The way forward
2013 Issue 3
Introducing Year of the Wallem Seafarer
In this issue:
Delivering for seafarers: full compliance with MLC 2006 Brewery project quenches Vietnam’s thirst 110th anniversary photo competition winner
Delivering Maritime Solutions www.wallem.com
Message from the CEO Three new offices, new key senior leaders, revised and updated company values, a shared strategic plan to chart our success and a brand promise we can all support: Delivering Maritime Solutions. We have achieved these and so much more in the past 12 months. Wallem’s 2012/13 financial year has borne new opportunities and growth thanks to the vision and dedication of staff at sea and in the Wallem offices. Every service area has had their achievements and I recognise all the Wallem teams for your achievements and I applaud you all. New and existing businesses have shown in particular that having the right people is key to success – this is particularly true for SeaSafe Marine, Marine Buying Services and Wallem Logistics.
professionalism, knowledge and skills will be central to our behaviour. There is no place for an “us and them” relationship between ship and shore staff.
We have an exciting growth strategy that the management team are committed to delivering. As we continue to deliver our maritime solutions, we must be focused on retaining, training and recruiting the right people. In this new financial year Wallem’s focus will be on being employer of choice. The first step in the process is to declare 2013/14 the Year of the Wallem Seafarer.
We are committed to delivering better food on board, with a new catering project that assures consistently higher quality provisions no matter the ship or the trading route.
Seafarers are the oxygen of shipping. Many of my colleagues have been hearing me say this regularly and I do believe it. Without competent and professional seafarers ships would not leave the port, would not transport 90 per cent of the world’s cargo, and our industry would simply not exist. Short of an unmanned ship drone on the invention horizon, seafarers remain the foundation of our industry, and should be respected for that. With the deadline for MLC 2006 compliance passing in August, we were reminded of our duty of care towards seafarers, providing them with a safe and caring working environment and careers that support them and their families. Nothing more than what every other employee expects from an employer. In the Year of the Wallem Seafarer we will make sea staff our centre point. Respect for their True North The Way Forward
We are developing a seafarers’ charter, setting out the Wallem commitment to our seafarers which all shore-based staff will pledge to follow. Our internet on board project will be completed this year, providing access to internet chat, emails and browsing time for a more connected life on board. Our shore staff will commit to more visits to our crew, delivering news and support in person.
Our True North values and behaviours commit us to supporting our colleagues and working as a team. In the Year of the Wallem Seafarer particular attention will be paid to these values and behaviours displayed on board and between ship and shore. For proof Wallem is THE place for seafarers, look no further than the loyalty from our extensive list of long service award recipients in the latter pages of this magazine. In the Year of the Wallem Seafarer I am very proud to offer our new and current sea staff a career opportunity and working environment of the highest order. I wish everyone a very prosperous Year of the Wallem Seafarer. Regards,
Simon Doughty CEO Wallem Group
Cover Story
Proud delivery of seafarers’ bill of rights Wallem is proud to show its commitment to seafarers’ welfare by celebrating our compliance with the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC) at our recent Fleet Officers Meeting in India. At 20 August 2013 all vessels in the fleet had been audited and endorsed under the Convention. MLC 2006, also known as the “seafarers’ bill of rights”, provides a standard for decent working conditions for seafarers and a level competition field for employers. Simon Frank, Wallem Fleet Personnel Director, said the full compliance illustrates the company’s assurance to seafarers that Wallem is committed to providing a good working environment on board.
“It is an authentication of Wallem’s compliance, but in many cases we are offering more than the industry standard. We will continue to offer employment conditions that keep us in that field,” said Simon. “In mid-2012 we began auditing our processes against the Convention, and although in most cases were offering more than the standard established by MLC, we did have some areas for improvement. So we reviewed our procedures, particularly in handling feedback, and updated them. “Amit Kumar in our fleet personnel team led the project and worked closely with representatives from flag states and classification companies, rewriting existing procedures, and coordinating with our fleet and seafarers. I want to publicly thank Amit and his colleague Dinesh Joshi for their dedication to our compliance with MLC 2006.”
Issue 3 2013
3
L-R: Dinesh Joshi, Amit Kumar and Simon Frank.
“The Convention will hopefully change the situation of seafarers working with lessreputable managers or ship owners. Ship owners and managers that understand the importance of seafarers in their business will, like us, have found they are already delivering on the standards set by MLC 2006. “This isn’t to say the Convention isn’t necessary; by setting a standard for working conditions I think the whole industry shows it has an appetite to offer a better on board environment for all sea staff.” The Convention has set out seafarers’ rights to decent working conditions with the following aspects of on board life and conditions addressed: - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Minimum age Medical certification Qualification of seafarers Seafarer employment agreement Use of recruitment and placement services (manning agencies) Hours of work or rest Manning levels Accommodation On board recreational facilities, Food and catering, Health & safety and accident prevention, On board medical care, On board complaint procedures, and Payment of wages.
True North The Way Forward
Wallem’s on board work and rest hours software system was featured in the Summer 2011 issue of the True North magazine. The software was introduced to quickly and efficiently record the hours at work and rest for seafarers, allowing the captain to safely manage his team. Demanding working hours is one of the issues addressed by MLC and we were proud to already have a system in place to support our seafarers. Recently Wallem has started working with a specialist catering company to consistently deliver a high quality standard for food on board. The article in this issue of True North on page 11 shares more about the advantages to seafarers and their taste buds. Although not addressed by MLC 2006, online communications between ship and shore are now an expected standard for quality crew members. In a highly connected world seafarers do not want to “drop-out” for the length of their contract. In response to the need, Wallem is introducing internet access on board for chatting, emails, and internet browsing.
Social
World Maritime Day in Bangkok.
World Maritime Day in Hamburg.
Wearing our colours for charity It was a sea of red, white and blue at Wallem offices on World Maritime Day, 26 September. We wore the three colours in recognition of our seafarers and in support of the Sailors’ Society fund raising activity to contribute to services for seafarers in need of assistance. Our offices in Hong Kong, Hamburg, Thailand, Singapore, India, China and Japan all wore their best colours and made generous donations of almost USD4,500.
110th anniversary photo competition The winner of the 110th anniversary photo competition of Wallem people at work is Ajit Dixit, Wallem Training Superintendent. His winning photo was taken on the Yangtze Rainbow.
winner
Issue 3 2013
5
Feature
Increasing brewing capacity for a thirsty nation “There’s nothing so lonesome, so drab or so drear, than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer,” or so goes the song from Australian country singing legend Slim Dusty, also made popular in Europe by singer BobbejaanSchoepen.
Brewers in Vietnam are racing to avoid the lonely scene of a dry bar by expanding production to meet rocketing domestic consumption. According to local newspaper Việt Nam News [www.vietnamnews.vn], beer consumption in Vietnam is the highest per capita in South-East Asia, ahead of Thailand and the Philippines in second and third positions respectively. Average annual beer consumption per capita more than doubled in the six years to 2007, and is predicted to reach 45-47 litres in 2015.
The mash tun receives a warm Wallem welcome on its arrival at Ho Chi Minh City from Antwerp. A mash tun is used in the mashing process, converting the starches in the grains into sugars for fermentation.
True North The Way Forward
The wort hopper is loaded onto a barge at Ho Chi Minh City. The wort hopper holds the sugars extracted from the mash tun ready for hops to be added.
The Vietnam Brewery Limited (VBL) in Vietnam plans to keep up with demand with a recent extension to its My Tho facility. VBL is a joint venture between Satra (Saigon Trading Group) and Singapore based APB (Asia Pacific Breweries) which produce brands such as Heineken. Meura S.A. Belgium, a specialist in the engineering, design and manufacture of brewing equipment, provided the new equipment and Wallem’s freight forwarding team in Vietnam was awarded the contract to deliver it for installation. Geert van Doorslaer, Wallem’s Vietnam Freight & Logistics Manager, explained that Wallem arranged the shipment of the containers and oversized units from Antwerp and Shanghai to My Tho.
space and arranging a breakbulk vessel for the packages that could not be containerized,” said Geert, illustrating the advantage of Wallem’s strong agency network in Asia. “All of the cargo was discharged in Ho Chi Minh City for transport by flat and low bed trucks and barges. The barges took the biggest packages via the Mekong River to My Tho Port which is located near the brewery.” In My Tho, Wallem had mobile cranes ready for offloading the cargo and final delivery to the brewery, in addition to cranes for placing the tanks inside the brewery. The brewery plans to have the new equipment in use by the end of the year.
“The shipments from China were arranged through Wallem’s liner team in Shanghai, booking container
News
Cruise calls boosted with Windstar Wallem will now handle more than 400 cruise calls in Asia from the 2014/15 season with the recent addition of Windstar, a luxury cruise ship operator, to our client list. Windstar has purchased three of the smaller 200 person Seabourn vessels from Holland America Line. They have appointed Wallem as port agents for their 20 calls in Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand for their inaugural season in Asia.
Issue 3 2013
7
Feature
Dickson Chin talking on cruise operations in Asia
Asia’s hot cruise potential should be tempered a little At the recent Cruise Shipping Asia Pacific Conference in Singapore, Dickson Chin, a Wallem cruise expert, presented the key advantages and challenges of operating in Asia’s cruise market. For those who missed out on seeing him live, here are some of the key points Dickson made. Asia has just as much to offer cruisers as any other parts of the world, and some would argue more so. One day you could be taking in the Great Wall in Beijing and the next participate in the O-Kunchi festival in Nagasaki, exploring metropolitan Shanghai, enjoying the Hong Kong skyline, comparing the sandy beaches in Sanya, sampling the local Pho (soup noodles in Ho Chi Minh City), visiting Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn in Bangkok) before finishing with shop-till-you-drop in Singapore. All of these activities are within a day’s steaming. Asia has so much to offer in a small area. True North The Way Forward
Asia is not dissimilar to cruising in other parts of the world, especially from a passenger’s perspective. They can experience diverse cultures and heritage, a melting pot of faiths, remarkable architecture, fantastic shopping and amazing food. But Asia is a different environment for cruise lines and service companies. Knowing and addressing some of these differences will help the industry thrive in the region. I will share with you just some of the differences which are at the forefront of cruising in Asia.
Transit port investment Asia will need well developed transit ports to accommodate the growing number of large cruise ships coming to Asia. Many governments in the region have invested heavily in new terminals and infrastructure, including Singapore, Hong Kong and China. These are all marquee destinations and important turnaround ports. However, we must not overlook the importance of transit ports, many of which are in need of investment. For example the terminal in Phuket does not support larger vessels, requiring the use of an anchorage with limited jetty access and transfer by local tender boats. This isn’t necessarily the experience cruisers have signed up for.
Attractive port costs Cruising brings wide economic benefits to local ports with direct investment in the destination. Local tourism organisations can make their port more attractive with revised port costs. Existing port and tug costs can make a destination less desirable to cruise lines. As port agents, Wallem sees many different port tariffs, many of which are outdated or use a formula including the gross tonnage of a vessel. In addition, many local authorities mandate the use of tugs, which are not necessary for modern vessels that are highly maneuverable. Building mutual understanding between cruise companies and the local tourism bodies could make for a beneficial outcome for all.
Tailored products Many cruise lines have turned to Asia, particularly China, for their new source market. As the industry begins to understand the difference in cultures and needs of different passengers, we have seen how cruise companies are adapting their products including shorter itineraries to suit the limited holiday periods of Asian cruisers. Some characteristics of Asian cruise passengers include, they:
3. Want local language support from ship board staff and tour guides as English is often a second language. 4. Require arrangements for taking domestic help on the family holiday. 5. Like opportunities for shopping, particularly big brand names. 6. Are real ‘foodies’. We have seen some cruise lines taking note of the different audiences and adapting the crew nationalities for the Japanese market. There may be advantage in developing two distinct products; one catering for the European cruisers exploring the Far East, and one for Asian cruisers discovering other Asian countries.
Relaxation of travel restrictions To achieve the anticipated growth in cruising in this region, we must have a relaxation of travel restrictions; both for visiting foreigners and for citizens of Asia. Government authorities must work with the cruise lines to provide simple and smooth clearance procedures. For example accepting a ship’s manifest rather than expecting pursers to populate a specific template for each destination, or relaxing timing for when departure clearance can commence.
Expectations for change Whilst the Asian cruise industry looks to the mature cruise markets in the US/Caribbean and Europe for best practices, there are some comparisons which should be tempered. These mature markets have had decades of experience to make improvements on regulations and procedures. This time is very important for an evolution in understanding and adopting changes. It is difficult to simply take what is proven and drop it into another location and expect local governments and people to accept and ‘run with it’; particularly when it is very different to the existing practice. With time, experience and cooperation, Asia can be the lucrative cruise market the industry is looking for.
1. Prefer to avoid the sun. 2. Want to keep busy with lots of entertainment and activities.
Issue 3 2013
9
news
How values can deliver value Marine Buying Services’ Manager Peter Jensen describes how our True North values and culture are alive and well at Wallem, delivering value to staff and clients. The values and culture by which we conduct ourselves have recently been revised and updated to support Wallem’s renewed focus on our people, customer service and sustainable growth. We live and breathe them every day. We do not think of them as a set of company values per se, but they are there, in the way we do business, the way we behave, the things we do and don’t say. They show in how we treat our colleagues, clients, suppliers, in fact all our stakeholders. True North values are not only top management’s but they are owned and lived through all ranks both ashore and at sea. We use them in our dealings with our existing and future clients. Our values are reflected in our behavior at Wallem family gatherings, and at industry meetings.
of Wallem’s culture was a major reason for wanting to join the company.
One reflection of our company values that is less well recognised is in the way we describe ourselves as a company and, even more so, in how we describe our competitors.
I see True North in action every day but a few examples stand out:
It is the True North set of values that allow Wallem people to be proud to be ‘Wallem people’ and I, for one, am very proud indeed to be a Wallem man (I believe the same goes for all of us in Wallem). In fact, my knowledge
True North values are the DNA of the Wallem family and the first time I encountered True North values in action was when I relocated to Hong Kong. The friendliness, efficiency and professionalism of the HR staff was fantastic. I felt extremely welcome and well taken care of by industry professionals. I get the same feeling when I visit Wallem colleagues in other locations, be it Thailand, Singapore, Germany or any other place.
1. I was lucky enough to attend the Wallemmanaged vessel the Challenge Pearl during her dry docking in Antwerp. I was welcomed onboard by Captain V. K. Vijayan, Chief Engineer Nixon Gomes and their team. I was proudly shown around a very well
Takes Ownership Relationships and Communication Driven Understands the Business Ethical and Principled Nurtures and Contributes to Team Spirit Open-Minded, Adaptable and Innovative Results and Quality Focused Time Focused Harnesses Feedback and Seeks Continuous Improvement
True North The Way Forward
The pride of the Challenge Pearl’s crew shines during dry docking. L-R: Chief Engineer Nixon Gomes, Captain V.K. Vijayan and Superintendent Samar Das.
maintained ship that, despite the usual dry dock conversion projects, was very tidy and well organised. The ship’s staff showed a lot of pride in their work, and rightfully so.
Fuel for thought and healthier seafarers
2. The way staff interact with business contacts is a clear demonstration of our True North values and I am particularly proud of the way Marine Buying Services attend to their clients’ needs. We couple highly proactive management of the procurement process with customer satisfaction surveys. These are building strong relationships and mutually beneficial partnerships with our clients as a direct result of this True North attitude. 3. Following a Wallem birthday celebration, Senior Executive Secretary Amy Fong started clearing the terrace of heavy bar stools. A group of superintendents were there, having a technical discussion. They immediately broke off and helped Amy move the stools. They saw that they could help and immediately jumped into action. Instead of Amy taking 30 minutes the terrace was cleared in five. Team work and team spirit – a team that you feel privileged to be a part of. 4. I remember very clearly the efforts of SeaSafe Marine’s Andrew Lemmis in saving the owners of HS Alcina US$35,000 plus five days’ off-hire. His support to colleagues, expertise and intervention were 100% responsible for these savings. One Wallem business unit adding huge value to another to the benefit of our clients, now that really is True North in Action!
As fuel provides the energy for an engine room, so food from the galley provides the energy for the crew. Keeping our seafarers healthy with energy to do their job is the very important role of the chief cook and his team. To support our on board culinary teams, Wallem has recently teamed up with Garrets, a specialist catering manager, to help us more consistently deliver high quality healthy food and hygiene standards, and better meet the needs of crew members’ taste buds and stomachs. Our seafarers will have access to healthy foods, with more control of food quality and menu variety. Our clients save on costs with better inventory management, reduced waste, less cash-to-master, and lower administration costs. In addition, by centralising the catering function, the workload for our on board staff is reduced. The majority of our managed fleet of vessels is now being served by Garrets. Most crew feedback has been positive, for example from the Crown Sapphire: “Yes, I’m satisfied with [the] Garrets service - swift arrangements, good quality of food, prompt and smooth communications and delivery.” Crew are encouraged to regularly discuss their needs with the Garrets team to ensure everyone is well looked after from the galley. Regular communications between Wallem crew and Garrets will ensure our seafarers enjoy the full benefits of working with a catering management service. We will improve training for the cooks so that in the long term crew will continue to enjoy a variety of high quality food, regardless of the ship or trading pattern, and a reduced administrative workload.
Issue 3 2013
11
news
Off the hook – Is this the end of lifeboat accidents? Wallem’s in-house lifeboat expert Andrew Lemmis says there’s opportunity for ship owners in the new on-load hook regulations – if they act now. On-load lifeboat hooks continue to be bittersweet equipment for the shipping industry, with so much potential to save lives, and yet they remain a source of accidents for seafarers during drills and emergencies. New IMO regulations which came into force in 2013 offer some promise to sea staff of safer, simpler and more durable life-saving equipment. After many years of discussion the IMO agreed new amendments to the Life-Saving Appliances (LSA) Code, setting clear standards for the design, testing and operation of onload release hooks. The amendments are retrospective – all ships’ lifeboat on-load release hooks must comply. Despite an initial investment, non-compliant hooks are actually an opportunity for ship owners to standardise the hooks on all their vessels. Ship owners can select the best hook system based on ease of use, simplicity of operation and maintenance, and of course reliability. Seafarers can use the same equipment on all ships, reducing potential for confusion or accidents during an emergency. Shore and vessel training can be streamlined, and spare parts can be purchased in bulk. Any manufacturer’s compliant hook type can be fitted to any maker’s boat type; they do not have to be from the same maker. Updates to the SOLAS regulation requires any non-compliant on-load release mechanisms to be replaced or modified no later than the first
True North The Way Forward
scheduled dry-docking of the ship after 1 July 2014, but no later than 1 July 2019. Lifeboat hook manufacturers had until 1 July 2013 to evaluate their product range for compliance with the new LSA Code and then pass a cyclic testing regime. The exercise identified if existing hook systems were/are compliant, non-compliant, or compliant after modification. The lists of products in each of these categories are available on the IMO website. The deadline for corrective action based on compliance is mid-2019, despite the new LSA Code coming into force this year. New vessels must be compliant from 1 July 2014, and ships currently in service are not required to be compliant until the “first scheduled dry dock on or after 1 July 2014, but in any event, not later than 1 July 2019”. Manufacturers and flag states were required to evaluate existing systems by July 2013 and, while this may result in prompt modification or replacement, replacement only needs to be made prior to the July 2019 deadline. This situation has prompted some concern within the shipping industry. The Britannia P&I Club recently acknowledged that, while the promulgation of MSC.1/Circ.1392 and MSC.1/Circ.1393 “are considered a positive achievement… it is evident that many ships will continue to sail with existing systems… and that for many seafarers’ continued alertness, care and precautions will be necessary”. In addition to the need for on board safety, limited resources in class societies and installation opportunities should be reason enough for ship owners and vessel operators to act now to change non-compliant equipment.
Complete hook replacements are best suited to a dry dock job. They need to be evaluated and approved by class to maintain the lifeboat type approval certificate. Resources within the class societies are insufficient to cope with the plan review and approval demand. Approvals have been known to vary from weeks to a few months, depending on the work load, potentially closing the window of the dry docking period. For the lifeboat hooks that are listed as compliant after modification, a specific makers’ modification kit can be installed. After a follow-up evaluation has been performed a compliance statement can be issued. Depending on the particular hook types, modification kits can be as simple as fitting a spring, or more complex, by replacing cam levers and release handle units. In almost all cases modification kits can be fitted without the need to remove the boats from the davits (as long a provision for hanging-off exists) so can be performed during a port stay during an annual inspection. SeaSafe Marine (Wallem’s in-house Independent Lifeboat Servicing & Testing Organisation) has already
identified each vessel in the combined Wallem fleets with lifeboats affected by the new regulation and cross checked the installed hooks against the IMO database. As service representatives of the majority of the lifeboat makers with equipment in the Wallem fleets, SeaSafe Marine has evaluated the different hook systems available, providing recommendations on the most suitable hooks to superintendents when full system replacements are necessary. SeaSafe Marine staff ensure all approvals, new boat/ hook arrangement drawings and installation plans are prepared in advance of any hook retro-fit, making for a smooth and simple exercise. Issues will arise once 1 July 2014 arrives and vessels commence scheduled dockings and ship owners discover they have to replace non-compliant hook systems before the vessel leaves the yard. Hook manufacturer lead times, availability of service engineers, drawing approvals and so on may all provide delay. Ship owners and operators should act now to improve on board safety and standardise their on-load release hook systems.
Issue 3 2013
13
People
Staff work together to bring relief during flooding On the morning of 19 August 2013, Metro Manila woke up to an accumulated rainfall of 450 millimetres. The torrential downpour, worsened by Typhoon Maring (international name Trami) crippled Metro Manila and nearby provinces. The next day Wallem’s Philippines-based staff distributed 331 sleeping mats to evacuees who had sought shelter in St. Domingo Church, Quezon Avenue. With financial support from Wallem Group, the local teams organised relief operations in Tinajeros, Malabon, which is one metre below sea level, and a frequent flooding casualty.
Officers, staff, crew, and cadets packed 300 bags of food and medicine for distribution to residents of Malabon from the Tinajeros Elementary School, where many residents had fled to at the height of flooding. Women of Wallem (WoW) members in Manila also prepared 200 bags for distribution to registered families in the area. We also recognise the support of Morelia Tours & Travel for providing transport services during the relief effort.
Asia-smart Wallem attends Breakbulk conference in Americas For the first time staff from the Wallem Group attended the recent Breakbulk Americas conference in New Orleans. Denzyl Allwright, Ship Broking General Manager China, and Dickson Chin, Indo-China Managing Director, introduced the Group’s diverse maritime solutions to potential new clients and partners.
investigate new resources in the region too,” said Denzyl. Wallem will also be attending the Breakbulk China conference in Shanghai in March 2014.
“We were unexpected there – many were pleasantly surprised to see an ‘Asia-smart’ company visiting the Americas conference,” said Dickson, “and it was a good opportunity for us to introduce our unique service offering.” “We had the opportunity to meet with some key people that we may have never had the chance to, and we have been able to
True North The Way Forward
Dickson Chin and Denzyl Allwright attended the Breakbulk Americas conference.
Capt Karan at Khardung La
Capt Karan and his travelling friends
Adventure drive fulfils captain’s dream Wallem ship captain and driving adventurer Captain Karan along with four seafaring friends fulfilled a dream of driving across India on a 10,000 kilometre journey crossing some of the world’s highest motorable passes. Here Captain Karan shares some highlights of their dream adventure. On 15 August it was snowing lightly as I unfurled the Wallem banner at 18,000 ft above sea level, atop Khardung La (La being the Tibetan word for pass)– the highest motorable pass in the world. I had achieved a long standing dream – to drive across my country. Along with four seafaring friends I had set out on the road trip 11 days earlier. Our dream was to drive from Chennai to Leh, Ladakh and back, a three week journey of nearly 10,000 km across India. Our sea training helped us prepare for the trip. I packed paper charts as a back-up in case the GPS failed. The maps came in handy in the blind sectors and in Kashmir where there was limited GPS coverage. No life journey is smooth and within our first day of driving when nearing Pune two of our tyres blew out and were ripped. At a nearby service station we got new tyres and two spares. On our drive we stopped in Delhi and Chandigarh, visiting our local Wallem colleagues.
justice to the beauty of the place. On the three day drive we travelled through three of the highest motorable passes in the world including Khardung La. We had to turn back after a near miss with a landslide at Khardung La. We alerted the army and other vehicles to prevent a pile up. It took nearly two hours to clear the road. Once we were on our way again we were faced with navigating the descent which included treacherous curves with very poor visibility in sub-zero temperatures. Danger was never far, and when stopping due to poor visibility while driving towards Pathankot, about 270 km north west of Leh, we inspected the road ahead and to our shock about half a kilometre of the road ahead had caved in. At the end of 19 days we had covered 9600 km. Tired but charged up, on 18 August I returned to Chennai.
Six hours drive north of Chandigarh is the town of Manali, the Himalayan lower range, where the driving adventure really began. Due to the ascent and the poor quality of the roads, we were limited to an average speed of 20 km/hr. Driving at night was banned because of frequent landslides and poor visibility. We lost mobile signal for two days.
I dedicated the trip to the three ideals of Wallem – Fun, Passion and Pride, all of which we had in good measure during our trip. Thank you to my colleagues at Wallem, friends and family for all the support, wishes and encouragement without which this trip would not have been possible.
On the drive from Manali to our next destination Leh, the landscape was so scenic. Our photos do not do
For more details of the trip check our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Captainslehdream Issue 3 2013
15
People
Commercial operator benefits from on board experience Commercial Operator Kenneth Cheng shares with us his opportunity to sail from Kaohsiung in Taiwan to Shanghai, China on the Pine 1, a vessel technically and commercially managed by Wallem. My first day on board the Pine 1 was exciting as I witnessed the loading and discharging of logs and containers and the crew using lashing gear to secure the containers. I had a warm welcome from Captain Kandala Channappaa Sudeesh and his crew who were generous with their time explaining the systems they used during the two-day voyage from Kaohsiung to Shanghai. The daily routine for the crew was busy with sea staff inspecting the lashings and checking the cargo was secure in the cargo hold, and watch keeping and radar monitoring throughout the passage. I was also quite impressed by the cooking on board as I enjoyed meals with the crew.
Kenneth Cheng and Captain Kandala Channappaa Sudeesh
MV Pine 1 is a multipurpose tween decker, deadweight 34,037 MT and built in 2011. She is currently on period charter for liner trading in Asia and Australia. Once we berthed and the documents handed over, the crew immediately started the discharging process. The crew also had to carry out some modifications to the crane blocks from six in the morning through the afternoon. I was impressed by the handling of the operation by the captain and his crew. The visit was a very good experience and an opportunity to observe the real life operation of one of our vessels. As a commercial operator, I handle the vessel from the office by email and telephone. Being on the vessel during the operations gave me a better insight and understanding as to how the vessel actually works and I increased my respect for our seafarers. The experience will definitely help me to improve my communication with our captains and my daily work.
Farewell to our friend and colleague Jim Nelson passed away peacefully at his family home in Scotland on 21 July after a courageous battle with cancer. Everyone at Wallem will remember Jim for his larger than life character and humour. In his daily work his passion for shipping and his staunch support for seafarers and their welfare were undeniable. Jim ably led Wallem Ship Management through some of the toughest financial years in the maritime industry and was highly regarded by our partners and clients as well as our staff. The Wallem Group extends our deepest sympathies to his family and friends.
True North The Way Forward
Long service awards Congratulations and thank you to our seafarers who have achieved a milestone year of continuous service in 2013. All of us at Wallem and our customers are very grateful for your loyalty and commitment.
35 Years Supt
Castelino Damian P
30 Years Captain
Ahmed Intikhab
3/Eng
Fernandes Joasinho S
25 Years
20 Years Captain
Aksonov Andriy
Motman
Arapoc Alfredo O
6EF
Bandyopadhyay Santanu
C/Off
Bhattacharyya Rabisankar
Captain
Biswas Subir
Motman
Bongon Vicente B
C/Eng
Borthwick Frank Joseph
Captain
Bose Bappaditya
Motman
Buenavista Manuel L
C/Cook
Cadena Elvis B
CPO/Bsn
Carvalho Sunil S
6EF
Chakraborty Nirmal
Bosun
Conje Ricky Z
AB
Del Prado Rolando S
Bosun
Del Rosario Fernando O
Bosun
Delos Reyes Rey A
Motman
Eraldo John C
PCO
Fernandes Amaro J
PCO
Fernandes William A
Bosun
Fontanilla Jaime G
6EF
Alekar Saeed A
Captain
Bulsara Cyrus J
Captain
Goel Rajeev
GP AB
Fulbaria Himat B
6EF
Jadhav Bhalchandra K
CPO/Bsn
Gade Vinod R
E/Eng
Pokhriyal Surendra Prasad S
C/Eng
George Roy
Bosun
Gustilo Nestor N
CPO/Bsn
Poovali Kooneri Sivadasan
Bosun
Hidalgo Nove C
C/Off
Sarkar Suryadeb
Captain
Jain Peeyush
Captain
Jha Sudhir K
Captain
Sengupta Krishnendu
Captain
Khan Ajmal
C/Eng
Singh Yogendra
2/Eng
Khan Ghaus A
6EF
Tandel Kirankumar K
Motman
Lopez Marcelino C
AB
Mahait Manuel F
E/Eng
Mahapatra Jagadish C
Motman
Marchan Nelson Jr. A
Issue 3 2013
17
20 Years 6EF
Marinda Edwin M
Eng Ftr
Geraldoy Silbino G
AB
Monaya Agustino N
6EF
Ghuman Kuldip S
GP AB
Mungekar Sujit V
C/Eng
Gill Tejinder S
Captain
Nazarenko Mykhailo
6EF
Hussain Mohammad A
Bosun
Ocampo Rodolfo T
Motman
Iligan Lito E
PCO
Protacio Rossval P
C/Eng
Kashyap Vikas
Bosun
Puyos Eulito S
C/Off
Lodha Nirmal
Motman
Reyes Florencio R
Pman
Manlangit Mauricio C
3/Eng
Sargunam Manuelson M
Captain
Nazarenko Mykhailo
3/Eng
Sharma Kailash C
C/Eng
Nelapati Lakshminarayana
Captain
Singh Jasmohan
Motman
Orario Ramil C
GP AB
Tandel Jagdishkumar B
Pman
Pablico Edward G
GP AB
Tandel Karsanbhai L
GP AB
Patel Dineshkumar S
GP Mtm
Tandel Nileshkumar R
Captain
Patnaik Amit
Captain
Thapliyal Narendra
Bosun
Perena Crisol F
Bosun
Velasco Alexander M
C/Eng
Praveen Ashok
Eng Ftr
Ventura Jr. Guillermo B
Bosun
Pucan Alfredo C
C/Eng
Radhakrishnan Rajesh
Captain
Rana Mohammad S
Captain
Rawat Shailendra
CPO/Bsn
Rego Robotson
C/Eng
Sahoo Pravakar
6EF
Saini Gurdip Singh Bachan Singh
15 Years Mman
Abiera Wenceslao F
Captain
Aksonov Andriy
AB
Bernaldez Rey R
2/Off
Biswas Md Abdul Wassay
6EF
Sanyal Pinaki
Bosun
Cabasisi Renato R
3/O Add
Shah Sajjad A
Motman
Cadenas Henry S
Captain
Sharma Sanjiv K
6EF
Cardoso Constantino I A M
Bosun
Shinde Santosh J
GP Mtm
Chakraborty Asish
Bosun
Soares Mildone A
Motman
Cidro Antonio C
C/Eng
Sundaram Sukumar
Bosun
Delos Santos Reymar P
GP AB
Tandel Hiteshkumar J
AB
Dichos Renilo B
M/T Os
Tandel Kishanbhai L
AB
Dizon Noel A
CPO/Bsn
Tandel Rajeshkumar J
Motman
Dubal Mario D
Captain
Thandavasamy Muruganandam
Motman
Esconebra Jose S
Wiper
Toquero Alfredo Jr A
6EF
Gaur Subhas P
C/Eng
Vaidyan Indrajit P
True North The Way Forward
10 Years AB
Abulog Manuel L
Bosun
Agbuya Ernesto A
Bosun
Agbuya Manuel A
Motman
Agligar Arnold L
Motman
Alarcon Limwel P
AB
Arorong Christopher H
CPO/Bsn
Baba Sattar E
Captain
Bandaru Vara P
GP AB
Baria Dilipkumar V
Motman
Basco Alberto S
GP AB
Kazi Mukhtar H
Motman
Rotor Danilo L
GP AB
Kottilamgad Veedu Ganesh Babu
C/Cook
Salas Ronnie S
Captain
Kriukov Vadym
Motman
Sanchez Ariel B
GP Os
Kuppli Krishna
GP AB
Shaw Ramchandra
AB
Laxamana Brando M
Captain
Shumyeyev Mykhaylo
C/Off
Shynkarenko Iurii
2/Off
Laxmansinghsulakhan Singh
GP AB
Singh Kulpreet
AB
Litvin Yakov
GP AB
Solanki Bhaidas B
Captain
Liu Yong Shun
C/Eng
Su Bao
Lopez Mark Gil Anthony D
Captain
Motman
Sun Jian Ju
GP Mtm
Suresh Ram
2/Eng
Mangattu Vasudevan Vinod
GP AB
Tandel Bhaveshkumar B
3/Off
Marquez Eric D
GP Mtm
Tandel Nitinkumar K
3/Off
Beldoa Richel J
2/Eng
Bhowmick Suman
AB
Caacbay Potenciano Jr L
Motman
Catequista Gerardo J
GP AB
Mhate Parwez I
GP AB
Tandel Rajukumar J
Motman
Cruz Dino M
2/Eng
Midhun Roy
GP AB
Tandel Rohitkumar R
C/Eng
Das Anupam
3/Eng
Mitchelina Alan J
GP Mtm
Tandel Sunilkumar B
GP AB
Dason Villavarayer Raj
Motman
Monje Eddie S
AB
Tello Warren K
GP Stwd
D'costa Anthony
Captain
Mostafa Kawsar
GP Mtm
Thomas Subash P
CPO/Bsn
Dhomne Surender A
6EF
Dizon Journald G
GP Stwd
Mukthiyar Kondakoor Mohammed
GP Os
Tokrawala Shaileshkumar B
Motman
Dizon Romel F
Captain
Nair Sudhir K
AB
Tolones Jimmy S
GP Os
Dumpa Dharma R
2/Eng
AB
Ureta Ireneo T
2/Cook
Enderiz Fernando S
Narasimharaghavan Devarajan
Eslapor Ryan Archie E
Nazarenko Ievgenii
AB
3/Off
Captain
Valcos Ferdinand Martin A
GP Stwd
Fernandes Gliton B
C/Off
Negi Vijay D
Bosun
Vellayikkode Jithesh C
CPO/Bsn
Ferrao Dominic J
3/Off
Pajarilla Bernard T
Mman
Vilar Marvin G
AB
Finalla Lorenzo Jr. G
AB
Palmos Ryan M
C/Eng
Wu Tong
6EF
Garcia Mario D
C/Cook
Paringit Sonny R
C/Off
Yadava Rajesh
PCO
Gomes John S
Motman
Parungao Christopher John P
Motman
Hondrade Leo J
GP Mtm
Patrick Prasanna
Motman
Infantado Felix S
GP Mtm
Pereira Provind M
C/Off
Jha Shashi Bhushan
E/Eng
Potti Naicker Subburaj
GP Mtm
Kapadia Verendrakumar K
R/Eng
Pugachev Andrey
2/Off
Kasyanovskiy Pavel
AB
Querubin Hermelino B
CPO/Bsn
Kazi Abdul M
E/Eng
Rawat Ashok S
Issue 3 2013
19
Headquarters (Hong Kong) T +852 2876 8888 E group@wallem.com Ship Management & technical services T +852 2876 8200 E wsmhk@wallem.com Ship Agencies & logistics T +852 2876 8500 E wshk@wallem.com Commercial Services & ShipBroking T +852 2876 8800 E wcshk@wallem.com Innovative Solutions T +852 2876 8050 E wishk@wallem.com
Delivering Maritime Solutions www.wallem.com