Shipping and Marine Issue 115 Final Edition

ISSUE 115 FINAL

The magazine for maritime management

Change is in the air

GETTING SMART

The term ‘eco’ is not just about environmental efficiency any more; it’s about economic efficiency as well

VITAL LINKS

Subsea cable suppliers are dedicating time and resources to finding advanced, problemsolving new technologies

Are you ready for the tighter restrictions on sulphur content for bunkers coming in January 2015?

HOLDING FIRM

A revolutionary stand-alone vessel mooring system addresses a number of challenges currently being faced by the marine industry

ISSUE 115 EARLY

Editor’s comment ThE mAgAzInE foR mARITImE mAnAgEmEnT

Change is in the air

GETTING SMART

The term ‘eco’ is not just about environmental efficiency any more; it’s about economic efficiency as well

VITAL LINKS

Subsea cable suppliers are dedicating time and resources to finding advanced, problemsolving new technologies

Are you ready for the tighter restrictions on sulphur content for bunkers coming in January 2015?

HOLDING FIRM

A revolutionary stand-alone vessel mooring system addresses a number of challenges currently being faced by the marine industry

Chairman Andrew Schofield Group Managing Director Mike Tulloch Sales Director David Garner Editor Libbie Hammond

Ready for

2015

When Shipping & Marine first started talking about the new sulphur regulations that are due in January 2015, the timeline

Art Editor/Design David Howard

sounded so far away that it was a dot on the horizon.

Staff Writers Matthew High Jo Cooper Andrew Dann Steve Nash

before the maximum sulphur content of fuels permitted to

Editorial Administrator Emma Crane Production Manager Fleur Daniels

from 1.00 per cent mass to 0.10 per cent mass.

Production dhoward @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk studio @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk

this new lower limit could well strain the ability of owners

Advertisement Administrator Tracy Chynoweth studio@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Head of Research Philip Monument Editorial Researchers Laura Thompson Gavin Watson Mark Cowles Tarj D’Silva Jeff Goldenburg Jo-ann Jeffery Emily Claxton Advertising Sales Joe Woolsgrove Tim Eakins Dave King Darren Jolliffe Graham Allinson Mark Cawston

And now I am writing this with only two months to go be consumed by ships of more than 400 gross tonnes in Emission Control Areas (ECAs) will be reduced ten-fold, The lead story in this issue discusses some of the legal implications of this change – and the authors highlight that (and bunker suppliers) to source and manage compliant low sulphur bunkers.

Let me know what you are anticipating in January – are you expecting a smooth transition or more of what I read in one article “a bit of a mess.”

libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

If you would like a digital version of Shipping & Marine magazine please contact Iain Kidd: ikidd@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

Subscriptions ikidd @ schofieldpublishing.co.uk

Schofield Publishing Cringleford Business Centre, 10 Intwood Road, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 6AU, U.K. Tel: 044 (0)1603 274130 Fax: 044 (0)1603 274131

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk. ©2014 Schofield Publishing Ltd

Please note: The opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers within this publication do not necessarily coincide with those of the editor and publisher. Every reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information published is accurate, but no legal responsibility for loss occasioned by the use of such information can be accepted by the publisher. All rights reserved. The contents of the magazine are strictly copyright, the property of Schofield Publishing, and may not be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher.

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 1

8

FEATURES 4 News Updates and announcements from the shipping and maritime arena

8 Change is in the air Cristan Evans and Joe Gosden discuss MARPOL and tighter restrictions on sulphur content for bunkers

10

10 Getting smart With an increasing trend towards energy and environmentally efficient ship operation, the time could be considered ideal for the launch of a new offering in green shipping

12 Vital links Cable protection systems comprise a variety of components that work together to interface and protect cables as they transition from the seabed to a fixed or floating structure

14 Digging for victory The overall expansion plans on the table for the Suez and competing canals offers the opportunity to shorten the supply chain, but will also bring challenges to ship operators

16 Holding firm The ShoreTension system addresses a number of challenges currently being faced by the marine industry, including vessel safety, operational efficiency and the impact on climate change caused by pollution

12

18 Simple & secure How a new payment solution is streamlining operations at P&O

14

2 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

contents 33

profiles 23 Doris Maritime Services 27 Koepping Shipping Company 29 Navix Maritime Chartering 33 Ravestein 35 M. E. Solutions

39

39 Stena Line 41 Unigas International 45 Wrist Ship Supply 47 Shipyard de Hoop 51 Thor 53 Brittany Ferries

47

56 Rederij Wantij 58 Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A 62 Oceansaver 66 Oesterreichisher Lloyd Seereederei (Cyprus) 69 Red Funnel 73 DBB Jack-Up 76 Karmsund Havnevesen

58

78 Rotortug 80 Rosslare-Europort 82 Arsenal do Alfeite 84 Benelux Overseas Inc. 87 Enzian Shipping

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 3

Disclose the data Transport & Environment, Seas at Risk and Carbon War Room are urging the International Maritime Organization (IMO) not to withhold data on ship efficiency and fuel consumption. The call for action follows moves by some industry groups to undermine initiatives at the IMO and EU level that would make efficiency performance publicly available and require ships to report and publicise their energy efficiency data.

In submissions to the IMO’s environment committee (MEPC), Transport & Environment (T&E) and Seas at Risk (SAR) – both members of the Clean Shipping Coalition – have drawn on research by the University of Gothenburg, which states that transparency is essential if the industry is to reduce its GHG emissions and develop a sustainable low-carbon future. The study prepared by Jessica Coria, associate professor at the Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg, states that: “Social and market pressure resulting from information disclosure can generate strong incentives for pollution control in a way that traditional enforcement tools may not be able to achieve.”

One of the principle barriers to the sector reducing its emissions is the lack of publicly available data on the energy performance of individual ships. The IMO’s MEPC plans to restrict access to the energy efficiency design index (EEDI) data on newly built ships. Some shipowners/ operators claim that efficiency performance data is commercially sensitive and should remain confidential.

However, this is in stark contrast to the experience of other industries; the publication of vehicle performance standards in the European car industry, for example, has led to average annual improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency of four per cent. In the aviation industry, US carriers have been required to publish quarterly data on fuel consumption and other operational aspects since 1958.

Failure to make efficiency data transparent would be neither productive, nor in the best economic interests of the industry; freely available information is the key to promoting energy efficiency and driving down industry costs.

Moreover the current situation, where some privileged actors pay for access to such data, distorts competition and divides the market between data ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’.

Disclosure of efficiency data ensures greater competition, prompting more calls for transparency from many shippers, cargo owners and operators. This is demonstrated by the increasing uptake of independent efficiency indices such as the Clean Cargo Working Group, the Clean Shipping Index and the A-G efficiency rating from RightShip and Carbon War Room. Indeed use of the A-G rating alone has been introduced as a policy by nearly 30 per cent, representing two billion tons of cargo, of shipping’s non-containerised charter market.

T&E and SAR call on the IMO to recognise that a single source of official and certified data from the industry regulator would offer a more reliable and universal metric; one that would drive competition to increase efficiency across the industry.

4 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

Fighting fire

After an extensive tender process, Tyco Fire & Integrated Solutions has been awarded a contract to design the fixed fire fighting solutions for the UK MoD’s new Type 26 Global Combat Ship Programme.

Appointed by main contractor BAE Systems, the team at Tyco Fire & Integrated Solutions developed a bespoke design package consisting of a variety of systems including water, mist, foam and gaseous solutions.

Graham Linney, engineering manager – marine, at Tyco Fire & Integrated Solutions, commented: “Throughout the design phase we have worked closely with BAE Systems and the Royal Navy to ensure the solution for the new Type 26 Global Combat Ships meets the specific requirements of such a unique environment. This collaborative approach was vital to meet both client and end user requirements.

“Although our experience working on earlier naval vessels was valuable, it was important that for a new generation of naval ships, we were innovative in our approach. I believe we have achieved this and have excelled in the bespoke solutions developed.”

Gold star The Port of Tyne has received a Gold Award in the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Occupational Health and Safety Awards 2014. The prestigious RoSPA annual awards scheme has recognised the Port’s commitment to Health and Safety, which is an area of priority.

Andrew Moffat, Port of Tyne, chief executive officer said: “We are delighted to have achieved the gold award in just two years. It’s testament to the huge efforts that have been made by everyone across the entire Port.

“We’ve been doing very well through safety training, awareness, monitoring processes and being vigilant – looking out for our colleagues and our visitors, and have encouraged staff to participate by making many excellent suggestions.

“As a result year to date injuries are down by 25 per cent and our near miss reporting rate is up by 21 per cent – all of which is a sign of great progress and we look forward to continuing and improving even more.”

Wave power A revolutionary British wave-propelled boat called AutoNaut has arrived back in the Isles of Scilly after a 13-day autonomous mission in which she weathered a 70 mph Atlantic storm. She is designed for autonomous data gathering using a wide range of off-the-shelf sensors for science, the military, and offshore gas & oil and renewables industries.

On this voyage AutoNaut ‘Gordon’, built for the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), was towing a 25m hydrophone array at a depth of four metres, as well as carrying an AirMar weather station, a pyronometer to measure sunlight, two cameras for seabird and marine litter survey work, and a WetLabs Triplet Puck measuring chlorophyll and other aspects of sea water quality.

This voyage was a first ocean test for the NarcineArray manufactured

by J+S Ltd of Barnstaple and Aberdeen. The 25m array is designed to listen for cetaceans as well as ships, and scientists involved in NOC’s

Put on your power suit

MASSMO deployment also hope to get useful data as the array crossed tidal mixing fronts off the Isles of Scilly.

“This was a major test for AutoNaut,” said director David Maclean of MOST (Autonomous Vessels) Ltd that produces the AutoNaut. “To have delivered on time, on budget and to a very tight schedule; and for our unmanned surface vessel (USV) to have gone straight out into the Atlantic and followed her programme through a gale and a storm is a really solid achievement.

Wave propulsion means AutoNaut can provide very long endurance.” The new unmanned surface vessel (USV) uses motion from the ocean to propel herself, silently, with zero emissions.

“AutoNaut is revolutionary,” Mike Poole director of MOST (AV) added, “because it is the first commercial use of this particular wave propulsion technology, which can be scaled from a one metre hull to a ship. Such zero emission power, using the energy of the waves to propel a vessel, has great future potential for the marine world.”

Those of you who have seen the movie Aliens will be familiar with the power loader from the 1986 futuristic space horror classic. Used to move heavy equipment, the device has been unintentionally recreated in South Korea.

However, these exoskeletons are part of a test by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, one of the largest ship building companies in the world. The wearable robotic suits are made of lightweight aluminium alloy and steel and are engineered to follow the wearer’s movements.

Straps at the feet, thigh, waist and chest connect the user to the suit and allow the exoskeleton to move with the wearer and bear the heavy loads. A system consisting of hydraulic joints and small electric motors runs along the outside of the leg linking to a backpack, which powers and controls the rig.

While European Automation doesn’t supply customers with such sophisticated robot exoskeletons as those mentioned above, it does supply the kinds of high precision actuators, gears and motors that you are likely to find in them.

It also supplies industrial robots on a smaller scale, like SCARA (Selective Compliance Articulated Robot Arm), six axis and Cartesian robots.

Keep in touch SpeedCast International Limited (SpeedCast), a leading global satellite communications service provider, has been awarded a multiyear contract from EMAS AMC, EMAS’ subsea construction services division.

The new satellite service provides highperformance broadband connectivity for mission critical data and voice applications on EMAS AMC vessels and client platforms.

SpeedCast will provide satellite network connectivity for a total of 12 of EMAS AMC’s vessels, which perform a wide variety of missions including offshore pipe lay, installation and subsea construction.

SpeedCast designed the communications solution from the ground-up, leveraging both Ku-band and C-band frequencies, to meet the unique requirements of EMAS AMC, which include office and ship management applications, voice telephony, as well as crew communications.

“EMAS AMC is always on the lookout for the latest technology to enhance value for our clients and communications are playing an increasingly important role in the operations of our vessels,” said Daniel Sack, chief operating officer at EMAS AMC. “As we continuously develop our global presence, in all our key business regions, we needed a partner who could grow with us. SpeedCast has the global infrastructure to design and deliver a communications solution that meets our high standards.”

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 5

Lashings of support

As the first Peters & May ‘Pink Lashings’ shipment left Palma for Fort Lauderdale, the global marine transport company called upon all boat owners to support its campaign to help raise £25,000 for the charity, Breast Cancer Clinical Trials (BCCT).

The initiative, launched in October in Breast Cancer Awareness Month, gives boat owners using Peters & May the option to have specially manufactured pink lashing straps in support of the charity when their vessel is secured for transportation.

A donation of just £5 for each lashing strap by the owner will be matched by the company to give a total donation of £10 to the charity for each strap used.

Whilst the number of straps required for each shipment is calculated by its weight and length, the average 80ft yacht would use 50 lashings and therefore raise a phenomenal £500 for the charity for just one shipment.

The first customer to support the Pink Lashings campaign is the owner of a 23 metre Leopard, who commented: “As soon as the team at Peters & May mentioned this initiative during the booking process, I immediately took the chance to be the first yacht secured with the distinctive pink lashings. I’m thrilled to be supporting such a brilliant cause, and hope that many other boat owners will follow in my footsteps.”

Coast to coast

The extent to which rocky shore platforms can reduce the impact of waves on the world’s coastlines is to be analysed in a major international study led by Plymouth University.

The two-year multi-agency project will see field studies conducted at locations around the UK, using cutting edge sensory equipment to measure wave energy transformations between the sea and cliffs.

It will also use laser technology to compile detailed profiles of coastal rock surfaces, enabling scientists to build computerised three-dimensional models to estimate how rough these surfaces are and what effect they might have on the waves.

The WASP (Waves Across Shore Platforms) project is being funded through a £340,000 grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and will see Plymouth University working alongside Bangor University, the University of Auckland in New Zealand and Deltares in the Netherlands.

Gerd Masselink, Professor of Coastal Geomorphology at Plymouth University, and Coastal Processes Research Assistant Dr Timothy Poate will lead the project, having previously worked on a number of major studies analysing the impact of waves on sandy and gravel beaches.

“People often think of our coastline as being dominated by beaches, but a large proportion of it is actually well-defined rock,” Dr Poate said.

“As the waves pass over the rough surface of the rocks, their energy is dissipated before reaching the cliff base, yet our current ability to fully predict this process is poor. As a result of the storms last winter the cliffs along our coastlines are more exposed, meaning this work is essential to improve our ability to predict their stability and manage the coastline.”

The project is the first of its kind to analyse wave energy transfer across rocky platforms, although previous studies involving Plymouth University have examined the effects of storm

6 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

waves on beaches and cliff faces, and the nearshore currents and sediment transport processes.

This new research will involve one-week field studies at six sites along the South West, South East and Welsh coastlines, with the first planned work scheduled to take place on the North Devon coast at the end of October.

Using a combination of laser scanners, digital video cameras, wave sensors and velocimeters, the research teams will look to analyse shore platform topography, wave transformation processes, nearshore currents, wave run-up and breaking patterns, inner surf wave zones and residual wave energy at the cliff base.

Professor Masselink added: “Higher sea levels, as predicted with the continued onset of climate change, and perhaps also more stormy conditions, will undoubtedly pose a greater risk to our coasts. This study will enable us to predict and demonstrate how sea conditions might impact on our rocky coastlines in future decades and centuries, providing a greater understanding of the potential threats we might face. By doing this, we can formulate better adaptive strategies to deal with coastal erosion, for example through developing innovative methods to protect against coastal erosion. The project will also help us to better understand the long-term evolution of coastal cliffs.”

MARITIME NEWS Valuable vessel

DeepOcean UK, a subsidiary of DeepOcean Group Holding BV, has completed substantial works in China on the Liwan 3-1 Project. Liwan 3-1 is part of the Liwan gas project, 300 km southeast of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which also includes Liuhua 34-2 and Liuhua 29-1 fields. All three fields share a subsea production system, subsea pipeline transportation, and onshore gas-processing infrastructure.

DeepOcean commenced works on the project for COOEC Subsea in March 2012. Volantis and UT-1, the world’s most powerful free-flying jet

Share of £111m Marine Specialised Tech Ltd (MST) is one of six UK companies that will share £111 million of new contracts to maintain its fleet of small boats. The five year contract will involve support for a fleet of 1450 boats used by the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army and MoD Police, including offshore raiding craft, pontoons up to 50 metres in length, police launches and Pacific 24 RIBs and inflatables.

MST will provide maintenance, upkeep, repair, chartering, defect rectification, technical support, provision of spares and replacements for the fleet.

MST’s managing director of fleet services, Alan Ashton said “This is wonderful news for MST and the marine sector in Liverpool. The new MoD contract is recognition of our continuing commitment to excellence in every area of operation. We want every craft we maintain to perform at 100 per cent, essential in the challenging conditions in which they are engaged.”

trencher, conducted trenching and survey operations over 160km of the 30” Liwan Pipeline connecting the Liwan Central Platform (CEP) in 200m water-depth to the shore at China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s (CNOOC) Gaolan gas plant.

Prior to trenching, activities included construction works involving crossings along the pipeline route utilising the WROVs and technicians onboard Volantis to deploy over 100 mattresses along the pipeline in preparation for the lay campaign. Trenching activities with the UT-1 and dedicated crew achieved burial depths along the route deploying the UT-1 jetting swords to 2.5m below the seabed for trenching of the large diameter pipeline.

Upon completion of trenching activities in August 2013 in the shallow water section of the project for COOEC Subsea, Volantis was immediately contracted by Saipem to perform subsea field development activities in the deep-water section of the Liwan 3-1 field operating ROVs in excess of 1400m water depth. DeepOcean was responsible for various tasks infield working closely with clients to deliver safe and efficient subsea operations.

Volantis’ superior sea-keeping capability and innovative launch and recovery systems onboard allowed both contracts with COOEC and Saipem to operate continuously through the harsh monsoon seasons with minimal downtime operating under contract for a continuous period of over 875 days.

Cable guys Four new Viking Ocean Cruises ships being constructed by Fincantieri, one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups, will benefit from the enhanced fire safety offered by Nexans’ Safe Return to Port (SRtP) cable technology. This ongoing relationship with Fincantieri illustrates Nexans’ commitment to the buoyant global cruise ship market. The contract is worth around 12 million euros.

Nexans has worked in close co-operation with Fincantieri to develop a new generation of high-tech, fire resistant, SRtP cables based on its stateof-the-art nanotechnology. Some 4000 km of the power and data cables will be installed in the cruise ships under construction at Fincantieri’s shipyards. Each 473-cabin ship has a gross tonnage of 48,000 tons.

In 2010, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) introduced the concept of Safe Return to Port (SRtP) for passenger ships in a directive known as the MSC.1.Circ. 1368. The directive encourages safe engineering design and advises that critical systems and services must remain operational on passenger ships for at least three hours - long enough for them to make a safe return to port and evacuate the ship if a serious incident occurs.

Ship cables play a vital role in ensuring SRtP by carrying vital power, control and data services. This is a very demanding requirement, as the cables not only need to be fire resistant, they must also withstand both physical shock loads and the thermal shocks caused by water jets spraying on to hot cables. The new SRtP cable design is based on Nexans’ nanotechnology that, when exposed to a fire, transforms the insulation from a flexible, plastic covering to a tough insulating ceramic layer to assure circuit integrity under voltages up to 1 kV. The cables are manufactured at Nexans’ German facilities for delivery to Fincantieri over the next two years.

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 7

Change is in the air Cristan Evans and Joe Gosden discuss MARPOL and tighter restrictions on sulphur content for bunkers

From 1 January 2015 the maximum sulphur content of fuels permitted to be consumed by ships of more than 400 gross tonnes in Emission Control Areas (‘ECAs’) will be reduced ten-fold, from 1.00 per cent mass to 0.1 0 per cent mass. This change is effected by Regulation 14 of Annex VI to MARPOL, which schedules a series of sharply stepped reductions in levels of permitted emissions of sulphur oxides.

This change, which only applies within the limited geographical scope of the ECAs, is a precursor to the more dramatic reduction scheduled for 1 January 2020 (or 1 January 2025, depending on the outcome of a 2018 review), which will see the sulphur content of fuels permitted to be consumed by all shipping reduced to 0.50 per cent m/m. This article sets out a brief background to the issues arising from Regulation 14 of Article VI and considers the legal implications about which owners and charterers may need to be aware.

A smoky business The continuing drive to reduce sulphur content in marine fuels arises from health and environmental concerns, primarily the creation of winter-time smog and respiratory diseases, and has led to substantial increases in the cost of bunkering for vessels trading in the ECAs.

8 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

Subject to some minor variations, from 2005 onwards the maximum sulphur content of fuels permitted to be consumed in the ECAs has been limited to 1.50 per cent, while the maximum sulphur content of fuels permitted to be consumed elsewhere has been limited to 4.50 per cent. These limits were then reduced to the current 1.00 per cent and 3.50 per cent on 1 July 2010 and 1 January 2012 for, respectively, inside and outside of the ECAs. Previous reductions in the level of sulphur in bunkers have given rise to issues relating to bunker separation, stemming arrangements and engine management as owners and bunker suppliers have adjusted to the new requirements. For example, there have previously been significant issues with the quality of low sulphur bunkers and the associated engine management requirements, in particular in relation to lubrication. Compliance with the new limits will require even more stringent management than before. Observance of these limits is enforced primarily by a system of sampling and bunker delivery notes, laid out in Regulation 18 of Annex VI, and this is then subject to the Port State Control inspection regime. This system of enforcement will remain unchanged with the limits being enforced in England and Wales pursuant to the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) Regulations 2008 and equivalent local law regimes elsewhere. It remains to be seen whether the introduction of the new limits will be accompanied by more stringent enforcement action on the part of the authorities.

bunkering

Legal considerations – risk allocation The key consideration for owners and charterers is how to allocate the risk arising from the MARPOL requirements within the charterparty terms. For vessels fixed on a voyage charter basis any risk is likely to remain with owners, but in a time charter the issues are more complex.

The obligation to provide bunkers under a time charter lies with the charterer and so a prudent owner will want to ensure that charterers are obliged to provide sufficient quantities of low sulphur bunkers and to bear the risk of the bunkers supplied not meeting the required parameters. From an owners’ perspective, an indemnity covering all loss that might arise from the provision of bunkers that do not comply with those requirements would be advantageous, in addition to provisions ensuring that the vessel remained on-hire for the duration of any detention or delay which might result.

However, the bunker/engine management is of course entirely within owners’ control and charterers will need to ensure that there are reciprocal obligations to ensure that owners comply with the applicable regulatory regimes (in circumstances where there will inevitably be the temptation to burn the cheaper high sulphur bunkers for as long as possible).

In addition, in terms of the quality of the low sulphur bunkers supplied, without any physical presence on the vessel or means of testing the bunkers before they are stemmed, charterers will be

entirely in the hands of their bunker suppliers. Charterers will therefore need to review carefully the terms of their bunker supply agreements to ensure that liability can indeed be passed on to their suppliers.

Charterers should be particularly aware of the very short contractual time bars which are commonplace in bunker supply contracts where low sulphur bunkers may not be consumed immediately, as if an issue did arise in relation to the sulphur content of stemmed bunkers at a much later date (such as a subsequent Port State Control inspection) then the charterer may no longer be able to pass on any losses under the bunker supply contract.

A prudent charterer will also want to insert provisions to ensure that liability for complying with the ship-board requirements for sampling and record keeping set out in Regulation 18, as well as ensuring separation of high and low sulphur bunkers, lies with owners. Any failings here, and detentions arising from such failings, are things that charterers will want to avoid liability for if they fulfilled their earlier obligations by providing the correct fuel. A charterer will also want to ensure that any loss of time arising from such issues is for owners’ account.

Conclusion In summary, the new lower limits effective from 1 January 2015 do not change the regulatory environment but the new lower limit could well strain the ability of owners (and bunker suppliers) to source and manage compliant low sulphur bunkers, perhaps leading to another round of disputes over off-spec bunkers. If such disputes do arise, then the division of liability that owners, charterers and bunker suppliers have agreed in their contractual arrangements may well be tested and so should be reviewed thoroughly in advance. n

Cristan Evans is a Partner and Joe Gosden an Associate in the Marine and International Trade team at Stephenson Harwood LLP. Stephenson Harwood LLP is an international law firm with a worldrenowned shipping and commodities practice, and Cris and Joe regularly act for owners, charterers, oil majors and commodities trading houses in litigation, arbitration and non-contentious matters.

For further information, visit: www.shlegal.com.

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 9

Getting

smart The fusion of commercial and technical could make shipping more cost-effective, and the creation of a handysize pool could give owners a competitive edge

With a shipping industry now just beginning to emerge from its longest ever recession, together with an increasing trend towards energy and environmentally-efficient ship operation, the time could be considered ideal for the launch of a new offering in green shipping.

Established fairly recently by Harald Lone and Hakan Ozcan, Newport Shipping and its Istanbul-based technical management subsidiary Ecoships, are dedicating a lot of time and energy into the creation of environmentally friendly alternatives to existing vessels. This includes both smart ship management and a new next generation bulk carrier design – the Greenlotus 32. This is a 32,500dwt geared, wide hatched, Handysize bulker, designed to meet existing and future emissions regulations.

As Harald Lone, CEO, Newport Shipping noted, this vessel offers extremely low fuel consumption and it meets the most stringent emissions reduction requirements. “From cost and energy-efficiency perspectives, it makes a lot of sense for ship owners to

Ecoships’ Eco-bulker design, Greenlotus 32

10 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

EFFICIENCY Left: Hakan Ozcan, Ecoships’ chief financial officer and right: Harald Lone, CEO, Newport Shipping

reconsider their ageing handies in favour of the Greenlotus 32,” he said.

Indeed, the 170.90m long, 27m wide hull form, optimised for energy efficient operation using computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis, has a propulsion arrangement based around a de-rated, Tier III compliant MAN B&W SG50ME-B9 two-stroke main engine driving a large diameter, fixed pitch propeller.

The configuration provides a heavy fuel oil consumption of just 15.6t/day at a service speed of 14 knots and 7.6 t/day at 11 knots. And compared to the daily fuel oil consumption of comparable Handysize designs, the Greenlotus 32 can generate daily fuel savings of more than US$6500 on a bunker price of $650t, operating at 14 knots.

Suitable for the carriage of a variety of cargoes, including coal, grain, ore, direct reduced iron, cement, bauxite and steel coil, across five double skin cargo holds, the ‘Eco-Smart’ design features wide, steelcovered hatches in conjunction with the absence of hoppers and lower bulkhead stools to facilitate optimal loading and discharging operations.

The design also fulfils IMO requirements for permanent means of access for close up survey work and ease of maintenance. Service piping and electrical cables run along two side pipe tunnels within the double hull, providing a safe conduit between the superstructure and foredeck during inclement weather.

“Vessels built to this new design will feature advanced energy-efficient technologies making them very cost effective to operate. We have already partnered with shipyards in China, Korea and Turkey to offer competitive pricing structures,” Harald added.

Obviously keen to encourage greener shipping, in fact Harald’s overall strategy is to wrestle control from the three or four major operators ostensibly running the Handysize segment. He wants to see Newport Shipping/Ecoships emerge as the ship manager of choice for those small to medium sized ship owners looking to strengthen their P+L accounts.

“What we want to do,” he explained, “is to introduce the pool system to the Handysize segment. The concept is proven in the tanker market, of course; but in the bulk trades only Kamsarmaxes, Panamaxes and, more recently, Supramaxes are pooled.”

Newport Shipping is going to concentrate purely on a Handysize bulker pool, which doesn’t exist right now. Currently, there are about 3000 Handysize bulk carriers in the global fleet, but the market is perceived as being controlled by just one or two big players.

“These companies are controlling most of the Handysize market which is creating a supply and demand imbalance,” says Harald. “But most ship owners in the segment operate small fleets of say one, two or three vessels and what we want to do is pool them to create volume and reduce their operating costs.”

Handysize owners have been hit hard over the past few months by a fluctuating Baltic Dry Bulk Index. They’re having cash flow problems due to the current high cost of bunkers, yet freight rates are not sufficient to support this liquidity just yet.

“It is going to be a very difficult environment for ship owners but we will be able to bring them together, creating volume so that they can benefit from economies of scale in terms of supplies and bunker procurement. We will be able to give this segment a competitive edge and increase the profit for those vessels joining the pool.”

From a charterer’s perspective, a Handysize pool is a very attractive proposition indeed, since they will have access to the safest, most energy-efficient tonnage whenever it’s required. Newport Shipping has already entered into negotiations with Turkey’s Ulusoy Sealines and Densa Shipping, while Deniz Industry has recently placed four vessels under Newport Shipping/Ecoships’ management of which two 25,000dwt handies will be entered into the pool.

Initially the Handysize pool is to comprise about 30 vessels; but given that there are some 3000 ‘handies’ in the 24,000 to 36,000dwt range, the scope for growth is considerable. Indeed, most of the owners Newport Shipping is currently speaking with are interested because of the present and future difficulties this market segment faces.

Ecoships is Newport’s technical ship management arm and it wants to break away from the traditional approaches and introduce a more modern strategy: “Where we perhaps differ from other technical ship managers,” says Hakan Ozcan, Ecoships’ chief financial officer, “is that we see a fusion of the technical and commercial aspects of the ship management function: the application of state-of-the-art technology, for instance, is now considered absolutely instrumental in driving operational costs down. It’s about vessel optimisation and income maximisation.”

He added: “The term ‘eco’ is not just about environmental efficiency any more; it’s about economic efficiency as well. The fusion of the technical and commercial aspects of third-party ship management will ultimately make shipping much more cost effective.” n

Since it started operations just over a year ago, Newport Shipping, which manages all the commercial aspects, and its technical ship management arm Ecoships have grown exponentially. The group now has more than 75 employees on the payroll and further expansion is on the horizon, with offices planned for the US and Singapore next year. For further information visit: www.newportshipping.com.

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 11

Vital

links

Offshore territories are challenging environments for both renewable energy and offshore oil & gas. The subsea cables used by these installations represent major investments and protecting these assets is imperative Cable protection systems comprise a variety of components that work together to interface and protect cables as they transition from the seabed to a fixed or floating structure. To ensure that the energy industry can maintain long-term sustainability, suppliers are dedicating time and resources to finding advanced, problem-solving new technologies in this area. Great examples of this are Tekmar’s cable protection systems (CPS), which are performing a pivotal role in ensuring the integrity and cost efficient delivery of offshore wind farms and providing high-value, long-term solutions for the oil & gas industry.

James Ritchie, chief executive officer at Tekmar, gave some examples of recent contract wins to illustrate the sorts of projects that use its systems: “We have secured work on Cape Wind – the first offshore wind development in the US – and in August 2014, we were awarded work with Statoil and Statkraft on the Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm in North Norfolk.

“In addition, as the offshore wind market currently experiences a slowdown, new opportunities are emerging in oil & gas and we are

12 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

expanding into the Middle East. We are also seeing a role reversal, where the offshore oil & gas industry is benefiting from the experience of the offshore wind market. This shows that the transfer of knowledge is not just one way because innovations and developments in the renewables sector can also be used to support operations in hydrocarbon extraction.”

The Dudgeon project represents important milestones for Tekmar in that it will not only be the 30th offshore wind contract the company has been awarded but it will be the 15th project working closely with installation contractor VBMS, formally VSMC, and follows on from the recent joint success both parties have experienced in Germany on Meerwind and on-going installations with Butendiek.

As part of the Dudgeon cable contract, VBMS will be procuring Tekmar’s TekLink Mechanical Latch Cable Protection System, which will be installed for the protection of the subsea power cables into the J-tubeless monopile foundations. Additionally, Tekmar’s bespoke polyurethane bellmouths will be used on the offshore substation foundation, protecting the interface of platform and export cables.

Tekmar’s TekLink system, which was developed by the company in 2008, revolutionised the connection and protection of subsea power cables into monopile foundations and has been supplied to more than

SUBSEA CABLES

3000 wind turbine systems since being introduced to the market.

On the back of TekLink and Tekmar’s constantly evolving suite of CPS technology, the company launched TekTube at the end of 2013.

TekTube is a polymer based corrosion resistant cable protection solution and is a major game changer in cable operations in both offshore wind and oil & gas because it replaces the need for costly steel J-tubes on jacket, tripod and gravity base foundations. The polymer-based system is a more effective long-term solution because it will not corrode in salt water and, as such, it will last far beyond the length of a wind turbine while TekTube also offers the ability to pre-install the cable protection system onshore, rather than during cable installation.

James says: “One of the major benefits of being able to carry out the work onshore is that it minimises the cost to developers in terms of installation vessel costs. Before being transported to the wind farm site, TekTube can be secured to the wind turbine foundation, sealed and prepared to be received by the cable installation vessel. Spending less time preparing the protection system onboard the vessel also allows the crew to spend their time solely laying the cable.

“The time saved during installation can lead to savings of more than €100,000 per turbine in vessel costs. This will become even more important as the UK moves into Round Three of offshore wind and,

increasingly, into deeper waters because concrete monopiles, which wind turbines are traditionally erected upon, cannot be used at larger depths.”

Within the oil & gas industry, TekTube is being used in new platform builds as well as offering significant cost savings to developers in reenergising brownfield works where the existing J-tubes and cables had reached the end of their service lives.

As the landscape of the oil & gas industry continues to change and enter more challenging environments, innovative new techniques and solutions are vital catalysts for ensuring its future sustainability. To this end, James concluded: “Tekmar is committed to continuing to build upon its cutting-edge CPS technology to help secure the future energy mix and energy supplies for generations to come as well as driving down critical industry costs and minimising risks.” n Tekmar Energy is a market leader in the design, manufacture and supply of subsea cable, umbilical and flexible protection systems for the oil & gas and renewable energy industry. The company places a strong emphasis upon research and development and recently opened a new state-of- the-art production facility in the North East of England. For further information visit: www.tekmar.co.uk.

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 13

Panama Canal

Digging for

victory Frank Tinschert talks about the canal expansions in Egypt and Central America and how business can prepare and plan for potential challenges and opportunities

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi recently announced an ambitious project to dig a new, second Suez canal to develop and stimulate international maritime traffic through the area. The new canal is expected to be 72 kilometres (44.7 miles) long and is estimated to cost around $4 billion. It is predicted to double the number of ships passing through the area, leading to an increase in global trade of two to three per cent.

Having the option to push more traffic through the canal will shorten the supply chain and also provide more flexibility into the planning of a global supply chain.

Likewise, in Central America, the Nicaraguan government and the company behind plans to build a canal linking the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean have just settled on a new route. This new canal in the region will also have a dramatic impact on the global supply chain and directly compete with the existing Panama Canal.

The new developments will enhance the position of both regions as preferred shipping and supply routes, and will provide an attractive new option for businesses across multiple sectors, many of which had started to rely heavily on rail and road transport for example in Asia through the traditional Silk Road.

14 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

What this means for the global economy The increased capacity overall of both routes and perceived benefits will attract increased shipping, meaning more goods and materials will flow through each route. Businesses engaging in global trade via these canals will see new touch points in their supply planning processes, dramatically increasing the amount of data and complexity required to operate efficiently on a global stage. This increased complexity needn’t be seen as a challenge; however businesses need to start thinking about their planning systems now in order to get ready for how these routes will alter supply chains.

Having such a huge infrastructure project coming up provides an opportunity for many companies to augment and further optimise their supply chain. It will also allow more secure calculations and on time deliveries for their own operations. They can then give more commitments to the customers and ensure that their planning in itself is a lot more efficient.

Potential challenges The Suez Canal expansion is a vast project with a tight and ambitious completion date. One possible issue that may arise from this is that companies may have already begun planning to deliver more cargo through the new canal and if delays occur during the construction process this could then cause a further impact on cargo companies.

supply chains

In addition the increase in cargo allowed to pass through the area will mean there is higher traffic, which means that more management is required. The growth in the entire operations will impact other areas that the traffic has been going through before the extra capacity was there.

With an increase in traffic, tight maneuvering as we’ve seen recently is likely to increase and in such a delicate environment this puts additional threats and pressure on the supply chain. Collisions such as the one in October can impact other vessels on a separate route as well and if for a reason or another the canal would be blocked for a number of days then many companies as well as global planning would be impacted. When a collision occurs there is normally planning around it and along with sophisticated tools, businesses could certainly find an alternative route quickly and efficiently to ensure minimal impact on the delivery dates.

Frank Tinschert is director, supply chain planning & optimisation software at Quintiq. Every business has its supply chain planning puzzles. Some of those puzzles are large. Some are complex. Some seem impossible to solve. Since 1997, Quintiq has been solving each of those puzzles using a single supply chain planning and optimisation software platform. Today, approximately 12,000 users in over 80 countries rely on Quintiq software to plan and optimise workforces, logistics and production. For more information, visit www.quintiq.com.

Key opportunities for businesses The overall expansion offers the opportunity to shorten the supply chain. The delivery to production all the way to the final customer costs less because the process has been shortened, which means there is more cash available to companies that is not tied to the cargo. It also means that the planning of a network becomes more efficient because businesses may discover additional options on how they want to plan the route of vessels.

These projects present an opportunity for businesses to look at their existing planning systems in greater depth and start making small changes that will enable them to leverage the incoming influx of data.

Ultimately, the more information businesses can get from inbound and outbound traffic, the better it is for planning global supply chains and increasing profits.

Ultimately, these canals can deliver the following for business around the world: l Agility within the supply chain as more routes available l Quality of delivery timings to customers l Cost efficiencies, as ships are not forced to sail as far on their supply route

What should business expect in the next five years?

The Suez Canal is still the most important route between Asia and Europe to connect harbours in a very efficient way. The ongoing competition with the Silk Road puts a lot of pressure on the operators of the canal and forces them to be even more efficient. Companies need to also be aware that they should expect around ten to 15 ports of call per month from this new expansion, depending on the amount of load on board and the routes vessels will take.

Businesses need to also be aware of the strict contracts on showing their flags. Companies have to ensure they show them in the correct place and at the right time. This will continue to be the same even after the completion of the new Suez Canal expansion. If businesses can’t fulfil the contract, then they will not be asked to stop at a specific harbour from then onwards. For business to operate their vessels in the most efficient way with the maximum capacity available on board, an intelligent planning system like Quintiq is the ideal solution. n

Suez Canal

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 15

Holding

firm

A four-way partnership between ShoreTension BV, Hoenderop BV, Gleistein Ropes and DSM Dyneema BV has delivered revolutionary the ShoreTension standalone vessel mooring system

Ongoing scale increases in ship dimensions pose fundamental challenges for the safety of mooring and berth operations. Due to the increased lateral wind areas of e.g. container vessels, car carriers and cruise vessels, high loads and load variations in the mooring lines can occur under severe wind conditions.

A solution would be to pay out long breast lines or extra storm lines. For typical berths, however, the available space is limited as is the number and capacity of bollards.

The system The marine industry needs to address the global challenges of energy conservation, improving vessel safety and the continuous need to reduce downtime of available terminals. The ShoreTension system addresses these challenges and needs.

The system is a stand-alone hydraulically controlled system. It is designed to absorb the energy of the moving ship in a gust of wind and store this internally whilst paying out the line. When the peak loads are over, the system heaves in the line with the energy stored returning into its initial position. Therefore it does not require any external energy, providing a sustainable mooring solution.

The ShoreTension system can be tensioned from the shore and it can be set to a tensioning capacity of 60 tons. During the operation the tension is kept at a preset value and tension variations are kept to a minimum based on the continuous movements of the hydraulic cylinder.

The functionality of the ShoreTension system can only be effective when the mooring lines, connecting the system with the vessel, are capable of efficiently and effectively transferring the loads over a prolonged period of time.

Gert van den Burg of ShoreTension B.V. explains: “When you use

16 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

conventional mooring ropes, most of the tension is transferred to the ship. With our system, the tension is transferred to the ShoreTension unit, which is located onshore. This does put additional pressure and wear on the mooring lines. Because of the exceptional demands of the system, mooring lines need to be both light and strong, with little or no stretch and durable. Mooring lines made with Dyneema can meet these demands given the properties of the fiber used and their proven value for mooring of VLCC’s, LNG carriers and cruise liners for many years.”

Gert adds: “We knew from the outset that the system could only be effective with the right ropes and right partners, being Hoenderop, Gleistein Ropes and DSM Dyneema.”

To meet the needs of the system, Gleistein Ropes and DSM Dyneema B.V. provided a dedicated principal-based system approach.

Based on the mooring requirements, the unique ShoreTension system characteristics, the full-scale test facility at ShoreTension B.V. and the basic characteristics and experience of mooring lines made with Dyneema, Gleistein Ropes delivered the ‘MegaTwin Dyneema HS Dyneema SSC’ mooring lines. Both the load bearing core and the protective cover comprise Dyneema fiber. For the load bearing core Dyneema SK78 has been chosen as being the new standard in mooring lines.

Gert concludes: “A partnership can only be successful if all participants deliver high levels of commitment, dedication and focus.

In fact, it is our company’s philosophy and strategy to only embark on projects with partners that we can truly rely on. Gleistein Ropes and DSM Dyneema continue to meet our expectations to the full extent.”

Key benefits The ShoreTension system addresses a number of challenges currently being faced by the marine industry, including vessel safety, operational

rope efficiency and the impact on climate change caused by pollution.

As it does not require any external energy, a sustainable solution is provided. By reducing the loads and providing high pre-tension in the mooring lines, down-time of the terminal can be reduced significantly even in extreme weather conditions at exposed terminals. In addition to guaranteeing vessel safety by reducing or even eliminating problems of swell and compensating suction caused by passing ships, the system delivers added efficiency by accelerating turnaround time and improving efficiency on the quay side.

The load bearing core of the mooring lines connected with the ShoreTension system are exposed to constant loading over a prolonged period of time and potentially in areas with relatively high ambient temperatures. The characteristics of Dyneema SK78 enable to create light, strong and stiff mooring lines that provide a longer service life than generic High Modulus PolyEthylene (HMPE) fibers. With SK78 fiber a new standard in the design and use of mooring lines has been set.

There is an additional benefit: ropes with Dyneema are safer – there is no danger of backlash, or ‘snaking’, in the unlikely event of a rope break.

The newly developed ‘Snake Skin Cover’ with Dyneema by Gleistein Ropes helps to protect the load bearing core during its use, thus mitigating the risk of premature line failure, while extending the ropes’ lifetime, saving on replacement cost and environmental impact.

In recent months, the Port of Rotterdam Authority strongly supported use of ShoreTension by offering financial incentives for stevedores using this system. Harbour master René de Vries explains: “As ships are getting larger, they increasingly catch more wind – and passing ships cause more suction. Tight ropes are therefore important for ship, load and quay. Moreover, we are looking to reduce ships’ diesel generators’ emissions. The ShoreTension system helps us to achieve two of our key objectives: greater safety and higher sustainability.”

TEU’s, was moored at the ECT terminal. On seeing the system in action, Ton Leenders, operational manager for ECT said: “I have never seen a ship with 14,000 containers being held so tightly at the quayside. With a growing number of large vessels and with increasingly automated loading and unloading processes, quayside stability is rapidly becoming a critical success factor. This system, based on Dyneema is making a significant contribution.”

The value and functionality of the ShoreTension system equipped with ‘MegaTwin Dyneema HS Dyneema SSC’ mooring lines did not only draw the attention of the world’s leading container shipping companies and terminals, but also the Port of Rotterdam Authority, which underlines and supports this revolutionary development. This is the result of the dedication and system-based approach taken by the four-way partnership between ShoreTension B.V., Hoenderop B.V., Gleistein Ropes and DSM Dyneema B.V. Speaking on behalf of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, Piet Louwen, Head of Asset Management Constructions, said: “We are convinced that the use of ShoreTension in combination with lines made from Dyneema will help to make the Port of Rotterdam safer than ever.”

Proven performance

Sines, Portugal

The ShoreTension system has undergone extensive tests after it was introduced to a number of end-users at various ports around the world, such as Rotterdam, Sines and Cotonou. The successful completion of these projects demonstrates the reliability of the system, which will definitely open up many new opportunities for ShoreTension B.V.

In Sines, Portugal, extensive tests were carried out for the MSC shipping company on two container berths which are heavily influenced by long wave swells. As this is the MSC terminal with the most downtime due to vessel movements, MSC asked ShoreTension B.V. to demonstrate the effectiveness of its mooring system. The results were carefully monitored by the Dutch research and consultancy company Royal Haskoning. The lines which are used in combination with the snatch blocks worked above expectation. Royal Haskoning measured the line forces as well as the vessel’s movements in all directions. These results will be used to develop a new dynamic mooring analysis program.

System in action

Rotterdam, the Netherlands A key example is the autumn storm in Rotterdam on Monday 24 September 2012. At 05:00 pm wind speeds reached up to gale force nine and hit the Northern part of the terminal abeam.

The 366 metre long MSC Cristina was moored at this time at the terminal with heavy winds on her bow. In spite of her mooring equipment being in a good shape all efforts had to be made to keep her moored safely at her berth.

Because of the severe conditions that often occur on this terminal, several tests with the ShoreTension mooring system had been carried out here recently. Thanks to the excellent co-operation between the ECT terminal and the operator MSC, it was decided to connect two ShoreTension systems, equaling 120 tons of mooring force, to the ship’s bow and stern as an addition to her own mooring. The connection was quickly established with the mooring lines with a minimum break load of 200 ton, which were supplied from the shore. Subsequently the vessel was pulled back into the fenders and terminal operations could continue at 06.30 pm. The vessel continued her service the next morning at 02.00 am.

On July 17 2013 the MSC Maria Saveria, capable of carrying 14,000

Cotonou, Benin In May 2013, ShoreTension B.V. was asked for assistance during the unloading of two ship-to-shore container cranes which were on board the Dockwise vessel ‘Tern’. It was very difficult to keep the vessel’s motions within the limits of the skidding procedure (+/- 2 cm). After a number of different set-ups, the ShoreTension systems managed to reduce the vessel’s movements from 70 cms down to two cms and full control was established so the cranes could be brought on shore safely.

For more information please visit: www.dyneema.com/emea/ www.shoretension.nl/ www.hoenderop.nl/Home.aspx www.gleistein.com/en/

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 17

Case study

Simple &

secure The A, B, Seas in the changing transport payments sector. By Jon Banks

The transport industry in the UK is going through a radical shake up. Starting from the capital and spreading outwards, the way people are paying for their travel is changing.

On the 6th of July all bus routes throughout London moved solely to contactless payments, doing away with cash payments. This is perhaps the biggest shake-up to London bus services since they first took to the streets in 1829. For those who have always paid with cash, this was no doubt a huge change but as contactless payment cards become commonplace, it will be an increased convenience for the everyday consumer.

Just a couple of months later on the 16th September, Transport for London (TFL) began to accept payment for underground, tram and Overground services using contactless. Early feedback indicates this has been a huge success with recent figures showing over a million journeys were paid for using contactless cards in just ten days from when the service was turned on.

Of course, when it comes to the world’s biggest cities, change is not uncommon. The large populations often prove ideal ‘testing grounds’ for new payment techniques. However, these innovations have made it off the subways and roads of our largest cities to into the wider world of transport.

Prime example One sector where innovations in payment technology have been embraced is the ferry industry. An industry that is willing to admit its own limited appetite for innovation has done just that. P&O Ferries, the UK’s largest ferry operator has taken the bold step to update the way in which it allows its customers to pay online, on the phone or on-board.

Taking lessons from the ever-evolving retail and travel sector CIO at P&O Ferries, Chris Cook decided to shift from a multi-vendor, fragmented payment infrastructure to a simplified, multichannel approach through a single provider, with help from The Logic Group.

As a result, P&O Ferries is adopting a future-proof managed payments

18 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

service that integrates all its channels and improves its legacy infrastructure. Chris Cook states that this approach provides the company with the speed and agility to respond to changing customer needs and emerging payment technologies, in addition to reducing the costs of fraud and PCI compliance.

Chris was aware of the challenges that had to be met: “Having committed to offering our customers more ways to pay, P&O Ferries wanted to make sure that this improved service, would also be simpler and more secure while also meeting some very unique challenges.

The Logic Group’s Managed Payment Service, Solve Centurion, was a compelling offer that provided a single platform for our entire business.”

The multi-currency, multi-territory and multichannel transaction gateway provides secure, fast and reliable payment processing, wherever, whenever and however P&O customers want to pay.

Riding the crest of a wave... into the future Such innovation means that P&O, a winner of ‘Best Ferry Operator’ accolade (Travel Weekly Globe Awards) 12 years in a row continues to offer its winning formula, and is looking to make that 13 years in a row.

It will not achieve this by thinking only about today. It must look ahead to tomorrow’s requirements. The multichannel environment provides the ferry operator with powerful transactional and operational data that in turn can lead to further insights to improve customer acquisition and retention strategies. This means that P&O can build on its current customer base forging even stronger ties with its customers. This is the most important thing and will allow the company to look ahead to the future and attract new customers ready to hit the open seas. n Jon Banks is director of payments and customer loyalty, The Logic Group. The Logic Group is a European payment and loyalty specialist business providing a solution that manages significant volumes of payment transactions and pan-European member-based loyalty schemes. The company’s services are based on supporting omnichannel customer interactions whether managed payments or loyalty solutions and integrating these to provide customer insights.

For further information, visit: www.the-logic-group.com.

If you don’t have the time to read it all, read what you need Health & Safety Monitor is the newsletter of choice for professionals across all industries because it is: Clear, succinct and brief: With case summaries, indexes and bullet points so you can easily pick out what’s relevant to you Practical, informative and comprehensive: Health and safety news reported and analysed, with full references supplied for your ease of use Unbiased, trusted and critical: Gives you the facts

Request the latest issue free of charge Subscriptions: £195 for 12 issues Contact: Doris Wells t: 01603 274280 e: dwells@schofieldpublishing.co.uk www.healthandsafetymonitor.com

Bifold releases solenoid operated BXS pneumatic valves

B

ifold has built on the experience and skills of its workforce to continually broaden its product range. In addition to the high quality valves and pumps, Bifold is proud to announce the launch of its solenoid operated BXS Pneumatic valve range.

Bifold’s BXS valve range offers a compact and flexible solution to low pressure applications. With over 35 common interface modular operators, this versatile range covers a wide spectrum of actuation requirements. Specifically, the solenoid operated types are compact, two-stage valves. The robust design is manufactured from 316L stainless steel as standard with anodised aluminium optionsalsoavailable.

Thevalvesaresuitedforoffshoreandothercorrosiveatmospheres.

With a valve operating temperature range of -550C to + 1300C and worldwide solenoid operator approvals Ex emb, Ex d & Ex ia for ambient temperatures up to 900C, the solenoid operated product range is available with the widest range of override options. These include: autoreset, spring return manual override, stay put manual override, manual reset, tamper proof manual latch and latch energised. Low power options are also available, rated at only 1.8W. Product design FMEAs, extensive qualification testing, computerised diagnostic factory acceptance testing and test procedures to confirm operational safety factors of all production valves, combine to support the certification of the BXS series valves as SIL 3 capable.

A NAMUR interface is available on 5/2 port configuration valves. These types are supplied with multi-functional adaptor plates to permit valve orientation through 900 or conversion to a 3/2 configuration.

Alongside the development of the BXS series valves, Bifold has designed

20 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

the IPV (Integrated Pilot Valve). This is a cartridge valve that fits within the solenoid operator adaptor, permitting the solenoid operator to be connected directly to the BXS series valve body. This will be a more compact, simpler to maintain and more cost effective solution for the end user.

Visit us at Valve World Expo, Dusseldorf, 2nd - 4th December 2014, Stand No. 3/A72 Hall 03.

For innovative and reliable valve solutions, visit our website bifold.co.uk where more detailed information and a PDF brochure, may be downloaded.

The Bifold Group of Companies are supported worldwide with a global network of agents and distributors. Bifold is a world class supplier of the widest range of switching instrument valves and pumps in the oil and gas upstream and downstream sector. Its innovative and reliable range of high-tech valve products and accessories specifically designed with the customer in mind, have gained worldwide approval and credibility for the onerous conditions as found in hazardous (classified) locations, hostile, corrosive and subsea environments.

Turn on

2014 The Valve World event in Europe is the world’s leading technology event for the valve and actuator industry

Hosted by Valve World, in close co-operation with Messe Düsseldorf, the Valve World 2014 Expo & Conference is held in Düsseldorf, Germany, from 02 – 04 December 2014.

Expo The exhibition will offer the latest updates on technical advancements in the field of valves, valve applications and flow control technology and associated products. The technical and commercial staff of around 600 specialised valve companies in the process industries, oil & gas, petrochemical, chemical, power generation, onshore and offshore and many more will be on hand to discuss the features and benefits of their products. The Expo is one of the leading information and order platforms for global business for industrial valves and fittings, and is always committed to showcasing innovation as well as sustainability. Over the course of the three-day event, the organisers expect to attract more than 10,000 professional visitors.

Clearly valves and valve-related products are the main items being exhibited at Valve World Expo, however, other areas will be present, including seals and sealing materials and engineering. Visitors will be from target markets such as oil, gas and LNG, marine and offshore industry, shipbuilding and water and wastewater management.

2014’s event is seeing the Expo take over three halls – in addition to exhibition Halls 3 and 4, now Hall 5 and the adjacent North Entrance will also be opened. This decision was made by the organisers in order to address an expected rise in exhibitor numbers. Opening the second entrance will allow exhibitors and visitors to use both the South Entrance on the Rhine and the North Entrance with the underground station.

Furthermore, the End Users’ Pavilion will be located in Hall 5 for the first time. This is a Special Show where initially some 20 end users, i.e. the exhibitors’ customers, will present their corporate portfolios. The aim is to promote matchmaking between exhibitors and end users.

Congress Center Düsseldorf (accessed via the South Entrance), a large proportion of Conference events are now to be held in Hall 4: more compact, transparent and right in the middle of the action.

This move means conference content is to be embedded in the exhibition activities and conference delegates are to be brought closer to exhibitor ranges. Since the conference organiser, KCI from Kleve, expects further growth, Hall 4 is ideal to also accommodate growing attendance figures in future.

At the conference, piping and valve professionals from all around the world can update their knowledge of valve applications in a variety of industries with a clear focus on the chemical, petrochemical, power generation, oil & gas and process industries. The conference sessions will be held in English, and the combination of a content-focused, end-user driven conference and a hands-on exhibition offers a unique international platform for content and business. Topics that will be covered in the conference sessions include amongst others: fugitive emissions, control valves and instrumentation, new designs, wear & tear of valves, severe service, sealing, actuation and counterfeiting.

Successful history

Conference

The 2014 Expo and Conference is building on a firm foundation of success – the 2012 event saw all the leading companies from the valves and fittings industry present their products at the show.

Visitors found that there was intensive linkage between the exhibition, the conference and were delighted with the resulting networking opportunities. The focus was clearly on enabling meetings between manufacturers and end users at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre.

“The exhibitors praised the compact diversity of the products presented at the trade fair and the clear presentation in exhibition halls 3 and 4,” commented a pleased Joachim Schäfer, managing director at Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, following the 2012 event. With the extended exhibition areas and redesigned conference arrangements, the Valve World 2014 Expo & Conference looks set to be the must attend event for any business related to the valve and actuator industry. n

Also new for 2014 is the location of the Expo’s accompanying conference. While it used to be held in the rooms of the adjacent

For more information, visit: www.valveworldexpo.com

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 21

Profiles There are thousands of ships sailing the oceans today, transporting every kind of cargo.

The global fleet is manned by over a million seafarers of virtually every nationality and the companies involved in this sector are among the most technologically sophisticated of any in the world.

The prominent and successful companies that are highlighted in the next pages of Shipping & Marine provide real world examples of how state-of-the-art technology, best practices and modern innovations are put into practice in the maritime sector.

doris maritime services koepping shipping company navix maritime chartering ravestein m. e. solutions Stena Line unigas international wrist ship supply shipyard de hoop thor BRITTANY FERRIES Rederij Wantij REMONTOWA Shipbuilding S.A OCEANSAVER oesterreichisher lloyd seereederei (cyprus) red funnel dbb Jack-Up karmsund Havnevesen rotortug Rosslare-Europort arsenal do alfeite benelux overseas Inc. enzian shipping

Profile: Doris Maritime Services

Legendary

service

A

ccording to Greek mythology, Doris was one of the goddesses of the sea. The legend states that Doris was ‘the consort of Nereus and the mother of his daughters, the Nereids or sea nymphs, who numbered 50’.

It is from this legend that Doris Maritime Services SA (DORIS) takes its name. A specialist in the management of ocean-going vessels, in particular, container feeder ships and bulk carriers, DORIS provides the following products and services to new and existing clients: • Crewing – individuals or whole crews • Technical management of vessels • Inspections and surveys to recognised industry standards • S&P • Supervision of new buildings • Management of floating structures • Back office support for banks, trading houses, hedge funds and insurers of ships • Chartering and post-fixture • Operational and technical risk assessments DORIS provides all its products and services on an intimate and personal level but has a speciality in crewing, where it works in concert with Naess Ship Management in Amsterdam, Pearl Grace in Manila and offices and agents in Malta, Mumbai & Odessa.

With more than 750 qualified seafarers on its roster it currently employs 630 staff.

From its offices in the Philippines, the Sub-Continent and Eastern Europe the company trains crew to the levels required by

customers and management. This is a top priority since the safety and health of those working ‘at the sharp end’ affects the products and services DORIS provides. The company recognises that only by employing seafarers who have the right calibre and possess the right qualifications and professional attitude can the ‘best’ products and assured services be provided.

However, there is still an acute shortage of good and qualified crew in the market, as personnel know they are in demand and tend to move around. In response to this, DORIS is happy to rehire previous staff members and often undertakes this – returning staff get a rejoining bonus, insurances and a variety of benefits, but internal promotion is an element particularly attractive to them. In fact, crewmembers are often willing to undertake training on their own initiative to reach the basic levels to achieve officer rating.

At this point, DORIS provides the financing for further ancillary tickets.

Overall, the organisation’s goal is to be a good employer and attract high quality, top class officers to support it at the forefront in servicing the market – it can demonstrate its credentials in this area through the fact that some of its employees have been serving on DORIS vessels for more than 20 years.

These staff are assisted and governed by a management team that consists of personnel who have all gained experience at sea as well as having acquired a considerable amount of experience working ashore. At DORIS care is taken to ensure the management remains dynamic, in tune with customer requirements and is quickly able to respond to changing circumstances and demands. The team understands the issues that crew face and can www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 23

draw on a wealth of skills and knowledge in order to ensure they always provide a reliable service.

From the perspective of ship management, DORIS’ strengths come from its efficient size and also its office in Geneva, which is able to observe the market, propose new ideas and secure investors.

The vessels under its remit, which comprise of container ships, bulk carriers and cement factory ships, trade internationally, as founder and present chief executive officer Nicolas Wirth highlighted when the company last appeared in Shipping & Marine: “Our bulk carriers are mainly tramping on time charter agreements and follow the market with most of the container ships in the Far East and Western Europe. We have a global network of agents that are

Kronos Holidays

Doris Maritime is a valued partner of Kronos Holidays. Both companies are enjoying a longstanding cooperation. The personal and up-close relationships between the two companies have become a useful link of smooth cooperation.

The understanding of the special requirements and the usually time-critical and complex nature of the marine industry is a top priority for Kronos Holidays. By recognizing the needs and idiosyncrasies of Doris Maritime, Kronos Holidays suggests the most appropriate solutions thus avoiding unnecessary charges and delays.

The focus of Doris Maritime to provide excellence in service, customer satisfaction and industry expertise fully fits the vision of Kronos Holidays.

24 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

able to assist with commercial operations, crew changes and local authorities worldwide,” he stated in May 2014.

At the time of that interview DORIS was managing 19 ships, and just six short months later it now has a fleet of approximately 25 vessels (in total with Naess and Pearl Grace), and six new vessels on order – as Nicolas noted, there was a strong recovery in the dry bulk sector: “It really began to pick up in September 2013 and we were quite fortunate to purchase some newbuildings at a

Profile: Doris Maritime Services

competitive rate,” he said. “Through the investment we were able to make a 50 per cent return for our clients.” With one 57,000 tonne dead weight bulker, the other two vessels have a 32,000 tonnes load capacity. “We began trading with each vessel relatively quickly, before signing for a further six newbuildings at 64,000 tonne dead weight. These are very nice economical vessels,” he adds.

While the bulk carrier market appeared to be on the rise, Nicolas previously pointed out that there was still uncertainty about the future: “The Chinese government has the intention to close many of the 3000 existing shipyards and as a consequence several are trying to secure orders. It is quite possible that many of these contracts will never see the light of day. The Chinese order books are overstated, however I do think the bulk carrier market will continue to remain buoyant for at least a couple of years,” he said.

Over its years of trading, DORIS has acquired an in-depth knowledge of the container-shipping sector through operating a subsidiary container line and container terminal operations. Five months ago Nicolas noted that the container ship market was extremely depressed. “While our interests are currently high in the bulk carrier market, having acquired a further nine carriers under our management, we will review the container ship market because it will inevitably recover,” he stated.

This policy of keeping a watchful

eye on the market and being ready to react to changes has always supported the operations at DORIS. For instance, the organisation realised that early adoption of an ISO 9000 management system would demonstrate its commitment to providing clients with a quality service and that it thinks proactively rather than waiting for standards to be imposed. “Although we are a ship management company we have an entrepreneurial approach, proactively proposing projects,” added Nicolas. “Clients recognise this way of thinking and are attracted to these ideas.” l

Doris Maritime Services

www.doris.ch • Ship manager specialising in container vessels and bulk carriers • Further expansion planned into container feeders • Six new vessels on order

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 25

26 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

Profile: Koepping Shipping Company

Slow but

sure

F

ounded in 1984, when Captain Joerg Koepping used his sailing experience as an officer and a captain with a range of reputable German shipping firms to become independent, the Koepping Shipping Company has grown from its first secondhand containership to owning and managing a fleet of 16 secondhand and newbuild vessels.

Within its fleet, the company has four Damen 800 type vessels, two of which, the MV Neuberg and MV Vohburg, are owned, while MV Susan Borchard and MV Miriam Borchard are managed. These vessels have a length of 140.56 metres, breadth of 21.80 metres, a summer draught of 7.30, container intake of 800 TEU and a speed of 18.5 knots. It also has six wholly owned DaeSun 1049 type vessels: Lantau Bay, Lantau Beach, Lantau Breeze, Lantau Bridge, Lantau Bride and Lantau Bee. These have a length of 142.70 metres, breadth of 22.60 metres, summer draught of 8.20 metres, container intake of 1049 TEU and a speed of 18.5 knots. Moreover, it has two wholly owned Hanjin 1200 type vessels, Lantau Ace and Lantau Arrow, as well as three managed:

Ruth Borchard, Charlotte Borchard and Rachel Borchard. These have a length of 158.70 metres, breadth of 25.60 metres, summer draught of 9.20 metres, container intake of 1216 TEU and a speed of 23.5 knots.

This fleet of vessels operate half in Europe and half in Asia, with Asia being an area of potential growth in the future. However, despite potential developments in this market, the company has a strong focus on all customers and as such has invested in its own plane to ensure a fast response. Fully IFR equipped, the Cessna T303 Crusader is capable of flying in almost all weather conditions and operates from the airfield Schachtholm that is located 5.6km to the west of Koepping Shipping’s office in Schuelp.

Focused on the safe operation and commercial success of its five managed and 11 owned vessels, Koepping Shipping Company has spent the last 30 years developing close working relationships between partners, yards, suppliers, banks, insurance firms, shipbrokers and charterers to ensure its blue chip customer base is provided with a high quality, reliable service. Clients include recognised maritime organisations such as Samskip, Yang Ming and TS Lines.

ISM (International Management Code for the Safe Operations of Ships and for Pollution

Golden Harvest Shipping Service

As the leading ship chandler in China, Dubai, and Australia, Golden Harvest have in the past 17 years been providing ship managers and owners all over the world with a reliable ‘One stop services.’

Golden Harvest prides itself on efficiency and quality, successfully providing the best solutions for reputable owners such as Koepping with high quality stores, provisions, and spare parts. Both companies have been working closely together with effective communication to ensure smooth co-operation for many years to come.

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 27

Profile: Koepping Shipping Company

Prevention) certified by Germanischer Lloyd since 1998, Koepping Shipping Company is committed to the continual improvement of maintenance, safety, environmental and quality standards; this dedication thus renders it an excellent choice for conservative charterers looking for proof of a quality assurance system before placing orders.

As a way of proving its commitment to solving environmental and emissions regulation challenges within the shipping industry, Koepping Shipping Company became the first company to install the slow steaming kit on its Wärtsilä engines in 2008. With high bunker prices making fuel efficiency top priority for ship owners, charterers and ship operators who wanted to save significant amounts of money in fuel costs, Wärtsilä introduced a new upgrade kit for slow steaming on RTA and RT-flex low-speed engines. The kit enables Wärtsilä low-speed marine engines to operate continuously at any power between 20 per cent and 100 per cent. Eradicating issues such as engine fouling and extreme component temperatures when engines are operated continuously below 50 per cent, the kit enables engines to operate continuously at powers as low as 20 per cent of their full installed power.

Ordered by Koepping Shipping Company in November 2008, the first upgrade kits were placed on two 1200 TEU fast feeder container vessels, Aglaia, and Lantau Arrow; both of which have a single 8-cylinder Wärtsilä RTA62U engine. The kits gave the ships significant flexibility and adaptability in the challenging market conditions faced by shipping firms throughout the economic crisis

28 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

by delivering impressive cost savings during slow steaming, while also retaining full speed capability whenever it was required.

General manager Joerg Koepping noted at the time of the order: “The Slow-Steaming Upgrade Kits will give these ships considerable flexibility to adapt to the present difficult market conditions, allowing great cost savings while slow steaming but retaining the capability for full speed whenever necessary.”

With new regulations aimed at boosting energy efficiency throughout the international shipping industry coming into force on 1st January 2013, Koepping Shipping Company views slow steaming as an efficient and cost effective solution to nitrus oxide (NOX) emission reduction. In addition to slow steam upgrade kits, the company is investing in scrubbers on two of its vessels and is also looking at other ways to save on fuel; most notably it is considering investments in LNG, with the possible conversion of a vessel in the future. However, it is too early to say when this development will specifically happen, and for now the fuel saving focused firm will continue to look into new and innovative ways to manage vessels cost effectively. l

Koepping Shipping Company

www.kship.de • Celebrating 30th anniversary • Focused on slow-steaming • Investing in vessel reconstruction

Profile: Navix Maritime Chartering

Tranquil N

waters

avix Maritime Chartering is a young company in rapid expansion offering ship owners commercial management. Targeting the segment between 10,000 to 25,000 DWT, its dedicated team with a long and wide experience in tanker chartering, ship operations and management, operates across North West Europe. Navix expertise in these fields, in combination with a dynamic organisation, provides a unique advantage in creating maximum value to customers, partners and stakeholders.

“We are currently working with two partners; Rederi AB Donsotank and Roswell Tankers Corp, managing 11 vessels operating across two segments; dirty petroleum products (DPP) and clean petroleum products (CPP),” says Mats Andersson, managing director. The business, which began its trading history in 2012 has shown impressive growth in that time, attributable to the 20 years of experience its team gained working for a large organisation previously based in Gothenburg, where Navix is today based. Working towards the vision of becoming a market leader in providing commercial management across North West Europe, Baltic Sea and Mediterranean shipping markets its main goal is to play an active role in bringing customers together in close and long term relationships, based on performance and trust.

“The market suffered a great deal when the global financial

crisis hit, but recovery has been steady, mainly due to the decreased fleet operating in the segment today. However, it is still a tough market, particularly for the ship owners themselves,” explains Mats. Trading oil products, the business serves a number of majors in the industry, who have come to rely on the experience of its personnel over long-standing relationships. “One of our greatest strengths is that we share the same values with our two partners. All parties are keen to grow and develop within the industry,” he adds.

Faced with the challenge of operating within restricted sulphur emission zones, the commercial manager has kept a close eye on the solutions available for its ship owners as Mats explains: “It is too expensive to rebuild engines, and we must consider that we are not always operating within restricted zones, so steps that avoid heavy financial implications must be considered. In essence we are playing a waiting game before refineries announce new bunker prices, but by working closely with the technical managers we expect to avoid modification and work towards a transition to a new, more environmentally friendly source.”

Fuelled by the desire to develop a successful company, from the outset Mats established a clear business plan, detailing activities and strategy. Commenting on the importance of the plan Mats highlights: “The only way to successfully grow a www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 29

64- www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

Profile: Navix Maritime Chartering

The Swedish Club

The Swedish Club is a leading marine mutual insurer head-quartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, with offices in Hong Kong, Oslo, Piraeus and Tokyo. The company was established in 1872 and today employs about 100 staff members. The Swedish Club offers P&I, FD&D, Marine & Energy and various additional covers for selected clients. Its guiding principle in all it does is a guarantee of fair and equitable treatment. This extends from the assessment of risk to the fixing of premiums and the settling of claims. The Club is a member of the International Group of P&I Clubs. .

company is to know where you want to go. Our plan details exactly where we want to be at the end of each year until 2016, both in relation to the number of vessels and personnel.

At the conclusion of 2014 we aim to achieve between eight and ten vessels in each segment within Europe. We are slightly shy of that target but we are talking to our partners who are considering the acquisition of second hand tonnage, which will ultimately grow their business as well as complement the growth of ours.”

As the business looks to the future, it is actively working towards establishing new potential partners, and is in the latter stages of talks across the board that may see such a move come to fruition by the end of the year. “In order to generate and maintain long-lasting relationships with other businesses we must have a high standard of personnel within the company.

To achieve this we look for professionals that have experience working in the European segment as well as young people who can learn from the knowledge of the older generations, with the

drive to take the business to new heights in the years to come,” says Mats.

Expansion of the fleet will continue to be based on attracting ship owners to place vessels with Navix on commercial management, offered with the potential of creating best possible services and optimised profits for its clients. The future success will be built upon creating and maintaining such long-term relationships with customers and partners as Mats concludes: “It is important to be involved with the oil majors, as that is where so many of the activities are on-going. The requirement for specific vessels within precise trade areas is growing and we are involved in a few projects of that nature. Although the work is project based, the demand is great enough to operate specifically designed and adapted ships for the target areas.

“We look to achieve our goals by being innovative, useful, open, honest and always meeting expectations. We strive to create partnerships with customers where Navix will become a partner of today, tomorrow and in the years to come. Our intention as we look towards 2016 is to continue to grow but remain careful in doing so, expanding to a level of ten to 12 vessels across each segment.” l Navix Maritime Chartering www.navix.se • Commercial manager of tanker vessels • Significant expansion within young company • Formed through a wealth of experience

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 31

30 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

Profile: Ravestein

A big F

deal

ounded in 1976 Ravestein has close to four decades of experience in specialised large-scale construction. Its shipbuilding hall and associated facilities have a combined floor space of 13,172 metres squared where its heavy steel construction projects include bridges, lock gates, roll-on roll-off landing stages, jack-up platforms and barges. Furthermore the company has its own covered slipway measuring 140 metres by 35 metres and a portal crane with a hoisting capacity of 140 tonnes. Additionally Ravestein has recently completed an investment that has allowed it to produce bigger constructions.

During September 2013 the company opened a new hall at its yard with a length of 70 metres, a width of 55 metres and a height of 30 metres. Additionally the new hall includes two portal cranes, each with a lifting capacity of 140 tonnes. Its combined facilities allow Ravestein and its team of over 100 skilled craftsmen to offer a full, in-house fabrication process including installation and maintenance.

Ravestein has a strong tradition of delivering unique and highly innovative large steel projects to clients that operate within a spectrum of marine industries. Recently the company revealed its newly developed Modular Loading Berth, which provides a plug-and-play solution for establishing a complete loading facility into a port quickly and cost-effectively. This can be a temporary or permanent solution, and the length of berth can be modified due to the modular nature of the concept.

The modular loading berth is fully equipped to various material handling systems for a range of cargos such as bulks and ores up to 250,000 ton/day as well as crude oil

and even container cranes. The facility consists of a large jack-up platform that is designed to ensure safe operations. It is fitted with a berthing line of fenders to receive specific ship types, ship loaders and shore connections. A series of monopoles or triangle piles are hammered into the soil to keep the facility in position, while the jack-up platform arrangements ensure a proper loading height at all times.

The facilities are fully fabricated at the Ravestein shipyard, delivered to the client’s destination port and finally installed and commissioned by Ravestein’s experienced installation teams.

Installation is executed quickly and efficiently, limiting downtime and greatly reducing the pressure and requirements on the host port. A further advantage of Ravestein’s mobile loading facility is after installation it remains mobile, so that operators are able to relocate the facility as required.

Ravestein has also delivered a series of backhoe dredgers in

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 33

Profile: Ravestein

recent years. During March 2014 the company announced that it had been awarded a contract for the design and construction of a backhoe type dredger based on the Ravestein 750 B design for Etermar SA. The new backhoe dredger was delivered during July 2014 and measured 50 metres LOA, with a beam of 15.5 metres and a draft of four metres. Its Liebherr P 9350 pontoon excavator is capable of dredging depths of up to 22 metres. The pontoon has three spud legs and hydraulically operated spud carrier. The legs can each press 280 tonnes and have a holding force of 560 tonnes, while the spuds measure 1.6 metres by 1.6 metres. The dredger was the third to be delivered in a short period of time by Ravestein following the introduction of its new series of backhoe dredgers.

Previously one was delivered to Deme/NDC, while a second delivered to the Belgian giant Jan de Nul during January 2014.

During June 2014 the Haven Seariser 4 was formally christened at the Seawork exhibition in Portsmouth, UK, before being delivered to the client Red7Marine. The Haven Seariser 4 was the fourth vessel of this type order by Red7Marine from Ravestein.

The Haven Seariser 4 is a standard RCP-250 type jack-up measuring 29.3 metres LOA by 17.10 metres width, with a height of 2.45 metres and a leg length of 36 metres. The rig has a total payload of 250 tonnes and its modular construction makes it suitable for road transportation in parts. The standard jack-up rigs delivered by Ravestein can be fitted with winches, moonpools, accommodation blocks and workshops to meet the requirements of its clients and a larger version, the model RCP-450, has a leg length of 48 metres and a payload of 450 tonnes. Furthermore with its cutting edge workshops, Ravestein can provide any type of platform with payloads of up to 4000 tonnes.

Indeed the company has a market-leading capability to design and manufacture new equipment at relatively short notice to meet its clients’ requirements. Recently Ravestein was contacted by Vinci-Bouygues to produce a continuous jacking system, including the legs with a total jacking capacity of 32,000 tonnes across eight points. The new jacking system consists of two crossheads, each with three locking cylinders and six climbing cylinders. During normal jacking one crosshead climbs while another returns for the next stroke. In pre-load mode the two crossheads work simultaneously. For protection the jacking system is built into an onboard jack house, which also acts as a guide for the spud leg and reduces the vertical loads on the jack-up barge. The jacking platform has a jack-up speed of 30 miles per hour, while the maximum jacking speed per leg is 45 miles per hour.

With a strong order book, bespoke designs and a portfolio of repeat customers, Ravestein has identified itself as a trusted marine partner for large, tailored projects. It is able to deliver turnkey solutions to clients in various maritime sectors at a rapid pace, which is vital for customers working to strict time constraints and as such, even though the needs of the marine market are sometimes great, for Ravestein no challenge is too large. l

Ravestein BV

www.ravestein.nl • Large steel fabrication • Bespoke designs • New manufacturing facilities

34 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

Profile: M.E. Solutions

M.E.’s design for the scanned engine room

Getting

personal M

.E. Solutions AB (MESAB) is a company headquartered in Sweden, which was established for the purpose of providing worldwide turnkey environmental solutions to the shipping and shipbuilding industry. “The company was first established in 2009, when I began working in the development of ballast water treatment systems. Our business plan also focused on scrubber technology and this coincided well with the sulphur regulations that began to come to light in 2010,” says Anders Sjostrom as he introduces the fast developing business.

Offering ballast water treatment, exhaust gas cleaning, fuel consumption reduction and other energy and environmental solutions, its mission is to actively contribute to technological solutions that minimise emissions to air and sea, and, which deliver tangible cost savings to shipping companies as well as environmental sustainability. “Today we have 22 employees and we have grown considerably. At an early stage of the business we invested in 3D scanning and 3D modelling, and having worked

Installed GRE-pipes

with these technologies for some time, we have become well versed with the processes,” highlights Anders. Cost effective preplanning surveys are performed onboard using laser scanning and 3D modeling equipment in the office to create a model of clients’ vessel installation.

Engineering planning uses actual spatial data from the ship’s machine spaces measured and stored by a laser scanner. The retrofit then takes place in a 3D plan captured in software prior to real-world fitting, eliminating most human error in misplacing, overdoing, or forgetting an important element of the retrofit, while providing a backdrop for quick rendering of changes. “Scanning is a very quick procedure that accurately dimensions the layout and all obstacles that could cause an issue. 3D modelling technology enables us to add in equipment, as it would appear in real life, creating an environment that you can zoom in on and be guided through a virtual tour. Our clients really appreciate the benefit of this service and the expertise of our workforce delivering the designs,” points out Anders, joking: “The only training we give www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 35

Marine Composite Pipe Sytems in GRE and GRVE Fiberdur® is a German company representing over 50 years of successful experience in the design and manufacturing of GRE (glass fibre reinforced epoxy resin) or GRVE (glass Fibre reinforced vinylester resin) pipe systems and accessories. Fiberdur® offers an extensive range of pipes and fittings precisely manufactured to the highest quality. The marine environment is, by its nature, highly corrosive. Any dry dock operation is a costly matter for both Ship owners and Operating companies. Glass fibre reinforced pipe systems provide the state-of-the-art solution against corrosion.

Fibermarine pipe systems combine the long established benefits of composite materials including, light weight, ease of installation and excellent service lifetime. Fibermarine pipe systems design have proven to last the lifetime of the ship. Fiberdur’s pipe design is in full compliance with the IMO resolution A753 (18) Level 3 and furthermore Fiberdur is approved by the major Classification Societies.

Scrubber Due to the new legislation of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) many ships need to be equipped with scrubber units to ensure cleaner air and less SO2. Fiberdur designs and manufactures special pipe systems for these applications and has more than 25 years experience in flue gas cleaning. The light weight and long term resistance have made GRE and GRVE, the material of choice for scrubber equipment. Fiberdur pipe systems are certified by several certification companies such as DNVGL, Lloyd’s Register, ABS, RINA, NSF, Bureau Veritas, Class NK and will also be installed in all scrubber systems of newly constructed vessels by Meyer Shipyard in Papenburg Germany, Meyer Turku Oy in Finland and STX in France.

Prefabrication Fibermarine and Fibermarine HighLine pipe systems can be delivered as prefabricated spools. Prefabrication can be carried out in the company’s factory or by qualified contractors worldwide. The pipe sections are prepared according to isometrics. Special fittings can be designed and manufactured to meet the requirements of the shipbuilding industry.

Fibermarine connection types Fibermarine pipe systems offer a wide range of jointing systems including adhesive bonding, lamination, flange type (collar and loose flange and heavy duty flange), rubber seal lock joint as well as mechanical couplings are available.

Range of application Seawater cooling lines, seawater bilge and ballast water (incl.

BWT systems), fire fighting lines, condensate lines, sounding and ventilation lines, black and grey water lines, potable water lines, tank cleaning lines, jet-water lines, crude oil washing lines, heeling lines, scrubber lines, pool drainage lines, cargo lines, inert gas sewage, sanitary drains and auxiliary lines

For further information contact our Marine Sales Department on +49 (0) 2464 972-0 or email us at fibermarine@fiberdur.com or visit our website www.fiberdur.com

Profile: M.E. Solutions

Michael Michalski, design engineer

3D laser scanning viewed as a pre engineering work at a cost of less than one per cent of the entire budget per ship, the payback is very quick. “Beyond this, our expertise in both modeling and piping is clear and cost efficiency has been proven. As we look ahead, we have already taken the first few steps towards the creation and development of a division that will provide a fully functioning manpower department to undertake the increasing level of projects.

“We recognise the importance of maintaining complete control over the workforce to ensure that the quality of the installation remains high,” says Anders. Having worked hard to develop its position, the business is in a fortunate position where the level of work is constant, and the growth rate is increasing with a high frequency. “We provide extensive training programmes in which we invest both time and money to develop skills for the future of the company,” he adds. The average age within the business sits between 20 and 30, reflecting the technology rich basis of the company. Working with schools and colleges, the business is well geared to target the inevitable growth over the coming years. l

M.E. Solutions AB

our guys these days is how to use a pen, paper, and ruler.”

MESAB’s customers are located in the US and Scandinavia, as well as one client with operations out of Singapore. As recognition within the industry grew, the business picked up its first major project for the installation of a ballast water treatment solution for Alfa Laval, on behalf of a major shipping company. “The project was really important for us to get proof to demonstrate to potential clients that the technology works and that it could be relied on. Completion of the project was successful, and importantly swift,” says Anders.

As expected, the project led directly to the awarding of two further contracts, and many more, which have followed since, in all areas of ballast water treatment, exhaust gas cleaning and energy saving products and surveys. Such surveys allow the business to provide the best economical solutions in response to new environmental demands. Through the calculation of changing culture and operational behaviour, to system optimisation by controlling the speed of fans and pumps, optimising and trimming HVAC efficiency, as well as electrical, fuel savings of up to ten per cent can be achieved.

“Challenges and opportunities are tremendous across the markets and there are some exciting developments ahead. The IMO sulphur regulations are fast approaching and although some business leaders have felt unsure about the technology and making the changes the process is starting to generate momentum. The company has already increased five fold and we expect similar growth rate to continue throughout the next year,” points out Anders.

The advantages of using 3D laser scanning and modeling when planning for scrubber installation is clear. The shipowner will, for a very small investment, be able to plan the whole installation scenario and well before any works begin be able to see a 3D layout of how all routing of pipes and cables will be done. With

www.mesab.eu • Turnkey environmental solutions • Operational worldwide • Economically beneficial for shipowners

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk -

37

62 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

Profile: Stena Line

Streamlined

sailing

H

eadquartered in Hoek van Holland, Stena Line BV represents the Dutch arm of the wider Stena Line group. The Stena Line brand is one of Europe’s most recognisable names and today the carrier operates a modern fleet of 40 vessels across a comprehensive route network, encompassing 23 ferry routes throughout Scandinavia and around the UK. During 2013 Stena Line and its 5600 employees carried over 14.6 million passengers, three million cars and around two million freight units.

From its base in the Netherlands, Stena Line BV operates busy routes between two Dutch ports - Hoek van Holland and Europoort in Rotterdam - and two UK ports, Harwich and Killingholme. The services meet the demands of both leisure and industry with approximately 70 per cent of its revenue derived from freight, particularly in fruit and vegetables, while the remaining 30 per cent comes from foot and vehicle passengers.

The maritime industry has experienced volatile trading conditions throughout most market sectors since the economic downturn, which occurred during 2008. Since that time Stena Line has braved a challenging marketplace and adapted its operations, while remaining committed to maintaining a modern and efficient fleet. In September 2012 Stena Line BV introduced two small

Tork

Tork are a world leader in theri field and the number one professional hygiene solutions provider in Europe. We know our customers are required to perform a diversity of tasks, which are reflected in our wide range of wipers, cloths and dispensers. Our commitment to our customers, and to the world we live in, has given us a unique position in the industry.

We are proud to say that our parent company SCA is known as one of

freighters to its Europort-Harwich line, as part of an effort of maximise the effectiveness of the vessels under its command.

The Severine and Capucine were chartered from Cobelfret. The modern vessels were built in 2011 and 2012 respectively and were chartered to take the place of the larger Stena Carrier and Stena Freighter, which were deemed too large to make operation on the Europort-Harwich line viable. Today the vessels still sail the Europort-Harwich line with Stena and have proven to be a highly effective solution in streamlining the company’s activities.

The Hoek van Holland-Killingholme line is sailed by the Stena Transporter and Stena Transit, which were built by Samsung Heavy Industries at its Geoje Shipyard in South Korea and arrived for operation in March and November 2011 respectively. These vessels are considerably larger than those sailing the EuroportHarwich line with a freight capacity of 4057 lane metres, enabling the ships to carry the higher volumes of traffic encountered between Hoek van Holland and Killingholme. Again these vessels have proven to be highly successful operationally and volume wise making them a strong foundation for the future.

Indeed in designing the Stena Transporter and Stena Transit, the company was keen to design vessels that would be suitable for the market of the future. Both ships utilise a hull shape that

the world’s most ethical business organisations and has received several awards. Raising the bar for sustainability, SCA has a number of new ambitions and targets aimed at improving our quality of life and caring for our environment. For instance, SCA is implementing strong health and safety standards, and simultaneously improving awareness of and access to better hygiene solutions, whilst combating climate change. Whenever you need to wipe, dry, clean or polish, Tork has a great solution.

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 39

Profile: Stena Line

is engineered to minimise water resistance and therefore reduce fuel consumption. Furthermore they were amongst the first vessels within the Stena Line fleet to make use of shore-to-ship electrical power supply technologies, alongside the other Stena vessels Stena Britannica and Stena Hollandica, which are operating on the Hoek van Holland-Harwich route. The electrical supply system was designed and installed at Hoek van Holland by ABB in conjunction with the Port of Rotterdam Authority and represents an important step toward an environmentally friendly and sustainable future for Stena Line BV and the wider maritime industry.

Increasing environmental issues are a major concern for carriers operating within Europe and around the world and these have an even more immediate priority with European regulations aimed at reducing sulphur emissions coming into force in January 2015.

Stena Line will be switching from heavy fuel oil (HFO) to marine gas oil (MGO), which has a considerably fewer sulphur parts per million (ppm) compared to traditional bunker. While the sulphur content of HFO can be as much as 35,000 ppm, as of 2015 vessels sailing within the Emissions Control Area (ECA) will begin to use MGO with an allowable sulphur content of 1000 ppm.

Although the benefits of alternating to MGO may appear obvious, reducing emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2), the fuel is significantly more expensive than the heavy fuels that have driven marine traffic since the 1960s, representing a considerable challenge to operators in the market. During September 2014, Stena Line CEO Carl-Johan Hagman revealed that across Stena Line the change to MGO equated an increase in fuel costs of SEK one million, approximately $140,000 per day or around SEK 450 million, $63 million, per year. The company will have to increase its rates for freight traffic by around 15 per cent as a direct result of the new sulphur regulations.

As such there exists a need within the maritime market to

40 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

explore new ways to ensure sustainability, both in terms of economy and ecology. Stena Line is running a number of projects to look at alternative fuels and different techniques for emission purification. To this end Stena Line has announced that it will soon begin trials in the use of methanol as a fuel source. The Stena Germanica ferry, which operates between Kiel and Gothenburg will be converted by January 2015 as the first ro-pax vessel in the Stena Line fleet to employ an innovative methanol-drive system. Should the trials be successful the company may seek to convert another 24 of its vessels to the methanol-drive system between 2018 and 2019.

Stena Line will also be taking a closer look at deploying scrubber technologies and is also looking at liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a possible fuel. Naturally, converting and rebuilding ferries both takes time and requires significant investments. Methanol possesses several advantages over LNG. For example, it can be produced from natural gas, biomas, such as industrial waste and in the future could be produced using hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide.

This makes the fuel readily available and when compared to LNG, methanol has a lower cost of conversion, while the emissions that are produced by the fuel are comparable to those of LNG. Through these cutting edge technologies and an expanding, modern fleet the future of Stena Line BV, though operating in a highly competitive and challenging environment, would appear to be both bright and sustainable. l

Stena Line

www.stenaline.nl • Recognised European brand • €64 million investment in fleet • Strong passenger and freight business

Profile: Unigas International

The big

one

“

R

egional product price changes have led to unexpected long haul shipping movements across Asia, the US and Europe, and this has had a positive tonne/mile effect on our market segment, plus Unigas has experienced busy Contracts of Affreightment and a continuing strong time charter portfolio,” begins Ian Woolley, managing director. Trading for over 45 years, Unigas International BV will soon be operating 45 vessels, six of which are newbuilds due for delivery in stages from the end of 2014 and throughout 2015. “These 12,000 cubic metre vessels were designed with close attention paid to hull optimisation and streamlining. Manufactured in conjunction with the most up-to-date main engine the newbuildings will, overall, be very efficient vessels with the flexibility of operating at different speeds, thereby giving large economies on fuel consumption, beneficial for the intended trades. The vessels have three cargo tanks that can be segregated into three separate systems, plus being able to independently cool two different products simultaneously, providing maximum flexibility,” he adds.

It is not just the additions to the fleet that will boast ecobenefits, the entire fleet will be adapted to comply and trade within the sulphur emission control areas (SECA) upon the introduction of the regulations in 2015. Although its ships

are too small to retroactively fit exhaust scrubbing systems onboard, the available alternatives include switching the fuel source. “At least a third of our total fleet is trading in Greater Europe which includes Scandinavia, North West Europe and the Mediterranean with extensions across the Atlantic to the USA Asia, and Central/South-America, so it is essential that they are all able to operate within, and to/from, these zones,” points out Ian. Complementing its global diversity, Unigas has offices in Rotterdam, Houston and Hong Kong from which it is able to serve all markets. “Having a presence in the local time zone

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 41

Profile: Unigas International

definitely helps with the operational support that we offer to our customers to whom our vessels are chartered, and the spread of the logistics departments ensure we are able to cover the world time clock on a daily basis,” explains Ian. Unigas was founded in 1969 and is the longest running gas-shipping pool in the world. However, as Ian recognises: “Longevity in itself doesn’t mean success, but our customers are global majors and trading companies across oil, gas and chemicals and it would not be possible to have longterm relationships with these people if we were not able to differentiate our service to such stringent customers.”

With an average of three quarters of the fleet tied up on

42 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

contracts and in time charter agreements, there is a sound basis for long-term stability and forward planning and the company is able to use the balance of the vessels to take opportunities when they arise to further develop new business.

Since the global economic crisis in late 2008 Unigas has not just weathered the storm but the company and its shareholders have come out stronger and today the business is bigger than before the crash. “We have benefitted from having the financial capability to be able to order new ships counter-cyclically, thereby taking opportunities when they arise and being able to adapt to the future demands that the industry brings to us,” says Ian. Resources extend past the vessels themselves and into the territory of personnel as Ian adds: “With our own in-house crewing and technical management companies we don’t have to rely on third parties to supply the officers and crews the vessels. The importance of this is enhanced with the significant increase in newbuilding orders for large LNG carriers and very large gas carriers (VLGC’s), which will continuously increase the demand for experienced crews and officers over the next two to three years.

“When this demand fully sets in, vessel operating costs will go up considerably for everybody. The key will be for a company to have the potential to retain the officers and crews, and thereby maintaining the necessary on-board experience and to be able to operate at our customers’ and industry’s required level. One of the qualities of Unigas is that the workforce we employ at sea and ashore are able to make a difference, commercially, operationally and technically in

assisting our customers’ full supply chain logistics.”

Looking towards to the future, Ian draws to a conclusion, highlighting the importance of maintaining a strategic focus on projects: “The next five years hold many interesting opportunities for us. The revolution surrounding shale gas is picking up pace and there are many other global opportunities that are available for us to develop, whether that is in the Middle East, the Americas or Asia. As a large and strong company we are well placed to continue with the rate of expansion, which we have enjoyed over the last six years and take advantage of the new opportunities that the developments within oil and gas will bring. In addition, the European petrochemical industry, via the increasing use of the switch to cost advantageous feedstocks, such as ethane and LPG, should signal longer-term viability for this region’s mature industry.

Wherever the market improves in terms of the production point, shipping will always see the effects.” l

Unigas International

www.unigas.nl • Transportation of petrochemical gases and LPG • Large and expanding fleet • Focused to address future challenges

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 43

Profile: Wrist Ship Supply

Being at the

forefront

W

rist Ship Supply holds an essential position in the shipping industry, building on its strengths in the supply market since the 1950’s. A string of acquisitions and expansion into new geographical territories has established the business as a global player, complementing the requirements of an international customer base. The company is the world’s leading ship and offshore supplier, providing a round-the-clock service that includes the handling of owners’ goods, shipping, airfreight and related marine and offshore services that meet the demands of both multi-national organisations as well as small local businesses. “We take pride in making it easy for our customers to receive their supplies, wherever they are needed, efficiently and at the best possible price.

This is encapsulated in our mission: Expert Care to each ship and offshore location,” says Robert Kledal, CEO. Over the years the experienced ship supplier has continuously targeted the development of the business within the ship supply market, offering a huge range of products such as provisions and items of deck, engine and cabin stores. In doing so, the company maintains a global reach whilst ensuring a local presence with quality, prices and terms and conditions that are universal across the board.

The catering concept In 2009 Wrist Ship Supply established a catering division, SeaStar Management and over the years since has experienced impressive prosperity. “Whereas Wrist Ship Supply has built an international company on delivering supplies to ships at all main hubs, this new and complementary business unit, SeaStar, will be a global player

specialised in outsourcing and handling the entire ship’s supplies budgets and purchases, and so far this has been done with great success,” explains Søren Jørgensen, executive vice president.

SeaStar handles supplies budgets and the delivery of goods to ships worldwide. In October 2014 it announced that it had supplied to over 500 ships and has great expectations for continued growth. The SeaStar offering takes care of all the catering surcharges for the ship owner, and coincides well with the growing trend for the ship owner to outsource the catering concept.

The prosperity of the division plays an important role in the overall growth strategy of the organisation. In the continuous development of the venture, and as part of the strategy it has launched a new parallel concept under the auspices of SeaStar: Stores Catering. “This concept has quickly gained speed within Wrist,” points out Søren. With Stores Catering, the company is expanding the concept to include the purchasing of general consumer goods from tools to workwear, kitchen equipment and non-skid mats.

Polar Tools – part of Wrist’s global assortment Wrist Ship Supply offers a global assortment within provisions and stores of more than 1500 products ensuring consistency in product quality and pricing wherever customers receive supplies.

Søren adds: “Economies of scale are key to Wrist’s purchasing improvement being able to use procurement strengths to secure competitive pricing in the market.”

The group has recently introduced a new product group called Polar Tools to its global assortment – a Scandinavian tool www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 45

Profile: Wrist Ship Supply

brand with a full range of professional hand tools. The tools are specially developed for customers who want high quality products at a competitive price level. POLAR Tools come with a lifetime warranty on all products (excl. are ratchets, torque, wrenches and pneumatic airtools, which are covered by standard warranty). The lifetime warranty even applies for incorrect use of screwdrivers and sockets. Also, all chrome-plated products come with an anticorrosion warranty (wrenches, sockets, extensions adapters etc.).

Seafarers’ welfare Recognising the importance of seafarers to its customers, Wrist Ship Supply holds seafarers’ welfare paramount, and works hard to ensure delivery of high quality products and services wherever the seafarers may be in the world. “This is essential for them to stay healthy, content and motivated, and it makes their lives at sea better. We assume responsibility and go beyond the primary competitive parameters to make a difference,” concluded Robert. l

A growing company One of the priorities of Wrist Ship Supply is continuous growth in new, strategically important regions, and this is undertaken through both organic expansion and mergers and acquisitions.

Global acquisitions over the last six years have allowed the business to significantly increase its capacity. “Each acquisition strengthens our customer base and business, as well as the scope of possibilities. The more customers we have, the larger the purchasing scales, which is ultimately an advantage for our customers,” highlights Søren, and continues: “Recently, we have upgraded facilities in New Orleans, Long Beach, Singapore and Rotterdam - and Montreal is up next. Upgrades throughout the business ensure that we operate from state-of-the-art facilities in compliance with HACCP and ISO standards.” The investment also boosts the volumetric capacity, making it easier to meet customer demands and increases the ability to buy high volumes of individual products at any time directly from the vendor, eliminating priceincreasing intermediaries.

46 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

Wrist Ship Supply

www.wrist.com • Globally expanding company • Guaranteed quality across operation • Low cost assurance

Profile: Shipyard de Hoop

Across the

oceans FSIV Karina III Below: Shipyard de Hoop

W

ith a history dating back 125 years, Shipyard de Hoop has a long maritime tradition and has earned a reputation as one of the Netherlands’ leading shipbuilders. The business was founded in 1889 in the village of Lobith, located on the east border of the Netherlands near Arnhem. The Lobith shipyard is situated on the river Rhine with a direct connection to the Rotterdam harbour and covers an area of 105,000 square metres, including the company’s head office and engineering office. The yard employs 140 experienced craftsmen and has a further 50-150 local contract staff available as well as a network of highly skilled contractors that the company collaborates with during periods of high workloads.

During 2007 the business acquired its second shipyard from the established and highly experienced Volharding Shipyards.

Renamed de Hoop Foxhol, the yard covers 25,000 square metres, employs around 65 experienced craftsmen, and between ten and 50 dedicated local contract staff as well as local subcontractors.

De Hoop Foxhol features a full range of state-of-the-art facilities, including slipway facilities for sideways launching to accommodate vessels up to 135 metres long and 16 metres wide, as well as a workshop for small steel work and prefabrication workshops. The two yards boast a combined quay length of 450 metres, which is bolstered by an additional 200-metre quay in Rotterdam. This additional quay space is mainly used in the outfitting of ships that have been built at the Lobith and Foxhol shipyards, making it an ideal location to add the final finishing touches to vessels.

During the past two years Shipyard de Hoop has remained highly active and produced a number of vessels for several industries, allowing the company to continue to grow despite volatile market conditions.

“Our company has been through various developments during the past two years,” reveals CEO Patrick Janssens. “We have designed, built and delivered a series of newly designed offshore work vessels for

several applications for international clients. During 2012 and 2013 we built four river cruise vessels, these luxury cruise ships have ensured continued work during the worldwide credit crisis and the fact that we are able to design and build various types of vessels has been highly beneficial.

“We are currently in the final stages of building a next generation platform supply vessel (70 x 16 metre), which we designed and built for Delta Logistics of Trinidad. We have also designed and are building a new river cruise vessel for Leuftner Reisen from Austria. This will be the 11th ship we have built for this customer over the last 13 years, with the previous vessel, the Amadeus Silver, becoming the cruise ship of the year in Germany.”

While financial issues may have caused oil and gas projects to stall throughout 2012 and 2013, the demand for product has always remained high. Anticipating the resurgence of operations as soon as 2014 and 2015, Shipyard de Hoop continued in the development of innovative designs for offshore support vessels. During July 2014 the first of its fast supply intervention vessels (FSIV) departed the Lobith yard in the direction of the Noordzee to begin sea trials. Custom designed by de Hoop to strict environmental control, the hybrid diesel-electric powered 55-metre FSIV2000 is constructed primarily for low fuel consumption. “This new hybrid propelled designed was initially developed for a client that operates in the offshore oil fields in Mexico,” Patrick elaborates. “From a technical point of view these vessels are designed for worldwide service, so they can be used in

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 47

Profile: Shipyard de Hoop

Platform supply vessel

many areas. Whereas initially fast supply vessels are designed primarily for the transport of people to offshore platforms or other offshore destinations, the vessels can also be used in anti-piracy operations, as ferries, wind farm servicing, as well as for other offshore installations as well as a supply vessel. As a result we now have enquires from all over the world, varying from the west coast of Africa to the North Sea area.”

The de Hoop FSIV2000 features an in-house designed hybrid propulsion system, which provides fuel savings of around 40-50 per cent compared to other vessels on the market. Furthermore the vessel is designed to be able to reach its top speed when fully loaded, which is something normally only possible on other ships when empty. The FSIV also features a robust all-steel hull that retains the benefit of light construction through the innovative high tensile steel. As a fully in-house product, Shipyard de Hoop is able to deliver FSIVs with a full range of bespoke options, as Patrick explains: “We design, engineer and build our vessels, which means that everything is possible. Some of the options often discussed with clients include upgrading from DP1 to DP2 FiFi installation and for example, adding ballistic protection or converting the seating area into extra cabins. We also have versions of this design with the accommodation placed further forward or with completely different dimensions.”

Further to the successful sea trials of its FSIV2000 design, De Hoop is soon to launch a 68-metre offshore support vessel (OSV) for Awaritse Nigeria Limited. The vessel will be delivered in unrivalled time for an OSV of this quality and will handle a product called ‘Transmix’ in a special process offshore Nigeria.

Commenting on how the rapid design and delivery of the vessel was made possible Patrick says: “Our engineers had to design something that holds the middle between a tanker and a PSV to very specific requirements. There were a lot of contradictory rules and regulations, which have made this innovative design a real challenge. Our yard is focused on special projects and sometimes what makes a project special is a short delivery time. Some examples of this include the 440 person accommodation barges that we built in 18 and 22 weeks, including engineering. Other projects are made interesting because of the new technologies and

innovative features involved, this project has both making it the ultimate challenge.”

Shipyard de Hoop is gearing up for a large celebration at the end of the year as it reaches its 125-year anniversary. The company has strong order books including a recently awarded tender to build ten PSVs for Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, meaning that it will remain busy for some time to come. Commenting on the future of the business Patrick concludes: “Right now we are focussing on various niche markets, which we expect to grow in the near future. By understanding our clients’ needs and surprising them with new and innovative design ideas, we hope to increase our customers’ earning power, and with this to continue our long-term relationships with them.” l

Shipyard de Hoop

www.dehoop.net • Short delivery times • New hybrid design • Yard focused on special projects

Anchor Insurance

We have been working with ‘Scheepswerf De Hoop’ since 1995 when construction started on BN 364 the J Henry Dunant III. Since then we have been privileged to have been involved with more than 100 successful building projects each delivered on time and in budget. We congratulate ‘Scheepswerf De Hoop’ on their impressive track record and look forward to continuing the successful relationship.

Electrolux Professional

Electrolux Professional is a leading supplier of complete solutions for professional laundries.

It re-invests a large part of its revenue in R&D to ensure a high level of innovation to meet its customer demands.

Electrolux products are manufactured and distributed with minimum impact on the environment, are produced under good working conditions and help customers do their laundry in a green and energy efficient way.

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 49

Profile: Thor

A powerful

partner

Hans Andrias Joensen, CEO for Thor on the right and Yavuz Kolkayan, managing director for Besiktas Gemi Insa A.S. on the left, signing the building contract for the four new builds

Yanmar

Yanmar is a comprehensive diesel manufacturer of medium-speed and high-speed marine diesel engines used in commercial ships, ocean-going vessels, workboats, offshore support boats, luxury yachts and many more worldwide.

Yanmar’s marine engine range includes three major categories.

• Medium-speed propulsion diesel engines (368 kW-3310 kW) known for their efficient energy consumption and reduced NOx emissions.

• Auxiliary medium-speed engines (80 kWe-3300 kWe) widely used for diesel generator sets for generating stable electrical power at sea and in port.

• High-speed, compact and light-weight commercial engines (nine to 1340 kW) with high-power output and high combustion performance. The range also includes engines that comply with European emission standards and various IACS quality certifications.

Innovation, reliability and efficiency are key to all Yanmar services, from engineering through to production, after-sales and customer support. Customers select and use Yanmar engines because of their low fuel oil consumption, durability, reliability, easy maintenance, stable maneuverability and easy installation.

Beginning 2013 Thor Offshore and Fisheries and Besiktas Shipyard have selected Yanmar Main Diesel Generator packages for the new builds, the new Seismic Support vessels. These vessels are designed by Skipsteknisk in Norway.

Yanmar has worked together in strong and solid team work with the owners, shipyard and designers. Full control of operational costs, low fuel oil consumption and easy maintenance are key elements for Thor Offshore and Fisheries and its charterer Petroleum Geo Services.

T

hor Ltd is a shipping company with a fleet that consists of offshore vessels and freezer trawlers, freezing and factory trawlers, gillnetters and shellfishers (scallops, whelks and crabs).

With approximately 22 vessels overall, the company’s business is built on the strong foundations of safety, trust, reliability, diversity, teamwork, open and honest communication, creativity, innovation, and ethical conduct.

Established in 1994, Thor started off mainly active in the fishing industry, however within three years it had become increasingly active in supplying chase/guard vessels for the offshore oil industry and cable/pipe-laying operations and has gained a lot of its expertise and experience by working for some of the world's largest seismic companies.

The fleet already includes some impressive offshore vessels, however 2014 and 2015 will see new additions to this, as Thor has newbuilds on order at the Besiktas yard in Turkey. These seismic-support vessels are due to be delivered in late 2014 and early 2015 and will feature state-of-the-art technology.

Thor’s intention to purchase these new vessels was announced in 2012, and the agreement is built on a long-term charter with the seismic company PGS. Skipteknisk has designed the ships in Ålesund in close collaboration with Thor, and they will be built to be able to supply in all ocean areas. The ships will be 64 m long and 14.5 m wide.

The new vessels will provide support for PGS’ fleet of seismic vessels during operation, covering offshore bunkering, crew change assistance, supply of provision and spare parts, as well as support during in-sea maintenance of the seismic equipment. The vessels are purpose designed www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 51

Profile: Thor Top: M/S Varðborg fishing crabs Below: Fishing vessel Sermilik II

for seismic support services in order to improve efficiency at sea for the seismic vessels. They offer a wide range of capabilities, including ice class 1A, passenger capacity for transporting a full seismic crew, extra workboat, towing capability and ability to carry and transfer fuel oil at sea.

Equipped with modern, efficient propulsion systems the vessels will be performing their tasks with minimal fuel consumption, enabling fuel cost savings up to 60 per cent from the vessels in use today, and further enhancing PGS’ cost efficiency in marine seismic operations.

These savings are possible thanks to the decision to install Stadt's No-Loss AC drive diesel electric propulsion systems. This noise free technology offers a number of environmental benefits, including fuel savings and emission reductions. It also enables different fuel types to be used onboard including HFO, MDO, MGO and LNG, as well as fuel cell and battery technologies in different combinations.

Progress on the new vessels has gone smoothly, and in November 2013 a steel cutting ceremony for the last two of the newbuilds, NB 35 and 36, was held at Besiktas. Among those attending the ceremony were Poul N. Laksáfoss, project manager, and Javuz Surucu, steel inspector, from Thor’s site team, and Besiktas Shipyard managing director Murat Bener.

Once the first of the four new vessels is delivered to Thor the next three are due to arrive at three months intervals thereafter.

The company then has an option of four more ships.

At the time of the contract signing, the CEO of Thor, Hans Andrias Joensen, commented: “We are very pleased with this contract, which is the largest in the history of our company. Thor

52- www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

has been providing services to PGS for the last 14 years and the co-operation has been very good. We view this contract and opportunity as a great compliment and endorsement from PGS, inspiring us to continuously provide the high quality and flexible services that is expected of us.”

Thor’s services, as referred to by Hans Andrias above, can be provided by both its own in-house team, and other divisions. For example, O.C.Joensen Ltd. is a daughter company of Thor, which enjoys an unrivalled leadership position in the field of scallop and whelk fishery in the Faroese waters. O.C.Joensen Ltd. is US FDA registered and its scallops are MSC approved.

Thor also has a ship’s agency business working within the Faroes. Its customers are seismic and oil companies working offshore Faroes, as well as cargo companies loading fish or other fish related cargoes not serviced by the regular freight companies.

Thor also administers and is part owner of Útferðir Ltd, which owns the schooner Norðlýsið, a pleasure boat that offers fishing and tourist excursions around the Faroes and is sometimes used as a host vessel for various Faroese PR activities.

Finally, another service available from Thor is help with arranging registration of foreign vessels in the FAS register. It is currently working with Svitzer and has formed a company called Svitzer Faroe Island PF. Through this company it now manages 11 of Svitzer’s vessels under the Faroese Flag.

Throughout all these services, Thor prides itself on being an innovative, trustworthy and creative company, which adheres to an ambitious quality policy. All of the organisation’s work is carried out according to the principles of a high standard quality, safety and environmental manual. As Hans Andrias quotes on the company’s website, Thor’s ‘HSEQ system is built on the pillars of the ISM Code, ISO 9001:2008, IS014001:2008 and OH5SAS 18001:2008’ and its mission is ‘to be a trustworthy and lawabiding partner providing a safe and reliable world wide service.’

This strategy is based on four pillars: • Thor works to ensure safety at sea, prevent human injury and loss of human life, avoid damage to the environment with special focus on the marine environment and prevent damage to property.

• Thor acknowledges the importance of creating an innovative, trustworthy and creative company, which is exciting and progressive to work for.

• Thor wants to maintain its operations on a HSEQ level, which is always among the best in the market and in accordance with the international codes and standardisation systems.

• Thor is committed to carry out good HSEQ responsible work in accordance with the wishes and interests of its customers.

By embracing these beliefs and ensuring they are translated through its services, Thor has become a company that clients can rely on for work around the Faroe Islands and all over the world. l

Thor Ltd

www.thor.fo • New vessels in fleet • In business 20 years in 2014 • High quality and flexible services

Profile: Brittany Ferries

French connection C

elebrating its 40-year history in 2013, well-established ferry operator Brittany Ferries has ridden the waves of change within the shipping industry over the years to develop an exceptional fleet and team of employees, capable of delivering complete efficiency and guest satisfaction.

Offering the widest choice of ferry crossings to France and Spain, the company departs from Portsmouth to locations in France such as Caen, St Malo, Cherbourg, and most recently Le Havre.

For journeys to Caen, it uses its cruise ferries Mont St Michel and Normandie and to St Malo it uses Bretagne and its luxury flagship Pont-Aven. Moreover, the company provides three-hour fast craft options to Cherbourg thanks to the Normandie Express, which is also used to provide fast sailing routes to Le Havre.

Additionally Brittany Ferries offers routes from Plymouth to Roscoff and St Malo; the former uses the Armorique and PontAven vessels, while the latter offers overnight ferry services during the winter months. The route from Poole to Cherbourg has the Barfleur ferry available for four and-a-half-hour services, while its luxury cruise ferry, Cap Finistère operates Portsmouth-Santander & Bilbao. Pont-Aven operates Portsmouth-Santander & Plymouth to Santander.

Awarded The Telegraph Travel Awards Winner’s Favourite Ferry operator award in 2013, Brittany Ferries not only saves customers that would otherwise drive from fuel costs and tolls, it also provides them with high quality facilities and superior onboard service included as standard. Moreover, the company’s modern cruise-ferry fleet has hundreds of cabins for those looking for overnight sailing, as well as reclining seats for those sailing during the day. In addition, from mid May until mid September, customers can travel from Portsmouth to France in as little as 180 minutes.

Like many shipping firms, Brittany Ferries felt the impact of the economic crisis in 2008, which led to dramatic changes within the organisation; for example, in 2012 it focused on productivity and the optimisation of fuel efficiency through painting ship hulls with silicone and improving schedules. This focus on fuel efficiency, particularly in a tough economic market that has seen Sterling weakened against the euro and a sharp rise in fuel prices over the past six years, has resulted in an extensive programme to adapt the organisation’s fleet for upcoming MARPOL VI regulations that will come into effect January 1st 2015.

Previously featured in Shipping & Marine magazine in March 2014, managing director of Brittany Ferries’ UK operations, Steve Warner elaborates on the company’s developments over recent months: “Brittany Ferries has enjoyed a moderately successful year and has hit both volume and revenue targets despite the continuing difficulties within the Eurozone economies. Although the effects of 2008 remain a factor, we have a core product of exceptional

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 53

quality, which has been a huge strength in a fiercely competitive market. Moreover, the relative strengthening of Sterling against the euro and the weakening of oil prices has been positive news for us.

We have maintained our historic routes, and now operate sailings to Le Havre, where we are enjoying some success. The Channel routes have shown some positive trends this year and our Spanish services remain strong, not only with our tourist business, but also our freight clients who benefit from their drivers enjoying rest time while the ship does the miles.

“While we continue our recovery from several years of loss, we also aim to be the cleanest fleet operating on the Channel and now have a programme in place to adapt our fleet to meet the standards of MARPOL VI, which take effect on January 1st 2015.”

He continues: “Our current strategy of fitting scrubber technology to six ships during the refit periods of 2014/15 and 2015/16 is a doable project; it will cost the company around 080 million euros and provides investment that is better leveraged than was perhaps the case with the previous, hugely ambitious

Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine

Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine supplies competitive technologies and services to maritime customers worldwide. We are proud of our long-standing relationship with Brittany Ferries in providing safe passage, performance and reliability to their fleet, crew and passengers. As supplier of the Integrated Bridge System, Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine is committed to first-class customer service and world-class navigational efficiency.

54 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

LNG focused strategy.” With the new sulphur directives soon to come into force, ferry operators within the Sulphur Emission Control Area (SECA) have been pressured into making significant changes to their fleets. As such, Brittany Ferries originally placed an order for a new LNG ferry, costing approximately 270 million euros and due to enter service in 2017.

The company has also proceeded with its plan to fit scrubbers on six of its ferries; the chosen six will be taken out of service at various points over the next three years as part of its multimillion pound improvement programme, as Steve points out: “Our vessel, MV Normandie is currently in the Santander shipyards having scrubber technology fitted; she will be out of service for around

Profile: Brittany Ferries

Pont-Aven. This is something that will no doubt please the tens of thousands of fans using that route. Furthermore, we will continue to drive internal change as part of our continuing project to ‘return to competitiveness’, working harder to improve the already high standard of service we offer.” l

Brittany Ferries

www.brittany-ferries.co.uk • Hit both volume and revenue targets for 2014 • Extensive programme in place to meet MARPOL VI standards • Now operate sailings to Le Havre

eight weeks. Once work on MV Normandie is completed, we will refit the Barfleur and Cap Finistère over the winter; during the following winter we will do the same for the Pont-Aven, Armorique and Mont St Michel. To give you some perspective, we hope that the Normandie experience will reduce the amount of time the other ships will need to be withdrawn from service, say six to seven weeks instead of a potential five months in the case of the Pont-Aven if LNG conversion were to take place. The advantages of what we are currently doing, therefore, are obvious. This significant reduction in ship out time, not only benefits ourselves by reducing potential lost business, but also our clients who rely on us so much.”

Focused on fleet enhancement and adaptation over the coming years, the company aims to meet new and exacting emissions criteria with minimal disruption to clients, as Steve concludes: “By 2016 we will be well positioned within the marketplace with our modern and clean vessels; during the same period we will continue to look into building a new flagship, which will allow us to replace our iconic Bretagne on the St Malo route with the fabulous www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 55

Charting new

E

waters

stablished in 1982 Rederij Wantij BV has over three decades of experience in freight shipping, primarily focused on trade with Northern Europe, the Baltic and Mediterranean. By 1983 the company’s first vessel, the mv Maas was completed at Vervako Shipyard in Heusden and delivered to Rederij Wantij. From these beginnings the company continued to grow and in 1991 Rederij Wantij ordered the 3000 DWT, mv Donau from the Turnu Severin shipyard in Romania.

Throughout the years Rederij Wanttij has followed a strategy of single vessel ownership and investing in larger, more modern vessels every six to seven years, allowing the company to offer its clients a unique, high quality solution.

Throughout its history Rederij Wantij has undergone several changes that have helped to define the company as it stands today.

During 1998 the majority of the business came into the ownership of brothers Jan and W.H van Veen and John Hartman, later in 2002 Jan and W.H. van Veen divided their companies and all of the shares of Rederij Wantij were sold to its current owners Jan van Veen, John Hartman and Naftali Blokzijl. Later during 2005 the company ordered a new vessel from the Rousse JSC shipyard

56 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

in Bulgaria, which would be the second ship to carry the name mv Donau. At 8000 DWT and delivered in 2011 the mv Donau represents the success of Rederij Wantij in organically growing the company and ensuing that it is able to manage modern vessels that grow inline with the fortunes of the business.

Today Rederij Wantij is a world-class partner in the delivery of a diverse spectrum of cargos including coil, hot briquetted iron (HBI), containers, steel products, offshore equipment, dry bulk and others. Although the maritime market was hit hard by the economic downturn, which occurred during 2008 its strategy of gradually growing the business and investing in larger, better-equipped vessels has given Rederij Wantij a strong base from which to weather volatile market conditions. Furthermore operating a single vessel capable of managing several cargo types means that the company is able to be incredibly agile in its dealings and able to respond to opportunities quickly. Presently Rederij Wantij operates on the spot market, where company’s small size may be utilised to offset some of the challenges that remain in place following the global financial crisis, as managing director Jan van Veen elaborates: “When you only manage one vessel you can

Profile: Rederij Wantij America means that operators will need to change over to low sulphur fuels as heavy fuels will not be allowed after January,” Jan explains. “Operators will need to sail with marine gas oil (MGO), which currently is more expensive. I am not sure how this will play out because although freight rates will eventually begin to rise to compensate for this, it is difficult to know how long that will take. It is of course possible to fit a scrubber, but again this is very expensive. We are living through very volatile times; presently fuel prices are going down and if you calculate the difference in cost between heavy fuel and MGO it is theoretically possible to earn back the price of a scrubber in eight years for a for a vessel like ours. However, if shipping rates decrease or the cost of fuel rises then it is possible that the cost of scrubber equipment will not be recovered by the time it needs to be replaced.”

Through a cautious approach Rederij Wantij will be able to move with the market and embrace its challenges and opportunities as well as continue to grow as Jan concludes: “Within the next five years we will focus on acquiring a new, preferably larger vessel, but this is very dependant on the market.

During the next 12 months we will be focused on fuel regulations and in the next two years we will also consider ballast water regulations, which will also be expensive, so we have a lot to focus on.” l Rederij Wantij www.wantij.nl • Family owned business • Over three decades of experience • Well-maintained vessel

only offer one trip, when you have additional vessels it is possible to close new deals before the vessel arrives and make the trip using another ship. As such it is important for us to operate on the spot market or look for a charter, however it is currently better to remain on the spot market as charter rates are relatively low.

“I think that one of the main strengths of the business is that one of the owners is always onboard ship as the captain,” he continues. “Therefore it is assured that the captain will always take very good care of the vessel and the running of the ship.

Furthermore, the fact that there is always a captain/owner on board also improves the quality of service to customers and results in short lines of communication and faster decision making.

“I think that when times are hard it is important to focus on every detail as relatively small costs in maintenance and delays add up throughout the year and become much more significant.”

As with the marine industry in general, Rederij Wantij must tackle the issue of compliance with the rapidly approaching changes to sulphur emissions regulation due to come into effect during January 2015. “The arrival of the sulphur emissions control area (SECA) in Europe as well as around the Baltic and www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 57

Profile: Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A.

A maritime

powerhouse

F

ounded in 1952 in Gdansk, Poland, Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. embodies the town’s rich maritime history, operating as a highly regarded shipbuilder and maintenance base. The company is a member of the Remontowa Holding capital group, which gives it the financial stability to specialise in ship conversions and repairs, the design and construction of new ships, offshore units and steel structures.

Presently Gdansk Ship Repair yard ‘Remontowa’ S.A. is the largest repair and conversion yard in Poland and one of the biggest in the world, making it a leader among European shipyards and a major player on the global market.

Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. was last featured in Shipping and Marine magazine during August 2013 and since that time has remained busy and acquired several contracts that will enhance the yard’s capabilities and market reputation, as director of commerce, Jan Paszkowski elaborates: “The past 12 months has been a very fruitful period for our shipyard as we have signed five new contracts, which comprise a total of ten ships. Among them are three car-passenger ferries for a Canadian owner, which signals our embarking into a market that had previously remained unavailable to us. We perceive this as a confirmation of the fact

58 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

that Remontowa Shipbuilding has become a well-recognised brand - not only in Europe, but also around the world.

“We are also putting greater emphasis on diversity, underlining the fact that we are basically capable of building all kinds technically advanced vessels. Suffice to say that presently we are in the middle of building five arctic cargo vessels as well as five dual-fuel platform supply vessels, a cable laying vessel, an arctic AHTS and last but not least, a non-magnetic minehunter for the Polish Navy.”

Mar-In Controls

Mar-In Controls is a producer of instruments and systems mainly applied in the engine room.

The equipment has been installed on a large number of vessels. Instruments, applied for controlling viscosity, pressure, temperature and flow, have been delivered to many yards in Poland.

Recent, Mar-In Controls developed the SoftSwitch and the HFO Quality Checker.

The SoftSwitch makes it possible to switch from low sulphur fuel to HFO, without loss of power, preparing vessels for the 2015 SECA emission rules.

For Remontowa Mar-In Controls supplied a large variety of Flowmeter Systems and Booster Modules.

Mar-In Controls thanks Remontowa for its pleasant co-operation over a period of 15 years and will do its best to continue this partnership.

60- www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

Profile: Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. The shipyard has full order books until 2017, which is an impressive feat given the volatile conditions that were left in the maritime sector following the economic downturn in 2008 and Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. approaches the changing marketplace and the undertaking of each new project with an enthusiasm and dedication that has come to typify the company.

“Every project is an opportunity for us to show off what we can do and how well we can do it,” Jan says. “Therefore we approach every task with both excitement and attention, knowing that delivering high-quality products is the only certain way of maintaining and further improving our position worldwide.”

Although the yard is proud to exceed the expectations of both current and future clients, the sheer volume of work taken on by the company means that Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. must place an even greater emphasis on efficient and sustainable fabrication that does not sacrifice quality. Currently the company is undertaking projects with customers from Denmark, Canada and Norway for liquid natural gas (LNG) vessels, anchor handling tugs (AHT) and three double-ended car-passenger ferries, resulting in a broad spectrum of simultaneous projects. “Each of these projects poses a challenge, but the biggest obstacle that needs to be overcome is the limited resources that we can put into the work,” Jan explains. “In the beginning of 2015 our shipyard will be working on 17 projects simultaneously – with some of them being just a couple of weeks or even days from completion and others only entering the steel cutting phase. This requires extremely careful planning, minimising waste and getting the most out of virtually every working hour.

“We are observing a growing demand for bigger offshore vessels, which are larger in terms of deadweight and bollard pull, but of course the dimensions and required power follow,” he expands. “This is due to oil extraction increasingly moving further away from the shores and we are also experiencing increasing competition from the Turkish shipyards, which have a lot to offer for owners, especially when it comes to price.”

Although competition for business remains fierce amongst shipyards, the strong reputation of Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. has ensured that the shipyard will continue to remain buoyant for several years to come. Furthermore the company takes a proactive approach to demonstrating its commitment to clients as well as its understanding of the issues facing clients within the maritime sector, attending trade shows such as SMM in Hamburg during 2014 and others. “Events like SMM are a perfect opportunity to meet up with customers and suppliers and get to know their thoughts on co-operation with our shipyard and the condition of the marine industry as a whole. This year we have spent most of the time discussing the three car-passenger ferries that we are building since a lot of companies are interested in participating in this project.”

Indeed the need for efficient fuel management coupled with the

Evac

Evac offers a complete range of solutions for marine water, wastewater and waste management. Through recent product developments and acquisitions, the scope of products now covers all ship segments, regardless of vessel size. “We have launched the ’Evac Total Concept – Solutions for Clean Environment’ slogan, to highlight our complete range of products,” says Tomi Gardemeister, President and CEO of the Evac Group. “Our main idea is to be able to provide our clients, shipowners, shipyards and ship designers a one-stop-shop for all the technology needed within onboard water, wastewater and waste management systems.

This provides the most productive and cost efficient way when designing and building ships and yachts, regardless of size and complexity.

rapidly approaching 2015 regulations relating to sulphur emissions has generated much interest from owners looking for partners who are able to deliver fuel-efficient solutions, as Jan continues: “Our shipyard has vast experience in building LNG fuelled ferries and over the past five years we have delivered ten such vessels.

Currently we are working on six ships utilising dual-fuel engines.

The latest addition to our order book, will also be equipped with this type of propulsion and the production process is scheduled to begin in January 2015.”

As the company heads into 2015, Remontowa Shipbuilding A.S. finds itself in a technically challenging, but strong position and is ready to take on the needs of a turbulent market and its clients with the same determination that has made it a market leader.

Furthermore its membership of the wider Remontowa Group enables it to work in close co-operation with Remontowa Marine Design & Consulting – one of Europe’s largest design offices.

“The upcoming 12 months will definitely be a very challenging period for our shipyard as having so many projects that are ongoing will require careful resource management with practically no room for error, however we believe we are up to the task,” Jan concludes. “In the long run we aim to increase our production capabilities through infrastructural investments and improving our market position by entering new markets - both in terms of geographical location and vessel types.” l

Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A.

www.remontowa.com.pl • Leading European shipyard • Full order book until 2017 • Growing customer base

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 61

A clean

solution

W

ith over a decade of experience within the ballast water treatment (BWT) sector, OceanSaver AS has established itself as a leading name through the implementation of its unique equipment and the efforts of its highly knowledgeable team.

The company was founded in 2003 and has always operated with the sole purpose of developing an efficient solution for BWT, working with the vision of being ‘the premier supplier of ballast water expertise.’ Indeed as part of its mission the company is aware of the importance of a highly skilled and targeted service as vice president sales & marketing, Tor Atle Eiken elaborates: “OceanSaver as a company believes that it is important to really sharpen the method of delivery within a certain part of the market. You cannot go into this business and try to sell into every segment and be an expert in every area.

You really have to understand how to technically fit the systems onto the ship as well as the constraints on that kind of vessel, the way it is operated and the limitations during ballast and cargo operations.”

62 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

OceanSaver is focused on the mid to large sized tanker and bulker market and since it was last featured in Shipping and Marine magazine during October 2013, the company has continued to expand its business in line with existing and upcoming industry regulations. Presently two bodies are involved in regulating ballast water management within the marine industry; the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for example regulates ballast water discharge within a jurisdiction covering US territorial sea extending 12 nautical miles from the coast. In addition to the USCG, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) represents the United Nation’s regulatory agency for the maritime sector, covering a vast geographical region. Presently IMO ballast water management regulations are undergoing the process of ratification by 30 states representing 35 per cent of world merchant shipping tonnage.

IMO Ballast water management regulation will come into effect 12 months after the convention has been signed and ratified by all 30 member states.

The arrival of USCG and upcoming IMO ballast water

Profile: OceanSaver

management regulation has already had a profound impact on the maritime industry and the way operators manage their vessels. As such OceanSaver has been prominent in helping clients to ensure that their vessels are suitable and ready to meet the requirements of both USCG and IMO. “USCG regulation means that operators who take their vessels out of the water during 2016 will need to fit a ballast water treatment system if they plan to trade off the coast of the US (if they plan to discharge ballast water…),” Tor says. “Within the sector we are focused on most vessels will trade on the coast of the US at some point during their lifecycle.

AEG Power Solutions

“OceanSaver has chosen AEG Power Solutions because of their excellent engineering support, long years of expertise and worldwide service network ” says Robin Lemstra, Sales Manager Nordic Region at AEG PS. AEG PS has been working closely with OceanSaver to optimise the design for the best performance and easy operation The robust, rugged and compact design of the Thyrobox BWT has been perfectly integrated in the OceanSaver BWT skids. The Thyrobox BWT system is built according to DNV specifications.

AEG PS has been providing high current rectifiers for over 60 years and has a proven track record of projects worldwide.

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 63

64 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

Profile: OceanSaver OceanSaver simple system De-ballast

“IMO is not here yet but it is getting closer. Owners are installing systems on as many as 80-90 per cent of new vessels.

Owners are also increasingly looking into the retrofit option and are currently making shortlists and considering who to select for drydock during 2016,” he continues. “I feel that the market has accepted regulation of water ballast management and during the last two or three months the activity for retrofit has really picked up. Currently we are working on tenders out of the US, UK, Australia, Taiwan and Singapore.”

The ballast water treatment system delivered by OceanSaver is based on the principles of pre-filtration and disinfection.

The first part of the process is filtration, where ballast water is pumped onboard by the ballast pumps and then filtered by a mechanical, fully automatic back-flushing filter. The filter itself is an automatic, self-cleaning filter equipped with a 40-micrometre screen meaning that the filter will remove +90 per cent of the organic load above 50 micrometres. Following this the water is exposed to an injection of an in-house patented produced disinfectant (C2E). Only around one per cent of the total ballast water is fed through the C2E unit before it is then injected into the main flow. The C2E unit is designed with a small footprint and can be located remotely from the ballast line by connecting with small diameter piping.

OceanSaver has continued to prove itself as a leading solution provider to operators looking to improve the ecological responsibility of their vessels and comply with current as well as imminent regulations. The company has sold over 140 systems and during the coming months will commission a further 25. As operators seek to make their fleets ready for IMO regulation OceanSaver will be on hand to support them as Tor concludes: “We have started to learn the business and have had a successful start in retrofitting and we understand the need for newbuilds. Over the next five months we will work to stabilise the use of existing systems and over the following years we will look to grow the company to a stable size of 200 to 250 sold systems per year in the retrofit and new build markets.” l

OceanSaver

www.oceansaver.com • Ballast water treatment • Specially designed technology • Growing market presence

MossHydro

MossHydro AS is a Norwegian supplier of screen filtration. The filter designs are purely based on Duplex/SS, steel removing the concern for pitting and corrosion of the pressure vessel. The first orders were signed in June for filter deliveries to one of the major Korean yards.

MossHydro was established in 2012 and entered an industrial roll out phase during the second half of 2014. The filter product range is from 50 to 3500m3/h capacity. www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 65

Ship

shape

S

ince its original foundation as a shipping company in 1836, family-owned Österreichischer Lloyd Seereederei (Cyprus) Ltd (OL) has remained adaptable to the challenges of an evolving global shipping industry with its re-inception as a ship owning firm in 1951 and the establishment of a ship management subsidiary in 1991.

Developed to serve both in-house and third party vessels trading from Limassol in Cyprus, the subsidiary operated in this manner until July 2008, when OL undertook a strategic conversion of its operations; a move that resulted in the withdrawal of its services as a third party manager and a core focus on ship ownership. It was at this key point in the company’s history that it changed its name from Österreichischer Lloyd to Österreichischer Lloyd Seereederei and all shares of the company were transferred to Captain Eberhard Koch’s holding.

Strictly adhering to IMO and ISM regulations for safety, quality and environment, OL is continuously striving for higher safety and enhanced quality standards. Firm in its belief that quality management demands a qualified and competent crew, the company exclusively recruits from its part owned organisation, MED CREW Ltd, Malta; a policy that leaves both OL and its clients secure in the knowledge that all officers and ratings are highly experienced, well trained and possess all

66 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

required national and international licenses and certificates. As such, careful consideration goes into crew selection, with the majority of staff boasting long and loyal service records.

Previously featured in Shipping and Marine magazine in April 2014, Chairman, CEO and Managing Partner Captain Eberhard Koch discusses how OL has progressed with plans to seek long-term strategic partnerships and has transferred the Class of one of its MPP vessels to RINA over the last seven months: “We are currently in the last stages of finalising our short term strategic business partnership plan to strengthen our business.

“In other news, we were proud to announce the transfer of Class of one of our younger ‘ladies’ during her drydocking at Klaipeda in July 2014 to RINA. We felt that working with RINA meant being part of an international group, which was in line with the company’s mentality and values, with the competencies of its people being the primary asset onboard and ashore. OL and RINA have many similarities including investment and continuous training and development opportunities. All of our vessels are classed by IACS members though; we have five MPC’s with China Classification Society, one MPP with Germanischer Lloyd and of course, the final vessel with RINA.” Operating under the reputable European White flag of Cyprus

Profile: Öesterreichisher Lloyd Seereederei (Cyprus)

and single leadership of Capt. Koch, the fleet of seven modern multipurpose and container vessels benefits from its location in a bustling shipping hub that is connected to three continents and is recognised as a European Union and European Monetary Union Member State. “Cyprus for me, is the most attractive global maritime centre; strategically located, super tonnage tax system and numerous tax treaties with other shipping hubs.

It is also the largest management centre in Europe and in the top five worldwide,” highlights Capt. Koch. “She has double tax treaties with 45 countries and Bilateral Agreements in 23 countries for merchant shipping, including major labour supplying countries from where we supply crew onboard our vessels, and is a signatory to numerous international maritime conventions.

“Ship registration costs are more than competitive than other destinations and let’s not forget the special taxation for shipping companies otherwise referred to as TTS: Shipowners, charterers and ship managers participating in the Cyprus Tonnage Tax System, where we are exempt from income tax and any other tax or levy on dividends paid to shareholders, on interest earned on working capital and on any profit made from the sale of a qualifying ship as opposed to CIT on actual profits and which is completely regulated by the Department and not the Tax Authorities. Even non TTS qualifying income is only subject to 12.5 per cent with several exemptions available. VAT for ship management companies, although compulsory registration is

necessary, it is zero rated so, basically, no VAT on income with the right to reclaim input VAT,” he adds.

Despite the obvious benefits of its flag choice, Capt.

Koch notes that OL faces ongoing challenges due to Turkey’s continued embargo on ships flying the Cyprus flag: “As a registered Cyprus/German Owner, this issue remains the biggest obstacle faced by the Cyprus shipping community, limiting the potential for further expansion of the sector given the inherent problems it raises for companies that have significant commercial relationships with Turkey.” However, it is hoped this issue will be rectified in the near future, particularly with President of the Republic, Mr. Nicos Anastasiades highlighting the importance of the shipping sector as a source for growth in the region.

Five of the company’s vessels participate in a specialised pool of similar ships, which ensures ongoing employment and a number of other advantages such as the exclusion of competition between similar vessels, spreading the risk of employment, the facilitation of a common marketing and chartering strategy and the distribution of revenue across the pool, which generates long term revenue security for vessels that may be idle or had to be repositioned. “Having participation in the esteemed Mini Container Pool ‘MCP Pool’ unites a group of comparable geared multipurpose containerships with capacity of 618 TEU. It further offers 16 similar sister ships suitable for project, container, general and bulk cargoes, and serves both the feeder and intercontinental trade,” explains Capt. Koch.

Having witnessed a steady increase in trade for its MPPs and all vessels that are chartered via the MCP Pool, Inter-Asia, from Australia and New Zealand and within East Africa, OL has secured a number of lengthy charters and anticipates further growth within the container markets as the global economy continues to recover. To stay ahead of the competition in these growing markets, Capt. Koch notes the company’s commitment to finding cost-effective e-platform solutions, which will ensure efficient productivity and minimise operational burdens to its seafarers: “We stay in tune with various market sources including the Cyprus Shipping Chamber’s E-navigation Working Group, Nautical Institute on Navigational Competence, prevention of Marine Accidents/Incidents. The recent Nautical Institute Command Seminar that took place in Limassol on www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 67

Profile: Öesterreichisher Lloyd Seereederei (Cyprus)

7th November 2014 clearly identified that E-Nav is moving forward quickly. Our industry needs to embrace it, get involved and start working in detail on its implementation. 2015 could further see in-house technological changes in terms of computer and software upgrades for our shore based teams, thereby enhancing efficiency and time management.”

On top of potential technological advancements, the company aims to continue its cultivation of a proactive approach via a ‘can do’ attitude, which will achieve the right structure, the right focus, and ultimately the right result. Moreover, OL anticipates an increase in charter rates as the economy continues to recover, as Capt. Koch states: “We believe that the supply and demand aspect of our fragmented sector is expected to see overall TEU capacity growth for containerships between 0-999 TEU being forecasted to fall by approx. 7.1 per cent in 2015. Such a slow down should lead to a rise in demand for smaller tonnage over the next few years as the supply / demand dynamics will further support an increase in charter rates as the sector bounces back from all time lows.”

With a positive future ahead, the company is now focusing on raising awareness and generate interest in the shipping industry in advance of a potential drought in resources over the coming years, as Capt. Koch concludes: “It is our responsibility to raise awareness amongst the younger generation with regard to the marine and maritime industry, including oil and gas, to ensure they have the knowledge in exploring the abundant opportunities of a sea or shore based career.” l

68 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

Österreichischer Lloyd Seereederei (Cyprus) Ltd

www.oelsm.com • Strong and solid multi-purpose fleet • Average age of fleet is six years • All vessels are classed by IACS members

Jorung Shipyard

It is our privilege to have repaired the vessels from Oesterreichischer Lloyd Seereederei (Cyprus) Ltd and are indeed honoured to have them as our alliance partner in Cyprus.

Profile: Red Funnel

The preferred

choice

W

ith a history dating as far back as 1861, Red Funnel was the first organisation to provide passenger services between the Isle of Wight and mainland UK. Since then, the famous ferry company has gained an excellent reputation for safety and quality, resulting in three million passengers and more than 750,000 vehicles being transported across the Solent annually.

Discussing the company’s core business activities, CEO Kevin George notes: “Red Funnel operates two types of service namely a Roll On, Roll Off (RoRo) vehicle ferry service from Southampton to East Cowes and a Hi Speed Catamaran passenger only service between Southampton and West Cowes. We operate three Raptor Class RoRo ferries and three Hi Speed catamarans.” Proud to deliver satisfaction to its broad range of clients, the company has made a number of key enhancements to its service over recent years to remain competitive in areas such as technical excellence, staff competence and customer service.

Appointed CEO in 2013, Kevin has continued the company’s strategy for improvement since taking up the

position in January 2014. “My initial focus was to ensure that the safety management of the business was robust.

While I was satisfied that Red Funnel was doing a good job in safety management we have made some enhancements in this fundamental area of the business,” he states. “It was also important to me that we had the right management structure in place to effectively drive the business forward. The key changes were to appoint Directors with specific responsibility for Customer Services and for Fleet & Technical, both of whom are now in position.” www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 69

Profile: Red Funnel

In addition to safety and management structure, Kevin has been committed to improving passenger experience, resulting in the £2 million interior refurbishment of the Red Falcon in 2014. “The fundamental driver for the refurbishment was customer feedback that there was insufficient seating on the ship. As a consequence we have added two additional lounges and completely changed the design of the main passenger deck in order to increase the seating by 55 per cent,” says Kevin.

“In addition we upgraded the air conditioning, introduced a new pet lounge, improved the facilities for wheelchair users and enhanced the catering offer. Customer reaction has been

MTU

Since 1972 MTU has supplied the ‘Original Isle of Wight Ferry Operator’ Red Funnel, with propulsion engines and maintenance solutions for the hi-speed ferries from Southampton to the Isle of Wight.

This partnership continues today with MTU delivering excellence in engine supply, service and consumables, MTU is proud supplier of the propulsion engines that have been installed in the Red Funnel vessels Shearwater 3, 4 & 6 and Red Jet 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5, the fastest passenger catamarans in the Solent, ensuring Red Funnel is able to offer a reliable and consistent service to its passengers whilst it operates 365 days a year.

‘MTU move you with Power, Passion & Partnership.’

absolutely fantastic and we have seen a clear preference to book on Red Falcon by our regular customers.”

Beginning in February 2014, the Red Falcon project used the expertise of marine design agency SMC Design and marine interior refit specialist Trimline; completed in time for the busy Easter break, the vessel’s new look has delighted passengers and is certain to play a key role in the company’s aim of becoming the ‘preferred choice’ for those wanting to travel to and from the Isle of Wight.

Following the Red Falcon’s transformation Red Funnel has witnessed a 15 per cent boost in traffic levels over the main summer holiday period in 2014; growth that has seen the firm’s Southampton-East Cowes route become the most popular cross-Solent route for vehicles. Having set the standard for Cross-Solent travel, Red Funnel has discussed plans to further invest in Red Eagle and confirmed a £2.2 million refurbishment for Red Osprey in September 2014. Using the same specification as Red Falcon, the company has chosen Trimline as the lead contractor once again. “Based on feedback from our customers and staff there will be a few extra enhancements on Red Osprey which will get retrofitted to Red Falcon in due course. Meanwhile, Red Eagle is a slightly different design in that it already has a higher seating capacity than our other ferries and so we are determining the optimum upgrade for this ship at the moment,” explains Kevin.

On top of vessel upgrades, the ISO 9001 accredited company has also invested in the improvement of customer service to boost sales from a growing customer base that has seen the Isle of Wight repositioned as a year-round destination of choice for active couples and families. This focus on www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 71

Profile: Red Funnel

staff see things as if they were the customer and then deliver service accordingly. We have seen our market share consistently grow throughout 2014 and I am delighted that the statistics support the fact that Red Funnel is becoming the customer’s preferred choice.”

With a record-breaking summer behind it and strategic plans in place to continue improving services, Red Funnel is certain to flourish, as Kevin concludes: “I feel fortunate to have joined Red Funnel at such an exciting time in its history. We are refurbishing our ferries, planning to move terminals in Southampton in the next two years, planning the relocation and expansion of our East Cowes terminal and upgrading one of our Redjet Hi Speed catamarans. Add to that a revolutionary programme in customer service improvements and a new catering and retail offer.

There’s plenty to focus on next year!” l customer service has earned it a 2014 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor and played a part in the company’s ongoing growth, as Kevin notes: “We obviously have an extensive training programme to maintain all our operating crews mandatory requirements. However this year we have launched a training programme for all staff called ‘ Think like a customer’. As the name implies it is designed to help our

72 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

Red Funnel

www.redfunnel.co.uk • The Isle of Wight’s original ferry service • Enjoyed record breaking summer in 2014 • Major investments in products and services

Profile: DBB Jack-Up

Maintaining

P

growth

roud of its ‘Can do. Will do’ mentality, DBB Group subsidiary DBB Jack-Up boasts more than 25 years experience in the provision of offshore services both above and below sea; in fact, since 2007 the specialist in jack-up services has replaced 367 major components on offshore wind turbines and worked on 16 wind farms based in areas such as the Baltic and Irish Sea. “The DBB group was founded in 1989 as a towage and salvage company specialising in heavy lift operations offshore. Today, the group consists of three companies, DBB Salvage, DBB ROV and DBB Jack-Up, which in addition to offshore wind turbine operations and maintenance services, provides salvage and subsea inspection services,” begins Ole Jacob Nielsen, DBB Jack-Up’s head of sales and marketing.

Working with oil majors, offshore contractors, wind park owners and wind turbine manufacturers, the Aarhus based Danish firm has earned a solid track record for its ability to provide costeffective and flexible solutions for exchanging major components on offshore wind turbines. “Our customers include DONG Energy,

Maersk, E. On, Vattenfall, Siemens and MHI Vestas Offshore Wind to name a few,” says Ole. “We have a competitive edge in the market thanks to our focus on niche markets within oil and gas and offshore wind. Where a large number of players have invested in installation vessels and jack-ups, DBB saw a gap in the market for O&M services and smaller units. Combined with 25 years of experience, technical know-how and flexibility – DBB adds value to clients’ operations 24/7, 365 days a year.”

Complimenting more than two decades of expertise is the company’s fleet of three jackups, J/U WIND, J/U WIND SERVER and J/U WIND PIONEER. The company’s only jack-up in operation until end 2014 the J/U Wind is the industry’s first selfpropelled, heavy-lift barge to have a permanently mounted, large-scale, telescopic crane.

Capable of operating at heights above 100 metres, the barge has a length of 55 metres and breadth of 18 metres as well as a maximum depth of operation of 35 metres. Serving DBB Jack-Up’s customers since 2007, J/U WIND performed its 350th successful replacement in the Summer of 2014; it has worked on 16 offshore wind farms and is a proven

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 73

cost-effective option for the replacement of major turbine components.

To compliment the success of J/U WIND DBB Jack-Up further strengthened its services in a challenging and evolving market with the acquisition of one newbuild and one converted jack-up, as Ole notes: “The industry has reached a size where we need

74 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

to introduce purpose-built jack-ups for O&M. Our new build jack-up WIND SERVER is an industry first and its capabilities will offer speed and flexibility to our customers in getting wind turbines repaired as fast and safe as possible. Our converted jack-up WIND PIONEER is specially designed for shallow water locations and challenging seabed profiles which again is highly sought after in the market.”

Having undergone conversion work in Denmark, the J/U WIND PIONEER is a 50 x 28 metre jack-up barge, with a main hoist lifting capacity of up to 232 tonnes.

Designed to operate in depths up to 35 metres and as shallow as four metres, the barge has accommodation for up to 22 charterer’s in single cabins, all of which feature a bath, toilet, TV and Ethernet connection.

Meanwhile, the newbuild J/U WIND SERVER, 80 metres in length and 32 metres in breadth, is capable of lifting 400 tonnes and can operate in depths of up to 45 metres. Constructed at Nordic Yards in Wismar, the newbuild had the last of its four 72 metre long steel legs, each weighing 430 tonnes, fitted in May 2014 before it will be delivered to DBB during Q4 2014. An innovative and modern vessel, J/U WIND SERVER can withstand the most challenging of conditions and even

Profile: DBB Jack-Up

service the huge five to eight MW turbines; built with a DP2 system, the barge is protected from system failure and loss of position should a single fault in its system happen. Purpose-built for maintenance and service activities with smaller dimensions, the barge is highly suitable for its three-year contract with Siemens, which is due to begin in 2016 and will involve servicing the increasing number of large-scale offshore wind projects in Northern Europe. In line with its fleet expansion, the company has increased its office staff by 200 per cent and offshore crew by 250 per cent.

Although DBB Jack-up sees opportunities for growth as

the offshore wind market continues to evolve, the company faces major challenges such as political instability and market uncertainty, as Ole concludes: “The EU’s target is that the cost of energy from offshore wind needs to be reduced by 40 per cent by 2020 from 2014 levels. Innovative and long-term strategic change and investment is required. Asset owners, wind turbine manufacturers and vessel owners all have a part to play. However, a major challenge for the offshore wind industry is political instability. As long as politicians delay long-term plans within sustainable energy and threaten to reopen the energy discussions at a political level, it will be impossible to reduce offshore wind energy prices. Financing is not easy to come by, and certainly not if there is concern over the political framework.” Despite these challenges, the company’s ‘Can Do. Will do’ mentality, state-ofthe-art vessels and commitment to helping the industry reduce costs of energy production will not only secure its own future growth, but also help set the foundations for the offshore wind industry as a whole. l

DBB Jack-Up

dbbjackup.dk • Part of DBB Group • Expanded fleet with two vessels in 2014 • Prepared for upcoming market demands

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 75

Karmsund main traffic harbour. Photo: Tor Inge Vormedal

Strait to harbour

Below: Killingøy Offshore & Subsea base.

Photo: Tor Inge Vormedal

S

ituated in south western Norway, Karmsund is the first entrance to Norway from the North Sea. The importance of the location is as strong today as it was in 800AD when it was said that a King who ruled Karmsund, ruled Norway. The port today focuses on offshore services, the cruise industry, as well as container and break bulk services.

“The demand from the cruise industry is growing for us, and having been involved in it for only two years, we are extremely pleased with our performance,” says Leiv Sverre Leknes, maritime chief. Whilst most port authorities in Norway have felt a decline in the number of cruise vessels entering its ports, Karmsund Havnevesen has experienced unprecedented growth.

“Already for 2015 we have 20 large vessels scheduled to arrive, and the same again for 2016, with more to follow,” he adds.

These unexpected figures represent over a two fold annual increase. The quay and berthing facilities have been significantly upgraded in the past two years, and the mooring bollards are capable of holding 150 tonnes. With a quay measuring 297m in length, the region is able to welcome vessels in all classes.

“We have a very good port, confirmed by the reports of first class berthing in sheltered waters from all that have used the

76 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

facilities, which has gone some way to adding to that growth. We are essentially still beginners in the cruise sector so we try to give the operators of the vessels and the passengers a new experience by retaining a personal touch. Every time that we have a cruise vessel arrive into our port we make special efforts to welcome our guests,” explains Leiv. With impressive road links stemming from the island to the mainland, opportunities to experience the natural beauty of the country is vast. From mountains to waterfalls and fjords, Karmsund Havnevesen has, through maintaining high quality facilities promoted itself as the port of choice for operators.

Beyond tourism, an important aspect of the business targets subsea activity from the base situated at Killingøy. As one of the world’s leading subsea centres, major players such as Technip Norge, DeepOcean, Olufsen Skipsreparsjon, Reach Subsea and Meara can be found there, as well as Statoil who runs its North Sea pipeline repair system (PRS) from the site. Furthermore, with modern RORO, container and break-bulk facilities, its commercial services located at Husøy encompass a sector that has demonstrated significant growth each year. “We have seen this growth particularly in the short sea business, which brings cargo from the road to the sea, and as such attracts the leading operators to our facilities,” points out Leiv. With its unique position at the centre of the main north-south shipping lane along Norway's western seaboard, the business time and again delivers its service against strong competition. With the likes of Euro Container Lines (ECL), Sea-Cargo, North Sea Container

Profile: Karmsund Havnevesen

Line and NorLines frequenting the port, it is clear that the future of the Karmsund Havnevesen is well supported.

“We have several businesses in operation within our port area too, which adds additional operations to the service. We connect the factories of big users of bulk commodities to the sea, with direct routes to ship out from the port. Clients based at our port take clear benefit from this, utilising the reliability of the services,” explains Leiv. As a result of the demand for bulk commodities, Karmsund Havnevesen is in the process of building a brand new bulk terminal that includes warehouse facilities as well as a new quay for the vessels. The site will be situated at Husøy, with direct links to the existing port areas specialising in container and RORO traffic.

With engineering, planning, and preparation of tender documents complete, the process is now subject to final approval by the authorities and construction will commence in April 2015, with a tight schedule that will complete by November the same year. Commenting on the development, Leiv highlights: “The first stage will involve the building of a terminal of approximately 12,000 sqm, with 8000 sqm totally covered and 4000 sqm that is covered by the overhanging roof. The multi-purpose terminal with have a capacity of about 40,000 tonnes, divided into 20 cells. The lease for the completed first stage of the terminal has now been granted but there is huge interest within Norway so we will swiftly move on to the second stage.”

Over the next year, the significant contract works within the development of the port will put a significant level of pressure on the authority as it works to meet the deadlines. In November 2014, Karmsund Havnevesen signed a contract with the Norwegian Subsea operator DeepOcean, as well as confirming

the construction of a combined storage, maintenance and office block at the offshore terminal. At the moment there is also a project for the creation of 8000sqm of new land through reclaiming land through landfill, which will be completed in 2015. This means that the total size of the subsea & offshore base will be 80,000sqm. “The huge investment into projects will inevitably stretch our resources in the period ahead. We also still have a lot of area that can be developed and as population continues to grow, volumes of ships will of course increase.

We are in a very positive drive,” concludes Leiv. l MV North Sea Giant at Killingøy Offshore & Subsea base.

Photo: Øyvind Sætre

Karmsund Havnevesen

www.karmsund-havn.no • Historic south-west Norwegian port • Naturally sheltered area • Continuous expansion of facilities

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 77

forward

Pulling

S

ince Mr Ton Kooren in Spain constructed the first Rotortug® design in 1999, the innovative Rotortug BV has established a reputation as a pioneer within the specialized towage industry. Originally founded under the name Kooren Shipbuilding and Trading BV, later known as KST, the company’s first generation of Rotortugs were exclusively built for the use of international maritime service provider Kotug; however, following an increase in demand for specialised towage services, the company made the strategic decision of extending the sale of its design to third parties.

As KST BV continued to develop over the years, its efforts became increasingly focused on design and new building consultancy, marketing and training solutions; this move away from shipbuilding resulted in an exclusive design agreement

78 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

between KST BV and Robert Allan in 2012 that enabled potential customers to contract either organisation for a license to construct a Rotortug. Two years after this strategic contract was signed, the company underwent a successful rebranding operation, thus further cementing its position in technical marketing and consultancy. Speaking with Shipping and Marine magazine during January 2014, managing director of Rotortug Evan Willemsen said: “Under its new name, Rotortug BV will continue its focus on the technical marketing and development of the Rotortug as an established brand as well as other towage related solutions. Now that the shipbuilding aspect of the business is gone, it’s the perfect opportunity for us to rebrand.”

Having realigned its core business with the shipping industry, Rotortug has enjoyed a productive and prosperous 2014 as KT Maritime Services Australia Pty Ltd awarded a contract for the design and operation of three of the world's first purpose built FLNG infield support vessels, as Evan highlights: “Steel cutting of the 100 tons, 42 metre Rotortugs commenced for the KT Maritime Services contract; as is customary, in September 2014.

“Keen to take advantage of the growing opportunities within the LNG market, three Rotortugs were transported to the Shell LNG Brunei terminal to support LNG carriers,” confirms Evan.

“This contract is a natural development for Rotortug as we are looking for expansion into this field; we aim to provide a towage solutions concept, a system based approach to maritime risk management for oil majors and terminal operators both on

Profile: Rotortug

shore and offshore. That would be our main market plan for the future.”

Supporting this strategy is the company's state-of-the-art, game changing new design, the ART 80-32. Viewed as an industry benchmark and designed by Robert Allan Ltd, the next generation series has generated significant buzz in the market, with four on order at Cheoy Lee Shipyards in Hong Kong. To date, two of these Rotortugs, named RT Discovery and RT Endeavour, have been delivered to their owner, Elisabeth Ltd in Malta. Delivered in October and November, respectively, the two tugs deliver high performance, unrivalled maneuverability and optimised safety during operations.

Elaborating on the benefits of the ART 80-32, Evan states: “The main features of this tug design includes its combined high bollard pull of 86 tons, made up of three thrusters and two winches, which means you can always work in the direction you are going to, rather than having to work backwards. The ART 80-32 has a very good speed of 13.5 knots, with 7.5 knots sidestepping capabilities; this key feature provides crew comfort that they can always move towards a safe position, should the tug get into a dangerous situation. Moreover, if the towline fails, the vessel can be turned around and reconnected. We have paid attention to all details, and have worked extremely hard to come up with something very close to the perfect tug design.”

Although the design ticks all of the right boxes for the tug boat market, the ART 80-32 is now in the process of proving itself to a conservative customer base, as Evan notes: “Since being delivered in October, the RT Discovery has given a

few sneak previews of its capabilities and generated attention from the market.

However, a tug can look nice and be well designed, but it also has to work and perform for us to convince clients that this is simply a much better system.” On the tipping point of early majority market acceptance for industries in need of enhanced safety and optimum performance. The future looks promising as the first ART 80-32 vessels commence operations and opportunities continue to develop. “We see increased demand for infield support vessels throughout 2015, so we will focus on delivering this concept to other FLNG and FRSU operations, while also expanding our presence in the LNG and FPSO markets,” concludes Evan. l

Rotortug BV

www.Rotortug.com • Leading designer, developer and supplier of the Rotortug® • Recently launched the game-changing ART 80-32 • Exclusive design contract with Robert Allan Ltd

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 79

Great

connections R

osslare-Europort is the second largest unitised freight port in Ireland, handling more unitised freight than all Irish ports combined, excluding Dublin. “In the southeast corner of Ireland we are extremely well located as the closest port to both the Continent and to the UK. From this pivotal corner we serve a catchment for the continental corridor and the entire island,” says John Lynch, General Manager. In a history that dates back to 1906, major developments in the last 50 years include the construction of Ireland’s first roll-on roll-off (RoRo) ramp in 1966 and the deepening of the harbour to its current depth of 7.2 metres in 1993. “Significantly for the business we reached our peak traffic levels in 2007 with almost 175,000 RoRo units,” he adds.

Geographically benefiting from its proximity to Dublin - “if Ryanair did our marketing, they’d probably call us Rosslare South Dublin Europort,” quipped John - Rosslare is connected to the entire country through good road connections, ensuring that most of the country is accessible within four and a half hours, the upper limit of the driving hour regulations. The eastern and southern coast account for 42 per cent of the land area and 73 per cent of the population of Ireland, all within easy reach from Rosslare. Currently operating exclusively as a RoRo port, the business is at the concluding phase of a development plan, which will be taken to the board in September 2014. The business is looking to address the potential of the further deepening of the port in

80 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

the development of the RoRo operations and the construction of a new ConRo berth which would enable increased RoRo, ConRo and Lift-on/Lift-off (LoLo) business. The ConRo vessel is a hybrid of a RoRo and a container ship. This type of vessel has a below-deck area used for vehicle storage while stacking containerised freight on the top decks.

“Moving and expanding our potential markets presents a supporting case for the additional cost of the constructing a ConRo berth over the deepening of the RoRo berth. The port is the economic engine of the southeast yet unlike other ports,

Profile: Rosslare-Europort

we do not have a major conurbation on our doorstep. In fact, Rosslare has grown to be the second biggest unitised freight port in spite of the fact that it does not have a major city or town locally, unlike other ports such as Dublin. We are at the ideal point to transit between the sea and land and connect with all of Ireland and the Continent. Ireland is a very open, internationally trading, economy and most of our exported goods are moved in the form of unitised freight and this is why Rosslare is so strategically significant for the country,” explains John.

Many people have a belief that freight traffic originates and is destined for the Greater Dublin Area where the population density is greatest, but John says that this is an oversimplification which ignores the fact that export industry is not concentrated around Dublin. The points of origin of exports are distributed right across the country, and this is a major contributor to Rosslare’s strategic importnance to the nation. It is easy to understand this point in relation to food & beverage products, but it is equally true of other imporntant export sectors, such as life sciences, engineering products, etc.

Following an overall decline in traffic from 2007 to 2013, business has steadily increased and is well on track to achieve targets for 2014, thanks to strong European links as John points out: “In 2007 the freight breakdown was 15:85 Continental to Channel. Today the balance has changed to 75:25 with the continental corridor growing significantly through the recession, which has given us the strength to remain profitable throughout the recession. In 2013 we made a profit of about €2million on a turnover of between €10million. The lowest profit made since 2007 was €1.7million.”

Building on long working relationships with companies such as Irish Ferries, Stena Line and LD Lines, the port provides to its customers a very flexible service. “We recognise the importance of facilitating our customers’ demands. We have a ‘can-do’ attitude and bend over backwards to give our customers what they want. The passenger business has grown significantly, particularly on the continental routes. The LD Lines services to France and Spain are relatively new routes and the demand highlights that there is plenty of business,” says John. In line with the potential ConRo developments, Rosslare Europort is working together with its mother company Irish Rail on future requirements to offer a rail freight service directly from the port. “As container traffic increases in frequency to the port, the demand for transporting freight across the country will rise significantly. There is a lot of potential behind such developments that utilises the synergies between both businesses,” highlights John.

Future growth for the business is heavily reliant on the performance of the Irish economy and as this improves, levels of traffic will increase. Targeting new business, RosslareEuroport continues to work with a number of shipping lines, developing new services. “These may take several years to come to fruition so it is hard to say exactly what new services will be brought in during the next 12 months but I am very confident that the traffic volumes on the existing routes will continue to rise.

There is potential for more midday routes between Rosslare and South Wales, as well as a long distance RoRo service to

the Benelux region and further to Iberia, but these service extensions will take around three years to develop. Strategically, we have many ideas for the development of the port, which leads to an exciting and positive future,” concludes John. l

Rosslare-Europort

www.rosslareeuroport.irishrail.ie • Second largest unitised freight port in Ireland • Future development for the port • Regular trade to the UK and Europe

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 81

A history of

excellence

P

ortugal’s premium repair and maintenance facility, Arsenal do Alfeite, S.A. (AA) is mainly dedicated to the repair and maintenance needs of the Portuguese Navy. António F. Rodrigues Mateus, director, business development and project management, explained that AA is currently dedicated to the repair of national and international military surface ships and submarines, the repair of commercial vessels, the building of military and commercial ships, and the execution of industrial maintenance and integrated logistic support services to national and international customers. “In a complementary service, AA also executes the maintenance of the national weapons (missiles, torpedoes, mines, etc.),” he said.

At the start of its interesting history, Arsenal do Alfeite became operational almost eight decades ago, in 1938, in a privileged location in the city of Almada at the southern margin of the Tagus River, south of Lisbon, Portugal. The naval shipyard was officially inaugurated on 3 May 1939, and was considered one of the largest and best-equipped institutions of its kind.

Between its foundation and current times, the shipyard has been restructured on several occasions, with perhaps one of the most significant changes occurring in 2009, as António explained: “The Portuguese Defence Minister terminated the former status quo, and formed Arsenal do Alfeite, S.A., a company financed by public capital, which is part of the naval cluster of EMPORDEF, SGPS, S.A., the holding of the Portuguese Defence Industries.”

The new organisation, Arsenal do Alfeite S.A. (AA) became operational on September 1, 2009. António explained what

82 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

key strengths AA possesses that draws the attention of a major customer such the Portuguese Navy: “AA is able to approach a military vessel, irrespective of it being surface or submarine, and apply a ‘one stop shop’, concept. By this I mean AA’s internal capabilities enable it to perform maintenance on all on-board systems, from structures, to propulsion, energy production and management systems, command & control systems, sensors, auxiliaries, outfitting, weapon systems, weapons and so forth.

Hence, a warship overhaul can be completed at the yard with a maximum of efficiency, by enabling integrated management and execution of the several technical disciplines involved.”

He added: “In parallel, AA has the capability to design and build customised solutions for smaller vessels, whose operational profile specificity and performance requirements discourage, or even disable the search for commercial off-theshelf (COTS) solutions. AA has built several of these vessels in the recent past, and is willing to continue doing so, both for the Portuguese Navy or for other foreign customers.”

António then gave examples of recent projects, which illustrate AA’s expertise: “With the Portuguese Navy we are planning a forthcoming overhaul of the MEKO 200PN Frigate ‘Corte Real’ foreseen for 2015-16, as well as the reactivation, overhaul, and modernisation of four STANFLEX 300 patrol vessels, recently acquired from Denmark, planned for 2015-2017.

“The major overhaul of the Royal Moroccan Navy patrol

Profile: Arsenal do Alfeite

boat ‘El Lahiq’ is also worth highlighting, as, after the drydockings of the logistic supply vessel ‘Dakhla’, and the frigate ‘Hassan II’, it represents the growth in confidence of this customer in the capabilities and end product delivery of AA. This project is a clear use of the ‘one-stop-shop’ concept, where the vessel is being fully overhauled, from structural rehabilitation, propulsion total overhaul and energy production system upgrade, to global habitability renewal and electronic systems update.”

These projects will be dominating AA’s order book for 2015, as they will provide occupation for most of the yard’s capacity.

“Since most of these projects will be multiannual, they will represent to a significant extent the occupation for the first half of 2016 as well,” said António. “We are also undertaking a strong business development effort to succeed in winning international contracts for the design and building of several customised versions of our 14.5 metres and 28 metres long fast patrol crafts, to foreign navies.”

These sorts of project are supported by AA’s dedicated research team, which is led by naval architects, and has the ability to produce any type of design. “These range from ‘first scratches’ to developing concept designs, feasibility studies, basic designs, and detailed designs of military surface vessels and commercial vessels,” said António.

Out of the entire range of services available from AA, including mechanics, structures and readiness and surface treatment, António highlighted the business’ electronics printed circuit board troubleshooting and repair service as particularly of note. “This is a strategic capability to ensure legacy systems sustainability, and also advanced systems low cost reparability.

The cost of any COTS PCB supplied by the OEM (especially in military systems) is normally in the range of thousands of euros, and our capability can solve problems for a small fraction of this value,” he said. “Furthermore, our optical fibre circuits and optoelectronics systems maintenance and repair capability ensures that the new digital high value systems are fully supported in a cost controlled manner, with a maximum of efficiency.”

As 2014 draws to a close, AA looks towards the future at full capacity. However, António pointed out that there are still challenges ahead: “The need for continuous technical and HR

developments, whilst retaining the in-house legacy technologies required to ensure the sustainability of older classes of naval vessels is always an issue. The financial constraints and the global market status will most certainly drive AA to seek very cost effective measures, which will allow us to optimise production tasks, thus driving productivity to levels which will enable a broadening of the order bookings.”

He added: “In parallel to that, there is a need for an infrastructural change, driven by the new vessel typology of the Portuguese Navy fleet, especially submarines. This will compel us to seek solutions in the field of drydocking systems, and these again will drive up productivity, and yard management flexibility.”

António concluded with more intentions for the future: “AA has to position itself as a key player in the military ship repair market, capable of providing one-stop-shop maintenance services for national and international navies. It will also consolidate its building capability through the potential provided by its customised products in the national and international naval and commercial markets.” l

Arsenal do Alfeite

www.arsenal-alfeite.pt • Concentrates on military vessels • Quality management system certified to ISO 9001 • Global work force of 520 staff

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 83

A high level of

trust B

enelux Overseas Inc. is a privately owned company, which began its activities in 1997 in Dubai and since then has grown steadily. Establishing and maintaining a high level of trust with clients has always been a top priority and the organisation takes a great deal of pride in its few long-lasting relationships and the premium services it provides.

Nikolaos Ioannou, Managing Director, gave some more background on the origins of the company: “We were established in Dubai (UAE) by people who understood the potential of the petrochemicals’ industry in direct relation to the gas market. At that time this decision was deemed too risky within the Greek shipping community as almost all Greek shipowners were involved with either oil and product tankers or bulkers and container vessels.

“So we started with a mixed fleet of three product tankers and six gas carriers but very soon we expanded the gas carrier fleet and now we are exclusively operating a gas tanker fleet of various sizes and cargo containments, from fully pressurised to semi-pressurised and from fully refrigerated VLGCs to ethylene carriers.”

Benelux Overseas Inc. is currently operating a fleet of 12 gas carriers, in sizes up to 70,000 m3, with many of them new vessels. “The new additions have strengthened Benelux Overseas Inc. because the mean age of our fleet has been reduced,” said Nikolaos Ioannou. “This gives an advantage to our trading team as they can diversify our preferred carrying cargo list to more difficult but more profitable cargoes. The capacity of a cargo plant for a gas carrier is crucial for its

84 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

carrying performance and the cargo list is dependent on its selected design. The modern designs are more efficient and more reliable, enhancing the operators’ planning.”

He continued: “Recently we added one more liquefied ethylene gas (LEG) carrier to our fleet named Gas Odyssey after a famous ancient Greek hero who was also a great seafarer and genius craftsman. We choose this name due to the numerous improvements featured on this vessel, which have resulted in her being announced as one of the most distinguished vessels of the year. This semi-pressurised design includes many new parameters taken directly from our operational experience.

We redesigned the hull (protected E/R tanks, reduced outflow HFO tanks, rearrangement of ballast tanks and new weights’ distribution), added new Tier-II engines for M/E & A/E and a ballast water treatment system, full ECDIS navigation, bridge with paperless chartroom, MGO operation of aux. boiler and fleet broadband communications. The cargo piping was also modified in order to carry two different refrigerated cargoes and to refrigerate them simultaneously but separately.

“All of these improvements have resulted in a much more efficient vessel design for the benefit of her owner and also for the marketing department of the shipbuilder who can share this improved design with other owners.”

The company engages its fleet trading within the Mediterranean, extensively in Egypt, in the Arabian Gulf and recently in the Far East. “After the recent additions we are also seeking further opportunities in the gas markets in south Europe for LPG shipping and we are planning to expand our presence on ethylene shipping between the Middle East and the

Profile: Benelux Overseas Inc.

trading in the Greek shipping market and to strengthen our position in LPG shipping by the introduction of more modern pressurised vessels worldwide which can expand our trading areas.” l

Benelux Overseas Inc.

www.benelux-ship.com • High level of trust with clients • New vessel Gas Odyssey added to fleet • Established in 1997 Far East,” Mr. Nikolaos Ioannou noted. “We are working on a new project for the design of a semi-pressurised 12,000cbm and a fully refrigerated 22,000cbm vessel, in order to facilitate our future needs and gradually replace the existing ‘old ladies’ in our fleet. Discussions are in progress with certain shipbuilders in Korea and in China and the experience on gas carriers’ construction and of course the financial flexibility of the shipbuilders will be the key factors prior to selection.”

The new vessels will be offered to Benelux Overseas Inc.’s customers, with which it already maintains a high level of trust, based on its specialisations and the high scores it has achieved on various third party inspections. “We have had zero detention records and almost 98 per cent efficiency – as per our KPIs - on cargo deliveries for many years,” commented Mr. Nikolaos Ioannou.

Another key strength of Benelux Overseas Inc. is its strong management team, which has accrued many years of experience on gas carriers in general and on ship-to-ship cargo operations in particular. “We don’t want to hire a management company like most of the other players in the gas markets in Greece, we operate all our fleet vessels by ourselves and keeping this experience in-house is very beneficial. Also by organising and mobilising in-house technical teams on a 24/7 basis we can ensure an uninterrupted trading pattern to our charterers,” added Mr. Ioannou.

Working in a challenging market means that Benelux Overseas Inc. has to be flexible and ready to adapt to changing needs. As Mr. Ioannou concluded, the company is always looking for new opportunities to expand its activities. “Our plans for 2015 include the expansion of our fleet with more vessels and to finalise our discussions on new building projects in order to increase our shipping capacities,” he confirmed.

“Our strategic vision is to remain the leader on ethylene gas www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 85

Profile: Enzian Ship Management

Practical

management F

ounded in 1998 by Hansjuerg Grunder and partners in Bern, Switzerland, Enzian Ship Management has continued to grow despite turbulent market conditions and today represents a significant market player with vessels ranging from 7600 dwt to 18,000 dwt. The company is currently based in Zürich, from where it manages a fleet of around 15 owned multi-purpose vessels as well as providing technical management for a further five vessels owned by Safmarine. Its multi-purpose dry bulk operations are largely based in the Atlantic, however it will on occasion trade with other regions as required. Further to these operations, Enzian provides management services for a number of chemical tankers following a merger between Enzian Ship Management and Mega Chemicals AG. The merger between the two companies was a response to the shifting market conditions within the volatile marine sector and has served to expand the range of services that Enzian Ship management is able to supply. Unlike its dry bulk fleet, it chemical tankers regularly trade globally, which is also an

important contributing factor in increasing the global presence of the company as a whole. “Mega Chemicals was established as an independent Swiss chemical tanker owning group in the beginning of the 2000’s,” explains COO Arne Solaas. Against the background of succession problems in the group, coinciding with the serious worldwide shipping crisis, the board opted for transferring the management to a suitable Swiss shipowner.

It looked within the community of Swiss ship owners and Mr Grunder offered to take over the company with its existing debt so that there wouldn’t be any issues with guarantees or losses to creditors etc.

Mr Grunder is the chairman and owner of most of the shares in Enzian and he then created a separate vehicle called Swiss Chemical Tankers, which is the holding company for Mega Chemicals. Since the owned chemical tankers had been built under the Swiss state guarantee scheme and registered in Switzerland, a specific approval by the relevant federal Swiss authorities was necessary to arrange the transfer of ownership.

Although a core staff is kept in place to manage the day to day running of Mega Chemicals, its tankers and the vessels of Enzian are managed under common ownership and on a practical level it is Enzian that provides management services including internal contracts for crewing, legal and insurance considerations.

As well as enabling the on-going merger between Enzian Ship Management and Mega Chemical AG, the Swiss Government’s support of the nation’s ship owners has been highly beneficial

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk - 87

Profile: Enzian Ship Management

to the company and allowed it to make further investment in its fleets. Responding to the importance of this level of support to the marine industry Arne says: “If you look at it from the perspective that more than 50 per cent of our ships fly the Swiss flag, this more or less answers the question. If we have the government’s backing we get very good financing deals from the banks since the Swiss government is acting as a guarantor through its guarantee scheme for the purchasing and maintaining of the fleet under the Swiss flag. It is very encouraging to have this support from the government.

“We are looking together with some industrial partners at expanding our fleet further on the dry cargo side and on the tanker side through Mega Chemicals we are initiating a new building programme of four chemical tankers with stainless steel of a type of 34,000 tonne DWT. This is a rather hefty investment and it is also an inventive design that we will be employing because the ships will be designed for continuous LNG operation. This means that they will be environmentally friendly in their entire concept and layout and from their efficiency they will be well ahead of the mainstream. I will not say that they will be trailblazers because a lot of people claim to be inventing something new and better, but we do think we will build new and solid ships to match what is out on the market today.”

With encouraging support from the Swiss government and continued investment in its fleet, Enzian Ship Management is well placed to weather the turbulent marine market and define itself as a reliable partner to ship owners and cargo traders alike. “I think that we are in a very solid financial environment as today the fact that you can pay your invoices on time to

88 - www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

ship yards and bunker providers is almost an exception to the rule. Of course there is also a certain element of predictability that comes if you have a very solid financial base, it also allows you to enter into commitments with a good certainty that you will meet those obligations. We basically offer a good level of reliability on the financial side and operationally speaking,” Arne says.

While Enzian’s investment into new vessels is reflective of a move away from acting as a tonnage provider and further into facilitating direct contracts for freight forwarding, Arne is keen to highlight that the company is still very much able to offer third party management services in both dry bulk and chemicals.

“I think we can put it as simply as to say that Switzerland is a safe haven,” he concludes. “It is not a place where you go for ventures that are too adventurous, but for very positive, steady development. The market has every possibility to grow into having a sizable number of ships managed out of Switzerland because of the combination of stability and very well developed infrastructure. We have a very experienced management team here with people who have worked with some of the best-known companies in the industry. So as well as organic growth we will also look to grow with partners who share a similar philosophy.

It may well be that the safest haven for your assets these days is to be found in the Alps. “ l

Enzian Ship Management

www.enzian-shipping.com • Twenty managed vessels • Dry bulk and chemical tankers • Investment into new vessels

Shipping &MARINE

The magazine for maritime management

www.shippingandmarine.co.uk

Schofield Publishing Schofield Publishing Limited Unit 10, Cringleford Business Centre, Intwood Road, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 6AU, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1603 274130 Fax: +44 (0) 1603 274131

Editor: Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Sales manager: Joe Woolsgrove jwoolsgrove@schofieldpublishing.co.uk