Seaven Tanker

An expanding fleet

Seaven Tanker and Dry Management has almost 20 years’ experience managing a fleet of small and medium-sized modern oil/chemical tankers and cement carriers. Chartering Manager Konstantinos Antoniou shared details of Seaven’s expanding fleet and other plans in conversation with Phil Nicholls.

Over the past few years, Seaven Tanker and Dry Management has steadily built up its fleet of small and medium-sized carriers. The company fleet almost doubled in size over recent years with the acquisition of four cement carriers and three chemical tankers.

“There is currently a considerable demand for cement carriers,” said Chartering Manager Konstantinos Antoniou, “which is the reason why we acquired four units during the last few years. To be honest, if there were more units available, then Seaven would be keen to acquire more vessels.”

Seaven was established in 2003 as Evia Petrol. The company name subsequently changed to highlight the company’s scope and reflects the potential for its ships to travel across the Seven Seas, all around the globe. Based in recently renovated offices in Piraeus, Seaven employs 40 shore-based staff and over 300 seafarers, while currently operating a fleet of 16

SEAVEN

modern oi l / chemical tankers and cement carriers, able to discharge either pneu matically or mechanically; most of which are Greek-flagged.

The expanded fleet mainly trades across the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, along with voyages to north European ports. Vessels are chartered by companies who are established in the market and rely on Seaven’s outstanding business performance. Seaven works with a selection of well-known oil majors and traders, plus first-class cement companies. Seaven is also the main distributor of CPP products for the Greek domestic market, including the islands.

Seven Seaven ships

“Our specialised cement carriers have been popular lately due to the increased infrastructure needs, especially in the eastern Mediterranean,” Mr Antoniou explained. “A competitive advantage of our vessels is that they can perform opera tions under any weather conditions, unlike other bulk carriers.”

Seaven’s fleet tends to operate over rela tively short distances, with some vessels embarking on a new voyage every three or four days. “The job can be very intense,” said Mr Antoniou, “especially during the

summer months, because the voyages are so short: but that’s what is so exciting for this company and it’s what I really enjoy.”

Speaking of the expansion of Seaven’s fleet with the aforementioned seven addi tions, Mr Antoniou said: “We see that the demand in our segment has substantially increased – even more so on the cement side, because there’s a lot of infrastruc ture needs currently and a limited order book on the chemical tankers.”

Seaven’s four new cement carriers –SEAVEN STAR, SEAVEN PROGRESS, SEAVEN GLORY and SEAVEN SKY –range from 6,375 DWT to 10,200 DWT, with lengths between 110m to 123m. Most of these new acquisitions were built in 2007/8.

Alongside these new vessels, Seaven also added three chemical tankers to its fleet over the same period. The new tankers are SEAVEN HOPE, SEAVEN HORIZON and SEAVEN PRIDE, ranging between 4,000 DWT and 6,000 DWT. These tankers were built between 2003 and 2010, with lengths from 86m to 106m.

These acquisitions for Seaven are part of its response to the evolving shipping market

“We are continuously expanding our fleet in order to meet the increasing demands at both the local level and within the interna tional trade segment.

“In a way, ours is a niche market. Seaven has been active for almost 20 years, so we have established ourselves as a reliable brand thanks to the level of service we have provided through the years.”

Green shipping

In 2019, Seaven became the first global com pany operating vessels under 10,000 DWT to be certified by the Green Award Foundation.

“At Seaven, we aim to promote sustain able shipping,” Mr Antoniou explained. “Through our everyday operations, we work together towards a safe and clean shipping

industry where our vessels can operate safely and efficiently. The Green Award was a milestone for our company, and it came as a result of our marine and shore personnel striving for safety and excellence.”

The receipt of the Green Award reflects Seaven’s environmental policies applied at the office and aboard the company’s expanding fleet. A robust training plan ensures all Seaven’s employees share a common vision for sustainable develop ment in the everyday operational activities.

Paper and battery recycling is an intensi fied practice at Seaven’s office. This is com bined with responsible electricity and water consumption, along with tightly monitored energy efficiency of air conditioning units. This philosophy extends to the Seaven fleet where the company is exploring the possi bilities for alternative fuels and different fuel mixes to reduce its carbon footpri nt.

In parallel with this emphasis on envi ronmental responsibility, Seaven’s training programme also promotes a strong safety c ulture which is crucial to the reliable oper ations that build long-term relationships with clients. The company develops and maintains strong relationships with

SEAVEN TANKER AND DRY MANAGEMENT I PROFILE

a broad base of respected customers. These are mainly oil and cement majors, traders and domestic companies who recognise th e fact that Seaven is a highly performing and socially responsible company.

Clients acknowledge that the team at Seaven always goes above and beyond industry standards in terms of operational efficiency, safety, quality and environ mental performance.

Future partnerships

Mr Antoniou highlighted Seaven’s princi ples for working closely with business partners: “We are maintaining a contin uous and fruitful communication with our clients in order to understand and antici pate their needs, especially in the current market conditions where changes are unpre dictable and frequent. We must also stay up to date with the latest developments and adapt quickly to our clients’ evolving needs.”

Seaven’s ongoing fleet expansion mirrors its confidence in steady market growth. However, Mr Antoniou acknowledged that

any market prediction beyond six months is unwise. The challenge at Seaven is there fore to maintain the current rate of growth in the face of global events and potential fluctuations in its market segment.

Despite these uncertainties, Seaven has two clear objectives for the future of the business. The company wants to strengthen its position as a key player in the chemical tanker and cement carrier segment within the Mediterranean the Black Sea and around continental Europe. Furthermore, Seaven plans to continue expanding both fleets and maintain its strong, long-lasting ties with charter clients by upholding its provision of first-class services.

“The company’s philosophy is expressed by our focus” concluded Mr Antoniou.

“A focus on international best practices, quality in business, and safe operations. Seaven’s management team consists of some of the best professionals in the shipping industry, who continue to be motivated by the company’s core values as established by our founders.” n

Konstantinos Antoniou Chartering Manager