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IForeword
Dear ISSA Colleagues and Maritime Friends:
t is a great pleasure for me to welcome you to the first edition of The Ship Supplier magazine in 2018 and, of course, the first edition of my term as ISSA President.
We all had such fun in Athens last November and I hope it whetted your appetite to join the ISSA Family at our 63rd ISSA Convention & Trade Exhibition in Istanbul, Turkey on 23rd and 24th November later this year.
Planning is well under way for our premier annual event and all you need do to keep up to date with all the information is visit www.shipsupply.org and click on the prominent banner at the top of the page. That will take you straight to the dedicated Convention web site.
I am pleased to say your ISSA Executive Board met in Istanbul for 2 days hard work earlier this month. We had a very full Agenda and I set before the Board my vision for ISSA going forward.
There are two key points I want to share with you because they will be of great significance to our industry in the coming months and years.
The first is the impact that e-commerce is going to have in the maritime business. Although slow to start, more and more we are finding the industry is embracing e-commerce and the efficiencies and costsavings that it brings.
My message to ship suppliers is: please be alert to this and ready your businesses for its arrival and expansion.
The second point I want to highlight to you is that ship operators (both owners and managers) together with service providers need to plan mergers (and acquisitions!) for future cost-cutting and effective management of their operations.
to be alive to the change e-commerce will bring and we are now actively viewing how ISSA can help members (and the wider maritime community) to take advantage of the latest technical developments in this exciting area.
As for the second: my message is to keep a watch on these mergers and acquisitions because – for certain –such moves will impact ISSA Members significantly.
At the start of my 3 year term serving as your President I do want to pay tribute to my predecessor (Abdul Hameed Hajah) and for the huge amount of legacy work he undertook to such great effect during his Presidency. This was vital and he devoted an enormous amount of time and effort to placing ISSA on an even keel and handing over a ship that was spic and span to me.
There are a number of initiatives myself and the Board are planning and will be laying before Assembly in due course before rolling them out to you.
One of these is to establish “The Day of the Shipsupplier” every year on our Founding Day in October. This idea came from a Member in Brazil and was warmly received by the ISSA Board. Exact details will be worked out and communicated to Members and the wider maritime world in due course.
Our friends in China always wish us to live in interesting times and I can assure you the future looks very interesting from where I am viewing it.
I much look forward to sharing it with you.
For now, as is the ISSA tradition, I wish you all continuing success in the always exciting world of ship supply.
You can keep up to date with the latest news on the ISSA website at www.shipsupply.org and send in your comments and views to the ISSA Secretariat either by phone on +44 (0)20 7626 6236; Fax +44 (0)20 7626 6234 or alternatively email secretariat@shipsupply.org
On the first subject I am pleased to say the ISSA Executive Board proved
Saeed al Malik ISSA President
Greece
New Government measures could increase ship supply
The total turnover of the ship supply sector in Greece last year was €260 million but this could be nearly doubled if the right Government measures are put in place according to Nikolaos Mavrikos, President of the Hellenic Association of Ship Suppliers & Exporters.
“It could extend to €500 million if our requests to the Ministry of Finance, with regard to widening tax exemptions, and removing bureaucratic obstacles according to European standards were fully satisfied in due time,” he told TSS.
He added: “Our members contribute to the employment rate of the country, if we take into consideration that 118 ship suppliers employ about 1,500 people.”
One of the biggest issues facing Greek ship suppliers is the economic framework and the problems this presents. Since 2009 there has been no banking system and so Greek suppliers have to finance themselves – not just with the cost of products but with operating expenses since Greek companies usually have 60 days to pay.
Mr Mavrikos said competition was also another huge issue for Greek suppliers – not just with themselves but with nearby countries.
“Competition is fierce taking into account that, in the Mediterranean zone, there are many harbours where ships can easily find the necessary supplies. So, every day it is compared to the quality, price and the response on behalf of the managers, ship owners and captains. It also works in an unequal procedural and tax-business environment compared to that of the supply of other suppliers in the Mediterranean basin, for example Spain, Italy, Turkey, Israel and Egypt because of the high taxation in Greece.”
However, despite financial issues, members of the Hellenic Association of Ship Suppliers & Exporters – unlike their counterparts in many other countries – do not face problems with late payments. “To protect them from bad payers, we provide without any cost to our members insolvency notification services to logistics companies-members following the contract concluded with Tiresias.”
Despite all the difficulties encountered by Greek ship suppliers, Mr Mavrikos said Greek ship suppliers are managing to survive,
In the last three years the Association has started a joint effort with the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Panhellenic Exporters Association in cooperation with the Customs Directorate General for reducing bureaucracy.
Customs administration is also engaged in the revision of ship supplying procedures in order to harmonise them with the new provisions of the Unions Custom Code.
Mr Mavrikos said they had already seen some results such as the reduction of customs guarantees and the appointment of a working group dealing with the institutional framework regarding ship supplies.
“Our Association will keep on trying to solve various problems that arise in the field of supplying as well as to simplify procedures and generally to carry out various actions to assist the development of logistics,” he said. u
Turkish Association elects new Board members Turkey
TURSSA, the Turkey Ship Suppliers Association, held its sixth General Meeting in December, where five Board members were elected for the next three years.
They are Adem Simsek, Osman Bilgin, Hakan Dogan Kayali and Zihni Memisoglu, with George Saris, as President.
TURSSA has 32 active members and its Board meets every month with the participation of five reserve board members so as to create brain-storming and synergy on various matters.
The Association will be organising and hosting the 63rd ISSA Convention & Exhibition in Istanbul.
President George Saris said: “We believe it would be so impressive and influential with support of our members.” u
UK Stability for UK market
Green shoots are appearing in the UK ship supply market following the global downturn in the shipping industry, according to the British Association of Ship Suppliers (BASS).
Chairman Bob Blake said the market appeared to have improved in 2017, after a serious downturn in 2016, and many factors have had a bearing on this situation.
“All members of BASS are positive that business volume will continue to increase,” he said.
Mr Blake added that the general ship
supply market seemed to be somewhat inconsistent at the moment with companies experiencing some busy months and some quiet months. However, both the ferry and cruise businesses seem to remain strong and, over the next few years, new cruise tonnage is expected to come on stream.
He added that business had stabilised after the upheaval of the oil prices in the last few years and new wind farms on the east coast would bring new business opportunities towards the end of the year.
“There are many challenges being experienced in the shipping industry at the moment from costings to credit control,” said Mr Blake. “Pricing is always a factor. Ship suppliers’ margins are constantly being pushed as lower prices and strong competition become a major factor whilst at the same time operating costs are rising.”
Certain owners and managers are also seriously delaying payment due to the fact they are not receiving prompt payment from their charterers, he said, and credit control has to be very stringently managed.
Another issue facing suppliers is the volatility of the currency market between the Euro and Sterling and this, Mr Blake said, would no doubt continue to be the case until everything calms down after Brexit.
Speaking about the Association, Mr Blake said it was going strong and appeared to be gaining momentum after a long period of company consolidation.
“However, we continue to be proactive in securing new members,” he said.
BASS will hold its AGM and Luncheon on 12th June onboard HMS Wellington in London. u
Smoother sailing with
Nano acrylate technology
By Henrik Dyrholm, Global Product Manager, Hempel
Faced with increasing bunker prices and oversupply of tonnage, slow steaming has been widely adopted across the industry. This has the bonus of reducing shipping emissions because less fuel is consumed, but the slower movement of the hull through the water allows fouling to grow faster and has serious implications for vessel efficiency.
Just moderate fouling can cause a speed reduction of between 10% and 18%, which then leads to increased fuel consumption as the ship works to maintain its desired speed and counter the increased frictional drag caused by the biological growth. The increased consumption means a greater volume of greenhouse gases and other emissions are produced, cancelling out the initial environmental benefits of slow steaming.
A hydrodynamic ship moves through the water with little resistance and drag, going further on less fuel, as a result - modern hull coatings aim to reduce fouling and to make the hull surface as smooth as possible, reducing hydrodynamic drag and preventing the build-up of marine organisms.
The intensity of fouling depends on a range of factors including the water temperature, nutrients, light, and the vessel speed. Algae growth is very dependent on light and will typically settle on the vertical sides of the ship, where it’s closer to the waterline, while barnacles and tubeworms are more likely to attach to any cavities and the flat bottom.
More biocide will be
needed at the surface when the vessel is sailing in warm waters with higher levels of nutrients (closer to the shore), sailing at low speeds or even idle, when growth will be faster.
The performance of antifouling coating solutions depends on several factors. The types and concentrations of the active ingredients used (the biocides) and the speed of surface polishing of the paint.
A stable polishing rate is essential for an antifouling coating to perform over a prolonged period of time and means the active ingredients can be released at a constant speed thereby providing constant surface concentrations. The higher the fouling pressure, the higher the required amount of active ingredients at the coating surface.
Hempel’s newest series in the Globic range (9500 Series) – which includes Globic 9500M (Maintenance) and Globic 9500S (Static) – is the latest development in high performance antifouling protection. Its strength is its patented Nano acrylate technology which provides a fine polishing control mechanism to bring the integral biocides to the surface at a stable rate ensuring a clean hull.
Globic coatings incorporate specially designed wateractivated Nano acrylate technology that uses nano capsules to control polishing. When the seawater comes into contact
with the nano capsules, it penetrates the hydrophobic outer shell. The hydrophilic inner core chemically hydrolyses and then expands which breaks through the outer shell, delivering controlled polishing.
The Nano acrylate technology provides immediate antifouling protection without the need for water friction. Consistent self-polishing and a constantly thin leach layer deliver a uniform biocide release for the entire docking period. In addition, special microfibres incorporated into the paint reinforce the binder, providing a skeleton effect that gives the coating enhanced mechanical strength and makes it more resistant to cracking.
Globic 9500S is particularly effective at repelling the barnacles that are often observed after the long outfitting periods during newbuilding and both products offer improved colour retention during newbuilding and service, and faster drying compared to previous versions of the Globic family.
Globic 9500M is built with a wide spectrum of protection against slime and algae.
Overall, the range offers a maximum speed loss of just 2.5%, delivering significant fuel savings, improving the vessel efficiency, with lower carbon emissions contributing to a smaller environmental footprint. u
“
A hydrodynamic ship moves through the water with little resistance and drag, going further on less fuel, as a result - modern hull coatings aim to reduce fouling and to make the hull surface as smooth as possible, reducing hydrodynamic drag and preventing the build-up of marine organisms ”
New solution lights the way in hull protection
For years ultraviolet (UV) light has been used as a steriliser in drinking water treatment, swimming pools, aquariums and, more recently, in ballast water management.
Now, it could soon be coating the hulls of vessels as paints and coatings manufacturer AkzoNobel looks to develop a revolutionary fully biocide-free solution which, it says, could be a game-changer in the sector.
Finding new ways to protect ships’ hulls, while at the same time increasing the economic and environmental benefit, is a challenge for many manufacturers and with cost-optimisation key, owners and managers want solutions that provide efficiency in both fuel and downtime.
AkzoNobel’s approach is based on the use of UV light which is known to have a sterilising effect on biological organisms.
The solution teams up AkzoNobel’s know-how in surface protection with technology developed by Royal Philips, which offers expertise in UV-LED lighting and electronics.
The two companies met for the first time at the 2014 International Congress on Marine Corrosion and Fouling (ICMCF) where both gave keynote speeches on fouling control.
However, AkzoNobel’s Fouling Control team picked up on Philips’ UV-C technology activities just before as a result of its continuous technology scouting. Following ICMCF, AkzoNobel and Philips remained in touch and a formal relationship was formed in 2017. Half way through last year, AkzoNobel started on the development of the solution using the underlying Philips UV-C technology and IP (intellectual property).
“The technology is based upon a flexible, waterproof and optically transparent silicone laminate tile which can be applied over existing anticorrosive primer schemes,” explained Lokesh Dhamjia, Marketing Specialist Manager, Marine Coatings at AkzoNobel.
The technology concept integrates UV light-emitting diodes in a protective coating scheme in such a way that allows for the UV light to be emitted from the coating surface, providing the total prevention of biofouling accumulation on the surface of the protected area. The system is completely free of biocides and uses low intensity LEDs.”
AkzoNobel says the total control of biofouling represents a substantial economic and environmental benefit and, when realised, the impact of the new technology on vessel owners and operators will be significant.
“In our Sustainable Fouling Control initiative, we actively explore and develop alternatives to biocidal-based solutions,” said Oscar Wezenbeek, Director of AkzoNobel Marine and Protective Coatings.
“This development is great proof of our continuous focus on delivering eco-friendly solutions to our customers.”
AkzoNobel says it is the only coatings manufacturer using the specific patented technology and once it is launched to market it will be suitable for use on all ships, yachts and offshore assets.
Sustainable coatings have been developed by AkzoNobel since it introduced the industry’s first biocide-free antifouling coating, Intersleek, in 1996 which, it is said, has since helped ship owners to save over $3 billion of fuel and 32 million tons of CO2 and continues to be a popular choice.
Klaas Kruithof, AkzoNobel’s Chief Technology Officer, said: “In our quest to not only protect and colour, but also functionalise surfaces, we actively look for complementary technologies and partners to innovate with. In this case, the combined capabilities and technology of Royal Philips and AkzoNobel will enable us to accelerate the realisation of this transformative innovation, which we intend to initially market ourselves and consider licensing out to third parties for large-scale adoption.”
Mr Dhamjia added: “This technology affords a step-change in vessel performance beyond any currently available solution. The first results demonstrate proof of concept (total fouling prevention) whereby test panels have been shown to remain completely free of any accumulated fouling growth.”
There are also demands from some owners for coatings that perform in particular climates. For instance, those that are for use in polar waters and comply with the IMP Polar Code requirements which came into force just over a year ago.
The Polar Code recommends abrasion resistant, low friction coatings to vessels operating in ice conditions.
Belgian coatings company Subsea Industries was recently chosen for two newbuild projects at Turkish shipyards for its specialist Ecospeed hull coating and Ecoshield rudder protection coating which were applied to a shall-draught AHTS (anchor handling tug and supply) vessel and an oil tanker.
The AHTS owner was said to have chosen Ecospeed because of its proven performance in polar waters. The 65m Ice Class 1A vessel will operate in the ecologically-sensitive Arctic region.
Ecospeed is certified for ice-going ships and is one of only a few such coatings which allows the thickness of the steel of the ice belt to be reduced when a certified coating is applied which gives a significant benefit during newbuild projects.
“There is a risk that conventional anti-fouling paints can degrade quickly in polar ice, leach chemicals or leave paint fragments behind when the ice impacts damage the coating.
There is no such risk with a hard-type coating,” said Manuel Hof, Production Executive, Subsea Industries.
He said British Antarctic Survey ships RRS Ernest Shackleton, RRS James Clark and HMS Protector had all been coated with Subsea Industries’ products and the newbuild research vessel, RRS Sir David Attenborough – the biggest commercial shipbuilding contract in Britain for 30 years - was also having its coatings applied.
“Many other successful applications on ice going hulls have shown that our coating can withstand the impact of ice for many years on end, proving its superior strength and durability,” said Mr Hof.
Ecospeed is applied in two layers on 500µm each, which offers a major advantage compared with other hull coatings as some antifouling coating systems, including some of the newer silicone-based ones, can easily involve application of four, five or even more layers.
“Ecospeed offers considerable advantages at both the newbuild stage and during drydocking,” said Mr Hof. “The ease and speed of application, and the flexibility of overcoating times, mean that coating can be scheduled around the numerous other work that takes place in drydock, rather than interfering with other tasks. This was found to be a significant benefit for the two Turkish shipyards.”
He added: The amount of time many ships spend in drydock is directly related to (re)painting the underwater hull. When this can be taken out of the equation for the choice of location and season for drydocking, then the story becomes a lot easier for superintendents, for the shipyards, for everybody involved.”
But it is not only cold temperatures where antifouling coatings need to be chosen carefully. As global water temperatures increase, global ‘biofouling hotspots’ in subtropical and tropical areas are intensifying, exposing newbuildings at the world’s major shipyards to greater risk of hard fouling during the outfitting process. The effects of intense hard fouling on idle newbuilds can have great impact on a newly applied hull coating and on a vessel’s performance in sea trials.
In response to the problem, a new antifouling coating specifically targeting hard biofouling prevention during the outfitting period was recently brought to market by Danish marine coatings specialist Hempel.
GLOBIC 9500S includes the antifouling ingredient Selektope as part of its ‘smart biocide package’ that delivers boosted static performance against hard fouling for ships with extended idle periods.
Philip Chaabane, CEO at I-Tech, the Swedish biotechnology company behind the development of Selektope, said: “Our product is boosting the performance of sophisticated antifouling systems under harsh fouling conditions, such as those experienced during outfitting at shipyards in South Korea. Selektope is clearly adding value to the coatings products that the major coating manufacturers offer.”
Selektope is an organic, non-metal compound that repels barnacle settlement on ships’ hulls by temporarily stimulating the barnacle larvae’s swimming behaviour. u
From the Buyer’s Desk
‘Maritime Amazon’ set to shake up ship supply
ASingapore-based ship supplier has unveiled a new procurement platform which has been branded a ‘maritime Amazon’ and, it is said, will shake up the business of marine purchasing.
Moscord’s new platform connects buyers and suppliers in an online community and is said to provide simplified purchasing and pre-priced logistics fulfilment. It gives ship owners and managers the opportunity to embrace transparent, data-driven purchasing.
Future development plans include integrating blockchain technology into the platform for credit and supply chain management, as well as dual pricing structures for conventional and 3-D printed component ends.
The company has already proven its concept with Singaporebased ship managers Berge Bulk and MMS and has several other buyers under implementation. It has signed contracts with suppliers including VIKING Life-Saving Equipment, RS Components, Gemu and MedSupply with others set to come onto the platform. Deals have also been signed with GAC, Steder Group and SG Shipping to provide consolidated delivery of orders.
Moscord founder Freddy Ingemann said: “Moscord represents a major evolutionary step in the maritime industry’s
purchasing supply chain, bringing a new approach to a process that has been crying out for change.
“By combining data management, contract pricing fulfilment and logistics, Moscord can improve product quality and buyers can deal direct with suppliers, cutting costs and time that the middlemen in the market currently add to the process.”
Buyers do not pay to use Moscord, which can be integrated into any shipboard purchasing system and all prices on the marketplace include last mile logistics services including delivery to the ship’s or buyer’s own hub. The platform has been 18 months in development .
Mr Ingemann added: “As much of 20 per cent of final deliveries are returned because the wrong items are specified because of wrong or missing data. With Moscord, purchasers can ensure that the products they order are the ones they get, and that they are of the quality specified.
“Our vision is to be a ‘Maritime Amazon’, a truly global marketplace which brings the world’s maritime buyers and sellers together, accessible anywhere, anytime, with goods delivered directly to the vessel at the touch of a button. Our 24/7 operation centre ensures that all deliveries are followed carefully.” u
Green ISSA
New grease adds to Total Lubmarine’s green credentials
Whilst ship owners and operators are making every effort to prevent the leakage of lubricants into the environment, it is acknowledged that there is a potential for accidental leakage – by the very nature of utilising lubricants within the close proximity of water.
In an effort to deliver products to the market that can mitigate the potential of this, Total Lubmarine, a global marine lubricant provider, has created a comprehensive and innovative range of Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants (EAL) – which, should there be an incidental leakage, is minimally toxic to the environment and bio gradable. Similarly, it is not bio-accumulative therefore fully meeting the requirements of the US EPA Vessel General Permit and remaining kinder to our environment.
In response to customer demand, Total Lubmarine has announced the introduction of a new grease product: BIO OG PLUS – an innovative addition to an already comprehensive Environmentally Acceptable Lubricant range.
Specifically formulated for sensitive applications such as open gears and chains under high load, BIO OG PLUS mitigates the challenges of working in environments where water contamination is common.
On top of being an extreme pressure and adhesive grease, BIO OG PLUS’s biodegradable qualities allow owners, managers and operators of vessels to take a more environmentally considerate approach to lubrication. It is also a vital resource to those operating in areas requiring the use of EAL Lubricants, such as those working within jurisdiction of the US.
Stuart Fuller, responsible for Brand Management at Total Lubmarine, said of the new product: “We are very happy to bring a new product into our range – and this is something that our customers have been asking for. We pride ourselves on an ability to offer an end-to-end lubrication solution, and with BIO OG PLUS, all of our customer’s needs are covered.”
Total Lubmarine has been a key player in EALs for over two decades and, to date, more than 1,500 vessels utilise Total Lubmarine’s EAL products. u
Breaking the ice for Polar survival solutions
Evacuating a cruise vessel in extreme Polar conditions is a very different prospect to the warm waters of the Mediterranean.
Felicity Landon reports on developments
Larger ships, higher capacity, more people onboard – a booming cruise sector presents significant challenges in terms of safety and evacuation at sea. But numbers are not the only challenge. Passengers who are perhaps weary of being one of the crowd are driving the trend towards smaller expedition class vessels. These are the vessels that venture into more hazardous waters, notably the two Poles. Evacuating a vessel in such an extreme environment is a very different prospect to the Mediterranean or the Caribbean.
Benny Carlsen, Senior Vice President at Viking Life-Saving Equipment, says evacuation and survival in harsh and icy conditions is probably the hottest topic for the company right now. Already, dedicated Polar safety solutions have been developed and launched, and there are more to come.
“Where in the past it was special to go on a cruise, now it seems cruising is for everyone. So, there is a strong trend towards building ships for 200 to 300 passengers for adventure cruises – and that often means sailing in icy waters,” he said.
“Evacuation systems to be deployed on ice can’t be freefall – they must enable controlled descent on to the ice. Also, the rest of such a system
“
Where in the past it was special to go on a cruise, now it seems cruising is for everyone
Benny Carlsen, Senior Vice President at Viking Life-Saving Equipment
”
must be reinforced to match the challenges presented by icy conditions. From the investment point of view, space onboard as well as system lifetime cost must be considered as well.”
The new IMO Polar Code has focused minds, of course, and was a key topic at this year’s Seatrade Cruise Global. Viking has worked with vessel owners to develop a polar Marine Evacuation System (MES) and says it is ‘more than ready’ to help owners meet the demands of the Polar Code.
The company launched its new ‘Polar Ready’ MES at Fort Lauderdale. The Viking VEC Plus Polar is a firstof-its-kind chute-based marine evacuation solution with the focus on technical simplicity, reliability under harsh conditions and a user-centric design, says Viking, and it is a perfect match for smaller expedition class vessels coming out of the newbuilding yard, but can also be retrofitted.
The system, which includes 40% fewer mechanical components than earlier MES designs, only requires land-based servicing every 30 months.
It is ice-tested to minus 30 degrees Celsius to ensure that it will work at a Polar Service
Temperature of minus 20 degrees typically required for PC-6 Class ships.
Released by gravity and featuring measures for controlled descent, the system will launch safely on to ice as well as water.
Viking participated in the SARex I and II exercises in Svalbard, which tested its equipment and led to modifications and reinforcements of the VEC Plus Polar MES and the associated life rafts.
“The first exercise involved a lifeboat, life raft and survival suits; there were doctors on hand and the test subjects were asked to sit in their suits in the life raft for 24 hours, while we measured the performance of the equipment,” said Mr Carlsen.
“The exercise was to see what an evacuation situation would look like in Polar conditions. Based on that test, we made changes – for example, measures to boost insulation of the life raft floor. When you sit in the life raft, you create a lot of condensation and getting wet is the worst thing you can do in those conditions. Equally, selecting the right protective suit to wear in such conditions can be a matter of life or death.
“So we immediately started looking at improvements after the exercise. We have created a whole catalogue of Arctic kits as a result.”
All such Polar safety equipment must be proven to work in very cold situations, of course – for example, Viking’s Polar life raft is heated so it can be inflated even in minus 50 degrees. It can also be used as a tent on the ice. “In the first place, we focused on the operation – whether the equipment is able to work. The second focus is on how we can improve performance, when taking into account that you might be sitting for X number of hours in the equipment.”
One of the concerns for cruise operators taking small vessels into Polar waters is where to put all the required safety equipment, said Mr Carlsen. As well as mandatory personal and group survival kits, the Polar Code requires rations for five-day survival directly at the MES station. Several solutions are being discussed at the moment. u
Cutting corners on fire investigations can lead to spiralling costs
Effective and efficient management of fire and explosion investigations, from first examination through to a potential court appearance, is essential in providing a successful outcome in an investigation, says Dave Myers, a partner and fire investigator at Brookes Bell Group.
Fire and explosion was the third greatest cause of ship losses between 2007 and 2016, according to an analysis of Lloyd’s List Casualty Statistics by insurer Allianz in its Safety and Shipping Review 2017.
“With 118 incidents recorded over the period analysed by Allianz, the cost to the industry was substantial,” he said.
“As well as the cost of unexpected downtime and potential damage to, or loss of, cargo, there is also the cost of the investigation to consider. Yet, in recent years, as financial conditions in the industry have become more challenging, those who experience a fire or explosion onboard one of their vessels may be tempted to minimise the costs of the investigation.”
In order to be cost-effective, an investigation must stick to best practice from the outset, said Mr Myers. As such, a decision will need to be taken at the earliest opportunity regarding which experts will be needed on the ground.
“If the wrong selection is made, it will be more difficult to accurately ascertain the chronology of events and set the investigation off on the right path. A properly equipped, trained and experienced investigator (or team of investigators) with a keen eye for detail should be mobilised.”
A multidisciplinary team may be required at the early stage of the investigation, as fires and explosions can be multi faceted incidents with many potential causes and
contributing factors, he added. “They can occur within very complex systems onboard a vessel and may require the participation of marine engineers, metallurgists, fuel chemists, naval architects or cargo scientists, for example, as well as fire and explosion investigation expertise.”
Once the individual or team has been mobilised, they should begin the meticulous and painstaking collection, examination and assessment of evidence for the best prospect of explaining the cause of the incident. Taking a best practice approach is essential in order to prevent the loss or change of valuable evidence, which can be difficult or even impossible to rectify at a later date, warned Mr Myers.
“If evidence is not preserved correctly, it can have a detrimental impact on the outcome of the investigation. If the evidence gathered is not of a high enough standard, it may not add probative value if a case proceeds to litigation. As legal proceedings are likely to begin months, or years, after the event, the opportunity to collect additional evidence has often passed before errors in an investigation are discovered.
“In addition to this, the collection of inaccurate or inconclusive evidence may necessitate a new expert to review the investigation.”
If there is a substandard investigation, all interested parties risk serious financial and legal disadvantage, including shipowners and operators, ship managers, charterers and subcharterers, as well as those whose cargo was being transported and, of course the insurers for all the above parties, whether P&I, H&M or cargo underwriters.
“In the short term, it may be tempting to minimise cost to the greatest extent; however, this could be a compromise with the quality of the investigation. Often there are local surveyors or inexperienced investigators willing to take on the task and who are appointed to investigate the cause of the incident. However, in some cases, these local surveyors will lack the detailed knowledge, and potentially the resources, that are required to complete the investigation to a suitably high standard - a standard that could be relied upon in court cases at a later date.”
Despite increasingly stringent legislation, fire and explosion will continue to pose a significant threat, especially with the continuing growth in vessel size and complexity, said Mr Myers.
“Those unfortunate enough to suffer a fire will be facing substantial costs even with the benefit of insurance. Instructing a qualified and experienced individual or multidisciplinary team is likely to result in the most cost-effective resolution of the investigation. Owners or operators seeking to mitigate their losses by appointing the cheapest rather than the best expert may find that the short-term saving can then end up spiralling into a much greater cost than would have been incurred by instructing a properly qualified expert from the onset.” u
From the Brig
By ISSA’s legal expert Bruce Hailey
Why it’s crucial to understand contractual law
It is crucial in any business to understand the basic principles of contractual law. The finer detail will be governed by national law, but it is possible to discern some general principles that are of broad application in most countries.
Those ISSA members contracting in accordance with the unamended ISSA Conditions are most concerned with US law, which is the applicable law for all contracts incorporating the ISSA Conditions. It is worthy of explanation that US law was selected due to its favourable treatment of ship suppliers, specifically with regards to the creation of a maritime lien for goods delivered to ocean-going vessels. In a developing trend, many strategically prominent legal jurisdictions will have regard to the law of the contract when assessing whether a maritime lien arises and, therefore, whether a vessel can be arrested and how any sale proceeds may be distributed.
In the most basic terms a contract is formed when a supplier’s offer to supply goods or services is accepted by a buyer. The offer sets-out the terms on which one party will purchase or sell and the contract is formed when the other party accepts those terms.
To ascertain the terms that the parties are bound to it is necessary to identify the terms of the offer. In the simplest transactions an enquiry from a buyer will be followed by a quotation (an offer) which the buyer will accept by placing its order (the acceptance).
It is not always so simple. For example, a quotation might be issued, including a 30-day payment term and offering 5% discount. The buyer might revert stating that it will place an order but omitting some items, that it will pay in 45 days and require a 10% discount.
That is not acceptance of the offer, but is itself a counter-offer to buy on revised terms. The seller must then decide whether to accept that counter-offer, and if it does so the contract is formed on the revised terms.
To establish the terms of the contract it is necessary to identify what terms have been accepted. This may require consideration of a chain of correspondence, including the enquiry, quotation, and possibly a series of counter-offers to see what has ultimately been accepted.
Nothing can be added to the contract as it has been formed by an unequivocal acceptance. It is therefore crucial to ensure that if a seller wishes to incorporate any particular conditions or terms then these must be stated in the offer (generally the quotation). This would include a reference to the ISSA Conditions applying to the contract. The payment terms must be clearly stated, and if discounts are conditional upon timely payment this must also be made clear.
Some buyers might seek to impose their own standard purchasing terms and conditions, by referencing them in original enquiry or counter-offer. Care should be taken here, otherwise a seller may find that their own selling conditions are replaced with much less favourable purchasing conditions. An offer by a buyer seeking to impose purchasing conditions should not be accepted, unless the seller is content to be bound by those terms.
Most disputes arise from a misunderstanding, often due to a lack of clarity in the contractual correspondence. Purchasing and sales staff must carefully consider the terms of enquiries, quotations and acceptances, to ensure that their employers do not end up in a bargain that has unintended consequences. u
ISSA and Ship Supply News
ISSA President elected on to Dubai’s Maritime Advisory Council
ISSA President Saeed Al Malik has been appointed as a Vice President on Dubai’s Maritime Advisory Council.
The Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation has revealed that it has already started to adopt and implement the final phase of its strategy related to the incoming second terms of the Council, an initiative aimed at promoting and developing close partnerships between the Government and private sectors to promote Dubai as a global maritime capital.
The beginning of the new term signals a new stage of further cooperation in the efforts towards integration between maritime leaders from the public and private sectors in order to drive the transformation of Dubai to a city of sustainable economic growth, in line with the objectives of the Dubai 2021 Plan. The new Council aims to build on what has already been accomplished in the initial stage.
Mark Gistebrich, Regional President of Maersk Global Operations in Dubai, was appointed to lead the Council for the new term and also appointed as Vice Presidents were Mohammed Al Muallem, Christian Nyholm and Anthony Wellerwere.
Amer Ali, Executive Director of DMCA, said: “The launch of the second edition of the Maritime Advisory Council is paving the way for us to continue the success of the Dubai Maritime
Sector Strategy, which is a key pillar to embody the strategic goals of Dubai Vision 2021.
“The Council will play a pivotal role in discussing challenges and finding innovative solutions, that will enhance regional and international investors’ confidence in the local marine environment and promote Dubai on the global maritime map.” u
Luis Irles Jimenez
It was with deep sadness that ISSA learned of the passing of Luis Irles Jiminez, Captain and General Manager of Gandara Chile and President of the Chilean Ship Suppliers Association (CHISSA) on 23rd November, 2017, aged 70 years.
Alejandra Figueroa, Assistant Manager at Gandara Chile, said: “Due to his profession as a merchant marine officer from Spain, he navigated through every ocean and sea of the world.”
He said that throughout his life, he had lived in dozens of cities “many of which were full of beauty, myths and legends”.
“He learned something of each and loved them with the same passion,” he added.
During his time as an ISSA member, Mr Irles was proud to receive the ISSA Quality Standard approval and equally proud of his commitment to staff training.
On behalf of Mr Irles’ family, Gandara Chile thanked ISSA members for their support and affection throughout all the years of working with Mr Irles. u
New President for UNSSA
UNSSA (United Arab Emirates National Ship Suppliers Association) held its General Assembly in December at Lakeview Dubai Creek.
The majority of association members attended the meeting and various important matters were discussed. As the new ISSA President, as of 1st January 2018, Saeed Malik stepped down from the position of UNSSA Presidency and became the Association Advisor.
Maher Jassim Bhader, from UAE National, was elected by the majority of the assembly as the new UNSSA President while Simone Guerra from Shin Tai Ho and Faizan Gulamhusein from Adamallys LLC continue in their respective positions of Vice-President and Treasurer.
Peter Vinther-Jensen from Wrist Middle East stepped down from his post as Secretary and the position was filled by Peter Boras from Seven Seas.
UNSSA Steering Committee was established by Mr Malik to assist the Executive Board in dealing with the issues concerning the Association. Members assigned were Daniel Sidelmann from Wrist Middle East and Jason Georgiou from Corodex Trading.
Another important topic discussed was the amended UNSSA Articles which was approved by the majority of the members at the assembly. . u
All Ship Shape for mattress supplier
ISSA member Ship Shape IMO, which supplies cabin and restroom supplies such as mattresses, curtains and blind, carpets and lockers and storage, says 2017 was a record-breaking year for the company.
The firm – a division of Ship Shape World -, which is based in Norfolk, UK has seen its products stretch out around the globe with mattresses and bedding heading across all of Europe, Africa, the US and Australia to customers who include merchant ships, naval ships, superyachts and offshore accommodation.
Managing Director and owner Paul Hallatt said the demand for IMO/SOLAS compliant and MED Wheelmarked products had continued to grow due to port officials, surveyors and insurers taking note of
recent amendments made in 2017 to legislation regarding cabins and bedding.
Due to this increase in demand, Ship Shape IMO, has moved to new premises with a bigger office, showroom and warehouse which, Mr Hallatt said, would assist customers better and reduce leadtime on certain products.
“What an exciting year it has been for Ship Shape World. We have seen Ship Shape IMO continue to grow on the back of our excellent service, extended range of products and the tightening of legislation surrounding crew safety. With the new office, we are poised and ready to continue being able to help our customers in 2018.” u
ISSA President at Emirates Maritime Arbitration Center Board Meeting
ISSA President Saeed al Malik attended the recent Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre (EMAC) Board Meeting as a Member.
It was announced that the ISSA Code of Ethics has been adopted by EMAC when it comes to arbitrating ship supply disputes. u
Bulgaria to host OCEAN meetings
The Bulgarian Ship Suppliers Association (BSSA) will host the OCEAN Board meeting and OCEAN Customs and Taxations Working Group later this month.
It is the first time they have been held in Bulgaria and they will take place in Sofia on 26th and 27th April, with the new ISSA President, Saeed al Malik, attending.
The European Ship Supply Organisation (OCEAN) was established in 1976 with the aim of providing an optimum business climate for European ship supply companies and to enhance the image of the ship supply sector as a whole.
OCEAN is actively working towards unification of the rules for ship supply activity in European countries. Brexit is another challenge for the Organisation and it is engaged in alleviating its impact on ship supply companies.
The organisation of OCEAN meetings in Bulgaria will also provide the opportunity to highlight the advantages of Bulgaria as a ship supply destination and to highlight the challenges of companies in the Black sea region.
Chairman of BSSA, Alexander Alexandrov (pictured), said: “It is a great honour for the Bulgarian Ship Suppliers Association to welcome OCEAN members to our country. For us, this is an important step towards enhancing good relations of international cooperation, and we hope that it will become a tradition to hold such events in Bulgaria in the future.” u
Save the date for Convention!
Istanbul is preparing to host ISSA’s 63rd Annual Convention, so make sure you save the date! The event will be held on 23rd and 24th November, 2018 at the Wyndham Grand Levent Hotel and is being organised by TURSSA, the Turkish Ship Suppliers Association.
It is a must-attend event for all maritime industry professionals, where they can take advantage of the excellent networking opportunities and plenary sessions and listen to a series of conference speakers. This year’s theme is ‘Global Ship Supply: Are You Ready for Tomorrow’s Maritime World?’
For more information about reserving delegate places, trade stands, or sponsorship opportunities, please email turssa@turssa.org or visit the Convention website at www.issa2018istanbul.com
Posidonia gears up for record-breaking show
Global shipping exhibition Posidonia is gearing up for its largest ever show in Athens this June.
Around 1,850 companies from a wide range of maritime sectors will take part in the show which takes place at the Athens Metropolitan Expo from 4th to 8th June.
Spanning an exhibitor floor space of some 40,000sqm, there will be trade stands and 20 national pavilions which include some of the world’s leading shipbuilding nations including China, Japan and South Korea.
Maritime centres such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai will also showcase all they have to offer and long-standing exhibitors such as the US, Denmark and Holland will field greater participants than ever before. Posidonia will also be welcoming newcomers such as Poland and landlocked Luxembourg and agricultural economies such as Georgia.
Among the new highlights in the 2018 exhibition will be the Greek Pavilion organised by HEMEXPO, the association of Hellenic Marine Equipment Manufacturers and Exporters, which will span over 400sqm of exhibition space with aim of promoting Greek engineering and maritime solutions for the shipping industry. There will be a second Greek Pavilion, organised by the Worldwide Industrial & Marine Association (WIMA), representing Greek companies active in the fields of ship construction, ship spare parts and supplies, ship technical and general services and marine equipment manufacturing.
As usual there will be a packed programme of conferences and seminars with over 30 events taking place. These include the
Tradewinds Shipowners Forum which looks at current issues facing shipping, and ShipServ will also be running a seminar on ‘Best practices in digital procurement & category management. Reduce time, save money, optimize supplies’.
Posidonia is organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs & Insular Policy, the Union of Greek Shipowners and the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping with the support of the Municipality of Piraeus and the Greek Shipping Co-operation Committee.
“Posidonia’s strength and appeal is drawn by the collective quality and reputation of its exhibitors, delegates and visitors, debutants or repeaters, who commit funds and resources every two years to be a part of a signature industry event that is a true celebration of everything shipping stands for,” said Theodore Vokos, Executive Director, Posidonia Exhibitions, the biennial event’s organiser.
“A key attraction remains the strong presence of the powerful Greek shipowning community at every Posidonia, which is leading global newbuilding activity with 61 Greek companies having ships on order worth an estaimted $16bn.”
As well as the serious side of shipping, Posidonia kicks off with some sporting challenges, with the Posidonia Cup Yacht Race taking place on 1st June and the Running event, Golf Tournament and Shipsoccer Tournament on the 3rd before the exhibition officially opens on 4th.
For more information visit www.posidonia-events.com u
Scrubber installations blamed for increase in pipework repairs
An increase in repairs to the pipework and overboard outlets of ships that have exhaust gas scrubbers installed has been recorded by underwater repair specialist Hydrex.
Divers/technicians from the Belgium-based company recently carried out pipe replacements on 270m shuttle tankers where the wash from the ‘scrubbed’ exhaust gases had corroded the pipework, resulting in water ingress. Repairs to the tankers were carried out while the vessels were alongside and remaining in operation.
“We have noted an increase in repairs to corroded pipework and outlets, which does appear to correspond with the increase in the number of ships fitted with scrubbers,” said Dave Bleyenberg, Hydrex Production Executive.
“These systems remove harmful sulphur oxide compounds from the exhaust gases of marine diesel engines burning high-sulphur heavy fuel oils. However, the resulting residue removed from these gases can have a rapid and highly corrosive effect on the scrubbers’ internal pipework and outlets.”
To repair corroded piping while vessels remain in water and in service, Hydrex uses measurements taken during a preliminary inspection. The data is then used to fabricate a custom-made mobdock (flexible mobile mini-drydock). This is then transported to the repair site, where it is placed over the scrubber cooling pipe outlet to allow the repair work to be carried inside the vessel without further water ingress.
“With the first tanker, berthed in Rotterdam, working space was limited,” said Mr Bleyenberg. “This meant that several of the frames around the pipe had to be removed before diver/technicians could cut away the corroded part of the old pipe. While the shell plating was prepared for the installation of the replacement pipe, a new diffuser and flange were fabricated on site. The replacement pipe was then positioned and secured with a full penetration weld, and the new diffuser installed.”
The welding was then inspected by an independent tester using NDT (non-destructive testing) techniques.
For protection of the new pipe against further corrosion, the internal surface was coated using Ecospeed, a highly chemical resistant coating product from Hydrex’s sister company, Subsea Industries.
“Taking into account the nature of the process taking place inside the scrubber, this is essential for a lasting protection of the pipe,” said Mr Bleyenberg.
After the success of the repair, Hydrex was contacted to carry out the same operation on the sister ship berthed at Skagen in Denmark, which had experienced the same problem.
“Corroded scrubber pipework and discharge outlets is a serious problem, and we’re seeing more and more of it,” said Mr Bleyenberg. u
Marine distress signal company sponsors Wellness at Sea conference
Global marine distress signal company WesCom Signal and Rescue sponsored the recent Sailors’ Society Wellness at Sea conference in London.
The one-day event, held on 16th March, focused on crew wellbeing and its impact on health and safety onboard with presentations from industry experts looking at physical, emotional, intellectual and social wellness. The conference also gave an insight into results of recent research, and offered practical advice and holistic approaches to wellbeing at sea.
WesCom Signal and Rescue, formerly Drew Marine Signal and Safety, supplies distress signals to the maritime industry and is the parent company of Pains Wessex, Comet, Oroquieta and Aurora.
that ship owners have the understanding, skills and tools they need to ensure their crews are fully prepared at sea. It is an important topic for WesCom and our sponsorship highlights our commitment to the sector. We’re proud to support the conference with the Sailors’ Society – a charity close to our brand.”
Mr Feibusch is an ambassador for the Sailors’ Society and actively promotes the charity’s fantastic work, which helps to transform the lives of the world’s 1.5 million seafarers and their families.
The brands within WesCom Signal and Rescue are marketed internationally and are supported by world-class distributors in all major ports. Pains Wessex is the oldest established marine distress
Its brands have been helping to save lives for more than 100 years and are trusted for their reliability and high quality by merchant ships, navies, rescue services and fishing fleets worldwide.
Chris Feibusch, Director of Global Marketing and Communication for WesCom Signal and Rescue, based in Havant, UK understands the impact of crew safety and wellbeing at sea.
He said: “Safety is of paramount importance, especially the wellbeing of crews, seafarers and skippers, so it is vital
signal brand and has been saving lives around the globe for more than a century. Products include handflares, linethrowers and rockets.
WesCom Signal and Rescue products are approved globally and are manufactured in compliance with the latest Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) and Marine Equipment Directive (MED) requirements. The company is at the forefront of campaigning for improved global marine safety regulations to ensure the safety of mariners throughout the world. u
Norsafe enters cruise and passenger ferry market Market News
Norsafe has launched a modern, Partially Enclosed Lifeboat (PELB) providing a secure and protected means of escape for persons onboard passenger vessels. The SOLAS compliant Minima 88, which is 8.8m long and 4.25m wide, has enough room for 150 people.
A spacious cockpit in the middle of the boat provides excellent visibility during embarkation, with a good view for the helmsman. The forward visibility is also said to be excellent and a roof hatch in the cockpit provides vertical visibility towards the davits during launching and retrieval.
The large side doors aid the fast and efficient embarkation of the crew and seats are arranged on two levels. A mechanical steering nozzle offers optimum manoeuvrability and increased bollard pull.
Norsafe has received an order from Xiamen Shipyard in China for Finland-based operator Viking Line for six Minima 88 lifeboats with compatible LHD-200 davits. The new build ferry is due to come into service in 2021 on routes across the Baltic Sea between Turku, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden. u
A hull new level
Aship hull cleaning company is planning to take robotic cleaning to a whole new level.
Fleet Cleaner, which offers diverless hull cleaning, wants to set the standards even higher for hull cleaning.
“Already, we constantly see that our autopilot can control the robot better than any human operator,” said a company spokesman.
“To really guarantee cleaning quality, the robot will be able to autonomously clean the ship, while tracking its path and planning its optimal route around objects by itself.”
The installation is already equipped with a highly sophisticated tracking system, enabling operators to accurately follow the robot’s movements on the ship’s hull. Fleet Cleaner has also developed several systems to improve visibility and navigation in ports with poor visibility underwater, such as the Port of Rotterdam, and since cleaning is conducted during loading and unloading and, depending on the terminal, also between vessel and quayside, all cargo operations can continue as planned.
Fleet Cleaner is currently active in all major ports in the Netherlands 24/7, and is planning to expand its services. u
ChartCo wins SMART4SEA E-Navigation Award
ChartCo, a global supplier of navigational data, nautical charts, marine technical publications and digital products, has been awarded the SMART4SEA Navigation Award.
Organised by SAFETY4SEA to coincide with the annual conference programme in February, the SMART4SEA awards spotlight initiatives and individuals that demonstrate outstanding performance within the scope of fostering smart excellence and sustainable shipping.
The recipient of the E-Navigation Award is recognised as providing a significant achievement, breakthrough or contribution in any aspect of e-navigation in shipping. UKheadquartered ChartCo was awarded this year’s accolade in recognition of its achievements in facilitating the transition to digital navigation in commercial shipping by providing a range of software solutions for vessels and shoreside operators.
Collecting the award, ChartCo’s Chief Commercial Officer, Howard Stevens, said: “Receiving this prestigious award is humbling and we thank SAFETY4SEA for making it possible. Digital navigation is at the core of the ChartCo business, but we are also now looking at a much wider compliance perspective. Navigation, safety management, the ‘rightly’ increasing need to be environmentally aware and the need to make integrated decision grade information available to mariners – both on the vessel and shoreside – in a simple and efficient manner as possible, is driving our future.
“We are dedicated to assisting the industry in making the transition towards an ever more complex digital navigation and compliance driven future a successful one,
and our ability to make this a reality is in no small part down to the thought-provoking and hard-working team we have in the ChartCo business.”
Speaking on behalf of the award category sponsor, Palau International Ship Registry, CEO Panos Kirnidis said: “The maritime industry knows that smart ships and smart technology is the way forward and yet there seems to be reluctance on the part of some owners to fully embrace the technology. ChartCo has been serving the shipping industry for many years and has played a key role in many of the innovations that have assisted ships’ captains to navigate safely.”
ChartCo CCO Howard Stevens is pictured receiving the award from Antonis Souras, Ship Registrar at Palau International Ship Registry. u
We are dedicated to assisting the industry in making the transition towards an ever more complex digital navigation and compliance driven future a successful one, and our ability to make this a reality is in no small part down to the thought-provoking and hardworking team we have in the ChartCo business
Howard Stevens, CCO, ChartCo
“ ”
Survitec appoints new Global Vice President, Cruise
Safety solutions provider Survitec has appointed Mark Baines as Global Vice President, Cruise.
Based in Survitec’s Miami office, he will build a dedicated sales and operations team focused solely on partnering with cruise clients to achieve their safety and equipment reliability objectives. He joined Survitec on secondment from Survitec’s majority owners Onex in July 2017 and has been heavily involved in the development of Survitec’s go-to-market strategy.
Mr Baines will also retain his current role as Group Strategy Director, reporting to CEO Brian Stringer.
Mr Stringer said: “Our cruise clients are highly important to us and establishing a division dedicated to serving this segment
reinforces our commitment to providing them with excellent service. Mark has rapidly built up the existing team and has engaged closely with our cruise clients to ensure our offerings are being developed to match and exceed the demands of a very discerning client base.”
Mr Baines said of his new role: “Survitec has provided best-in class reliability-centred inspection and maintenance services to defence, marine and aerospace operators, globally for over 160 years and we are building on this solid foundation to serve our cruise clients in a new way. We are increasingly providing our clients with enhanced services as they look for support in reducing the complexity and headache of
safety asset management. My own vision, and the vision of our cruise team, is to make safety asset management simple, and to set a new standard for safety asset reliability.” u
Stop digging and call in the cavalry!
By Roger Symes, Director, Marine Debt Management
If you have been following this series of articles, you will know the importance of credit checks before delivery, of invoicing clearly and punctually and of keeping to a systematic collection procedure. If all these are followed, non-payment by customers should be only an occasional problem. However, you will be lucky to avoid it altogether.
We all know the saying, “When you’re in a hole, stop digging!”. It is good advice. There is nothing to be gained from continuing to supply someone who has not paid. Some people think that by making further deliveries the ongoing dialogue with the customer will ensure eventual payment. More likely it will result in a greater loss.
When the decision is taken to stop supplies it is essential that this is communicated throughout your organisation and well understood. In a case recently passed to us for collection, a customer was able to continue to receive supplies by placing orders in a different name. In another case, decisions taken by head office have no effect on branches anxious to meet their sales targets.
Surprisingly, the hardest thing is often to identify and accept there is a problem. In the last issue of The Ship Supplier I wrote about excuses. The temptation is to believe them and to trust that payment will soon be forthcoming. Even when no excuses are offered and reminders are ignored, ship suppliers are often reluctant to recognise they have a problem.
This year we have been asked to collect debts from companies that went out of business in 2016. In some cases, suppliers were happy to keep sending reminders throughout last year even though a reply never came. Only when emails bounced
back did the creditors contact us. If a company’s email accounts are terminated due to non-payment, it ran out of cash long beforehand! Needless to say, although we can explain the situation, it is too late for us to help in such cases. The debts must be written off.
Put simply, once you have done all you can to collect payment, it makes sense to straight-away contact a specialist maritime law firm or debt collection agency. Almost always, their initial advice will be free of charge, so there is no cost to getting that guidance sooner rather than later. A customer owing you money will almost certainly have many other creditors too. Those that act first have the best chance of being paid.
Regretfully, too many suppliers still think the only option available in the event of non-payment is ship arrest. They also believe that arresting the ship will be very expensive and may prove futile, especially if the vessel is then abandoned by owners. Better to do nothing than risk “throwing good money after bad”.
Aaaaah! That is so not right! Every year ISSA members write-off millions simply because they believe individual debts would be too costly to collect. Equally, ship owners save those same millions by evading payment due to supplier ignorance.
Both maritime lawyers and debt collectors will be only too happy to explain that they have many more options besides ship arrest available to use on your behalf, provided you seek advice in good time. Yes, ship arrest will be an option in some cases but it will seldom be the first option and it will rarely be the only option.
In the next issue of The Ship Supplier I’ll look at lessons to be learned from bankruptcies in the shipping industry. u
Play
Eye in the sky
This new self-flying camera uses computer vision and other types of artificial intelligence to fly itself, follow and record a subject with no piloting or camera skills required.
With 13 different cameras, GPS and other sensors onboard, the R1 maps its environment as it flies and so can dodge trees and any other obstacles in its path. It runs for 16 minutes on charge and the company says it can fly up to 25 miles an hour.
Built from lightweight aluminium and carbon fibre, it folds down for easy transport.
Skydio R1
Autonomous Flying Camera
$2,499
www.skydio.com
Highly charged
Electric car maker Tesla has come up with a pocket-sized portable battery for charging your mobile phone, designed on its Supercharger car charging station.
The Powerbank houses an 18650 cell – the same as used in the newest electric vehicles – and is able to charge even the largest phones. It comes with a lightning connector for Apple devices and microUSB for everything else.
Tesla Powerbank
$45
shop.tesla.com
Kylie
The Princess of Pop should be renamed Queen of Country after immersing herself in Nashville, US to gather musical guidance for her 14th studio album. The Australian singer/songwriter spent two weeks in the musical mecca, recording four songs including the album’s lead single Dancing. We are not sure the style entirely suits Ms Minogue but you’ve got to hand it to her for her desire to keep her sound fresh and different. We think we prefer her pop mode though there are still hints of what she does best – producing memorable disco tunes – and this is a toe-tapper nonetheless.
Golden BMG
George Ezra
Fans have been waiting very patiently and with high anticipation for the second album from the hugely talented English singer/ songwriter George Ezra. His incredible vocals have seen him amass a huge following since his debut album, Wanted on Voyage, was released in 2014 and this follow-up will no doubt please many.
Its bright, breezy style is a perfect sound-track to summer and lead single, Paradise, is one of the catchiest tunes we have heard for quite a while.
Staying at Tamara’s Columbia Records
After Hours
Glimpse into
world of Pink Floyd
This exhibition at MACRO – Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Roma (Musuem of Contemporary Art in Rome) – features many previously unseen objects collected over the band’s eclectic history.
It is an audiovisual journey through 50 years of the world’s most iconic rock groups, and offers a rare and exclusive glimpse into the world of Pink Floyd.
The flow of the exhibition, in chronological order, is enhanced throughout by music and the voices of past and present members of Pink Floyd, including Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Richard Wright, Nick Mason and David Gilmour, talking about their musical experiences through their experiences and musical experimentation via sound specialist Sennheiser’s intuitive GuidePORT system. This culminates in the Performance Zone, where visitors enter an immersive audio-visual space, which includes the recreation of the very last performance of all four members of the band at Live 8 in 2005 with Comfortably Numb, as well as a Rome-exclusive video of One Of These Days, taken from the band’s iconic live performance in Pompeii.
The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains Showing now until 1st July, 2018 www.museomacro.it
Cantonese cuisine
A new kid on the London block, Duddell’s was opened in the stunning setting of St Thomas Church near The Shard, London Bridge in November 2017.
The restaurant is sister to the original Duddell’s which was founded in Hong Kong in 2013 and showcases Cantonese cuisine and hand-crafted dim sum.
The house speciality is Duddell’s Peking Duck which is carved at the table and served with eight types of condiments. Other signature dishes include smoked black Angus ribs with red wine soy and baby peach, and crispy salted chicken.
Duddell’s, 9a St Thomas Street, London SE1 9RY Duddells.co
A gripping read
When terrorists use a drone to bring down a plane on one of London’s busiest shopping centres, it ignites a chain of events that will draw in the innocent and the guilty alike.
DC Max Wolfe, of West End Central, finds himself caught in the crossfire between a tech-savvy terrorist cell and a revenge-seeking, Bible-quoting murderer called Bad Moses.
And when Max’s ex-wife suddenly reappears to reclaim custody of his beloved teenage daughter, Scout, he finds himself fighting the greatest battle of all.
This page-turning new thriller from the Max Wolfe series will keep you gripped and guessing until the end.
