THE SHIP SUPPLIER ISSUE 87

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

NForeword

ews that the world has a vaccine against this dreadful COVID-19 comes as welcome news indeed to a ship supply industry which has worked hard to deliver goods and services to our supermarket shelves despite battling the ravages of this global pandemic.

And while we tentatively dare to look to new horizons that will be brought about by a long-awaited return to face-to-face contact and business uptake, our minds turn to new opportunities that may lie ahead. The business challenges will always be there, but so will the opportunities and they will need to be grasped as securely as they can be.

And that is why ISSA is looking to the future. Publication of its ISSA Ship Stores and ISSA Provisions & Bonded Stores Catalogues have been received well by the ISSA membership but we will be working hard with our clients and our partners to maximise the opportunities that enhanced digitalisation presents, now and in the future.

Digitalisation and smart technology are important weapons in our business armoury, but it is how we use these advances that really matter. We are delighted to announce that both catalogues will be available in digital form, indeed the Provisions Catalogue is already available online and this will be shortly followed by the Ship Stores Catalogue. So exciting times ahead.

We received very sad news a week before we went to press, about the passing of our ISSA friend and past President Wim Van Noortwijk. Wim was a tower of a man, and his Presidency, at the dawn of a new age from 2000 to 2008, marked the beginning of significant change in ISSA to reflect the wider rapid development of the ship supply industry. His many initiatives included changing ISSA’s name to reflect the Services element of ship supply and the move of ISSA to its previous long-time HQ Office at the Baltic Exchange in London. A full remembrance of his life appears in the pages of this edition of The Ship Supplier.

Saeed

al Malik ISSA President

BRAZIL Pandemic has brought unity

Flavio Pierotti, who will be the new President of the Brazilian Suppliers and Services Association from January 2021, gives an update from Brazil on the pandemic and how it is affecting ship supply there.

Amid the uncertainties and impacts for the world’s economy, caused by the pandemic of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV2, the Brazilian ship chandlers’ sector has managed to achieve good results. Positive data from our members of ABFN (Brazilian Ship Suppliers Association) show that quick and effective actions by ship supplying companies were fundamental for the resumption and maintenance of services in large volumes.

In the beginning of 2020, it was necessary to promote adaptations and investments to face the challenges, whether in the articulation of teams in home office activities, or in the adoption of new health protocols and procedures. We recorded a substantial increase in food and consumable sales, a significant result that is being maintained.

But what, in fact, has generated this performance?

It is possible to observe that the strong exchange devaluation of our currency has made Brazilian exports very attractive. In addition, the world demand for food made Brazil register in May, for example, a 36.1% increase in the volume of exports from the agribusiness. The numbers positively impact the entire production chain and show a 6.6% growth in cargo handling from Brazilian public ports in the first half of 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. The overall scenario is still growing.

There is no doubt about the potential of Brazil, which is among the largest food producers in the world, mainly in proteins and grains. In 2019 alone, the country exported food to more than 180 countries, moving $34.1 billion. Added to this is its very strategic and geographic position for navigation and distribution route, which strengthens its role as a great “barn of the planet”.

Thousands of tons of Brazilian food are landing in ports around the world, thanks to the work of a large network of ships and the strength of valuable sailors who face hostile seas and immense challenges every day.

If, on the one side, the positive scenario stimulates business, on the other there is a concern. The cruise sector in Brazil has taken a hit and will have a retraction of at least 60% compared to previous years, according to experts. Worldwide, the sector is in a dramatic situation. The last summer season 2019-2020 was already shortened in one month due to the pandemic, despite being very positive compared to previous seasons (increase of 7,6%), according to research produced by the Brazilian Association of Cruises (CLIA Brasil) and Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV). But now, even with the new protocols, a lot is going to change and there are still uncertainties regarding the release of the season 2020-2021.

It is true that today we are experiencing difficult times for the health of people. But the pandemic has also taught us a lot about unity, overcoming and collectivity. With resilience, we have built new stories and our wish is that, soon, we can be together to share them. u

PANAMA Panama’s bid to become leading maritime hub for the Americas

Panama can become the Americas’ leading maritime hub, but it needs to do more to expand its capabilities. That was the resounding message when a panel of key industry experts in the region debated the future of the Latin American country as a shipping centre in a webinar organised by MARE Forum and WISTA Panama to mark the 10th anniversary of WISTA (Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association) in Panama.

While many spoke of the reputational damage caused by the ‘Panama Papers’ - an unprecedented leak of 11.5m files from the database of the world’s fourth biggest offshore law firm, Mossack Fonseca – it was also acknowledged that Panama does have the ability to grow into the leading hub, providing it has the infrastructure in place to do so.

“Within five years, you need to go with a big oomph on becoming a crewing hub, and a bunkering hub, and a container hub for 20,000 TEU plus vessels on the east coast and on the west coast,” he told the debate. “Go fast, and go big!” said Martijn Snijder, Managing Director of auditors and accountants Snijder & Associates.

The webinar was moderated by Mariella Bottiglieri, owner, Guiseppe Bottigleiri Shipping Company who asked the panel whether Panama was becoming, or was it indeed already, the Americas’ leading maritime hub.

Mr Snijder said: “Out of all the countries in the America, Panama is leading by far, but I would also like to see Panama standing up as a bunker hub, a crew change hub and also as a hub for large container ships.”

He asked what Panama was doing to attract large commodity traders and said Panama needed to “really start working on getting these big trading companies to Panama.”

Juan Carlos Croston, Vice President, Marketing & Corporate Affairs, Manzanillo International Terminal, said: “I think Panama is already one of the leaders in several fields of maritime”, and outlined why Panama is at the forefront including the Canal, the flag administration, and the fact it boasts offices of eight major shipping lines.

“What we have to do now is to consolidate and figure out which are the weak points where Panama is not punching above its weight right now, for instance shop ownership, ship recycling and P&Is,” he said. “These are areas that we need to have a strong focus on.”

Antonio Dominguez, Area Managing Director for Caribbean Sea Area, Maersk, said since 2004 Maersk had moved headquarters for many of its companies to there. “There is nothing we cannot do out of Panama and the position is great,” he said.

Mr Snijder said he would want to see investment in the infrastructure to make Panama a key bunkering hub, but it would need a lot of land to expand for LNG and hydrogen.

Commenting on the issue of Panama becoming a key bunkering hub, Ilya R Espino de Marotta, Deputy Administrator, Panama Canal Authority said: “I think the Panama Canal could be an enabler but I don’t think we would assume that responsibility. Seventy per cent of those that use the Canal do touch one of our ports so I think bunkering activity is definitely one of the things that can be complemented because vessels are already in the country.”

“I believe that the easy part, which is access to market, is very well-established here in Panama because you have the Panama Canal transits and the ships calling the ports – around 7,000 calling ports in Panama, and a total of around 20,000 ships per year,” said Mr Croston. u

Time to act to restart cruising, warns UK Chamber CEO

The time to act is now if we are to get the cruise sector up and running again in the UK, according to the Chief Executive Officer of the UK Chamber of Shipping.

Bob Sanguinetti has called on the Government for its support to give operators and consumers the confidence so cruising can resume in 2021.

The cruise sector ground to a halt in March following the start of the coronavirus pandemic leaving the UK sector, which contributes £10bn to the economy and supports 80,000 jobs, in tatters. It has also devastated the ship supply sector with John Davey, Director, Cavendish Ships Stores, based in Fareham, UK and also Executive Vice President for ISSA and Representative on the OCEAN Board for BASS, the British Association of Ship Suppliers (BASS) and OCEAN Vice President, saying that business had “fallen off the edge of a cliff” during the past few months.

Cruise

Mr Sanguinetti said the cruise sector had worked closely with the UK Government to produce a set of protocols which mandate safety measures from passenger booking to disembarkation. “It makes the cruise sector among the safest, if not the safest, of all the tourism and hospitality sectors. The cruise sector is ready to restart. It won’t happen in a hurry because it physically takes three months plus to mobilise a ship, organise crew members’ itineraries and so on,” he said.

“The time to act is now because this is traditionally when most passengers book their cruises. In three months’ time we will be in a different back drop when vaccines are rolled out and we will know more about the virus. The Government needs to support the cruise industry now to give the cruise operators and the consumer confidence so cruising can resume in early 2021.”

Mr Sanguinetti said there will be a phased resumption of cruise starting with UK only cruising, then short range cruising from the UK followed eventually global cruises. “It will take time as we go through this phased approach,” he said.

He warned that a number of cruises had already started in other countries and failure for the industry to restart in the UK would see business going elsewhere.

“If we don’t act now the cruise industry is unlikely to survive a second season of no activity and it will lose out to other international travel sectors,” he said.

“If cruise companies start to feel the UK will be a difficult place from which to do business, they will consider redeploying their ships and their cruises elsewhere and then it will take a number of years to reverse that. u

The time to act is now because this is traditionally when most passengers

Mr Sanguinetti Chief Executive Officer of the UK Chamber of Shipping

book their cruises

Medical & Safety Supply

VIKING spearheads testing of life-saving marine firefighting foam

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment is driving more investment into its marine fire service business. The inauguration of VIKING’s Foam Lab Odense, which specialises in the testing of a vessel’s reserves of firefighting foam, intensifies the company’s focus on marine fire service, a segment earmarked for significant growth in the coming years.

“Our ambition is to cover all aspects of marine firefighting equipment, and our new state-of-the-art laboratory puts us on the global map in this segment, too. Our class approvals comply with IMO regulations for testing all foam types, and we expect to receive DANAK accreditation in the course of 2021 as the ultimate stamp of approval for our work,” said Anders Nørgaard Lauridsen, head of VIKING’s activities in and around the Baltic region.

If a vessel’s foam is over three years old, it is mandatory for the vessel to undergo an annual foam test at a reputable laboratory. VIKING can offer a simple, user-friendly package solution, whereby ship owners purchase a test kit comprising a container for collecting a foam sample, instructions on how to take the sample on board and a prepaid shipping label. When the foam is received at the lab, it is subjected to a barrage of tests to establish degree of expansion, drainage time, pH value, density and contamination, to ensure - among other things - that the foam will effectively extinguish a fire. A service check list and data are saved electronically via an iPad, and a certificate is issued to verify completion of the test. This ensures traceability and enables monitoring of the condition of the foam.

There are two specialists at the foam lab, both able to perform a variety of tests, including low and high expansion tests, chemical resistance tests, small scale fire tests and conductivity tests. When foam samples are received, they are heat-treated for 24 hours before being mixed with saline solution and subjected to a meticulous testing program, defined according to current IMO standards.

“VIKING’s Marine Fire Service strategy will initially handle more than 1,000 foam samples a year, which we’ll receive directly from global shipowners and our servicing stations,” says Anders Nørgaard Lauridsen.

Ove Andersen joined VIKING in mid-May to head Foam Lab Odense. A qualified marine engineer, he has extensive experience, gained from 15 years as an operations manager in the district heating sector and subsequently from his three years at the DFL fire testing laboratory in Svendborg, Denmark. VIKING has also hired Lone Friis, who holds a bachelor’s degree in laboratory, food and process technology, to assist at the foam lab. The new team of two has recently taken delivery of a sophisticated testing device, which optically reads drainage time and ensures a consistent test process.

“We’re a global player with the support of a strong network, and our foam lab will strengthen our maritime customers’ perception of us as a competent partner and full-service supplier to the marine fire service segment, too,” says Anders Nørgaard Lauridsen. u

Explosion-proof compressor systems

J. P. Sauer & Sohn Maschinenbau, the parent company of the Sauer Compressors group, which offers explosion-proof high-pressure compressors for many ATEX zones including commercial shipping has had its ATEX-compliant manufacturing processes certified by TÜV SÜD .

The company has now had the quality management system for the manufacturing processes of the devices audited according to ISO/IEC 8007934:2018 by the independent third party. In June, TÜV SÜD confirmed the conformity with the important standard following a voluntary audit. The customers of J. P. Sauer & Sohn Maschinenbau will benefit from higher safety throughout the entire supply chain and save themselves the need for supplier audits.

The ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU regulates equipment and protective systems being put into circulation as well as being provided in potentially explosive atmospheres. The quality management system according to ISO/IEC 80079-34:2018 ensures that the products actually comply with the directive. By complying with this standard, J. P. Sauer & Sohn Maschinenbau assumes responsibility not only for its own components, but also for all supplied parts. This means that the company controls suppliers and their processes accordingly.

example saying: “We use our own measuring equipment to check whether fans and tubes that are installed in the compressors are antistatic as declared and therefore ATEX-compliant.” The ATEXcompliant manufacturing process also extends to the areas of maintenance and spare parts.

J. P. Sauer & Sohn Maschinenbau puts a lot of effort into the quality management system. The company has recently created the specialist position of an ATEX manager as a staff position with the management, and the employees are permanently trained. The audit by TÜV SÜD is to be carried out annually from now on.

established our high design standards on the side of the processes as well. Customers can thus minimise their risk and be sure that the compressors are ATEX-compliant front to back,” explained Mr Schulz.

Sauer Compressors is a medium-sized German group of companies with 12 international subsidiaries. The company was founded more than 135 years ago, and has over 85 years’ experience in compressed air technology. Today, it focuses on the development, production and sale of medium- and high-pressure compressors for applications in commercial shipping, industries, the petroleum industry and the defence sector. u

Healthy food more vital than ever during pandemic

Nutritious food is more important than ever for seafarers, as the shipping industry aims to overcome the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

That’s according to international catering management and training provider MCTC who say the shipping industry must continue to focus on supporting seafarers’ overall wellbeing and health despite the prospect of a silver bullet in the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine.

It says that with tight daily catering budgets, fresh food and nutritious meals can fall by the wayside and while the vaccine offers a return to normality, seafarers’ health still needs to be a priority and recommended that people pay close attention to their diet.

Kyriacos Georgiou, MCTC’s Head of Catering & Training, said: “COVID-19 has really shaken up the industry to focus on health which has been fantastic. Governments advised people to focus on exercising and leading a healthy lifestyle and they listened. My fear now is that people will resort to old habits post-COVID-19. Living a wholesome lifestyle will be just as important moving forwards.”

Food Nutritionist Nichole Stylianou, added:

“The World Health Organization (WHO) promoted and encouraged healthy diets and recommended everyone increasing their Vitamin D to tackle the virus. Vitamin D can be found in mushrooms, fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines), eggs and Vitamin D fortified foods. Your diet impacts on your physical and mental health and it must be rich in all vitamins and minerals. The overall messages were for people to pay close attention to their lifestyle choices.”

MCTC’s Managing Director, Christian Ioannou, added:

“During the pandemic the industry’s priority has been to keep seafarers safe through encouraging social distancing, face masks, promoting exercise and a healthy diet. After COVID-19, the industry needs to remember that the workforce must stay healthy. It is always a balance between fresh food and good nutrition and hitting often tight daily catering budgets. This is something MCTC can advise on.”

During the pandemic the industry’s priority has been to keep seafarers safe “

Kyriacos Georgiou, MCTC’s Head of Catering & Training

MCTC has a full Catering Management Service which works within clients’ budgets to control costs. its Catering Management service covers the vessel’s entire catering management needs such as recipe planning, menu management, health and nutrition, including ordering supplies, which all reduce vessel running costs. Clients who sign up to this service also receive the complimentary Catering Competency Development Programme. This training package is designed to increase standards in the galley by training and supporting catering staff.

MCTC believes that catering crews should have a much deeper level of knowledge to ensure they understand the importance of good nutrition and how to cater for different nationalities and health needs.

“The WHO together with Governments stated that

leading a healthy lifestyle was paramount in helping to tackle the virus. Here at MCTC, we believe nutrition needs to stay top of the agenda in the maritime industry. The health of our seafarers is important, and we need to keep building a better and healthier industry,” stressed Mr Ioannou.

Despite the push across the industry for more nutritious meals onboard vessels, one ship supplier says that many customers are reluctant to pay the price for healthier options.

Jim Costalos, Managing Director of Southern Cross Marine Supplies which operates out of Australia and Singapore, told The Ship Supplier: “They talk about it but in the end it is based on the cost factor.”

He said it was his experience that only a few select companies actually promote healthy eating and exercise such as BP Shipping which has catering superintendents that visit ships to check on crew welfare, organise gyms onboard and ensure order sheets that have options for healthy choices.

“However, more ship owners are slowly doing this in a less official way,” he conceded.

Mr Costalos, who is Chairman of the Australian Ship Suppliers & Services Association and Executive Vice President on ISSA’s Executive Board, said the COVID-19 pandemic had made customers focus on products from particular areas, though generally provenance was not that important in terms of general requirements.

“During COVID everyone wanted to avoid China made,” he said. “Certain ship owners insist on produce from certain countries, for example Greek ships prefer Greek Feta, and cheese such as Kefalotiri and Kasseri, and especially Greek olive oil and coffee. Most seek meats from a handful of countries only such as Australia, New Zealand and Argentina, for example and each ethnic group has their own requirements.”

He stated that during the pandemic ship owners

Christian Ioannou, MCTC’s Managing Director

also saw Australian products as safe and healthy which has pushed up their purchases while in Australia, causing business to actually increase in the country during the early months of the pandemic.

Erik Kroken, Managing Director, B&S Bosman Global, based in The Netherlands, said they had seen an increased focus on healthier meals but echoed Mr Costalos’ point of it coming down to cost.

“There is a trend towards vegetarian food and indeed healthier food like protein bars and cereals,” he said. “From our clients we hear that they are still being faced with the fact that their customers continue with a strong focus on price.”

“They tell us for that reason they do not have the opportunity to innovate and to replace present food products with healthier products.”

He said that due to the pandemic, consumers are being more cautious with specification of food products and the focus is shifting towards the need for the right specification. “Quality of food is becoming more and more important and this is also the direction we want to focus on more and more.” u

Jim Costalos, Managing Director of Southern Cross Marine Supplies

Fears cruise supply will not resume for some time

Speaking in general about how the COVID-19 crisis has impacted supplies of food and beverages, Jim Costalos said Southern Cross Marine Supplies had been lucky in both Australia and Singapore compared to the Americas and Europe.

“We had low community transmission and apart from a blow out in Sydney and later Melbourne it was very well contained,” he said.

However, he fears that cruise supply will not resume for some time saying that it was dependent on when vaccines become available, when air travel is back properly and when borders are re-opened.

This was echoed by Erik Kroken, Managing Director, B&S Bosman Global, who said: “We have been hit hard with the collapse of the cruise industry and the airline industry due to COVID. We are, however, fortunate that our B2C and distribution lines within the liquor and beauty trade has increased.”

Along with the challenges brought by the pandemic, Mr Costalos said food and beverage suppliers were also facing restrictions and regulations at some ports and wharfs. “For example, if a port authority sets out a policy that a secondary spotter must accompany a driver, this will apply to all areas of their business, adding additional costs to the ship supplier’s operation.”

He also said there would be more consolidation within the ship supply sector. “Eventually, the smaller suppliers will fold or be taken over,” he said. “There are numerous suppliers promoting themselves as global. I am oldfashioned and do not see this as a good thing for the ship owner as it will mean

less choice and the service may not be as important to a giant company as to a smaller enterprise, and it will eventually lead to higher rates.”

Mr Kroken said: “Cost effectiveness remains a basic requirement within the ship supply industry. Companies have to make considerable investments, not only to meet the requirements of their clients and suppliers but also to comply with the increasing requirements of the various authorities. So, for this, consolidation will be the name of the game, however again, COVID-19 has also made it apparent that smaller companies, because of their agility, have a lot of added value in the supply chain still. It is no longer only about volume.”

Mr Costalos also said more customers were relying on their own purchasing platforms which give them greater coverage around the world and the ability to compare pricing from port to port and to plan their orders in advance.

“This creates more work for the ship supplier as there is a lot of double handling to process quotes and convert back into the owner’s format,” he said. “Owners in many cases are also selecting the cheapest quote based on pricing, not on reputation or quality of goods which in most cases can not be selected on their portals. Very few ship owners actually insist on the full package – service, quality and price.”

Mr Kroken said one positive of the pandemic was the acceleration of digitalisation and with suppliers and customers referring to the website to find more information B&S was focusing on an online platform.

In terms of other challenges, he said the importance of safety and traceability was becoming stronger and authorities were creating more legislation to ensure these aspects are dealt with accordingly. “Being an important supplier and distributor to ship suppliers worldwide, we consider this as an important part of our role to the supply chain,” said Mr Kroken. “To fulfil this role B&S has representatives in the main EU boards in Brussels dealing with customs and veterinary legislation.Nevertheless, the amount of outbreaks in the food industry shows we still have a long way to go to obtain 100% compliancy on safety of food handling.” u

Green ISSA

Marine biofuel testing set to begin at the Alfa Laval Test & Training Centre

As the marine industry races to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, the Alfa Laval Test & Training Centre is taking a key role.

The testing space – already equipped for today’s oil and gas fuels – has been readied for testing with biofuels and in coming years will accumulate knowledge that is vital to a carbon-free future.

Located in Aalborg, Denmark, the Alfa Laval Test & Training Centre is a core component of Alfa Laval’s own research and development. It is also a site for collaboration with industry partners and research institutes, which will be needed to reach IMO’s goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 50% over 2008 levels. Alfa Laval, biofuel producer MASH Energy and ship owner DFDS have entered into one such collaboration, funded in part by Shipping Lab, a Danish non-profit initiative focused on smart shipping.

Lars Bo Andersen, Alfa Laval Test & Training Centre Manager said: “New fuel alternatives are constantly being introduced to the marine industry, but the knowledge about their behaviour in marine fuel systems is limited. We want to extend that knowledge through testing, beginning with biofuels.”

Biofuels have high potential and will undoubtedly play a part in meeting IMO climate goals. Many such fuels are on the verge of entering the market, and Alfa Laval is often approached by ship owners regarding their use. Yet while they represent a significant opportunity, biofuels as they are today involve many unknowns.

“Biofuels are produced from many different sources using a wide range of production methods,” said Mr Andersen. “Consequently, the end product varies. Even though producers aim to fulfil the ISO 8217 standard, fuel users may experience undesirable fuel behaviours, such as corrosion of the fuel system.”

He said corrosion is not the only potential issue. “Fuel

injection is steered by viscosity, which is in turn controlled by heating. The relationship between heat and viscosity is hard to predict for biofuels, so the existing curves for HFO and LSHFO don’t apply. For biofuels to be used safely and efficiently, we have to gain more knowledge about them in order to optimize their handling and combustion.”

The first biofuel tested at the centre will be one produced in India by MASH Energy, which is created through pyrolysis of waste biomass. Sourced from waste in this way, the fuel would be a net positive, removing CO2 from the overall carbon equation.

The dark, viscous fuel will initially be mixed with “normal” oil and be combusted using the Alfa Laval Aalborg dual-fuel boilers at the centre, which will allow both flame characteristics and emissions such as NOx and particulate matter (PM) to be examined. Between the tank and the boilers, the biofuel will be treated with an Alfa Laval high-speed separator to remove any impurities.

Depending on the results, the next stage will be combusting the fuel in the centre’s four-stroke engine. If all goes smoothly, the aim is that the biofuel can be bunkered on the DFDS Pearl Seaways for hot water production while in Danish ports, and perhaps eventually as a fuel for the auxiliary engines. u

PALFINGER services lifeboats and winches in first cruise drydocks since spring lockdown

PALFINGER has successfully completed the first major refurbishment jobs since the outbreak of the COVID19-pandemic. Royal Caribbean Group awarded PALFINGER the contract to service 18 lifeboats and 20 winches for Allure of the Seas, the first cruise ship to dry dock after the lock down in spring.

Working in a global team effort, PALFINGER’s US-based cruise service experts were finally able to attend to Allure of the Seas after this year’s spring drydock season was brought to an abrupt halt due to the pandemic. Eleven technicians from PALFINGER’s US service office travelled to Naventia’s shipyard in Cádiz, Spain, to join the five LSA- and seven refinishing technicians from PALFINGER Spain.

The team refinished the canopies on 18 lifeboats, which can carry up to 370 people each, and conducted the five-yearly inspection on the boats and release gear. This includes cleaning and maintaining the release hooks as well as inspecting the boats according to MSC.402 and

other regulations required by class and flag. On top of that, PALFINGER’s dedicated service team re-piped 20 winches. After only 30 days, the job was successfully completed.

“Manpower, schedules and locations are battles we are used to fighting in our daily business. COVID-19, though, posed an entirely new challenge. Nonetheless, our perseverance during this difficult time has prevailed. Slowly but surely, we were able to resume our work after the lock down, starting with the first successful service job for Allure of the Seas”, said Josh Lozano, PALFINGER’s Operations Manager based in Florida.

“Having completed this job, we utilized our PALFINGER Italy office for a cruise drydock in Palermo, Italy, and the PALFINGER Singapore office for another one in Singapore”, says Josh Lozano about further service jobs in the pipeline.

“In addition, with the help of PALFINGER UK, we have also been able to complete three ‘five-yearlys’ and five annual inspections of boats and release gear”, he concluded. u

Photo credit: © Royal Caribbean Group

Survitec increases service flexibility with RaftXChange

Global safety and survival solutions provider Survitec has rebranded its established liferaft rental and exchange service to meet increasing market demand for service flexibility.

The new look RaftXChange service brings together the company’s proven liferaft equipment rental and servicing scheme under one clear offer with the ability to

easily upgrade to the more enhanced RaftXChange+ service.

“The RaftXChange model provides our customers with everything they need from their initial and ongoing liferaft requirements, whenever the need it,” said Malcolm Barratt, Technical Sales Manager – Liferafts, Survitec.

“While system reliability is synonymous with a Survitec liferaft, the rental and exchange plan enables users

to significantly improve operational flexibility. RaftXChange makes full use of Survitec’s global network to ensure that any required service and exchange is readily available at all the major ports.”

Survitec’s global liferaft support network includes 405 accredited service stations covering more than 2,000 ports worldwide.

Under the enhanced RaftXChange+ contract, Survitec also

provides crew training, certifying crews to inspect the liferafts themselves in between their 30-month service intervals, which negates the need for external technicians onboard or annual servicing.

Mr Barratt said: “Ultimately, RaftXChange+ means the frequency of moving liferafts on and off a vessel is reduced, saving time and money for operators. It is ideal for ships with short or infrequent port calls, which equates to increased efficiency.”

Tommy Scott, Head of Engineering – Survitec Liferafts, points out: “With customer-owned liferafts, the equipment has to be removed from the vessel, taken to the service station on shore, returned and refitted. This all takes up valuable time in port and, under the normal annual service agreements, has to be done four times within a five-year period.

“RaftXChange sees the equipment immediately exchanged for a fully serviced and certified liferaft, offering

The RaftXChange model provides our customers with everything they need from their initial and ongoing liferaft requirements, whenever the need it

a significant time saving. With a RaftXChange+ contract, this process happens once every five years, as opposed to annually, thus saving even more time and costs.”

Survitec offers a single point of contact, taking care of the day-to-day servicing and exchange of the lifesaving equipment as well as booking services and invoicing.

“RaftXChange is indicative of the continuous research and development we undertake to provide operators with the optimum level of crew, passenger and ship safety available. With RaftXChange, we provide our customers with the most effective means of delivering system reliability, reduced maintenance and value on a global basis,” said Scott.

All liferafts within the Survitec RaftXChange rental pool meet and exceed international class, quality and safety standards as per SOLAS and the LSA Code. This includes testing in accordance with IMO Res. MSC.81(70), as amended and for extended service intervals, IMO MSC.1/Circ.1328.

Survitec has provided inflatable survival technology at sea and in the air for over a century. Since then, the company has grown into its present market leadership position, developing product ranges that constantly meet changing market and regulatory demands. u

Malcolm Barratt, Technical Sales Manager –Liferafts, Survitec

From the Buyer’s Desk

Sandeep Vaidya, Corporate Supply Chain Manager at BSM

How important is it to build relationships with your suppliers and how do you choose who to buy fromwhat are you looking for in your ship suppliers?

As a family-owned company, BSM highly values longstanding personal relationships, as they build the foundation for our operational excellence. We view relationships with our stakeholders as partnerships that are built on trust and transparency, and some of which have lasted for more than 30 years. Due to the dynamic nature of the Marine industry, well-established relations with our suppliers are particularly important to us. Having to cope with frequent schedule changes and unforeseen situations, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, makes us appreciate service providers that are willing to go the extra mile to ensure on-time delivery on our vessels. When selecting suppliers, we place value on flexibility and reliability at a competitive cost and always choose partners that help us perform our shipmanagement services with excellence, even in challenging times. Simply offering rockbottom prices won’t make them win the bid.

Do you tend to stick to the same small number of suppliers or are you always looking at potential new sources of products and services?

As much as we value long-term relationships with all our partners, at BSM we always strive to improve our vessel performance. Therefore, we aim to strike a balance between both new and established ship suppliers, and are always open to new avenues of collaboration. For certain products that are key to our business, such as spare parts, lube oil or paint, we do, however, prefer long-term supply contracts. These framework agreements are negotiated by GenPro, an independent procurement platform that BSM has created in partnership with Columbia Shipmanagement.

What are some of the main issues you have with suppliers and please explain a little about each?

It is important our technical staff is always well-trained on the latest ship supplies available. One of the main things we often find missing is the ability of service providers to inform us regarding scope and changes to their product portfolio. This leaves us with the challenge to properly update and educate our colleagues on recent market developments. Further, we value regular business review meetings with our suppliers, in which performance data is analysed, and mutual areas for improvement can be discussed. Unfortunately, these meetings are rarely offered by ship suppliers, notwithstanding the mutual benefit.

Is cost still a major factor in who you use or do you place a higher importance on others such as quality, business relationships etc and what do you look for when buying supplies?

At BSM, our safety culture is deeply rooted in the company’s DNA. Delivering safe and efficient shipmanagement services is our main priority and sets the standard for everything we do. When ordering safety-related products, we would therefore never compromise on quality. Generally speaking, we serve a variety of customers with differing expectations regarding the quality-price ratio, so an appropriate price for the desired quality is what we look at for the main part.

How has procurement changed at your company in recent times?

There has been a big thrust in digitisation, and we take pride in saying our procurement processes are almost entirely run paperless. BSM’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system ‘SmartPAL’ allows us to manage our business processes remotely and through one single platform, which gives employees and ship suppliers ease during these challenging COVID times. With our PAL module ‘eConnect’, vendors can access our system, allowing them to quickly and safely submit quotations and invoices. BSM has a very proactive approach when it comes to innovation. Increasingly, we are looking at further automating our procurement processes using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

How sophisticated should 21st century ship supply become and how has technology moved things along?

The shipping industry is slowly but surely transforming, using the power of data to anticipate behaviour and optimise operational procedures. The availability of data and the advances of technology allow shipping companies to transform their procurement processes at a much faster pace now.

Please give a brief overview of how many vessels you look after in terms of supply?

BSM manages a fleet of 400 vessels in full management. In terms of supply, we look after vessels of all types and segments, ranging from container ships, and tankers, through bulk carriers to LNG ships and offshore supply vessels. We cater to all requirements originating from these assets to requirements for special projects, including dockings, equipment retrofitting and modifications. u

Remember ISSA Conditions of Sale

By ISSA’s legal expert Bruce Hailey

It remains all too common that ISSA members fail to take the necessary steps to incorporate the ISSA Conditions of Sale (or a properly drafted alternative) into their contracts with their customers.

The ISSA Conditions of Sale (which can be viewed at www. shipsupply.org/issa/conditions-of-sale) have been drafted to provide important protection for ISSA members in their business dealings. These protections include limits on the seller’s liability, provisions in relation to interest, the prohibition of setting-off claims against payment, recovery of collection costs, helpful definitions of the “buyer” to bind the manager as well as the owner, as well as defining the applicable law and jurisdiction for any disputes.

Failure to ensure that properly drafted terms and conditions of sale are incorporated into contracts for sale can often mean that when things go wrong, the ISSA member’s position can be severely prejudiced. Disputes can become more costly to resolve, collection of debts more difficult and costly and remedies such as generous interest provisions and cancellation of discounts are lost.

These basic protections can make a huge difference and we see this every day in our work. This is frustrating, because it is not at all difficult to take the steps required to “incorporate” the ISSA Conditions of Sale into your contracts.

We recommend that your standard email “small print” includes the simple statement that “All sales and supplies are subject to the ISSA Conditions of Sale, available on request or to view at www.shipsupply.org/issa/conditions-of-sale”.

All quotations should include the statement “This quotation and all supplies made by us at any time are subject to the ISSA Conditions of Sale, available on request or to view at www. shipsupply.org/issa/conditions-of-sale”.

All delivery notes and invoices should include the statement “This supply, and all supplies made by us, are subject to the ISSA Conditions of Sale, available on request or to view at www. shipsupply.org/issa/conditions-of-sale”.

New clients may even be sent a message (stored safely for future reference) that all supplies made by you are subject to the ISSA Conditions of Sale, though this should not be a substitute for the other steps stated earlier.

Beware that it is very unwise to rely upon such statements on your invoices alone. The quotation is the most important moment to make the declaration, as this puts the buyer on notice at the negotiation stage that your offer incorporates the ISSA Conditions of Sale.

Experiences show that if you do not incorporate effective terms and conditions (whether that be the ISSA Conditions of Sale or an alternative) you will eventually face a situation where you regret that failure. u

Could this signal the end for ropes and chains?

Shipping companies and ports worldwide can now make every minute matter, significantly reducing fuel consumption and increasing port productivity, with simpler and faster implementation of Cavotec’s next generation automated vacuum mooring solution.

Cavotec, the manufacturer of connection and electrification solutions for the maritime industry, is today launching its next generation automated vacuum mooring solution, MoorMaster NxG.

It is claimed it will revolutionise the way ships enter and leave ports, mooring in as little as 30 seconds to drastically reduce docking times. The system of anchoring ships to port using ropes and chains, unchanged since the dawn of sailing and often taking up to one hour, is set for a radical overhaul, enabling shipping companies to make every minute of their journey matter.

Shorter turn-around times mean more time cruising at lower speeds for lower fuel consumption and a greener, cleaner world. Fast, hands-free mooring enables ports to increase productivity while also reducing emissions and keeping employees safe.

Mikael Norin, Cavotec CEO, said: “As the inventors of vacuum mooring, we’ve used every minute of data from 20 years’ service to redesign MoorMaster from the ground up, to deliver faster, smarter installation, improved performance, continuous monitoring and easier maintenance. All in a unit with a smaller more streamlined footprint and an aesthetically pleasing design.

“These are qualities that ASKO Maritime have seen as crucial when they are planning the introduction of the world’s first autonomous, zero emissions vessels. We are very proud of having been selected as a key partner to ASKO.”

ASKO Maritime, the shipping arm of Norway’s largest grocery chain, will benefit from MoorMaster NxG in its Oslo Fjord operations where the fully electric ships will sail autonomously from port to port thereby replacing two million kilometres of truck transport, saving 5,000 tonnes of CO2 every year.

Kai Just Olsen, ASKO Maritime CEO, said: “The MoorMaster system will save us huge amounts of energy and is a key enabler of autonomous operations. Since we won’t need to use the powerful bow and side thrusters in port, our electric vessels will use less energy and also extend the battery lifetime. The MoorMaster technology is perfect to complement to our new ships – using modern technology for a futuristic fleet.”

Even with conventional vessels, it is claimed that MoorMaster can reduce the level of harmful emissions by as much as 98% during mooring leading to a healthier environment for port employees and nearby communities. MoorMaster NxG comes with patented Active Control technology and uses a proprietary software algorithm to eliminate vessel motion while also drastically increasing system lifetime.

For ports, this leads to increased loading/offloading productivity and enables future use cases such as fully automated ship-to-shore cranes. With continuous recording of operational data, the advent of artificial intelligence is set to further improve MoorMaster NxG with every software update and every minute of operations at all sites worldwide.

“In the next ten years, with the introduction of smart shipping technology, we could finally see the end of the slow and dangerous use of ropes and chains at dockside. A modern shipping industry needs a mooring solution that meets and exceeds its high expectations of productivity and reduced environmental footprint at docks around the world,” concluded Mr Norin. u

Taking back control of customs clearances

By Pol Sweeney, VP Sales and Country Manager UK, Descartes

While the topic of Brexit has taken somewhat of a backseat over recent months with the impact of COVID-19, we remain in the period of transition as the formal trade deal is yet to be agreed upon. As the date for ending the transition period approaches on 31st December 2020, it’s already clear that customs declarations will apply to all imports from the EU, causing delays to already busy ports and stretched supply chains.

For those industries that rely on just-in-time (JIT) distribution such as pharmaceutical, perishable goods, manufacturing, spare parts and low value high volume ecommerce, it’s imperative to get goods through customs clearance without delays and file the declarations required with ease.

So, instead of completing declarations at the border and adding delays to what is an already busy and chaotic environment – what if there was a way to complete customs declarations inland at your own facility?

With an ETSF (External Temporary Storage Facility) located at your own business’ site, away from the port,

the entire customs process can be significantly accelerated. Your goods arriving into the UK can be taken to your site (e.g. a business’ premises or distribution centre), where the customs formalities can be managed electronically.

The customs border is effectively moved to your own premises, so customs declarations can be pre-lodged ahead of the goods arriving. This enables the site to operate as if it is the Customs Frontier from a HMRC and Border Force perspective, so long as it is running an approved ETSF solution.

A haulage or courier company with perhaps 1,000 different consignments on one truck doesn’t want to have to fill out that number of declarations in a short period of time when leaving Europe and before arriving at a UK port. With an ETSF, they can create more time and stay ahead of the game by filling out the declarations at the end destination in advance, and therefore not delay the physical movement of the goods en-route with queues, inspections and processing at the border.

Another solution which can augment the ETSF setup is having an inventory

system that is designed to group goods at truck level, instead of typical systems today that are designed for flight or vessel-based arrival. With a truck-based system, once a vehicle physically arrives at your site, its arrival triggers the clearance of all its consignments so they can be unloaded and handled.

An ETSF also gives electronic visibility and audit records to HMRC and Border Force, so if they do want to put a hold on any consignment the site operator knows immediately which goods are on hold awaiting paperwork or physical inspection – this can also be conducted at the operator’s site.

Ports such as Dover are busy enough at this time, add to that the need for additional complex clearance processes come the end of the Brexit transition period and trucks that need to travel through those bottlenecks will face huge delays. Any clearances that can be moved inland will benefit supply chains greatly, especially those looking to quickly clear and distribute or sell products on.

There will still be certain product categories that will require clearance checks at the border for safety reasons,

such as meat and dairy products. But by moving as many clearance checks as possible inland not only speeds up the process for those vehicles that can go straight to the ETSF, but also unlocks efficiencies for those that will still have to complete clearances at the border. A win-win for those companies that transport different items across multiple categories.

Currently, there are a huge number of businesses that import from the EU and therefore don’t have to worry about customs clearances, but once the transition period is over, they will be faced with significant changes. The sheer volume of products crossing the border that will be hit with delays due to newly imposed procedures and paperwork will create significant knock-on challenges and potential costs for the wider supply chain. Businesses therefore need to take back control of their own clearances, create efficiencies where they can ahead of time so that once the transition period ends, they will be in an optimum position to maintain business continuity and control cost.

Like many processes, setting up an ETSF does require applications and approvals which can take time. Any warehouse keeper that is approved for customs warehousing, which could be virtually any importer, can apply to have premises approved as an ETSF. Premises would need to be checked and approved, inspection areas setup and an

inventory provider nominated. But this needn’t be a challenge for those that prepare now and work with a provider that can support the setup process in line with the inventory system that connects straight to HMRC. Using an ETSF has been a wellestablished solution for many years, but the changes coming into place as a result of Brexit will mean that it is now more applicable and necessary for a large majority of businesses. u

GAC appointed carrier agent for new Dampier-Singapore liner shipping service

Australia’s largest privately-owned shipping company, Sea Swift, has appointed GAC as the principal carrier agent for its newly-launched Dampier-Singapore liner shipping service, due to start in December 2020.

Under the agreement, GAC will provide complete liner agency services to Sea Swift RORO vessels carrying containerised and breakbulk cargoes between the ports of Singapore and Dampier in Western Australia. The services include ship agency, husbandry and cargo services, with GAC as the main contact point for customers in Singapore, Dampier/Karratha, and Fremantle. Other services included are container sourcing, management and control, port operations, documentation, financial governance, customer care as well as equipment handling.

A dedicated 99-metre vessel – the Karratha Bay – will ply Sea Swift’s new route, making an average of two sailings per month between Singapore and Dampier. Shipment times are expected to be up to two days shorter than the Fremantle-Singapore route.

“Western Australia is home to major resources and petroleum projects, so we anticipate that demand for this direct

link between two key cities will rise steadily to facilitate the transfer of general and breakbulk cargo,” said Henrik Althén, Managing Director of GAC Singapore.

“It is likely to be further bolstered by the growing imports and exports generated by developing economies in Asia, postCOVID-19, with Singapore acting as a transshipment port.”

Sea Swift Acting Chief Executive Officer Lino Bruno said the marine transport company’s new international service will be a permanent fixture in its Northern Australia shipping network.

“Sea Swift is establishing this new Dampier-Singapore shipping service on a long-term basis, with cost-effective containerisation direct from Asia to the Pilbara for the first time,” said Mr Bruno.

“We are a highly-experienced shipping operator, and this route’s unique RORO service model will offer fast, yet safe, port turnaround times. This service will also produce savings for the environment through reduced carbon emissions, saving on freight distance, and packaging through the use of containers.” u

“COVID calls for KYC”

By Roger Symes, Director, Marine Debt Management

As 2020 draws to a close, few will dispute that it has been a very difficult year. Whatever our expectations twelve months ago, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic will have changed them – and not for the better. Many have lost loved ones, many more their livelihoods, to it is reasonable to look to the New Year with a sense of trepidation.

During the past nine months, ISSA members have proved remarkably adept at keeping ships supplied, despite staff absences due to illness and quarantining, shortages of stock items and additional health and hygiene precautions. The need for PPE, to source stock from more vendors, to perform additional cleaning and sanitization and to cope with staff shortages have all increased costs.

At the same time, sales have been hit by the downturn in world trade, fewer port calls and owners’ postponing onboard maintenance. In addition, the percentage of customers delaying payments has increased and those in financial difficulty have been pushed closer to bankruptcy.

It is hard to find positives but we can take comfort from the fact that vaccines against coronavirus are now receiving regulatory approval and will start to be distributed in the first quarter of 2021. Early indications are that their efficacy is high, although we do not yet know to what extent they will limit the spread of the disease. Therefore, although there is hope, 2021 will be a lot like 2020.

One of the side effects of the pandemic has been the almost universal halt in customer visits. Every ISSA member knows how important these are for both buyers and suppliers. As well as finding out more about a customer’s needs, they often enable a supplier to obtain vital KYC (Know Your Customer) intelligence about a company’s ownership, management and client base. Potential problems may be revealed, enabling the supplier to account for these in future dealings.

Whilst email, ‘phone calls and even video calls all have their place, they tend to be restricted to the task in hand. They rarely focus on wider issues, so the opportunities face-to-face meetings bring are largely lost.

Some suppliers may be glad that, at a time of increasing costs, the expense of visiting customers is now saved. However, as customer visits provided important KYC information, thought should be given as to how to obtain this by other means, especially as your client base will evolve in the year ahead.

Nowadays ship owners seek to profit as much from buying and selling ships as they have traditionally done from operating them. If your fleet size and type is subject to frequent changes, outsourcing management to third-parties can provide greater flexibility than an in-house ship management team.

Some of the larger, multi-national ship management companies have grown as a result, whilst others have suffered as major clients sold off vessels or moved elsewhere. The natural ‘churn’ of the business has been increased by employees, breaking away to establish their own ship management companies, often taking a single ship owning client with them.

Sanctions enforced by the United States against companies, foreign as well as domestic, doing business with Iran and Venezuela, have led those two countries to rely upon an ever changing myriad of third parties to own and manage vessels transporting their cargoes. Sanctioned companies are likely to have their bank accounts frozen, so suppliers must take extra care.

KYC has never been so important. u

ISSA and Ship Supply News

Farvel mine søfarter! (Farewell my nautical friends!)

Our friend in The North - Ulfar Norddahl – is well known in the ship supply industry.

Now he has retired and penned a Memoir.

Full of tales of derring-do whilst supplying ships in the halcyon days of chandling, this Nordic Narrative crackles with the icicles of his birth-place of Iceland and adopted homeland of Denmark.

His entrepreneurial flair arrived whilst he was still at school when he started work in the local grocery store.

The arrival of the Circus and the Funfair caused him to join the merry band of travellers and help to run the dodgem cars.

Hardly a traditional route into ship supply but bear with us!

His maritime career began when Danish ship owner in Aarhus Birger Terkildsen (Terkol), offered him a job as a trainee ship manager. This required him to sale all over the world on the

Company’s vessels whilst also studying logistics at Business School.

Ulfar soon forsook The North and headed to England and Liverpool where he entered the ship broking business. This included a spell in Germany.

It was meeting a ship chandler in The Railway Inn, Runcorn that was to change his life.

Within a week he was working for this extraordinary character.

“He spoke to me in Danish.

“He had been a Captain in Military Intelligence during the war, and had been working with the Danish Resistance movement, fighting the Nazi army of occupation.

“With my ship broking experience, ship-chandling was an easy job, contacting ship owners and visiting them in their offices all over Europe, speaking the languages I knew.

“Many Captains in those days had the responsibility to purchase all provisions and stores themselves.”

“Once I was on board an old ship in Albert Dock arriving from West Africa with lumber trunks and cotton.

“It had a yellow flag up asking for Free Pratique. The port health came on board and had a look at the sick seaman and decided that it could be yellow fever and the ship was quarantined, with me on board and a Norwegian ships chandler.

“We stayed all day and all night, with plenty to eat and drink. In those days we all had too much to drink!”

Getting paid was vital no matter the difficulty.

“Another time the ship sailed and I had to be winched over the side with one foot in the hook at the end of the wire of the crane and lowered on to the end of the Pier as the vessel left the Port!”

From dodgy Customs Officers, crazy Captains and fierce competition Ulfar writes of a forgotten time decades past.

He paints an exciting picture of life as a shipchandler in the post-war days. If you would like to read more please visit……. u

John Blom, NeKo Ship Supply Group

After a long illness, John Blom the owner and founder of NeKo Ship Supply, passed away on 21st October at the age 72.

John left his mark in the Ship Chandler Industry with a career of more than 50 years. He started at Aug. Kopcke & Co in the 1970s and in 2002 he crafted the NeKo Ship Supply Group where his knowledge and passion played a crucial role in the success and the development of the company, leading it to become one of the leading ship chandlers in Northern Europe. He attended many ISSA conventions and until his death he was the very involved chairman of the Dutch Ship Suppliers Association

Eric Bezemer, Commercial Director, NeKo Ship Supply, said: “John was a highly competent leader and his sense of humour and positivity will be sadly missed. Our deepest condolences and thoughts go out to John’s family and friends, in particular his wife Tineke and his stepsons Brandon and Donny.” u

Wim van Noortwijk

Wim van Noortwijk, ISSA President for most of the first decade of the new millennium, died on 29th November 2020.

His Presidency at the dawn of a new age marked the beginning of significant change in ISSA to reflect the wider rapid development of the ship supply industry.

Born in Rotterdam in 1941, Wim’s early life proved to be a challenge although he rarely spoke about this.

He was a true polymath for outside ship supply and ISSA he was a light aircraft pilot and small boat sailor as well as a significant contributor to charity.

Starting his Presidency on the first day of the new millennium, Wim had a clear idea of how he wished to see ISSA develop.

Attracting significant senior and long-standing Members to the then Executive Committee, he embarked on a programme of modernisation.

It was he who moved the ISSA Secretariat from Wimbledon – “as far from the sea as you can get!” – to the Baltic Exchange in the City of London.

Suddenly ISSA was rubbing shoulders on a daily basis with the major maritime trade associations and organisations.

At the same time he embarked on an overhaul of the Association’s work at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) where significant contributions were made to the Arrest of Vessels Convention and the Maritime Labour Convention.

He reflected the general mood in ISSA that “temporary” membership of, then, 13 years was nonsense and set about regularising ISSA’s status and position at IMO. This is a major part of his legacy.

He felt ISSA had to go to the members and explain to them its importance. A series of regional meetings and Conventions from China to North America and Brazil to Australia saw Wim and the “ISSA Road Show”, as he dubbed his team, clocking up the air miles throughout his tenure.

It would be wrong to pretend that everyone subscribed to his ship supply philosophy but he relished debate and demonstrated his natural leadership.

His was a presidency choc full of hard work, fun, surprises and major initiatives. If you went along for the ride – as many did – you were seldom disappointed.

Record sales of the ISSA Catalogue, recognition of the coming digital age and its impact on ship supply – these were significant elements of his remarkable presidency.

Wim was a charismatic man and we shall not see his like again. From his famous “helicopter” view we salute him and wish his “coming days” “crystal clear” and deservedly peaceful. u

ISSA meetings go virtual

Every cloud has a silver lining, or so the saying goes, and while we have all been prevented from meeting our colleagues face-to-face, the power of smart technology has come to our aid. And the results have been extraordinary.

Not only is ISSA actively holding regular National Association virtual conferencing roadshows to bring our Assembly members and their members fully up-to-date with initiatives underway at ISSA, but the Secretariat has also started to hold hard-hitting webinar on key issues facing global ship suppliers. The very recent ‘IHM and Recycling: what are your responsibilities as a ship supplier?’ was a resounding success, with top speakers from China, Singapore, London, Brussels, Dubai and the IMO itself.

But most effective of all has been the holding of ISSA

Executive Board and Assembly meetings online, and the take-up and input has been super. So, a big thank you to everyone who has participated in them.

2021 will hopefully represent something of a return to some form of normality but the role of the video conference will still have an important part to play. u

Market News

Success of Jotun’s solvent free coating paves way for global launch

Jotun is ready to launch its proven Jotacote Universal S120 primer to the worldwide market after three years of success in the North East Asian and West European market.

Jotacote Universal S120 is the world’s first PSPC approved single coat, solvent free system, with approvals since 2017. It has now been applied to a variety of vessels, including 12 delivered vessels with six more under construction and an additional four projects secured.

It was introduced to leading yards in North East Asia and West Europe in 2017. The solution, the first of its kind on the market, features patent pending Covallox technology that incorporates covalent bonds in its chemistry on top of the existing hydrogen bonds typical of conventional epoxy. This is said to offer unrivalled substrate adhesion providing durability and anticorrosive properties targeted at lifetime protection of the vessel, particularly in the ballast tanks.

Dr Erik Risberg, Global Marketing Director, Jotun Marine Coatings, said: “The response we’ve received from the market in North East Asia and West Europe illustrates the efficacy of Jotacote Universal S120 and the strong benefits it delivers to ship owners.

“This has been a careful process of evaluation, following an extensive development programme for Covallox technology - which has taken place over 16 years – and we’re now gearing up to take this unique product to our global customers. It is market proven in South Korea, one of the world’s leading shipbuilding nations, as well as in Germany, which specialises in building cruise vessels. This gives us an excellent foundation to build upon and we believe Jotacote Universal S120 can be a genuine gamechanger within marine universal primers.” u

Sustainable solutions

By Andreas Glud, Group Segment Manager, Dry Dock, Hempel

This year has been turbulent and at its outset few would have suspected a pandemic and the crippling impact it would have on the world. Every industry has been affected and shipping is no exception. It is disturbing to see the toll that coronavirus is taking on the many mariners who are having to work extended periods at sea; and it is unfortunate to see the cruise industry struggling, shipyards closing and long delays to drydockings. This year has brought many challenges and not least a renewed requirement to operate sustainably and eco-efficiently.

Sustainability is no longer “nice to have” but a requirement for all maritime carriers. It is accepted that implementing sustainable business practices will drive competitive advantage and improve the bottom line. Savvy ship owners and operators are now more than ever investing in smarter technologies and focusing on efficiency gains for every part of a vessel and its operation.

A prime example is the Grimaldi Group’s Grimaldi Green 5th Generation (GG5G) class Eco Valencia. It is a ‘first-ofits-kind’ hybrid ro-ro, the largest short sea ro-ro vessel in the world, and it is able to transport 7,800 linear metres of rolling freight, equivalent to around 500 trailers. The 67,311gt Eco Valencia is the first of nine sister vessels being constructed and with this vessel the Grimaldi Group has demonstrated the importance of focusing on sustainability as a basis of vessel design, pushing the boundaries of possibility for environmental sustainability.

Hempel, the worldwide coatings manufacturer, is Grimaldi Group’s chosen coatings supplier for all nine of the GG5Gclass vessels. The company applied a range of epoxy-fibre coatings across every part of the vessel requiring protection, from the funnel through to the cargo-holds, ballast water and freshwater tanks and onto decks and floor plates. On the decks, a high-quality zinc-silicate coating has been applied for advance protection of the steel. The specific coatings solutions used for each individual section were selected to meet the exact specifications of the application areas and function.

The hull however is where the most significant efficiency savings can be made through the choice of an optimum coating and here Hempel applied its flagship Hempaguard X7. It is expected

to deliver an 8% saving in fuel consumption compared to the market average. Another key result is that the coating retains its effectiveness regardless of speed and during idle periods (of up to 120 days), as well as delivering a maximum speed loss of 1.4 %. This allows total trading flexibility for all classes of vessels.

Based on Hempel’s Actiguard technology, the coating exhibits superior non-stick properties – to help repel organisms trying to attach to the vessel hull – and deliver a lower frictional resistance to aid the movement of the ship’s hull through the water. It creates a biocide-activated hydrogel which is formed on the surface of the silicone coating and as the biocide diffuses out of the film, it is trapped in the hydrogel layer. This increases the time the biocide is retained at the surface of the coating – where it is most effective. This means that considerably less biocide is needed compared with standard coatings, yet it is much more effective at preventing the settlement of biofouling organisms.

Hempaguard X7 adds to the savings delivered by several other unique technologies used in the design of the vessel. Thanks to the range of unique hull, propeller, engine and renewable technologies employed, the GG5G-class vessels have achieved RINA’s ‘Green Plus’-notation – the highest standard for environmental sustainability available through the Italian classification society. u

Survitec pays homage to its founding father

Survitec, the renowned global provider of survival solutions, celebrates its 100th Anniversary and to mark this significant mile-stone the firm has partnered with The Museum of Godalming in Surrey, UK, to curate a unique virtual Exhibition.

In addition, the life of Survitec’s founder – Reginald Foster Dagnall – is being celebrated in Godalming where his first liferaft production facility was established.

Known at its inception as RFD, the firm made a significant contribution to the Great War, supplying survival products including their own invention of the world’s first infant life-jacket.

From there inventions included the first anti-G trousers and development assistance to NASA for the Apollo space suit.

The fascinating virtual museum will showcase inventions and patents that have played a pivotal role in maritime, energy, defence and aviation safety. Often Survitec’s work has helped shape international safety rules and guidelines.

Commenting on its extraordinary century of design, invention and innovation Ron Krisanda, Executive Chairman, Survitec, said: “The virtual history museum highlights key milestones in the maritime and aviation industry starting with our company founder’s invention of liferafts in the 1920s.

“Working with the Museum of Godalming, we’ve been able to chronicle the early years of survival products, including the world’s first marine evacuation and submarine escape suit.

“At Survitec, we have a long history of saving lives so it is with enormous pride we mark this important contribution to maritime, energy, defence and aviation industries.”

Alison Pattison, Curator, Godalming Museum, said: “Survitec’s story really started in 1920, when Dagnall put his engineering flair and innovative thinking to work manufacturing lightweight inflatable rings designed for an aircraft’s fuselage.

“This prevented a ditched plane from sinking and allowed the craft to be recovered. His technology evolved to facilitate the rescue of aircrews and, in 1932, a method of automatic inflation was introduced, signalling a major breakthrough for the company and revolutionising the industry for years to come.”

The Godalming Museum can be considered the repository of the Survitec Story with its fascinating collection of photographs documenting RFD’s pioneering work.

2020 also marks the 100th reference for Survitec’s Marin Ark 2 marine evacuation system. This technology is a testament to founder Dagnall’s foresight and pioneering work in inflatable evacuation systems.

The virtual museum, which can be visited at www. survitecgroup.com/100Years, includes television news footage, survivor stories and interviews, along with a number of videos highlighting the evolution of lifejackets, liferafts, marine evacuation systems and more over the years. u

Ron Krisanda, Executive Chairman Survitec

Reginald Foster Dagnall is considered the founding father Survitec Young Reginald

Play

Handy Hygiene Helper

Covid-19 has focused everyone on how to keep hygiene at the forefront of every-day living. CleanPod is a new tool to protect yourself against the invisible germs lurking on all the objects you touch every day wherever you are.

Pressing a button releases a high-energy beam of UVC (ultraviolet C) light from the specialized LEDs, effectively sanitizing surfaces without the use of chemicals. In 30 seconds, UVC light can kill up to 99.9% of germs that get in its way. A really useful gadget. monos.com

Water Sanitisation Solved

Larq water bottles are equipped with internal UV-C lights that regularly sanitize the inside of the bottle and its contents.

But boy are they heavy!

The next step for Larq was releasing lighter water bottles that are much more portable without sacrificing that UV-C tech.

Movement bottles are not double-walled, so they won’t keep your drinks hot or cold, but that matters a lot less at the gym or on a hike.

Safe hygiene is maintained – Bingo! livelarq.com

Norwegian singer returns after years of silence

Ane Brun is a Norwegian singer/song writer who perfectly captures the haunting atmosphere of Scandinavia in her powerful work.

How Beauty Holds the Hand of Sorrow marks her return and is one of two albums she has produced.

Playing piano and acoustic this remarkable artist captures your emotions from the first bar and leads you on a bittersweet journey with compensating healing properties.

She has found a way past her private torment.

Hélène Grimaud re-visited

Back in 1992, when this recording was produced, Hélène Grimaud was only 22 years old and in the early stages of her career as a concert pianist. Although other recordings have been made by her of these seminal works none matches the youthful vigour of her playing on this early display of her talent.

It is not too late to savour her remarkable talent. Like everything else in this crazy world we live in, new is not always better!

After Hours

A must read for all Ferrari enthusiasts!

A fascinating new book by John Collins gives a real insight into the world of dealing in classic collector Ferraris and other exotic cars.

It tells the inside story about John Collins and Talacrest, from its beginning to present day and is also a wonderful catalogue of the world’s most fabulous cars that Talacrest and John have been involved with.

Running to some 350 pages, the book is prolifically illustrated with stunning archive pictures from Auto Italia and Marcel Massini amongst others and includes many important Ferrari road and racing cars.

The book has been published to commemorate Talacrest’s 30th Anniversary and documents the impressive rise of the business to its enviable position as the first Classic Car dealer to win a Queen’s Award for Export.

Further information from www.talacrest.com

The Bathroom: a private space made public!

Who would have thought Covid-19 to be the catalyst for a different way of viewing art?

Steve Turner Viewing Room for one. This wholly on-line Exhibition of Claire Milbrath’s “Bathroom Scenes” collection is at once vibrant and thought-provoking.

Milbrath explores themes of love, longing, heartbreak, isolation, intimacy and perversion. She uses the bathroom as a psychological backdrop and symbol of intimacy and shows her auto-biographical character “Gray” in private, personal moments of reflection.

The paintings, color-coded for mood, depict scenes of sweetness, loyalty, companionship and desire.

Claire Milbrath (b. 1989 Victoria, Canada) is a self-taught artist working with painting, sewing, and drawing. Adopting an artistic style reminiscent of naive painters, Milbrath incorporates large swaths of lush colour to construct her compositional space.

https://www.galleriesnow.net/shows/claire-milbrath-bathroom-scenes/

A Global Icon Still Thriving

Coronavirus has hit the restaurant industry harder than most.

However one global icon – The Hofbräuhaus, Munich, continues to offer Bavarian hospitality at its best.

The historical Schwemme, which is located on the ground floor of the Hofbräuhaus, is the heart of this unique hostelry.

It was here where the beer was once brewed that up to 1,300 guests can be served.

Food to complement the famous beer is a popular feature. The Hofbräuhaus has its own butcher, baker and confectioner and, as they say themselves, all their food is Bavarian, honest and homemade.

Your Reviewer recalls a rollicking night at this world-famous beer hall in 1960. It seems time has simply improved its unique blend of beer, food, music and famous Bavarian hospitality.

https://www.hofbraeuhaus.de/en/welcome.html