below the actual cost of running the ships. Other European operators as Strahlman in Germany have already laid-up several vessels, while the Dutch Wagenborg is still to decide whether it will go for lay-up or not. Swedish Vargön Shipping is also present at Svendborg with laid-up vessels; Vina, Vidi and Tango, awaiting better rates on the market.
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No 4 2011 Shipgaz 65
Fleet Review Photo: Pär-Henrik Sjöström
Photo: Pär-Henrik Sjöström
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Photo fleet review
1. APOLLON. The former pusher Aulis is now rebuilt into the ASD tug Apollon and has joined the Alfons Håkans-fleet. 2. Cap San Diego. The sailing museum freighter Cap San Diego turns 50 in September 2011. 3. Finnsea. The second of Finnlines’ six ro-ro newbuildings with 3,300 lane metres cargo capacity from China. 4. Celebrity Eclipse. The 2010-built, 122,000 GT cruise vessel has visited the Baltic Sea in summer 2011.
Photo: atomflot
Photo: stena bulk
Carrier of atomic waste
Stena Bulk has purchased three ice strengthened LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) tankers from the Taiwan based shipping company TMT for a total of USD 700 million. The 145,000 cbm Stena Blue Sky was built in 2006, while the Stena Clear Sky and Stena Crystal Sky, each 174,000 cbm, were delivered recently. “We believe this to be a very good investment”, says Stena Bulk CEO Ulf Ryder, in a comment.
delivery On June 15, 2011 the Russian state owned shipping company Atomflot took delivery of the multipurpose container vessel Rossita from the Italian Fincantieri shipyard. It is designed to carry radio active waste from the dismantling of Russian nuclear submarines to a temporary storage facility in Sayda Bay.
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66 Shipgaz No 4 2011
Fleet Review Photo: bent mikkelsen
Photo: bent mikkelsen
Berlin soon to be launched construction The German P+S Werft in Stralsund will soon launch the ferry, newbuilding no. 502, ordered by Scandlines. The newbuilding, to be named Berlin, and her sister Copenhagen, newbuilding no. 503, will double the capacity on the Gedser–Rostock service. Berlin will have a capacity of 96 lorries or 460 cars and 1,500 passengers. The vessel will be equipped with four Caterpillar/ MaK engines, the service speed is 20 knots. The sailing time will not change. Main office in Denmark: Berlin will be delivered in March 2012 and Vesterbrogade 6D, 5th floor Copenhagen in May 2012. DK-1620 Copenhagen V
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history The Danish paddle steamer
Hjejlen celebrated its 150 years of service www.surveyassociation.com during the summer with a posh visit from the Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II. It was not the first time the steamer had a royal passenger on board.
Purchase It is possible that the floating concert hall Counterpoint II will be bought to Estonia next year for USD 1.1 million. On the inauguration sailing in June C700004_SAC_brochure_A5.indd 1-2 The waterborne home of the American 1861, King Frederik VII participated on the Wind Symphony Orchestra was designed trip on the lakes around the city of Silkeby the famous architect Louis I. Kahn borg. Hjejlen was built by Baumgarden (1901–1974) and was delivered in 1976. & Burmeister of Copenhagen (later BurKahn had Estonian roots, as he was born meister & Wain) in Yard no. 15. In the beon Saaremaa. His family emigrated to ginning of June 1861 the vessel had its only the US in 1906.
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ocean crossing, as it sailed under its own power from Copenhagen to Randers via Gudenåen to Silkeborg, where it arrived after a trip of seven days. Ever since, it has been sailing on passenger service from Silkeborg to Himmelbjerget, which is one of the three high points in Denmark. Hjejlen is 25 metres long, 3.6 metres in breadth and is powered by its original two cylindered compound steam engine built by the yard. It also is still coal fired, but the original boiler was replaced in 1901. Hjejlen has a capacity of 175 passengers.
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70 Shipgaz No 4 2011
By Bent Mikkelsen bent@shipgaz.com
Retro Olau-Line
Photo: olau line
The ferry Olau East. All told, OlauLine had 23 vessels in the fleet in the years from 1956 to 1980.
OL’s ferry project short-lived
Danish Olau-Line’s ferry service between England and Holland was lucrative for a few years before it ended in tears. In the years from 1975 to 1980, a Danish tramp ship company went into ferry service as an alternative business to the traditional being a tonnage provider for other shipping companies. The business was healthy and lucrative but ended in a financial disaster.
shipyards were fully booked with orders, so Ole Lauritzen put the company in a waiting position in terms of ordering new ships. In fact Olau-Line did not order any ships at all after these years, the first oil crisis after the Yom Kippur war between Israel and Egypt changed the circumstances completely in the shipping world.
»I had a very loyal and dedicated staff, but I had to find some business to earn money to pay them«
In January 1975 Danish Olau–Line A/S started a ferry service between Sheerness in England and Vlissingen in Holland with the two ferries Olau East and Olau West. Until 1975 Olau– Line had been a tramp ship owner with a traditional liner vessel and product tankers. The fleet was sold off for good money in the years from 1970 to 1972, leaving the company owned by shipowner Ole Lauritzen with a solid bank account, but in 1972 all
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Ole Lauritzen, back in the days.
“In order to keep the company running and our sailing staff intact, I had to find a new way in shipping”, explains Ole Lauritzen. “I had a very loyal and dedicated staff, but I had to find some busi-
ness to earn money to pay them. So I studied a number of business proposals, but found out that running a car/ passenger ferry service with tax-free sale on board was the quickest way to earn money in shipping. In fact, on the Sheerness-Vlissingen run, we had a net profit of DKK 2 million per month, says Ole Lauritzen.
The two ferries were purchased relatively cheap for DKK 25 million each, from Danish Jydsk Færgefart, which had new ferries under construction at Helsingør. Olau–Line’s entre to ferry service came in 1974, when Ole Lauritzen purchased the Norwegian ro-ro vessel Admiral Carrier from Larvik-Frederikshavn Linien A/S and renamed it Olau Vig. With the vessel was a charter for
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No 4 2011 Shipgaz 71
Olau-Line
Retro Photo: olau line
»It was pure harassment and protection of French business« Thanet Line, which was set up by the city of Vlissingen with the mayor as chairman. The city council wanted a connection to England in order to develop the city of Vlissingen. The purchase of Admiral Carrier opened Ole Lauritzen’s eyes for ferry service. Olau Vig became a profitable business for Olau–Line. It was owned for six months in 1974 and was purchased for DKK 20 million and sold for DKK 26 million to Tunis. “It was a nice business and we continued serving Thanet Line with the charter Norwegian ferry Bastø V”, says Ole Lauritzen.
Olau–Line started the ferry service at the end of January 1975 with the two ferries, which had been working over Christmas 1974 running from Copenhagen to Aalborg on night crossings. Olau East and Olau West continued sailing under the Danish flag after being transferred to the brand new ferry terminal at Sheerness, where a link-span docking arrangement was constructed. It was almost the same situation in Vlissingen. The business came well off its feet, in fact so well, that the two ferries after the first summer of sailing became too small for the traffic volume generated. Olau East was sold off in November 1975 to Caracas in Venezuela, and replaced by the chartered Olau Dana. Olau–Line went into the market to buy a larger replacement ferry and managed to buy Carl Myrstens Apollo, one of the Papenburg sisters from 1970. It was taken over and renamed Olau Kent. It raised the capacity from 185 private cars on board to 230 private cars per sailing. It was thought inconvenient to run the service with two ferries of different sizes, so Olau–Line looked for another ferry for charter. A contract was signed in March 1976 with Finnlines for the charter of Finnpartner (built 1966). It was renamed Olau Finn for a twelve month charter (combined Finnish and Danish crew) from March 26, 1976. Olau Finn continued sailing for Olau–Line until May 15, 1981, and in
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Ole Lauritzen launched the company’s first ferry service in 1975. those years it performed 4,286 sailings across the English Channel. After the inauguration of the two larger ferries, Olau–Line transported 440,000 passengers in 1976.
“I had an ambition of running to the French port of Dunkerque in order to raise the performance of the ferries. The distance to Dunkerque is much smaller than to Vlissingen and therefore we could perform three double crossings per ferry each day instead of only one double crossing per day on the Vlissingen run”, says Ole Lauritzen.
The first attempt on the Dunkerque run was done in February 1977, when the morning ferry from Sheerness sailed directly to Dunkerque. After arrival at Dunkerque it continued along the coast to Vlissingen in order to load cars and passengers back to Sheerness. The service was cancelled in September 1977 as the French port authorities in Dunkerque came up with
Olau Line The first name of the company, founded by Ole Lauritzen the day after his 23rd birthday, was Olav Line A/S, but was changed in 1961 to the more natural spelling Olau Line A/S.
some regulations saying that this port only could be called on by ferries flying the French flag. “It was pure harassment and protection of French business”, says Ole Lauritzen. ”There was nothing I could do at the moment, but I kept the idea of running to France in my mind.”
The ferry business performed well, but a lot of the profit was invested in new terminal buildings in Sheerness, and Olau–Line realized that they needed a partner with more experience in marketing a ferry service. So Olau–Line sold 50 per cent of the ferry service to the German company TT Line, which already had ferries running between Germany and Sweden (Trelleborg-Travemünde). TT Line was owned equally between the insurance company Iduna and the shipbroker group Wm. Aug. Bolten. The price was DKK 20 million or half of the money invested since 1975.
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72 SHIPGAZ NO 4 2011
Retro Olau-Line PHOTO: OLAU LINE
»We had different ideas about how to run a ferry service« “The German partner was to take care of the marketing, while we continued to do what we were best at: Running ferries”, says Ole Lauritzen. The cooperation between TT Line and Olau–Line continued for another couple of years, but in November 1979 TT Line took over the remaining part of Olau–Line’s ferry service between Sheerness and Vlissingen for a sum of DKK 23 million. “We had different ideas about how to run a ferry service and therefore the sale was a sensible solution to the partnership”, says Ole Lauritzen.
The new company was called Olau–Line, but Danish Olau–Line continued to be engaged in the service as owner of Olau Kent and having the charter on Olau Finn. Ole Lauritzen, however, was still dreaming of a service between Kent and France, so a new plan was set up: To buy a French flagged ferry and run between Ramsgate and Dunkerque. Ramsgate was virgin in the ferry market and did not have port facilities for a ferry service. Negotiations were set up with the port authorities in Ramsgate and a plan for a new pier outside the existing port was drawn up. The French ferry Fred Scamaroni was purchased from Marseilles and renamed Nuits Saint Georges after a wine district in Northern France. So that part of the earlier hurdle was covered. The ferry was owned by a French registered company called Olau–Line France S.A. All was ready for starting
The ferry Nuits Saint George (ex Fred Scamaroni) was purchased from Marseilles.
FRENCH FERRIES The French authorities in Dunkerque did not allow other than French flagged ferries in the port of Dunkerque. Therefore Olau Line purchased the French ferry Fred Scamaroni from Marseilles. It became Nuits Saint Georges for Olau Line France S.A.
the service on May 1, 1980, but there was another serious hurdle in Ramsgate. The pier facilities were built, but the water depth of seven meters of water on low tide wasn’t done. The contractor on the dredging did not perform well, so it was virtually impossible to call on Ramsgate during low tide.
“The dredging was done very badly and looked like mountain and valley with deep holes and high tops on the bottom”, explains Ole Lauritzen. ”It took another couple of months to finish the dredging and in the meantime our timetable was very much disrupted.” The ferry sailed without any problems to Dunkerque, where a brand new terminal was set up in a new
reclaimed area of the port. Olau–Line came off with a bad start on the new service, and it got even worse in August 1980, when French fishermen decided to protest against fuel prices and made a blockade of Dunkerque harbour.
A fortnight without any income was too much for Olau–Line, which had invested the whole profit from the sale of the old ferry service and hadn’t had any income since November 1979. So on September 5, 1980, the company filed for bankruptcy. “It was a real bad day for me, my company and my employees, but there was nothing else to do. I could not raise any more funds from my father’s company nor in the banks”, says Ole Lauritzen.
FROM STANDARD TO ART
DAMEN SHIPYARDS BERGUM
CUSTOM BUILT IN SERIES PRODUCTIONS
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74 Shipgaz No 4 2011
Retro Olau-Line Photo: olau line
Olau Finn moored at the link-span dock at Sheernes close to the historic Garrison Point. The night before, the ferry Nuits Saint Georges was transferred from Dunkerque to Vlissingen on advice from the company’s French lawyer. However, that fact that the ferry was in a Dutch port when the company filed for bankruptcy started a French wave of revenge against Ole Lauritzen. “Oh, yes,” says Ole Lauritzen. ”It took almost seven years to sort things out and again with a lot of trouble with the French.”
Ole Lauritzen was accused of stealing FRC 3.3 million from the company prior to when the sailing was stopped. The claim mainly came from the company’s ship chandler, which supplies the ferry with bonded stores. “It was a horrible accusation which was built on an estimate sale in their calculations, says Ole Lauritzen. The fact was, that I had taken absolutely nothing in cash from the ferry or the company.” The French ship chandler managed
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to “sell” his story to local judge, who first arrested Ole Lauritzen’s French manager Kerstin Jägmo, and later put an arrest order on Ole Lauritzen if he ever touched French soil again.
»It took almost seven years to sort things out and again with a lot of trouble with the French« The company filed for bankruptcy after the ferry Nuits Saint Georges had been transferred to Vlissingen.
“We tried to make a deal with the ship chandler, but he was so angry over his loss that he could not see straight at all. We offered him a 50 per cent payment on the total invoice, but he refused. I explained that my bank would not pay more at the time. ” He replied: “So Mr. Lauritzen has his own bank!” ”The facts were, they thought that my father and his company J. Lauritzen automatically would pay off any debts made by his family”, says Ole Lauritzen. Along with fighting the French le-
gal system Ole Lauritzen also started a case against the Port of Ramsgate for delay of the dredging and claimed compensation for losses generated from the inadequate dredging. The French harassment of Ole Lauritzen even had an English arm. In February 1981, Ole Lauritzen was arrested on a street in London by Scotland Yard, which had got a request of arrest from the French police on behalf of the judge in Dunkerque. Ole Lauritzen had to spend 30 days in custody before being released on bail. However, after a thorough investigation of the case, the British court rejected it all. Later Ole Lauritzen received a letter of apology from Judge Descamps in Dunkerque .
Meanwhile, the ferry Nuits Saint Georges was sold on auction at Vlissingen for a price much lower than the actual value in a free transaction. The other ferry Olau Kent, which still was owned by Olau–Line A/S lost its time charter when the company filed for
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No 4 2011 Shipgaz 75
Olau-Line
Retro Photo: olau line
»It was in my early days in the market and I hadn’t saved enough money« bankruptcy as it could not perform as a time charter while under arrest. It was also sold at a bargain price and came to be in the hands of Danish Nordisk Færgefart A/S. The complicated legal work around the state of Olau–Line A/S was not solved until 1987.
Ole Lauritzen ceased active shipping after the bankruptcy and closed down his shipping company, which he had founded in August 1956, when he turned 23 years old under the name Olav-Line. As the oldest son of Knud Lauritzen, he worked in his father’s J. Lauritzen company, but took a loan of DKK 1 million, which was used to buy an aging steamer called Jutta Dan (built in 1936) from J. Lauritzen for DKK 600,000 and the rest of the million was used as working capital. The Jutta Dan became the first in Ole Lauritzen’s alphabet fleet. The first was called Olav Asbjørn – the A-ship. After the first year he purchased another steamer from his father’s company. The second ship was Tessa Dan, which became the B-ship: Olav Bjarke. Later the same year a third J. Lauritzen ship was sold to Ole Lauritzen. It was Kamma Dan, which became the C-ship and was called Olav Claus. ”Olav Claus became significant for Olav-Line in 1960, when it was lying
The Olau Kent (ex Apollo) was bought from Carl Myrsten. The vessel was built in 1970. at anchor off Rijeka in Yugoslavia. A cargo of waxed cardboard boxes caught fire and was impossible to extinguish. It ended with a total loss of Olav Claus.
The Sisters In 1970 Helsingør Skibsværft delivered two combined reefer and container carriers to Olau Line. Olau Pil and Olau Rolf sailed out on time charter for Columbus Line as Cap Colville and Cap Melville.
“It was a kind of close call for Olav-Line, says Ole Lauritzen. It was in my early days in the market and I had not saved enough money. My oldest vessel Olav Asbjørn was laid up at Copenhagen as nobody wanted employ an old oilfired steamer on 2,600 DWT. My third vessel Olav Bjarke was employed trading from Colombia in South America and the US East Coast, but was old and needed much repair, which was extremely expensive in US
shipyards, so honestly I was running out of money”, says Ole Lauritzen. Luckily the underwriters condemned Olav Claus and paid out the insurance sum of DKK 7 million, which was invested in a brand new motor ship under construction at Helsingborg Varfs A/B for the shipyards owners, which were Hillerströms, H. Banck and Transmarin. The ship became Olav Drot, and was the first in series from Helsingborg. Then came Olau Ege, Olau Falk, and later the tankers Olau Høg and Olau Leif. Most of the Olau–Line fleet was employed in long-term time charter for clients like Harrison Line and Colombus Line.
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In 1970 …
… the Cap Colville was delivered. The state-of-the-art liner vessel with double hatches on the weather deck suitable for carrying containers, which still was a virgin industry in 1970. It was also a combined dry cargo and reefer vessel with 430,000 cubic feet of reefer space on board. Also it had crane coverage second-to-none over all hatches ranging from two 150 ton derricks to a number of modern cranes lifting five tons. The 10,000 DWT vessel was built for Olau Line and was intended to have the name Olau Pil, but it and its sister vessel Olau Rolf sailed directly as time charters for the German Columbus Line running from the US West Coast to Australia and New Zealand with a service speed of 20.5 knots. Its career with Olau Line was short as both it and its sister vessel from Helsingør Skibsværft were sold for a fantasy price to the British Shaw, Savill & Albion Line in the end of 1972. Cap Colville ended up on the beaches of Alang in February 1995
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78 Shipgaz No 4 2011
By Pär-Henrik Sjöström par-henrik@shipgaz.com
Old ship Bismarck
Water Colour Painting by Håkan Sjöström
The doomed ship
Seventy years ago, the German battleship Bismarck was hunted down and sunk by the Royal Navy in one of the most famous naval operations ever. The operation named Rheinübung (“Exercise Rhine”) started early on May 19, 1941, when two German capital ships – the battleship Bismarck and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen – in the cover of darkness snuck out from the anchorage off Gotenhafen, today known as Gdynia in Poland. Their orders were clear: Break out into the Atlantic and sink as much enemy merchant tonnage as possible. Early in the afternoon on May 20, Swedish naval units and aircraft reported that a German squadron was steaming northwards on Kattegatt. Already the same evening British intelligence knew that their worst fears had come true. The Bismarck was on the loose.
After a brief stop in Grimstadfiord south of Bergen, Admiral Lütjens, commanding the German squadron, chose to sail through the narrow passage between the ice off Greenland and the coast of Iceland, known as the Denmark Strait. There they were sighted by the British heavy cruisers Suffolk and Norfolk on May 23. An intercepting British force, the
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battleships Hood and Prince of Wales were in position to open fire at dawn on May 24. The clash of the two fleets ended in disaster for the British. After a couple of minutes, the Hood blew up from a hit in one of her ammunition magazines. Only three of her 1,415 crew members survived. The Prince of Wales narrowly escaped with heavy damage.
»Already the same evening British intelligence knew that their worst fears had come true« Built by Blohm & Voß in Hamburg, the battleship Bismarck was commissioned to German Kriegsmarine on August 24, 1940. She displaced 50,500 t fully loaded and vas 250.5 m long. Her steam turbines developed 138,000 hp, providing a speed of 29 knots.
Now followed some nerve wrecking days for both sides. The British put in every unit available to sink the Bismarck, but she slipped away from their radar surveillance in the gloomy weather. Admiral Lütjens had decided to go to Brest in occupied France for repairs. A shell had penetrated the forecastle, and, even though it did not explode, the hit was crucial as it had made the forward fuel tanks unavailable. The Prinz Eugen was to continue the mission on her own. The commander of the British
Home Fleet, Admiral Tovey, had almost given up the hope of catching the Bismarck, when she was rediscovered by an aircraft on the morning of May 26. But the Bismarck was already coming close to the French coast. Now Tovey’s only hope was pinned on the aircraft carrier Ark Royal.
After an unsuccessful attack, nearly ending in sinking its own cruiser, there was only one chance left for the British. When the Swordfish torpedo planes left the flight deck of Ark Royal for the second time it was already dusk and the target was almost out of range. But a miracle occurred. One of the Swordfishes scored a lucky hit on the Bismarck, jamming her rudders. The giant was no longer steerable. Admiral Tovey gathered his forces during the night and went into action after dawn on May 27. Shells from the heavy guns of the battleships King George V and Rodney hammered the crippled giant, until she finally vanished from the surface at 10:39 am. Of some 2,200 persons onboard, only 115 survived the last battle.
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