WW World 02 - 2013

Page 1

no. 2 2013 – 27th year corporate magazine for the Wilh. Wilhelmsen group

special report:

RETURNING TO OFFSHORE engagement survey:

RESUlTS, GET SET, GO!

carl schou:

TURN-AROUND SHIP MANAGER

nor-shipping 2013:

A lEADING ExHIbITOR

vessel audit::

TRAINING FOR A SAFER SHIP


the ceo's letter

contents no 2 2013

04 milestones

published by: Wilh. Wilhelmsen holding asa corporate communications no-1324 lysaker, norway

10 hoW do We feel about WW?

publisher: group vice president Benedicte gude editor: arild s Johannessen

editorial contributors: Don pyle thamba rajeevan terje reite stacey trodal marianne h Wang peter emil Wikøren

design and layout: redink as www.redink.no printer: ts trykk printed on paper approved by the swan, the official nordic ecolabel circulation: 8 000 copies technical publisher: forlaget media as, no-3110 tØnsBerg, norway

tip us! you've got neWs? give us a tip!

please send an sms or call +47 481 91 921 or +47 934 01 974 for stories that you might think are interesting in WW World. you may also contact us by email: ww.world@wilhelmsen.com. since our group consists of over 14 000 employees located in over 70 countries worldwide, we are dependent on you telling us in the editorial staff what's going on. tip of the month will be rewarded with 250 usD.

2 WWWORLD 2 2013

16

Kareen lorana is yet another tough lady. Born in the philippines, she has followed her dream to become a seafarer on board mV tønsberg.

54 vessel audit

We followed Wilhelmsen ship management’s inspector captain lars andersson on board the mV torrens on his hseQ audit.

12 nor-shipping

editorial board: naja Boone Jørn-even hanssen einar chr erlingsen arild s Johannessen Benedicte gude oscar sandell

hans fredrik asbjørnsen Bjørg ekornrud einar chr erlingsen Karin t erlingsen David hopkins arild s Johannessen steen Knarberg Kaia means

the results from the WW engagement survey have resulted in a strategic tool that has the potential to make a difference to the bottom line.

53 young talent

once again, the maritime establishment has gathered in oslo, norway to one of the world’s main shipping events. the WW group was of course among the main exhibitors.

58 cleaner shipping

in keeping with the quest for a better environment, mV tarago has installed the world’s largest hybrid multi-stream scrubber.

16 special report: offshore the WW group has returned to the world’s largest and most powerful industry, and seeks a new future in offshore.

60 training

a special training programme has been designed for Wilhelmsen ships service's general managers.

38 WW profile

meet carl schou, the ship manager who grew up among lions and elephants.

61 social media

“take three seconds to think before you post anything on the internet.” this is the main message from WW’s security advisor tor langrud.

42 shipping

We have visited the golar Winter – one of the ships in a rapidly growing fleet of lng vessels under management by golar Wilhelmsen management.

62 the World as i see it

46 the energy savers

the world is forever changing. that is quite all right for euKor car carriers’ new president and ceo, craig Jasienski.

already a world leader in energy management solutions to the cruise industry, Wilhelmsen technical solutions have now cast their eyes on the world’s merchant fleet.

64 the creation of a giant in 1999, an agreement was signed between two former competitors to create the joint venture company Wallenius Wilhelmsen logistics.

48 on site: KotKa

at Kotka, Wallenius Wilhelmsen logistics has created a launch pad for logistics services into russia.

50 people&places

We have tough women in our organisation. meet one who has just completed skiing across greenland, and another who has climbed south america’s highest mountain.

54

38

dear all, almost halfWay through 2013, i must

admit that the first six months have been more challenging than we would have liked. the shipping market in general has been weak. although we expect the volume of cars and high and heavy cargo in WWasa to stabilise, we realise that owners’ purchasing capabilities in general suffer from the challenging times. We have been able to keep our market share, but the demand for Wms products and services has softened. our operating margin is being squeezed. While we cannot make the market grow, we can and must continue to work as efficiently as possible. We must make sure we have a sustainable business. this includes adjusting our capacity to the market demand and a steady focus on keeping costs in line with revenue. challenging times also represent opportunities. as described in the special report in this issue of WW World, the offshore segment is one such opportunity. the search for energy is greater than ever, fuelled by high oil and gas prices and increasing demand. With the acquisition of 35% of the shares in the norsea group last year, we decided to become more active towards the energy sector. instead of owning drilling rigs and supply vessels as we used to, we now aim at utilising our land based expertise and global network to develop a world class service provider to the international oil and gas industry. for our maritime services segment, we see that renewed product and service offerings aimed at the offshore segment is paying off with new contracts for all business areas. it is easy to get lost in financial results and forget that our business is all about people. each and everyone working in our organisation is part of the greatest asset and our key competitive advantage – namely our experienced workforce. the Wilhelmsen engagement survey recently completed, showed overall high motivation and that people are proud to work in WW. there is, however, always a need for competence development so people can reach their full potential. i expect all managers to use the survey and engage their teams in discussing how we can work more efficiently and better together. We are collectively responsible for taking the necessary steps to meet the current market situation. stewardship and cost consciousness is particularly important. We need to suggest and support changes necessary to improve profitability. through weathering off the challenges the industry and we face and at the same time explore business opportunities and work more efficiently, we will emerge stronger when the market returns, as it eventually will.

thomas Wilhelmsen group ceo

WWWORLD 2 2013 3


WWmilestones

A vOyAGE lIkE NO OTHER

the challenge: in theory, it was almost impossible for “sea installer” to pass the suez canal. still, wilhelmsen ships service found the answer to how. (photo with the courtecy of a2sea)

How do you bring a most unusual vessel almost across the globe? Wilhelmsen Ships Service rose to the challenge, and delivered as promised. the width of a hair: not much leeway when “sea installer” passed under the suez canal bridge. (photo with the courtecy of a2sea)

signing ceremony: from the left thomas wilhelmsen, group ceo, wilh. wilhelmsen holding asa and chair of wilh. wilhelmsen asa, m r cho, evp and chief marketing officer, hyundai heavy industries, Jan eyvin wang, president and ceo, wilh. wilhelmsen asa, and s y park, vice president hyundai heavy industries. (photo: stacey trodal).

We see many potential customers in the offshore and energy segments for moving large installations from one part of the World to another. claus sibbesen, Wss copenhagen

denmarK: The vessel in question is the new wind turbine installation vessel ”Sea Installer”, built at Cosco Shipyard in Nantong, China for its Danish owner A2SEA.The Suez Canal represents just one of several challenges along the route to the vessel’s homeport Esbjerg in Denmark. This is because a vessel as high as this in theory is unable to pass under the Suez Canal bridge. WSS veteran captain Johan Ostnes was appointed project manager for the four months long voyage, on call 24/7. The Suez challenge was met by lowering the vessel’s 76 meter long legs into the canal, thus allowing sufficient clearance under the 68 meter high bridge. Seeking the approval for this was done in a joint effort between captain Ostnes and WSS colleagues in Egypt. months of planning. ‘Before the voyage started we looked into every detail during joint planning sessions with our principal. WSS assisted the owners with vital issues related to the most efficient routing, addressing possible piracy issues, choice of bunkering ports and solving a potential “show stopper” in the form of 4 WWWORLD 2 2013

an air-draft challenge in the Suez Canal,’ says account manager Claus Sibbesen, WSS Copenhagen. WSS also arranged for coordinating all agency-related matters for seven calls en-route between China and Denmark and contributed greatly to getting the “Sea Installer” ready for meeting her tight schedule of installing wind turbines in the North Sea. one more to go. During debriefing, WSS received very positive feedback for its services. The two parties have already agreed that WSS will repeat the success with the next newbuilding’s similar voyage from China to Denmark in early 2014. ‘This project was based on deploying previous experience from similar projects. We see many potential customers in the Offshore and Energy segments for moving large installations from one part of the world to another,’ says Mr. Sibbesen, who wants to thank his many WSS colleagues along the route, i.e. Singapore, Galle/Colombo, Jeddah, Suez Canal, Malta, Gibraltar and especially captain Ostnes for running this very complex operation flawlessly.

POST PANAMAx vESSElS ORDERED by ww wilh. wilhelmsen asa has signed an agreement with hyundai heavy industries (hhi) to build two post panamax vessels to be delivered in 2014 and 2015. oslo, norWay: the vessels will be the first that are suited for the new locks built in the upgraded panama canal. ‘Whilst the new locks can accommodate vessels up to 366 metres long, our vessels must also be able to call all ports where we load and discharge cargo. the vessels will have a car carrying capacity equivalent to 7 930 ceus, be 200 metres long and have a beam width of 36.5 metres, approximately 4.3 metres wider than today’s car carriers,’ says Jan eyvin Wang, president and ceo WW asa. the

agreement includes an option to build another two vessels. the vessels will commence service for Wallenius Wilhelmsen logistics. ‘they are specially designed to cater to the demands of the automotive, rolling equipment and manufacturing industries. an efficient design enabling optimum cargo handling, together with the latest environmental solutions will ensure that we continue to deliver first-class value to our customers,’ says arild B iversen, WWl’s president and ceo.

... AND by EUkOR Korea: euKor’s first, and probably the first ever post panamax car carrier

in the world, started its long journey towards completion on 18 february, when representatives from euKor’s planning and quality teams attended the steel cutting ceremony for hull number 2610 at the hyundai heavy industries Kunsan yard. a total of three ultra-modern post panamax type vessels will be delivered to euKor during 2014.

steel cutting ceremony at huundai heavy industries (photo: euKor) WWWORLD 2 2013 5


WWmilestones THREE NEw SHIPS FOR EUkOR since the beginning of this year, euKor has taken delivery of three new ships, all of them on long term charter.

wORlD’S lARGEST MAN-MADE MOvING ObjEcT

Korea: the first vessel to be delivered was the mV morning classic on 7 January, built at hyundai mipo Dockyard for owners ray shipping. then followed mV morning calypso on 22 march, built for hirai shipping at the imabari yard. and last, on 25 april, the name-giving ceremony was held for ray shipping’s mV morning compass. these three state-of-the art vessels are key tools to euKor’s future success, contributing to the ever more important scale merit principle. We wish all of them the best of luck, whichever seas they might sail in the future.

sister ship: picture shows mv geo coral in operation with full length of streamers. her sister ship geo caribbean recently set a new record with a 13.44 km towing configuration.

local representative: mr. wai-phyo naing is business development manager for wilhelmsen ships service’s new operations in myanmar. (photo: wss).

ww cOMPANIES ExPANDING OPERATIONS TO MyANMAR morning compass: the name-giving ceremony for the newest addition to the euKor car carriers fleet was held in ulsan on 25 april with a lot of merry participants. (photo: euKor).

wilhelmsen ship management (wsm) and wilhelmsen ships service (wss) have both opened offices in myanmar. singapore/Kuala lumpur:

the seismic vessel MV Geo Caribbean, operated by Wilhelmsen Ship Management and owned by French geoscience company CGG, set a new record in March with its record-breaking 13.44 km2 towing configuration. The record was set in the Gulf of Mexico, and vessel and crew can claim the title of the largest man-made moving object on the face of the earth. Using a wide tow of eight streamers with a 160-m separation, 60% wider than a typical survey, and with a total streamer length of 12 000 meters, CGG delivered the long offsets required to achieve the survey’s geological objectives. The end-result is an efficient survey design and the largest single-vessel acquisition footprint in the world. ‘We are proud to have taken part in this record-breaking event, and it’s another example of WSM’s ability to operate advanced vessels,’ says fleet manager Hans Petter Groenlund. 6 WWWORLD 2 2013

REDUcED PROFIT FOR THE FIRST qUARTER 2013 oslo, norWay: Wilh. Wilhelmsen holding’s operating profit and total income declined quarter on quarter and year over year mainly as a consequence of continued drop in shipping volumes and a less favourable cargo mix. in the second quarter, the group’s activity level is expected to be in line with the first quarter. operating profit for the first quarter was usD 78 million (usD 106 million), down 27% compared with the same period last year and a decrease of 19% from the previous quarter. total income ended at usD 864 million (usD 946 million), a

reduction of 9% year over year and 4% quarter on quarter. ‘the beginning of 2013 has been challenging following the expected decline in shipping volumes, a less favourable cargo and trade mix and lower fleet utilisation. earnings from our logistics activities improved compared with previous quarters, but do unfortunately not offset the reduced contribution from our shipping segment,’ says thomas Wilhelmsen, group ceo in WWh when explaining the decline in total income and operating profit.

Key figures

78

operating profit for the first quarter was usd 78 million (usd 106 million), down 27% compared with the same period last year

864

total income ended at usd 864 million (usd 946 million), a reduction of 9% year over year and 4% quarter on quarter.

‘myanmar is an interesting market and we have decided to expand our operation to that country in order to meet the needs of both our global and local customers,’ says Bjørn tønsberg, vice president Wss region asia pacific. Wss has been looking to expand into myanmar for quite some time but chose to wait until market conditions were considered optimal. Wss is now keen to establish a portfolio in the area, according to mr. tønsberg. competent seafarers. sister company Wsm has identified a potential for recruiting skilled crews: ‘myanmar’s seafarers are considered well qualified to work in a multinational crew environment. We hope to leverage on this market for future growth in our pool of seafarers, and see myanmar as another source country for seafarers that are required for our fleet expansion,’ says erik toft, vice president Wilhelmsen marine personnel, Kuala lumpur, in a statement. WWWORLD 2 2013 7


WWmilestones intranet manager marianne h. wang

atlantic crossing: the Kon-tiki fleet on its way to new york, courtesy of wallenius wilhelmsen logistics.

five Key features. below are some new, cool features ➜ my site contains information about you

ww’S INTRANET GETS AN UPGRADE 4 000 users view 1.5 million pages each month. some seek specific information, while others want to stay up to date with what is going on in the ww group. our intranet is by far our most used communication channel. and it is about to become even better. text marianne h Wang

STAR TREATMENT FOR THE kON-TIkI RAFT

oslo, norWay: technology and how we communicate have changed quite a bit since we launched the existing intranet in 2007. an upgrade was therefore about time. the new version offers a richer functionality, will improve our ability to share knowledge and best practices and meet tomorrow’s business and needs. Watch out! you may recall that in march we launched a contest to find a name for the new intranet. the first prize is an ipad with Wi-fi. the winner was selected by popular vote and will be announced when the new intranet is launched in the third quarter of 2013. hudson river: the Kon-tiki has arrived in new york, just in time to play an important role in promoting the new film based on the famous 1947 expedition.

It’s not often that WWL supplies transportation services to movie stars. But when one of the lead players in the Oscarnominated Kon-Tiki needed us, we rolled out the red carpet and got her to the show on time.

united states: When the Weinstein Company launched the Norwegian film Kon-Tiki in New York City, it opened with extra pomp and flair, the actors sailing up the Hudson River to the gala event on the Kon-Tiki raft, brought to the USA by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics. The 15 tonne raft was first lifted onboard a UECC vessel for transportation to Bremerhaven, where it was transferred to a mafi trailer and stowed safely under deck in the M/S Mignon 8 WWWORLD 2 2013

for the journey across the Atlantic. Once the Kon-Tiki has completed her duties on the Hudson river, WWL will again take her home to Norway. This raft is not a regular film prop made especially for the movie but the balsawood logs on this raft have actually sailed from Peru to Polynesia back in 2006 under the name Tangaroa. WWL helped with the logistics for the world’s most valuable balsa wood logs at that time as well, helping her back home from Tahiti to Norway.

and you can upload your own portrait photo (no pets please!). there are also options for describing your personal and professional qualifications. this information is searchable for all the employees in the group, and will make it easier for all of us to find the right person to ask if we need help, a fact and/or... ➜ people search will be expanded so that when you search for a person, you can see their department structure as well, i.e. who they work with along with pertinent information about them. for organisation charts and matrix, you still need to go to gims. ➜ you will be able to “like” and comment on content, enabling us to exchange and share views, questions and competence. ➜ search functionality will be better and faster. in addition to people, articles and the WW group identity web, you can search for information in gims. once the new gims is launched autumn 2013, it will also search in gims processes. ➜ there will be a limited launch of so-called collaboration rooms. you will find a communication toolbox with tips and tricks, branding, promotion material and guidelines applicable for the whole WW group. this room will be a pilot to help us assess whether we can create new and innovative ways of sharing competence and work more efficiently in the future.

NAMED yOUNG GlObAl lEADER the world economic forum (wef) has announced that thomas wilhelmsen, ceo of the wilh. wilhelmsen group has been selected as a young global leader. oslo, norWay: mr. Wilhelmsen joins a group of 200 young leaders chosen on the basis of their professional achievements and commitment to society. ‘i am honoured by the nomination,’ says mr. Wilhelmsen. ‘Being part of the global network of young men and women from many walks of life will give me access to the next generation’s driving force and thought leaders. it will be a unique opportunity to learn from and with others who are seeking innovative, forward looking solutions to some of the great challenges we all share. Working together we have a greater chance to make a solid contribution to society. it also gives me and others a solid platform for positively impacting the development of

committed: through becoming a young global leader, thomas wilhelmsen has committed himself to play a role in shaping a better future for the world.

the maritime industry.’ exemplifying what young leaders define as the future of leadership, mr. Wilhelmsen was chosen out of several thousand candidates. the selection criteria include solid business track record, demonstration of willingness to serve the larger society and for a commitment to search for sustainable solutions to present-day challenges. the young global leader program acts as a platform for young leaders to be both a voice for the future in global thought processes and a catalyst for joint action. this community forms a powerful international force for the global common good. the members commit to devoting a significant portion of their time to help shape a better future for the world.

qUAlITy wATER ON bOARD

bAck ON DEck

the enforcement of the maritime labour convention (mlc 2006) in august 2013 will for the first time set out regulations specifying the need to maintain high quality drinking water standards on board ships to protect crew from waterborne health risks.

returning after a lengthy sabbatical, Wilhelmsen ships service’s re-designed and re-focused new customer magazine “helm” is now winging its way to customer service centres across Wss’ entire global network. packed with interviews, colourful Is bIggER & slowER features and commentaries from our industry the helm magazine is divided into four main sections; people, insight, technology and solutions, with the latter part entirely dedicated to Wss operations, products and services. Bi-annual, the 72-page magazine pulls in authors and expert opinions from both within and outside the group including Wilhelmsen technical solutions, Wilhelmsen marine fuels, the imo, Bimco and Wärtsilä and addresses varied issues relevant to our customers and prospects. in transit to cs centers worldwide it can also be ordered from iDc (iD no: 806013) or read as a pDf online via the intranet. Helm Magazine is a Wilhelmsen Ships Service Customer Publication

Emission Statement page 54

oslo, norWay: in

about the Kon-tiKi ➜ the original Kon-tiki balsa raft left the harbor at callao, peru, on

april 28, 1947. the expedition leader, norwegian anthropologist thor heyerdahl, set out to disprove the accepted scientific theory that the people of polynesia came from asia. ➜ one hundred and one days and 4,300 miles later, after drifting through violent storms and shark-infested seas, the Kon-tiki landed on a reef off the island of raroia, polynesia. ➜ heyerdahl won a best feature documentary oscar for the 1950 film account that he directed. this new film “Kon-tiki” is a dramatic feature film.

response, Wilhelmsen ships service (Wss) has launched the nalfleet potable Water test Kit, which enables sea staff to monitor the quality of the potable water network onboard ship, providing tests for common infectious bacteria and in the process reduce the risk of possible risk to health by bacteria proliferation. the mlc, often described

as the fourth pillar of maritime regulation after solas, marpol and stW will affect at least 40,000 ships which will need to be certified upon the convention’s entry into force. ship owners, managers, shipyards and crew manning agencies must all understand how the mlc 2006 affects them and develop and implement measures to ensure ongoing compliance with its requirements.

Maritime Communications page 50

Carbon Conflict page 42

FEATURE

ThE nEw FoRmUlA FoR shIppIng? pAgE 36

ISSUE #01 jUnE 2013

WWWORLD 2 2013 9


current affairs

the study in brief

RESUlTS, GET SET, GO!

engagement and alignment 100

The global results of the online Engagement Survey have landed. Now the real work starts: using the reports as important hands-on tools that identify areas of improvement.

Wilh. Wilhelmsen group eei - WW group external Benchmark

80 asessment

WW engagement survey

in the WW engagement survey 2013 employees have answered a set of 64 questions related to the company reputation, group management, immediate manager, co-operation, daily work, remuneration and development. maximum score in the various categories are 100, and together with vendor ennova these scored are benchmarked with other industries on a national and international level. a score above 80 points indicate a very high alignment, 71-80 points high alignment, while 60-70 points indicates medium alignment. Below 60 points indicates low alignment.

60

77

72

64

40 20

text and photo: K aia means

0

o

slo, norWay: There is still plenty of analysis to be done. But some things can immediately be said on an aggregated level about the online Engagement Survey. First of all, the 91% rate of completion is very good.

passing the baton: anne cathrine villa, hr director norway and rune Kongstein, general manager at wilhelmsen marine fuels.

A total of 4787 employees completed the survey. From these results 917 detailed reports will be generated for use by individual managers, providing an unprecedented wealth of feedback from employees on how they view all aspects of their work. The survey measured satisfaction, motivation, commitment and retention – and the summarized results signify total engagement. ‘This tool gives managers a unique opportunity to work with facts and figures rather that intuition and word of mouth,’ says Jørn-Even Hanssen, group VP human resources and organisational development. ‘Now the most important part of the process is about to start, the follow-up. The results give us the basis for a good plan, now we need to implement.’ On aggregate level, the results compare quite favourably in relation to the industry benchmarks. better than benchmarK. ‘The overall results are good, even compared to top-in class benchmark,’ says Hanssen. ‘This is evident especially in the results on reputation and commitment. There are of course local differences and the challenges vary from region to region and even country to country,’ he says. The aggregated results show the general tendencies within the company. When looking closer at the specific areas and teams, it will be possible to pinpoint “hotspots” – areas of improvement. Some of the overall trends include: ➜ A high engagement and alignment for the Wilh. Wilhelmsen Group as a whole. ➜ Variation at the lowest level units, with very few units with critical scores on both engagement and alignment (only 3% of the units score lower than index

10 WWWORLD 2 2013

60 on both engagement and alignment). There are nonetheless local challenges to be addressed. ➜ A very high loyalty score of 80. This signifies a general indication that employees are committed and would like to stay with the company. ➜ A very high evaluation of reputation and management (senior and immediate). ➜ Daily work has the highest effect on engagement. The area score is relatively high (within top-in-class) and is therefore considered an area to maintain the high score. In the “alignment” area the value with the highest score is “customer centred” at 84. This means that employees feel that their manager ensures that we focus on the customers and it is clear to the employees how their work tasks create added value for the customers. The highest ‘performance’ score is ‘ability to achieve’ at 81. This means that employees feel their immediate manager is good at delegating responsibility and involving them. In addition the employees feel they are able to accomplish their tasks and have the opportunity to try out new ideas in their job.

the overall results are good, even compared to top-in class benchmarK.

Jørn-even hanssen, group vp human resources and organisational development

more development. All of the areas measured are in fact on aggregate level above the industry benchmark. Still, some areas will have to be focused on to achieve the same excellent results as “alignment” and “performance.” One area that will provide an opportunity for meaningful improvement is the area of “development” – which scored in the 70s for the company as a whole. ‘Now is the time the real work starts,’ says head of people and process development HR Gry Brandsnes. ‘We have to put the wealth of information we have into concrete action plans.’ The survey was developed in close dialogue with the business areas and the global network.

engagement

alignement

alignment - our values

customer centered (deliver)

84

empowerment (engage)

79

80

teaming collaboration (share)

79

learning & innovation (improve)

73

stewardship (care)

77

alignment - performance culture

performance culture index

targets and expectations

recognition and reward

75

79

ability to achieve

81

66

performance appraisal Drive to achieve

72

77

WWWORLD 2 2013 11


nor-shipping

Making a stand at

NOR-SHIPPING 2013

Lillestrøm: The first thing visitors saw when they entered exhibit hall E at Nor-Shipping was the Wilhelmsen Maritime Services stand, promoting a wide range of services and products to the global maritime community. text arilD s. Johannessen photo K aia means 12 WWWORLD 2 2013

WWWORLD 2 2013 13


nor-shipping

for Wms this is an opportunity to present the Wide range of products and services We offer to the maritime industry.

We Want them to thinK of WW first!

brand manager bJoerg eKornrud.

dag schJerven, president and ceo

nor-shipping is often called the leading maritime event week. Its top-quality exhibition, high-level conferences and prime networking opportunities attract the cream of the international maritime industry to Oslo every other year. At the heart of the weeklong, industry-wide event is the exhibition, showcasing 22 200 square meters of the best and latest in maritime technology, services and solutions. Some 1 050 exhibitors from 56 countries was present this year, many of whom asked for more space compared with two years ago, forcing Nor-Shipping to expand its exhibition area. One of the leading exhibitors, and leading sponsor, is Wilhelmsen Maritime Services. Featuring a two-story stand of 104 square meters, WMS made its mark. When WW World visited on the first day of the conference, the stand was packed with customers, sales employees and product specialists. “For WMS this is an opportunity to present the wide range of products and services we offer to the maritime industry. It is also a great venue for building and maintaining important relationships as well as being an important part of our brand building,” says Dag Schjerven, president and CEO. On the first day he hosted a VIP delegation from Singapore but sat aside time to be present at the stand later in the week. safety and offshore. Theme for this year’s NorShipping was “What Next?”. For Wilhelmsen Technical Solutions the answer to that question was presenting new and innovative safety products like the Unitor Watermist solution and the Nitrogen inert gas system, both fire-protection systems that does not harm cargo or vessel should a fire occur. Wilhelmsen Ships Service focused also their full range of safety products for all regulatory requirements onboard, while Wilhelmsen Ship Management was presenting their services to the maritime offshore sector in particular. “We offer a global standard for all our equipment, linked to global availability and service. That is a competitive mix that no others in the maritime service industry can match,” says Dag Schjerven. The Nor-Shipping week ended with the traditional “WMS Customer Event” outside our head office at Lysaker, with more than 500 distinguished guests present for an evening of mingling and relationship-building in to the late hours of the evening Thursday 6 June. 14 WWWORLD 2 2013

nor-shipping 2013 was the largest ever, with more than 1000 exhibitors representing 56 countries. pictured the main exhibition centre at lillestrøm outside oslo.

mia rønneberg was project manager for the wms stand, featuring wilhelmsen ships service, wilhelmsen technical solutions and wilhelmsen ship management. the various product brands were also represented.

rune nygård (left) and tor-fredrik friis presented the new potable water test Kit from wilhelmsen ships service to visitors. ro-ro builders: pictured are students taking part in a ship building competition held at ww’s otc stand. the challenge; building a ro-ro vessel within 15 minutes using tin foil, straws, two balloons and tape. the group which could load the heaviest cargo of small toy cars won a rib boat trip on the oslo fjord.

ATTRAcTING yOUNG TAlENTS

“The future is maritime!” That was the slogan for Ocean Talent Camp during the Nor-Shipping week, and WW was one of the major exhibitors. text and photo stacey troDal

a lot of vistors at the stand.

oslo, norWay: Attracting the best and brightest of the young generation is an ambition for every industry. In Norway everyone is competing with the resources of the powerful oil- and gas industry, so being visible and meeting young people on their own terms is important. Such an initiative is Ocean Talent Camp, which was present as a fair outside the Oslo City Hall during Nor-Shipping from 3 to 7 June. Presenting career counselling, simulators, mini presentations, career cards, competitions and much more, the OTC was full of potential newcomers to the maritime industry when WW World visited. ‘Some 10 000 school children aged 14 to 16 visited the OTC. Our job was to create enthusiasm and interest for working in the maritime industry as well as making Wilhelmsen known as an attractive employer. When they think "I want to work in the maritime industry", we want them to think of WW first!’ says brand manager Bjoerg Ekornrud. WWWORLD 2 2013 15


special Report: offshore

THE qUEST FOR ENERGy AND NEw MARkETS

It is the world’s largest and most powerful industry. Oil and gas supply 57% of the commercial energy the world consumes at the rate of approximately 30 billion barrels of oil per year. The offshore segment, where oil and gas are explored and produced under maritime conditions is a vital part of this industry. Read more about a new and challenging market for the WW group and Wilhelmsen Maritime Services in this Special Report. text arilD s Johannessen

16 WWWORLD 2 2013

WWWORLD 2 2013 17


a petrobas oil rig off the coast of rio de Janeiro state in brazil. both wilhelmsen ship management, wilhelmsen technical solutions and wilhelmsen ships service are present in brazil and works towards the countrys giant oil and gas industry. (photo: ntb/scanpix)

special Report: offshore

the norWegian offshore fleet is the World’s most modern and second largest. in 2012, it consisted of approximately 500 vessels

n

orWay: Some people call it an industry on steroids. Since 2005, the oil price has surged to continuously higher levels. At present just over 10% of the combined values of the world’s stock markets are invested in the oil and gas sector. Oil and gas exports constitute more than 15% of the value of global exports and provide more than 25% of GDP (gross domestic product) in Russia, Central Asia and members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The world and global trade are totally dependent on energy, and in the coming decades the bulk of that energy will still be mineral oil and natural gas. The quest for more energy is today mainly taking place offshore, drilling to the bottom of the oceans and far beyond to find new reservoirs. The global fleet of rigs and drilling vessels consists of more than 1 200 units, according to Rigzone.com. The world’s deepest offshore production well, operated by Shell from the Perdido platform in the U.S. Gulf, lies 9 356 feet – almost three kilometres – below the waves. norWegians in front. Norwegian companies are pivotal in the offshore and subsea segment of the industry. Since the discovery of oil in the North Sea in 1969, Norwegians have led the development of offshore and subsea exploration and production of oil and gas. This has created opportunities for a global maritime industry group like Wilh. Wilhelmsen. The group was one of the pioneers in the Norwegian oil and gas industry in the 1980’ies, owning oilrigs and operating supply vessels in the North Sea (read more about the Wilhelmsen offshore history on pages 36 to 37). To operate under such extreme conditions, oilrigs

18 WWWORLD 2 2013

need a lot of support. The Norwegian offshore fleet is the world’s most modern and second largest. In 2012, it consisted of approximately 500 vessels, ranging from initial seismic surveys to production and supply to decommissioning of non-producing fields. The fleet operates all around the globe, and more than half of the revenue is generated from international operations. One example of this trend is that every fourth offshore vessel operating on the Brazilian shelf is Norwegian-owned. norsea group. With the acquisition of 35 per cent of the shares in the NorSea Group in 2012, the Wilhelmsen group re-entered the offshore market. With nine strategically located supply bases, the NorSea Group is the largest provider of efficient logistic support to the offshore activities anywhere on the Norwegian continental shelf. Recently, NorSea announced that they were to open their first supply base in Scotland. The NorSea Group cooperation and ownership is just one example of WW’s positioning towards this vast market, where quality, safety and complex operations are keywords. Wilhelmsen Technical Solutions are steadily increasing their market share as a supplier of power solutions, safety products and HVAC (heat, ventilation and air-condition) to oil rigs. Wilhelmsen Ships Service is a major supplier of chemicals and other service products to the global offshore fleet. Wilhelmsen Ship Management targets the Norwegian offshore fleet in particular with their new office in Bergen. From their head office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, WSM already operates several offshore vessels on behalf of owners. (Sources used for this article: Norwegian Ship Owners Association, Wikipedia, Rigzone.com) WWWORLD 2 2013 19


special Report: offshore

OFFSHORE’S ONE-STOP SHOP The NorSea Group

Visiting NorSea’s Vestbase, or ‘West base’, a five minute journey from the centre of the picture postcard fishing town of Kristiansund, the first thing you notice is just how ordered and meticulously tidy the site is.

text DaViD hopKins photos K aia means & norsea group

20 WWWORLD 2 2013

WWWORLD 1 2013 21


special Report: offshore

along with being heavily involved in the base’s impressive hseQ programme, anne helen wenaas is also one of the most enthusiastic crane operators you’ll possibly ever meet.

with quite a lot of real estate to navigate your way across many times a day and forklifts and cranes taking precedent on the ordered road system at vestbase, many of the base’s staff actually zip around on bikes. as you can see from the look of foreman ted rogne’s wheels, seemingly any bike will do.

norsea’s business model is unique

22 WWWORLD 2 2013

K

ristiansund, norWay: The rows and rows of various sections of pipe are stacked with almost military precision, grouped according to their final destination offshore, enormous rig mooring anchors are sat proudly in line and even the piles of pipes to be jet-washed are collected in an ordered pyramid. This is, we’ll very quickly find out, symptomatic of how NorSea runs things, calmly, ordered and with seemingly intuitive efficiency and it is why the offshore industry sees them as the default choice for supply base operations in Norway. NorSea’s business model is unique, with their leasing of space, property, services and manpower to their base customers offering the offshore minors and majors almost instant infrastructure at the most strategic points along the coast to serve the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). Providing all manner of heavy-lift equipment, function specific quays, office and storage space, workshop facilities, fuels, all the consumables for vessels and rigs water, methane, concrete, water-handling and tank cleaning and even riser disposable at certain bases, NorSea’s slice of the supply-base business is significant, holding approximately 60% of the market. Operating within the ISPS code, along with the additional security controls requested by their customers, NorSea’s operations are also subject to vigorous HSEQ standards with each base having to feature a minimum number of staff trained in fire fighting should an incident occur.

“everyone” is there. Home to over sixty companies who lease space on the base for workshops, pressure pit facilities, warehousing and long term storage, Vestbase’s tenants reads like a who’s who of Norway’s leading offshore companies. With Statoil, Subsea 7, Aker Solutions, FMC Technologies all established on the burgeoning site, along with Shell, Haliburton and Kuehne + Nagel amongst others, Vestbase has quickly become a subseaskewed supply hub. Offering their vessels a relatively short voyage west to Statoil’s many existing fields, the base’s ongoing expansion and various construction projects are largely being driven by the Norwegian oil major’s still growing activity on the NCS west and north of Vestbase. Not set to slow down anytime soon, the Aker Solutions built Åsgard subsea gas compression systems for example will boost the falling gas pressures and extend the longevity at both the Midgard and Mikkel satellite reservoirs, when the units go into service in 2015. Add to that the other oil major’s existing interests such as Shell’s Draugen and Ormen Lange fields, couple those with future fields within the new Onyx/Njord area already on the map for Total, Wintershall, RweDea, Centrica, Shell and Statoil and Vestbase’s future and NorSea’s growth seem assured. The anticipated construction of an export pipeline project running south is just icing on the cake.

vestbase as Kristiansund ➜ established: 1980 ➜ Base location: 5 min from airport

vestbase’s marketing manager ture haugen in front of the construction site that will very soon become the new statoil building. built specifically to house the company’s enormous new Åsgard subsea compression systems, along with a workshop and offices, the doorway alone has to be 25 meters high to accommodate these first of their kind units, with some of their component parts weighing up to 400 tonnes.

and helicopter terminal/15 mins from city centre ➜ size: 600.000 m2n + up to 250.000 m2 at averøy location ➜ Quays: 11 with one deep water quay 21,4m in depth designed for drilling ships and shuttle tankers and two designed for mob/demob of mooring equipment ➜ specialist facilities: subsea centre, integrated chain silos with chainpuller, spooling system for 100 tons reels and a technical service hall for cleaning of pipes and equipment. ➜ future facilities: new buildings for statoil and the development of new facilities and quays at nearby averøy. ➜ ownership: 100% owned by norsea group as

WWWORLD 2 2013 23


special Report: offshore

nils petter dyvik, cfo wilh. wilhelmsen holding.

A HAND-IN-GlOvE cOMPANIONSHIP The relationship between Wilh. Wilhelmsen Holding and NorSea Group is already beginning to pay operational dividends for both parties. text: DaViD hopKins photos: K aia means anD norsea group

o

slo, norWay: It was in June 2012, Wilh. Wilhelmsen Holding ASA bought 35.4% of the leading provider of supply bases and associated logistical services to Norway’s sizeable offshore industry for approximately 80 million USD. Adding significant property assets to their portfolio along with a strategic foothold within the offshore industry, however the man most responsible for shaping the acquisition, WWH’s chief financial officer Nils Petter Dyvik suggests the investment was largely driven by future international possibilities, rather than the domestic business present. ‘We have the logistic competence, we have the network, we know what is going on in the different parts of the world and we would also like to see NorSea Group grow and become bigger and bigger,’ says Dyvik.

international business partner. NorSea’s CEO John E Stangeland concurs, anticipating a bright future well beyond the company’s home-grown supply base successes. ‘What we needed prior to Wilhelmsen coming in was an owner that could assist us and bring to the table the necessary knowledge, experience, and contacts to take our business international. That’s where Wilhelmsen come in with all their history, knowledge, experience and their physical presence in most parts of the world. This gives us a totally new perspective and new opportunities,’ says Stangeland. Speaking candidly about the close support his team have received from the WWH management team of Dyvik, Magnus Sande, head of merger & acquisition and CEO Thomas 24 WWWORLD 2 2013

Wilhelmsen, Stangeland is clearly thrilled by the worldwide access the Wilhelmsen connection now brings NorSea, saying: ‘We always have a “Wilhelmsen guy” we can call to ask about a country’s specifics, rather than having to start from scratch.’ Scotland. While Brazil and Australia are of particular interest at present, it is Scotland where NorSea’s international expansion has already begun. Forging a partnership with the Scrabster Harbour Trust, Caithness, NorSea will invest and develop Scotland’s most northerly port in order to transform it into an attractive supply base alternative to Aberdeen and Peterhead for the offshore industry. With the basic infrastructure now in place and the port ready to accept tenders NorSea’s CEO’s frankness on the base’s main selling point is refreshing: ‘If you just look at the sailing distance, in the logistics chain going offshore the most costly item in that chain is the supply vessels. They are far more costly than anything else and if you are able to save one vessel during a drilling operation you are saving in the range of 10-15 MUSD a year. So the fact that Scrabster is on the very northern tip of Scotland close to the East Shetland Basin, that will save you a lot of money.’ While such an amiable, mutually beneficial working relationship may not be unheard of in the world of acquisitions, it is arguably rare that the link-up is just so coherent. Offering WWH a solid bricks and mortar property investment and a number of the group’s companies renewed exposure to the offshore world, in return the NorSea Group now have a global contacts book and a long-sighted owner eager to take their supply base knowhow global. Scrabster it seems is just the beginning.

John e. stangeland, norsea ceo

the norsea group has proprietary interests in nine supply bases along the norwegian coast at: tananger, dusavik, stord, bergen, Kristiansund, harstad, hammerfest, sandnessjøen and Kirkenes.

norsea group as ➜ established: 1965 ➜ core Business: supply base and logistics solu-

tions to the norwegian oil and gas industry

➜ property: proprietary interests in nine supply

bases along the norwegian coast at: tananger, Dusavik, stord, Bergen, Kristiansund, harstad, hammerfest, sandnessjøen and Kirkenes. ➜ annual turnover: noK 2.5 billion¨ ➜ total Book assets: usD 500 million ➜ headquarters: tananger, stavanger ➜ ceo: John e stangeland ➜ privately owned by: - Wilh. Wilhelmsen holding invest as - eidesvik eiendomsinvest as - simon møkster eiendom as ➜ latest Venture: april 2013 norsea group invests in its first supply base outside of norway in scrabster, caithness, scotland. ➜ future projects: further possibilities for international ventures and the expansion of many of its existing norwegian supply bases. potential for major enlargement of polarbase, hammerfest if the expected increase in activity within the Barents sea materialises.

WWWORLD 2 2013 25


special Report: offshore

safe caledonia: wilhelmsen technical solutions won a 27 000 manhour contract for retrofitting the accommodation rig's hvac solution in June 2012.

helle hundseid, vice president wilhelmsen technical solutions/business stream hvac offshore. (photo: arild s Johannessen)

HEATED MARkET AHEAD FOR HvAc SOlUTIONS Wilhelmsen Technical Solutions (WTS) is well positioned to take increasing shares of the world’s fast-growing HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning) market for offshore installations and rigs. text einar chr. erlingsen

o

slo, norWay: ‘We are expecting a strong growth in the offshore HVAC market, both for newbuilds and maintenance and modifications of existing rigs,’ says Helle Hundseid, vice president Wilhelmsen Technical Solutions/ Business Stream HVAC Offshore. Helle Hundseid is leading WTS’ drive into the international offshore HVAC market. WTS deliver HVAC systems and services through the whole value chain to the customer, during newbuild, maintenance, reclassification, retrofit and conversion projects . The projects may then include project management, engineering, procurement of equipment, QA, logistics, installation, commissioning, inspections and surveys. Well-positioned. Through sales and project offices in main offshore markets, including Norway, Korea, U.S. and Brazil, WTS HVAC Offshore is well-positioned to take increasing 26 WWWORLD 2 2013

shares of a market where the company is already enjoying a strong presence. ‘We are proud of our position as a leading HVAC supplier to a highly competitive market like Norway, Korea and Singapore,’ says Helle Hundseid. ‘Since we are not a manufacturer ourselves, we have formed strategic alliances with leading producers like Italian-based Roccheggiani (air-handling units), to enable us to compete on both quality and price in any market,’ she adds. A solid track record from the newbuilding market is fundamental for increasing the company’s share of the even faster growing aftermarket. (Mainly North Sea, South America and US Gulf). In five years’ time, WTS HVAC aims to be one of the three preferred first class HVAC system and service suppliers worldwide, increasing revenues from both newbuilds and aftermarket activities by at least 100 per cent

through organic growth and acquisitions. “Packet deliveries” including not only HVAC but also safety and power solutions from other WTS business streams will be a key to success, as well as strategic partnerships with main suppliers and other cooperation partners,’ says Helle Hundseid.

Wts hvac ➜ Based in oslo, norway. sales/project offices in

Korea (pusan), singapore, u.s. (houston) and Brazil (rio de Janeiro). ➜ supplier of offshore hVac solutions from engineering/design to commissioning and aftermarket services ➜ 70 employees. ➜ revenues (2012): musD 25 (newbuilds) and musD 10 (aftermarket)

maritime protection: frode lauritzen, manager for dry inert gas systems (to the left) and terje bronebakk, technical director. in the background: different sizes of inert gas generators being fitted out in the workship. (photo: peter emil wikøren)

NEw MEMbER OF THE wTS FAMIly

Wilhelmsen Technical Solutions (WTS) has acquired 100% of the shares in Maritime Protection AS, thus strengthening the inert gas portfolio for the marine and offshore segments.

inert gas generator

gas cabinet

Deckwater seal

p/V breaker

text einar chr erlingsen

norWay: WTS president Petter Traaholt expects the main growth for the new acquisition to come from the offshore segment, where Marine Protection recently secured four contracts for inert gas systems for four VLCCs presently being converted to FPSOs (floating production, storage and offloading) for owner Petrobras, Brazil. The fact that Maritime Production is Achilles-certified also opens up the North Sea market to WTS, where this certification is mandatory for suppliers. Kristiansand-based Maritime Protection with its 18 employees brings with it annual revenues of some MUSD 12 to WTS, where it will be incorporated in the Safety business

stream. The company has over 40 years of experience in supplying inert gas systems. ‘By acquiring Maritime Protection we not only strengthen our safety portfolio, but we can also now deliver a complete range of inert gas solutions for offshore and marine applications. This will increase the growth potential from synergies between the WTS business streams,’ says Mr. Traaholt. ‘Maritime Protection’s strong engineering capabilities and development knowledge, teamed up with our expertise and global network will provide a valuable lift to our marine and offshore capabilities. This in turn secures regulatory compliance for our customers,’ says Petter Traaholt.

inert gas ➜ inert gas is a gas or mixture of gases containing

insufficient oxygen to support the combustion of hydrocarbons. this gas is used to prevent explosions and fires occurring on board ships carrying crude oil, hydrocarbon gases or refined oil products. inert gas systems produce and distribute inert gas based on combustion of hydrocarbon fuels.

WWWORLD 2 2013 27


special Report: offshore

THE FIRE FIGHTERS

With the recent acquisition of Novenco Fire Fighting (NFF), Wilhelmsen Technical Solutions has taken an important step to strengthen its portfolio of marine and offshore products and services.

text: einar chr erlingsen photos: steen KnarBerg

newcomers: novenco fire fighters, here represented by erik christensen (to the left), bent sørensen and Janne c. nielsen joined wilhelmsen technical solutions in november 2012.

While the traditional marine marKet is rather depressed at the moment, the offshore segment is booming.

r

ingsted, denmarK: Novenco first started to develop its water mist fire fighting technology in the early 1990´s. The highly efficient system is based on a fine mix of water droplets and water mist. The water mist technology has several advantages when compared to the more traditional fire fighting systems based on water sprinklers, gas or foam. ‘The droplets act to cool the surface, thus avoiding re-ignition while the mist encapsulates the fire and suffocates it by restricting its oxygen,’ explains Erik Christensen, business and product development manager. The droplets also stabilise the mist so the fire is extinguished with minimum damage to machinery and other vital installations. Water is utilized more efficiently than with traditional sprinklers, thus reducing the amount of water needed to extinguish a fire.

fire fighters: ole villumsen (to the left) and henrik højlund with a new water mist fire fighting system being readied for a customer.

28 WWWORLD 2 2013

oWn design. Most systems are assembled at the Ringsted plant to Novenco’s own design, mainly from standard components. In the past, components have also been shipped to China for assembly, but when adding up rising wages, stronger currency and logistics costs, the savings from doing so are rapidly dwindling. With a long track record of delivering water mist technology to the marine market, Novenco has now also developed a new system

for use in the offshore industry. In the marine and offshore segments alike, water mist systems are chosen for their high flexibility in enclosed spaces as well as for their limited impact on structures and components. ‘The system is non-hazardous to personnel, environmentally friendly and has a short deployment lead time,’ says vice president operations Bent Sørensen. While the traditional marine market is rather depressed at present, the offshore segment is booming. ‘We do have the right technology and people, but making an inroad into a new market takes time. We don’t expect a boost overnight, but having become a member of WTS and the extended Wilhelmsen network we are quite optimistic about the future,’ says Mr. Sørensen. custom-made. The water mist systems are more or less tailor-made to adapt to customer and classification requirements, and they come in many shapes and sizes. A typical large marine system transforms between 800 and 1200 litres of water to droplets and water mist per minute, sprayed from some 400-500 strategically located jets. Some systems, however, can be considerably larger. Typically a large cruise vessel might be equipped with up to 10.000-12.000 jets.

novenco fire fighting (nff) ➜ originally a division of nordic Ventilation company ➜ novenco was split into three separate companies

in 2008.

➜ nff was acquired by Wilhelmsen technical

solutions in november 2012 ➜ produces water mist fire fighting technology, including design and customising, monitoring, service and maintenance. ➜ 30 employees, including service personnel in poland, Korea, china and italy. ➜ expected turnover this year: 6 musD.

assembly plant: most novenco water mist fire fighting systems are assembled and customised at the company’s own plant in ringsted, denmark by experienced workers like ole villumsen. WWWORLD 2 2013 29


special Report: offshore

o THE POwER GUyS

From a solid base in the marine market, WTS Denmark extended its activities to include the offshore industry a few years ago. The results have been impressive. text einar chr. erlingsen photos steen KnarBerg

dense, denmarK: The breakthrough came in 2010. Since then revenues from offshore activities have grown from almost nil to 40% of the total for WTS Denmark (Wilhelmsen Technical Solutions, Electrical & Automation). Seven large offshore projects totalling 20 MUSD are in the bag so far. And there is more to come.

right timing. A bvooming market created the right backdrop when WTS Denmark decided to extend their operations to include the offshore industry. High activity created a demand for upgrading older rigs, as did new regulations and standards. WTS Denmark’s main offshore market lies in upgrades and retrofits of older rigs and platforms, as well as FPSO’s and supply vessels etc. The scope of work can vary greatly, from modernising the electrical installations to adding systems in a new accommodation section or upgrading the electrical power plant and the repair of existing equipment and installations, including alarm and control systems and complete sets of new upgrading documentation. ‘These are demanding jobs that put great stress on resources and competence. You must be willing to invest before you can harvest; in equipment and training, new types of certificates etc.,’ says Karsten Lynge Madsen, sales manager engineering solutions.

powerful competence: an increasing share of wts denmark’s revenues is coming from the offshore industry. asger hansen (manager el & auto denmark), leif bech (project manager) and Karsten lynge madsen (sales manager engineering solutions) are confident that there is more to come.

Wts denmarK ➜ 100 employees, including 50

at the odense site, another 15 at the repair yard (fayard a/s), plus travelling repairmen, project managers and administrative staff. ➜ own products include switchboards and subpanels for the marine and offshore industries, as well as installation and implementation of alarm, control & protection systems. ➜ installation of 3rd party equipment with very experienced staff has become a valued capability by the customers. system integration is one of Wts’ core competences.

selling points. WTS’ best selling points are reliable equipment, in-time deliveries, service available when needed and flexible, customised products: ‘Remember, you are never better than your last delivery. There is a lot of competition out there. The difference lies in our employees and their competence and reliability. We are really very proud of our project managers and electricians. These guys deliver quality, and it gets noticed,’ says Lynge Madsen.

final touch: electrician michael bjoljahn workning on a control panel. 30 WWWORLD 2 2013

as indeed it does. WTS Denmark, frequently teaming up with their colleagues in WTS Americas (Miami), have established good relations with customers such as Maersk, Lauritzen Offshore, Fred. Olsen Energy and Prosafe. These companies are planning several new upgrading projects this year and the next, for which Karsten Lynge Madsen feels his company is well positioned. ‘As rig owners become increasingly specialised on operations, it creates new niches for specialists like us. We’re a competence centre for power,’ he says.

selling points: skilled workers like allan larsen, plus reliable equipment, in-time deliveries, service available when needed and flexible, customised products are wts’ best selling points.

We are really very proud of our proJect managers and electricians. these guys deliver quality, and it gets noticed. Karsten lynge madsen, sales manager engineering solutions

WWWORLD 2 2013 31


special Report: offshore

Wss is quietly building existing offshore & energy related business.

Wss wins in West australia

SlOw AND STEADy

While not exactly a soft-launch, with their beautifully crafted marketing materials and detailed sales documents, Wilhelmsen Ships Service’s renewed focus on the offshore sector is however reassuringly increased. text and image DaViD hopKins

We thought We didn’t do much to rigs, but When We looKed into it We found that Wasn’t entirely true geir haug, business development manager

o

slo, norWay: Speaking to the two men responsible for formulating Wilhelmsen Ships Service’s offshore activities for Nordic, Baltics & Russia, area director Christer C G Bonde, and Geir Haug, business development manager, it becomes abundantly clear that WSS is not rushing into offshore blindly. Using the analogy of moving trains to describe the booming offshore sector, Bonde suggests WSS would prefer to ‘get onboard according to our own timetable’ rather than racing to jump on the first train which pulls in, so to speak. quite big already. The fact is they’ve been selling to the offshore industry for decades. Although a constant part of WSS’ global sales figures, to the tune of 57 MUSD last year, offshore business had not been classified in its own right in sales reporting before, having previously been grouped together with everything else. Those sizable sales, the majority of which is the supply of marine chemicals to Offshore Supply Vessels (OSV) and anchor handlers, is a solid foundation from which to base future growth targets. Indeed, as Geir suggests WSS has also regularly done business with the non-floating parts of the offshore industry: ‘We thought we didn’t do much to rigs, but when we looked into it we found that wasn’t entirely true, although much was delivered through other companies. We also found 32 WWWORLD 2 2013

that we actually delivered a lot ourselves, which was quite a surprise. So we’re not starting from scratch,’ says Geir Haug. Phase one of the campaign will revolve around the existing WSS product portfolio. However, with a dedicated offshore project team now in place there will be scope, and in all likelihood also a need, for new products, amended packaging and changes in how WSS fulfils its deliveries. This is in order to satisfy the unique regulatory and operational demands of its new and existing offshore customers. For example, many of WSS’ safety products are not permissible for use offshore. The industry, and the United Kingdom in particular, has its own stringent regulatory framework and certification system for chemicals, which is entirely independent of the Norwegians’. In addition many energy companies have their own bespoke purchasing systems, which also poses operational challenges. But for now though, alterations and amendments to products and services can wait. The next immediate goal in Bonde and Haug’s European operations is an increase in sales up to 100 MUSD by 2017. While not an easy target, both men are confident that such an increase can initially be built upon their existing customer base, ‘selling more to them of the products that we already have,’ as Bonde states, with new customer acquisitions steadily building towards that marker.

historically a key site for oil exploration, it’s now the largely unexploited wealth of gas reserves which are drawing the world’s major offshore players to the north western coast of australia.

home to the World’s four largest resource projects, while chevron’s gorgon and Wheatstone ventures and the shell prelude floating lng vessel are enormous by any standards, they’re dwarfed by inpex’s ichthys project. consisting of a central processing platform, fpso, 885km export pipeline to Darwin and a vast onshore gas processing plant, the cost for the entire ichthys project is estimated at a staggering 34 Billion australian Dollars.

in addition to these big four construction projects, there are also a significant number of other ventures currently in the initial evaluation phase or in feeD (front end engineering and Design) which Wss are paying keen attention to. they’ve already made offshore inroads as michael connolly, general manager, Wss West coast oceania proudly explains: ‘a combination of Wss’s skilled local personnel, knowledge and understanding of the administration hurdles, combined with our first rate documentation, accreditations and process flows has resulted in us being recognised as the agent of choice by tendering companies. for example, one of our most recent agency wins will bring Wss into both the Wheatstone and the icthys projects - and these are just the beginning.’ such vast construction projects have obviously also brought along with them an increase in demand for seismic, Dredging, offshore support, offshore construction and pipelaying vessels. ‘as well as using our accreditations we have had to be inventive with our agency pricing. for example, we have developed schemes based on continuous day rates for the project duration, rather than a port call agency rate. We have also won agency business for a seismic company where one of our key differentiating features was our ability to supply full freight and warehousing services through our in-house customs Broker, Bonnells,’ says connolly.

WWWORLD 2 2013 33


special Report: offshore specialised vessels managed by Wsm

bIG MONEy DEMANDS SEAMlESS OPERATIONS

the following specialised offshore vessels are on wsm full technical management and crewing: ➜ four seismic surveillance vessels (petroleum geo-services - pgs) ➜ three seismic surveillance vessels (cgg) ➜ Well-stimulation vessel Big orange XViii (schlumberger) ➜ cable laying vessel nexans skagerrak (nexans) ➜ launch platform odyssey and command vessel sea launch

commander. (sea launch)

There is little leeway for mistakes when your operations may amount to a hundred thousand dollars or more per day and off-hire is counted in minutes rather than days.

oslo, norWay: It’s a rather unusual fleet, consisting of a dozen of the world’s most advanced and specialised offshore vessels. Some of them are geophysical surveillance vessels, scanning the ocean bed for signs of oil or gas deposits. Two belong to the unique Sea Launch operation, where commercial rockets are launched into orbit from a site in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. There is a well-stimulating vessel, designed to squeeze more oil out of ocean floor wells, and even a highly specialised cable-laying ship. What these vessels have in common is that they are extremely capital intensive, with running expenses amounting up to 100 000 USD per day or more. They are all on full technical management by Wilhelmsen Ship Management (WSM) Norway. In addition, WSM supplies the maritime crews to all the vessels, plus another 12 belonging to one of its customers, Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS).

text einar chr erlingsen photo K aia means

offshore team: wilhelmsen ship management norway offers full technical management to highly specialised offshore vessels. here are some of the team members (from left to right): Jon helge ulstein (vessel manager), henny persson (manager vessel accounts), tor harald thorland, (fleet manager), Kaj haagensen (hseQ superintendent), hans petter grønlund (fleet manager) and stian andersen (manning superintendent).

34 WWWORLD 2 2013

operating 24/7/365. The operations involve several hundred highly competent seafarers, plus an office support staff of 25, including a general manager, two fleet managers, nine vessel managers, one HSEQ manager (Health, Safety, Environment, & Quality), crewing, accounting, financial control and reporting. ‘Hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in these vessels and their equipment, so they are expected to perform 24/7/365,’ says fleet manager Hans Petter Grønlund. ‘That’s our challenge, and that’s what we deliver.’ The customers are highly specialised in their own fields, and have chosen to entrust WSM with the maritime management of their vessels: ‘As professional managers, solidly based in a maritime competence group like WW, we can draw on vast inhouse resources to ensure that our customers receive the best possible service,’ adds Tor Harald Thorland, also a fleet manager. Both fleet managers agree on the WSM recipe for success: competent and stable maritime crews, high quality on all routines including reporting and documentation, plus a clear interface between customer and manager as to who is responsible for what on board. ‘Trust and team work are the key words for success. We’re very adaptive and we know what it takes to handle every kind of offshore vessel,’ concludes Hans Petter Grønlund.

in high demands: with bergen bustling with osvs, anchor handlers and other offshore vessels, fleet manager Kenneth bjoerkland is confident wsm’s expertise, worldwide manning network and transparent pricing structure will soon be in high demand amongst the area’s many vessel owners.

FROM GlObAl TO lOcAl

Opening their Bergen satellite office back in February, Wilhelmsen Ships Management have made a very real commitment to cultivating business with the area’s numerous vessel owners, with particular emphasis placed on the famous port city’s significant offshore interests. text and image: DaViD hopKins

bergen, norWay: Currently housed in the Wilhelmsen Ships Service building, within the picturesque port complex, fleet manager Kenneth Bjørklund has spent the past six months painstakingly researching and compiling reams of data on owners in the area in order to make his sales calls, approaches and face-to-face meetings as focused as possible. A former marine chief engineer, superintendent, and for the past six years working for WSM as a fleet manager, looking after seismic operations, Bjørklund brings both a wealth of maritime experience and significant offshore expertise to this fledgling Bergen venture. The move to Bergen is in his businesssavvy opinion inspired: ‘I think ship owners in general like to do business

within their own region, it’s one of the reasons you have these strong offshore clusters growing around Ålesund and Bergen.’ says Bjørklund. He will be supported by the regional head office in Oslo that are already providing technical management and manning for several of the Norways largest seismic companies. So whether they’re owners of platform supply vessels, anchor handlers, subsea construction vessels or well stimulation vessels, , Bjørklund is ideally placed to do local business and start signing contracts very soon. Backed up by WSM’s wealth of experience, a manning pool of more than 10 000 officers and ratings and a procurement division which purchases in excess of 600 MUSD annually we wouldn’t bet against him.

WWWORLD 2 2013 35


special Report: offshore

big orange xviii

tender behanzin

WW’s first offshore activities:

DREAMS AND DRAMA

30 years ago, WW was a large and significant player in the offshore market. Then it was all about supply ships and drilling rigs. text hans chr. Bangsmoen

tender comet

n

orWay: The oil finds in the North Sea in 1969 opened up for promising investment projects for shipping companies with capital. Opportunities were found both in oil exploration and supply services with specialised vessels. The management of WW monitored developments in the seas outside the Norwegian coastline closely. There were clear aspirations of being an active participant in this market while continuing to expand the international liner trade. In 1972, Wilhelmsen Offshore Services (WOS) – with the family-controlled Skips A/S Tudor owning a 50% share – took delivery of the first supply ship in a series of six, the Tender Trout. This ship of 500 dwt was new and unfamiliar to WW. It looked like a floating truck with a wide working deck resembling a flatbed. However, ship design evolved quickly and ever larger and more advanced supply and service vessels were delivered. Between 1972 and 1986, WOS received 32 supply ships and vessels for under-water exploration and other special tasks. These advanced vessels were mostly built by Norwegian shipyards. WOS’ activities at this time were extensive and daring and the company began to

36 WWWORLD 2 2013

concentrate on specialised activities within construction operations with diving ships, standby vessels and vessels for under-water constructions and maintenance work. Many of these were rewarded with long charter parties for the oil companies, up to ten years. among the largest WorldWide. For a period of time, WOS had one of the largest fleets in the world of supply ships and specialised vessels. They were engaged in operations across the globe – in the North Sea, the Mediterranean, West Africa, USA, Brazil and the Far East. The company signed important deals with large operators. The first agreement was in 1981 with the Øivind Lorentzen group in Brazil about a joint venture Brazilian company, Norsul Offshore SA. The Norsul fleet encompassed 17 ships, all on long-term charter contracts for the Brazilian national oil company, Petrobras. A similar agreement was signed two years later with the American oil company Tenneco with a similar American shipping company, the Argosy Marine Company. The company owned and operated a fleet of 20 ships in the Gulf of Mexico all engaged in long-term char-

ter parties for Tenneco. This venture provided WOS with access to the world’s largest market for supply ships. With these two agreements in place the fleet now had 65 units. A dramatic downturn in the oil market came about in the winter of 1985/86. In just a few weeks the price of crude oil fell to USD 10-15/barrel. This had immediate and significant impact for both Tudor, which now owned 66% of WOS, and the entire WW group. Many of WOS’ activities had to be terminated quickly and most of the fleet sold. More than 15 years of activities and accumulated know-how within the maritime service industry came to a sudden halt as Farstad Shipping in Ålesund acquired the last eight Tender ships in October 1988. WW’s efforts as owner and operator of floating oilrigs and hotel platforms were just as extensive and demanding as the supply services in WOS. Norwegian shipyards underwent huge technological developments in this period. The Aker Group’s H-3 oilrig was to become one of the most successful and popular of all semi-submersible oilrigs in the 1970s and 1980s, just as the Ulstein Group’s supply vessel was in that market.

into the rig marKet. In 1973/74, WW entered the oilrig market with the order of three H-3 rigs. The first, Treasure Hunter, was delivered by Aker in December 1975, while the two next rigs, Treasure Seeker and Treasure Finder, were delivered in 1977. Eventually, the rig market was split into two divisions, one for drilling activities and the other for hotel and construction

polar pioneer

At the beginning of the 1980s, the rig fleet was completed with four more rigs: the hotel platform Treaure Supporter and the drilling rigs Treasure Swan, Treasure Scout and Treasure Saga. The years 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985 were the essence of the Oil Age in WW’s offshore activities accounting for 69%, 75%, 58% and 64% respectively of the group’s operating profits.

for a period of time, Wos had one of the largest fleets in the World of supply ships and specialised vessels. facilities. The Treasure Hunter was rebuilt only a year after delivery to a construction support vessel while Treasure Finder served as a hotel platform with room for 500 people and four helicopters. Treasure Seeker, however, became after rebuilding in Norway one of the world’s most advanced drilling rigs, equipped for deepwater exploration and high pressure drilling. The rig found its place in Norwegian oil history when it started exploration outside Tromsø in 1980.

polar pioneer. Exploration for new oil fields in polar waters continued in the 1980s. This resulted in WW, working with an American partner Sonat Offshore Drilling and Norsk Hydro, developing a new type of oilrig that could operate in extreme weather conditions, such as in the Barents Sea. The Polar Pioneer, delivered from a Japanese shipyard in 1985, was the world’s largest rig. The price was about USD 100 million and the new rig was contracted for five years to

Norsk Hydro for exploration outside Tromsø, succeeding Treasure Seeker. the dream burst. The oil price falling by 50% in the winter of 1986 created a downturn in the market for oilrigs and offshore services. The oil companies cut down, cancelled or postponed orders. This had serious consequences for WW where the offshore activities had offset the weak results from the liner trade during the first years of the 1980s. From being financial life buoys the oilrigs now appeared to be heavy millstones as they were sent back and were laid up. As part of the restructuring following the financial crisis of 1986-1988 a separate company, Wilrig A/S, was established, with some of WW’s rig activities and a share of 24,5%. Polar Pioneer was not part of Wilrig A/S. In 1994, WW sold its share of 47,5% in Polar Pioneer and the remaining shares in Wilrig A/S (20,5%) and was thus completely out of the offshore market. An era that had been initiated more than 20 years earlier and which had involved huge financial and human resources in its very active years was over. WWWORLD 2 2013 37


WW profile

R E T G H A

ROUND S

R U N T -A E

HIP MAN

Shortly after Carl Schou took over as president of Wilhelmsen Ship Management (WSM), the market dropped like a stone. So the man who grew up among lions and elephants has had ample opportunities to prove his skills as a leader. text einar chr. erlingsen photo K aia means

38 WWWORLD 2 2013

although i have a reputation for being a “hands-on” manager, i Will not interfere When things are going Well. Wsm ➜ Wilhelmsen ship management is a

business area within Wilhelmsen maritime services. Wsm is one of the world’s largest providers of third-party ship management services. ➜ headquarters: Kuala lumpur, malaysia. ➜ seafarers employed: 10 000 ➜ Vessels on full technical management: 160 ➜ crewing: 300 vessels ➜ management offices in oslo, Bergen, Kuala lumpur, houston, singapore, southampton and pusan. ➜ manning offices in Bangladesh, Brazil, croatia, india, Korea, malaysia, myanmar, norway, philippines, poland, romania, russia and ukraine. WWWORLD 2 2013 39


WW profile

12

it is very reWarding When We succeed in getting people from all Kinds of bacKgrounds to WorK Well together.

We must never underestimate the importance of maritime competence and hard WorK; economists can’t alWays have the final Word

liKes and disliKes

K

uala lumpur/oslo: When Carl Schou was a child in Zimbabwe (then: Rhodesia) in the 1960ies, there were few things in his life that pointed towards a maritime career. Around the end of the Second World War his father started working with development programmes in the land-locked British colony. Carl was born in 1958 and until the age of 11, African landscapes and wildlife with elephants, antelopes and the occasional lion were a more natural part of his life than was the open seas. However, with the Rhodesian independence proclamation lead by Ian Smith and the following freedom war, his parents decided that enough was enough and returned to Norway. After finishing his basic education, young Carl decided to seek a career at sea, driven by a wish for adventure and new horizons. In between periods at sea he graduated as a maritime engineer, and climbed the career ladder to become Staff Captain on board what was then Norway’s proudest cruise ship; the SS Norway. He worked on a number of other cruise vessels as well, including the luxurious sailing ship “Wind Star”, managed by the very company where he much later in life was to become president; Wilhelmsen Ship Management (WSM)

longer perspective it became apparent that some strategic measures were necessary as well. ‘We decided that being ”Best in Class” was our key to long term survival; in operational and service excellence,’ says Carl Schou. ‘We can never compete on price alone, but by delivering a more complete and higher quality service. When dealing with us, our principals know that everything will be tidy and above board. Transparency, a record for top performance, fewer accidents, considerably less down-time than the industry average, plus highly qualified crews are our best selling points.’ His claim is supported by the findings of a recent customer satisfaction survey. Reputation and personal relations account for almost two thirds of the most important criteria when WSM principals selected their ship management partner.

family man: maria, tina and carl schou spend as much of their free time as they can among the majestic norwegian mountains. (photo: private)

rather sea than hospitals. Before getting there, however, he did for a while seek a very different kind of career and began to study medicine. That lasted for only one year, until he decided that his ties to the maritime industry were still too strong and went back to sea once more. Then followed almost a decade in the land-based part of the maritime industry, including positions as auditor in DNV, director of maritime and technical operations with ship-owning company Dyvi, and then as managing director of Techmar Systems. At the end of 2005 he joined WSM, now as vice president marine personnel, to become its president in late 2008. heading into the storm. Not long after, the world headed into one of its worst financial crises ever, with dramatic effects also on the maritime industry. During the following year, the number of ships on WSM technical management dropped by a third to less than a hundred. This was in part a result of selling the affiliated tanker management company ITM, but also of a general market drop. Acting fast on the changes, WSM became an industry first to offer a lay-up service package. In a 40 WWWORLD 2 2013

Jungle holiDay: travelling is another favourite for the schou family. (photo: private)

an impressive achievement. Carl Schou has a reputation for not giving up, once a target has been set. So the strategy paid off: figures for vessels on WSM technical management have climbed from less than 100 in 2009 to 160 plus. More than 300 ships are crewed by WSM, for the first time bringing the number of seafarers employed above the 10 000 mark. This is no small achievement in a general market that is not much improved since 2009. Regardless of this, a shortage of qualified seafarers remains an industry challenge, but more for some than others. Mr. Schou proudly quotes company figures that show an annual retention rate between 80 and 90 per cent. On WW-owned or affiliated vessels, the retention figures are even higher. ‘Regardless of a slower market, there are few signs that the gap between supply and demand of skilled mariners will close. A main challenge will be to find, train and retain our people. With an improved political situation in Myanmar we recently opened a new manning office to supplement our main manning pools in India and the Philippines. Myanmar seafarers are well trained, stable and competent. We are also considering our training structure in the light of new tools such as e-learning, internet and social media,’ says Carl Schou. “a huge challenge.” That is how Carl Schou describes the logistic challenges of being in charge of a global, yet decentralised organisation like WSM. It keeps him travelling between 100 and 150 days per year. ‘There are time differences, huge distances, different

sports: ‘outdoor

activities like golf, cycling, scuba-diving, hunting and fishing.’ holiday favourites: ‘spending as much

time as possible with my family in our norwegian mountain cottage. sailing is another favourite. last year we sailed in croatia.’ Web favourites:

‘norwegian newspapers.’ favourite gadget:

‘Kindle – lets me read anytime, anywhere. having all of amazon’s books available in “my hand” is fantastic! it lets me download any book whenever i want.’ reading: right now: books on polar pioneers like amundsen, scott and shackleton.’ music: ‘Basically everything, but rock, classical, concerts, opera are favourites.’ other interests:

‘i enjoy taking photos, and looking at photo art.’ life motto: ‘hope for the best, fear the worst, and take things as they come.’ happy: ‘When others are happy, and when with my family.’ angry: ‘When those in power step on those below them.’ driven by: ‘challenges, having fun at work, working with nice people.’ bored: ‘easily when things get monotonous.’

cultures among our own ranks and principals alike. Just one example: US customers’ expectations are quite different from those in Europe or Asia. Although a small market, some of our US customers have been with us for decades.’ ‘These differences have to be taken into consideration, but also represent a positive challenge. It is very rewarding when we succeed in getting people from all kinds of backgrounds to work well together,’ says Carl Schou. He feels that his own maritime background is of great value when addressing cultural differences: ‘I have a fair comprehension of what happens on board and if things are not proceeding as intended. I believe in empowerment, and although I have a reputation for being a “hands-on” manager, I will not interfere when things are going well. I believe in treating others as I want to be treated myself. Ship management can never be a one-man show, it’s teamwork all the way. Regardless of positions, we’re all equally needed and should be treated with respect,’ says Carl Schou. a strategy for groWth. Having navigated through the worst aftermaths of the 2009 crises, the focus is now on further growth. But not at any cost: ‘The main challenge in business is perhaps to know when to say “no”. We do on occasion decline to take on ships from owners that are not willing to accept our standards for quality. To grow, we’ll rather increase activities within more specialised segments,’ says Schou. ‘We’re already strong on PCTC’s (pure car truck carriers), LNG (liquefied natural gas) and LPG ( liquefied petroleum gas). We also have three cruise vessels on management, and have identified a potential for considerable growth in these segments. The offshore industry represents another huge potential. We recently opened up an office in Bergen to serve the North Sea market, we have established offshore groups in both Oslo and Kuala Lumpur, and are positioning ourselves in interesting markets like Brazil and Asia. Not long ago we were appointed managers for an anchor-handling vessel in Malaysia, something of a landmark event for our people there,’ says Carl Schou. ‘With increasing demands for specialisation, ship management is definitely an industry for the future as “centres of excellence” for increasingly more complex ships. It’s no longer a question of just putting a crew on board and hoping for the best. Only those who are large enough will have the muscle to deliver the necessary level of specialisation,’ says Carl Schou. WWWORLD 2 2013 41


shipping

new arms: golar winter is getting new cargo arms and mooring hooks installed, which will allow her to function as a terminal, receiving lng directly from other vessels.

TUNED FOR RAPID ExPANSION

With 13 LNG newbuilds arriving, Golar Wilhelmsen Management (GWM) is set to manage a fleet double its current size. Change and growth in GWM is not limited to deliveries from Korea. We visited the Brazil-based FSRU Golar Winter in Galicia. text and photos K aia means

f

errol, spain: ‘There’s always hectic activity on Golar Winter,’ says master Hans Jørgen Hansen. ‘It’s a 24/7 operation. Things can happen at any time of the day.’ The floating, storage and regasification unit (FSRU) is the centre of attention of workers from various suppliers and Spanish dockworkers at Ferrol port, supervised by GWM and vessel manager Geir Øivind Bergersen. After dry docking, Golar Winter is now gaining new equipment, most importantly new cargo arms and mooring hooks. When she sets sail for Brazil again this summer, it will be to Salvador.

42 WWWORLD 2 2013

WWWORLD 2 2013 43


shipping

We need lots of people

Øystein dahl, managing director in gwm

golar winter: the fsru is changing location from rio de Janeiro to salvador, brazil.

its oWn terminal. Liquid natural gas carriers (LNGCs) will be able to connect to the vessel directly via the cargo arms, and no intervening terminal will be necessary for the regasification process, where LNG is converted to compressed natural gas (CNG). ‘We’ll be our own terminal,’ says Hansen. Golar Winter will be the third Golar FSRU to be equipped for this, after Golar Freeze and Nusantara Regas Satu. At Ferrol, Golar Winter seems a beehive of activity. The same can be said of GWM as a whole. It will become one of the world’s largest operators of LNG vessels. gWm groWs further. The management of LNGCs and FSRUs is a highly technical and specialised field. Golar LNG looked to Wilhelmsen Ship Management when it realised that a joint venture was the best solution for technical management of its vessels. The plan was to benefit from the economies of scale by having a single management for the whole fleet. Previously Golar LNG had used several different ship management companies. When Golar Wilhelmsen Management was created in 2010, WSM already managed several of the vessels in the Golar fleet. By January 2015, the number of vessels managed by GWM will increase to 26. The coming months will put the team to the test. The first of the newbuilds is due in August. 44 WWWORLD 2 2013

teamworK: vessel manager geir Øivind bergersen and master hans Jørgen hansen of the fsru golar winter in ferrol, spain.

golar winter crew: the golar winter crew during docking in ferrol, spain shows team spirit.

control: gas engineer ivo Koc on golar winter in the cargo control room.

gWm team spirit. ‘GWM today is almost a completely new company with an average employment time less than one year,’ says GWM general manager Øistein Dahl. ‘It’s a young company, but already I feel we have a great team spirit. We’re creating a solid GWM company culture well rooted in the Golar operation. We brought people from various companies and educational backgrounds, because we wanted to have people with different perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. It’s been a hectic time, getting everything up and running smoothly. We have high ambitions,’ he says. Currently there are 15-18 GWM employees, and most started with the company after January 2012. The team currently in place will be able to handle the first half of the deliveries that are coming at the pace of almost one every other month. The crews are mostly WSM employees. ‘It’s extremely challenging, as there is a large organisational structure that has to be in place when we take delivery. The market for LNG officers is tight, it’s a separate market in shipping. We need lots of people. It’s a matter of selecting and training new hires and also promoting our own employees,’ he says. ‘Our office in Split, Croatia, headed by Ronald Cala is doing a great job, screening, hiring and training our new people.’

golar Wilhelmsen management ➜ golar Wilhelmsen management is a joint venture

between golar lng (60%) and Wilhelmsen ship management (40%) specialised in the technical management of lng vessels. the joint venture was created in 2010. ➜ gWm currently manages nine liquid natural gas (lng) vessels and four floating, storage and regasification units (fsrus). ➜ gWm will be expanding its fleet with a series of 13 newbuilds, for delivery in 2013, 2014 and January 2015. the shipbuilders of the 13 newbuilds are samsung heavy industries (11) and hyundai samho heavy industries (2). the deliveries will consist of 11 lng vessels and two fsrus. ➜ chief operating officer and managing Director of gWm is Øistein Dahl. gWm employs 15 people at its head office in oslo.

golar Winter fsru

operational in Brazil chartered to petrobras 2004 Built-138,000 m3 membrane containment 5.1 bcm/ year open / closed loop

A number of the officers in GWM are from Croatia, but also from Spain, Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Norway and Indonesia. The ratings come from Indonesia and the Philippines. A standard crew for an LNG vessel is about 24, while the FSRUs need 30-32 people due to continuous operations. lng boom. The increase in shale gas production in North America has changed the market. The US quickly went from being a net LNG importer to soon becoming an exporter, and LNG prices in North America and Europe have declined. At the same time, Japan’s energy needs after the tsunami have contributed to the relatively higher prices in Asia. This differential means that transport of LNG – which also offers low emissions compared to other fossil fuels – looks to be a lucrative business in coming years. ‘LNG is an attractive energy source,’ says Dahl. ‘We’re also in a period where the supply of LNG as fuel will be growing. It will take time before LNG can be used as fuel for trans-Atlantic shipping, but that will come for sure,’ he says. GWM’s motto is “Excellence in safe operation,” something that is apparent during the visit of Golar Winter, where safety is at the top of the agenda in all communication. ‘We have a very tough regime in regards

to safety and quality,’ says Dahl, noting that the quality division in most oil companies is a larger entity than the entire GWM team. They are demanding customers with high competence, and have contributed to a general improvement of the safety culture and awareness in recent years in the LNG shipping business. 24/7 operations. Back in Ferrol, Master Hans Jørgen Hansen speaks highly of the communication and teamwork involved in the docking operation. ‘We have a very close and good cooperation with GWM,’ he says. This provides excellent support when activity is most hectic. In the last year, for example, there was such high demand for natural gas on the Brazilian market that Golar Winter was producing at full capacity virtually non-stop for its charterer, Petrobras. When the vessel is back in Brazil, it will be to take on new challenges, where the crew will have to perform operations in accordance with its new loading procedures. On average a new LNG carrier will offload its cargo every fourth day. More work? Definitely. But what would life be – especially in GWM – if there weren’t always a new line of tough challenges right around the corner? WWWORLD 2 2013 45


business outlooK

NEw OPPORTUNITIES FOR SHIP OwNERS TO SAvE ENERGy Already a world leader in energy management solutions to the cruise industry, Wilhelmsen Technical Solutions (WTS) have cast their eyes on yet another market: the merchant fleet. text einar chr erlingsen photo thinKstocK

46 WWWORLD 2 2013

g

othenburg, sWeden: Since the first deliveries of an energy upgrade of a HVAC system (Heat, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) to a cruise vessel back in 1999, WTS have gathered tremendous experience in their field. Their reference list includes almost every large cruise operator in the world. And little wonder: WTS’ technology has proven savings of up to 60% of a cruise ship’s energy consumption on HVAC. Typically, around 30% of all the power used on board a cruise vessel goes to run the ventilation system. paid for in one year. These days, WTS is getting ready to introduce their EMT solutions (Energy Management Technology) to an other market: the merchant fleet. Based on their experience from the cruise and ferry industry the WTS technology has been downsized and adapted to fit the particular needs of a cargo vessel. Although the owners’ savings potential are lower, so are the installation costs. Typical payback time is one to two years.

As the world is becoming increasingly more energy conscious, so is the demand for efficient EMT solutions, now including other areas of energy savings like the engine room and cargo hold ventilation. ‘The largest savings potential is still on cruise vessels, where savings are typically 8 – 9 kWh throughout the year from the engine room alone,’ says Magnus Hansson, WTS director engineered solutions. based on true demand. Having said that, there is also energy and money to be saved on other types of vessels. WTS’ True Demand system identifies the real demand for engine room ventilation, which alone can reduce a merchant ship’s energy consumption by 0.5 – 1 million kWh/year. Most merchant ships are designed for “worst case” climate and load conditions. Typically, a ventilation system will then run on full capacity throughout and lose enormous amounts of energy. The True Demand control system is key to reducing energy consumption. It automatically responds to the varying conditions of the

energy savers: (from the left) robert uddenstig, magnus hansson, and fredrik andersson.

engine room. The system alters the ventilation and combustion air supply to meet the actual demands of fresh air to the engine room. immediate savings. Before installation of an EMT system, WTS’ engineers will calculate a ship’s energy consumption and demand and will perform on board surveys to identify the savings potential. The installation as such will be done while the ship is

still trading, and savings will appear almost immediately. The potential for savings on a merchant vessel on electricity power produced alone is in the range of 7-10%. ‘We not only predict and guarantee energy savings prior to an upgrade or a newbuild, we also provide the owner with energy benchmarking tools that allow low energy consumption over time. The tools provide instant reporting that gives a receipt that the system operates at its optimum at any given time,’ says Magnus Hansson. ‘We have installed a fair number of EMT systems on commercial vessels already, and more will follow. These days “everyone” is conscious of energy savings, and even more so with the introduction of IMO’s (International Maritime Organisation) Ships Energy Efficiency Management Plan, in effect since the beginning of this year,’ says Magnus Hansson. Among the pioneers to install the system is WW’s own MV Tønsberg, well in line with our company’s policy for adapting solutions with the least possible harmful impact on the environment.

WWWORLD 2 2013 47


on site

kOTkA – GATEwAy TO RUSSIA With a population in excess of 144 million, Russia represents a huge market for automobile logistics. At the Finnish port of Kotka, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics has created a launch pad for logistics services into Russia and the CIS countries. Here, WWL can offer customers a wide range of terminal services – including technical services, trucking and rail-loading – which help optimise the movement of rolling equipment through the port and onwards to its final destination. (Printed with the courtesy of WWL/Venture magazine)

trucKs everyWhere:

the truck loading capacity at the Kotka terminal is very high. the wwl team also prepares all the necessary documentation, including international road transport “tir carnets” and “cmr-waybills” for all truckers. ‘in 2012, we printed more than 500,000 sheets of paper. with these volumes, it’s crucial that the paper we use is eco-friendly and properly certified,’ says managing director for the terminal, ville Kuitunen says.

great location:

Kotka offers excellent ocean connections with all major european ports, including southampton, Zeebrügge, bremerhaven and st. petersburg, among others. ‘this enables us to load regular shipments from Kotka to the russian ports,’ explains ville Kuitunen, managing director of wwl’s Kotka terminal. ‘a deep fairway and large berths also make it possible for the large pure car/truck carriers (pctcs) to call at Kotka on a regular basis.’ 12 000 cars:

the terminal has the capacity to store more than 12,000 cars at a time. “it can often be beneficial to store the units until the timing is right for entry into russia – which is why so many customers choose Kotka as a buffer storage space in their import schedule. by storing cars in a bonded warehouse outside russia, customers can optimise their import plans and reduce costs,” adds ville Kuitunen. efficient operations:

terminal manager lotta riihimäki, makes sure all units passing through Kotka are handled according to the customer’s demands. regular quality audits, a continuous improvement policy and close co-operation with customs officials ensure that operations at Kotka always remain transparent, reliable and efficient. 48 WWWORLD 2 2013

WWWORLD 2 2013 49


people&places

send us your good stories have you got any stories or photos that you want to share with your WW colleagues either through WW World or the Wilhelmsen intranet? please send an email to ww.world@wilhelmsen.com

finally: after almost four weeks the all-female greenland expedition has reached isortoq after crossing the world’s largest island. from the left: toril gylterud, Jorunn røegh, Kari Ø varberg and helle hundseid – vice president wilhelmsen technical solutions.

SOlAR PANElS SAvE ENERGy AND cUT cOSTS IN AUSTRAlIA

SkIING AcROSS GREENlAND happy children: the wallenius wilhelmsen logistics sponsored children’s home is home to more than 80 children.

‘The experience of a lifetime,’ says Helle Hundseid, vice president WTS, just returned from an “all-girls” skiing expedition across Greenland.

cSR INITIATIvE FUNDS cHIlDREN’S HOME IN THAIlAND Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics is raising money to help fund the Baan Jing Jai Children's Home in Chon Buri, Thailand, as part of an employee-led Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. text isaBelle Kliger photos gaVin gough

thailand: ‘An important part of Corporate Social Responsibility is that, by doing good business, we’re actually able to do good,’ says Trond Tonjum, vice president, Global Commercial and one of the people leading the project. ‘When WWL started looking for a project for the wider community, it was important for us to find one in which we could really see and feel where our money was going. At Baan Jing Jai, our contributions make a real difference to these children’s daily lives.’ The Children’s Home is home to more than 80 orphaned or abandoned children, aged from nine months to 18 years. Since 1992, when General Manager, Khun Piangta, started providing a “drop-in” shelter for the 50 WWWORLD 2 2013

city’s street children, the project has grown steadily and now occupies three buildings in which the children are housed. Late 2010 saw the beginnings of a project to construct a facility to accommodate more than

We also need to find Ways of ensuring that What We do has a positive impact on the World around us. trond tonJum, vice president, global commercial

100 children. The cost of the new building, which has been designed free of charge by an international firm of architects, is estimated at 18.5 million Thai

baht (just under EUR 500,000). Last year, employees at the WWL head office in Norway and the offices in Stockholm and Gothenburg started raising money for Baan Jing Jai – both to fund the new housing project and to provide support to enable gifted youngsters to attend school or university. With 40 percent of the employees in Norway and Sweden already contributing to the project, Tonjum is confident that WWL and its employees will help the new children’s home become a reality. ‘This year, more WWL offices in other countries will be joining the initiative,’ he continues. ‘We’ve already raised enough to start the project and, with

the company’s commitment to equalling any donations made by the employees, we’re confident that all the necessary funds will have been raised by 2014, together with other sponsors.’ ‘Progressive businesses these days don’t exist purely for the sake of turning a profit,’ adds Tonjum. ‘We also need to find ways of ensuring that what we do has a positive impact on the world around us. This means minimising our environmental impact and acting in accordance with international codes of conduct. It’s also crucial to find ways of giving something back to the developing countries in which we operate.’ (Printed with the courtecy of WWL/Venture magazine)

greenland: one of the most forbidding

environments anywhere with night temperatures of 30c below provided the setting for helle hundseid and her three female companions when they set off to cross the world’s largest island in early may. Well prepared for the expedition through long skiing and training trips at home in norway, including shooting lessons (in case they met any unfriendly polar bears) the four women finished the 600 km long crossing from west to east in about a month, each hauling two sledges with a total of 60 kilos of food and equipment. they had to carry everything with them, as

literally nothing can be acquired under way in this empty and snow covered landscape. Daily distances covered on skis were up to 37 kms, taking up to 12 hours. then came the setting up of the tent, two to four hours to melt snow for food and drinking. eating the double amount of calories than usual took its time too. after this it was not easy to fall asleep! ‘i have dreamt of doing something like this for years, and now was the time. i wouldn’t have missed it for the world!’ claims helle hundseid, now back in more normal surroundings in oslo as vice president Wilhelmsen technical solutions/hVac offshore.

wallenius wilhelmsen logistics’ equipment processing centre (epc) outside melbourne has utilised the power of one of its most abundant natural resources – sunlight – to develop a solution that is both reducing the environmental impact of the facility and its costs. laverton, australia:

laverton epc has reduced the facility’s energy consumption by installing an 18-kilowatt solar panel system that can supply up to 33 per cent of its electricity needs. the idea was one of five winners of the castor green challenge – a competition that gave WWl’s employees around the world the opportunity to develop their best ideas for a zero-emission future. ‘By harnessing solar energy from the roof of our workshop, we’ve been able to cut our dependency on conventional energy sources and reduce our impact on the environment,’

says andrew robinson, national operations manager. ‘for our customers, this means long-term savings and a more sustainable supply chain.’ the system has been in use for just over a year. in that time, it has generated approximately 30 megawatt hours of energy. harnessing renewable energy is just one of the opportunities the laverton team has embraced. since 2008, an initiative has also been in place to capture and recycle water for use throughout the entire facility. (printed with the courtesy of WWl/Venture magazine)

GRANDMA wAS A wAR HERO margit Johnsen godø, also known as malta margit, was norway’s highest decorated female war hero after world war ii. she was recently commemorated by a bust in the presence of two of her grandchildren. Ålesund, norWay: margit sailed on WW vessels throughout the war, was torpedoed with mV tudor off gibraltar in 1940, and became famous as malta margit after she volunteered to stay with mV talabot on its “suicide mission” to malta’s relief in 1942. after the war margit received norway’s highest ranging war decorations, as well as the British empire medal. she continued to sail with WW ships until her retirement in 1960. she died in 1987. present at the unveiling of her bust were her two grandchildren hanne and line Bastholm, both equally proud of their brave grandmother.

(you can read more about margit’s wartime achievements in WW World no. 2/09).

national customes: malta margit’s granddaughters in their finest dresses when their grandmothers bust was unveiled in her home town Ålesund. (photo: terje reite/nrK) WWWORLD 2 2013 51


people&places

send us your good stories have you got any stories or photos that you want to share with your WW colleagues either through WW World or the Wilhelmsen intranet? please send an email to ww.world@wilhelmsen.com

6 960.8 metres above sea level: benedicte and gaute at the top of aconcagua, argentina in february 2013. (photo: private)

two at the top

a bottle containing a most special lysholm line aquavit from 1994 has been received at ww headquarters in oslo. this aquavit is the first to have crossed the equator on board two different ww vessels, which has made it a collector’s item. text BJØrg eKornruD photo arilD s Johannessen

52 WWWORLD 2 2013

lysaKer, norWay: a forgotten container housed this special aquavit. the line aquavit is usually carried in containers on board one WW ship that crosses the equator twice on its voyage around-theworld. however, instead of sailing with the same ship back home this container was forgotten on the quay in sydney, australia.

the aquavit had to wait until the next WW ship arrived, and thus we have an aquavit bottle with a label showing that for the very first time its contents have crossed the equator on board two different vessels. it actually got an extended sea voyage – five months instead of three. the label on these rare bottles state that the aquavit

crossed the equator on board the mV tampa on 25 may and then again on 12 october on its return voyage on board the mV talabot, just in time for the norwegian christmas celebrations. the forgotten container contained enough aquavit for 7 000 bottles. most of these special bottles were enjoyed at restaurants in norway.

young talent

benedicte gude

oslo, norWay: Benedicte, group vice president communications in WWH and Gaute, manager fleet and marine operation in WWASA, both have demanding jobs, but still find time to seek extreme challenges in climbing the world’s greatest summits. The biggest challenge yet, was the conquering of Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Americas at 6 960.8 metres (22 837.3 ft). That is equivalent to cruising altitude for passenger jets. They both reached the peak on 9 February, and it all ended with an unexpected twist when Gaute kneeled down and proposed. ‘Of course I had to say yes, he had just showed what a man he is by doing this together with me,’ says Benedicte with a smile. As lovers of an active outdoors life, both Benedicte and Gaute had climbed most of the highest Norwegian summits when they decided to take it all a giant step up. ‘I remember it was during skiing in Zermatt, Switzerland at New Year’s weekend in 2010. From the ski slopes we could see the mighty Matterhorn (4 478 meters/ 14 690 ft). We both looked at each other, and agreed to climb it. The summer of 2011 we were at the top,’ says Gaute. From there on followed Africa’s highest mountain Mount Kilimanjaro (5 895 meters/ 19 341 feet) in 2012 and then Aconcagua this year. Extreme mountain climbing is

Benedicte Gude and Gaute Teigen found love at the top, as global extreme mountain climbers.

FORGOTTEN AqUAvIT bEcAME cOllEcTOR’S ITEM

being Without your mobile, email and all other modern devices for up to 14 days is something We all should experience.

the few bottles that were sold in the state liquor stores were quickly torn away, also increasing the collectors’ value. the bottle on the picture belonged to tom Wilhelmsen and has been donated to WW by Wilhelm Wilhelmsen. it will now become part of the company's permanent aquavit exhibition at the head office.

peaK times: benedicte gude and gaute teigen have a common interest in challenging each othe r to climb the world’s highest summits. next project is manaslu in nepal next year, the eighth highest mountain in the world at 8 156 metres. (photo: arild s Johannessen).

very far from a walk in the park. It demands top physical condition, but even more important is a motivation to continue when conditions become almost unbearable. Both Gaute and Benedicte have had their fair share of hypobaropathy (altitude sickness), bad weather and vomiting. So why do they pursue such a demanding hobby? ‘It’s an almost unbelievable feeling of freedom and nature experience,’ says Gaute. ‘And the sense of accomplishment you feel at the top is worth all the hardships,’ adds Benedicte. It also has another benefit, it’s a break from a busy life as parents and at work: ‘Being without your mobile, email and all other modern devices for up to 14 days is something we all should experience,’ says Benedicte Gude and Gaute Teigen, WW’s couple on the top.

crossed twice: this aquavit crossed the equator on both mv tampa and mv talabot.

female officer: Kareen lorana on duty on the bridge of one of the world's largest ro-ro vessels.

following her dreams

Kareen lorana has always been fascinated by life at sea. she started her career as crewing assistant at the wilhelmsen office in manila, where she also decided to follow her dream of becoming a seafarer. teXt: BJØrg eKornruD photo: hans freDriK asBJØrnsen

mv tønsberg, Gulf of Mexico: Kareen is the first in her family to choose a career at sea. She has had this dream to see the world ever since she was a little girl. ‘As a child I loved looking at pictures from different countries, dreaming of going there one day,’ she says. ‘Becoming a seafarer was my chance to see the world.’ Kareen grew up in the Iloilo province on the island of Panay in The Philippines, an area with many seafarers. She has a college degree in marine transportation. After finishing her studies she applied for a cadet ship with WW. However, in 2007 there were no openings for her onboard our vessels. Instead she was offered the position of crewing assistant at the office in Manila. She accepted, hoping that this could be an opportunity for a future career at sea. Finally, in 2010, Kareen joined her first Wilhelmsen vessel – MV Topeka – as a deck cadet. She was a cadet onboard Topeka for 12 months, working three months onboard followed by one month leave. She received her licence in 2012 and was appointed jr. third officer. ‘That was one of the proudest days of my life,’ she says. ‘I want to continue sailing for Wilhelmsen. If not for them, where would I be? WW has given me this great opportunity to fulfil my dream.’ She is now preparing for her next career step, which is to become third officer. In order to train and learn everything about her coming duties, she goes her watches together with the third officer. ‘I am determined to learn new things every day from my skilled colleagues and to be a reliable crewmember,’ Kareen says. She is now dreaming of becoming the first Filipina captain on a Wilhelmsen vessel. We wish her all the best on her career path and have no doubt that she will fulfil also this dream one day. WWWORLD 2 2013 53


WW shipping

captain lars andersson (right) has ordered a ďŹ re drill and monitors, corrects and advises the crew on how to put out the ďŹ re in the galley. there were several lessons to be learned.

vessel audit on mv torrens:

TRAINING FOR HEAlTH, SAFETy AND THE ENvIRONMENT

RRRIIIIIINGGGG! The fire alarm signal sounds all over the vessel. The crew moves quickly to the Muster station, and the fire teams start scrambling hoses and protective gear to put out the fire in the galley. They are monitored by a tall Swede, who follows every move. text & photos arilD s Johannessen

54 WWWORLD 2v 2013

WWWORLD 2 2013 55


WW shipping

mv torrens is a pure car and truck carrier and the first vessel in a series of ten built by mitsubishi heavy industries, nagasaki, Japan. she was delivered to the ww group in october 2004. the vessel is specially suited for cars and trucks but she has also the flexibility to carry project cargo and containers. here at port in malmoe, sweden.

KnoWing that We do our best for the safety and operation of the vessel helps me sleep better at night.

We have learnt a lot from this internal audit. previously many feared that the inspector Would come doWn on you and Just find flaWs. noWadays We WorK together to detect deficiencies. captain amado bonilla

captain amado bonilla

mv

torrens at sea: We are on board the MV Torrens, a pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) on a voyage between Malmoe in Sweden and Tilbury UK. This time it is an exercise, and part of the internal audit that Captain Lars Andersson is performing onboard. For five days, Captain Amado C. Bonilla and his crew of 24 are thoroughly tested, monitored and audited by Captain. Andersson, one of nine auditors in Wilhelmsen Ship Management’s global HSEQ-team. Auditor and crew have a common goal: to ensure that MV Torrens and her crew are up to all standards for seaworthiness, competence, safety and environmental regulations, and as always there are issues to be improved and experiences to be shared. improvements through training. ‘I regard myself as an advisor. My role is to detect deficiencies and improve safety on board. But unlike a regular Port State Control, I also have the opportunity to train the officers and crew. Therefore I conduct de-briefings after each exercise, and have group conversations with all crew members. Everyone can learn, also on a ship shape vessel like the Torrens,’ says Captain Andersson (53), an experienced mariner who first set his sea legs in 1976. He has been master himself on a number of ships through his career, from ferries to cruise ships and seismic research vessels. Many members of the all-Filippino crew onboard Torrens are young, and still in a learning process. Every nook and cranny of

56 WWWORLD 2 2013

life boat drill: the crew is assembled at the aft deck muster station, ready to enter the free-fall lifeboat. captain andersson gives his advice before calling off the exercise.

sleeps well: ‘internal audits are very useful and make me sleep better at night,’ says mv torrens’ master amado c. bonilla. here he is conducting his final instructions while the vessel is berthing at tilbury, united Kingdom.

de-brief on the bridge: an important part of a vessel audit is to train the crew. here captains amado c. bonilla and lars andersson have assembled the crew to give advice and exchange viewpoints on the audit conducted.

the vessel is inspected, from the cargo hold to the bow thruster room, from the engine to the bridge. Afterwards Captain Andersson assembles the crew and asks questions like: “Where is the emergency fire pump?” or “Do you know about the Safety Management System onboard?” During the training sessions he explains both rookies and veterans alike the essentials for every mariner: “Safety is the first rule of operation. We have to make sure we do not hurt ourselves. And to avoid that we all have to know how to operate our equipment.” safety is a continuous process. Captain Amado Bonilla (44) is satisfied with both the crew’s performance and the auditor. ‘We have learnt a lot from this internal audit. Previously many feared that the inspector would come down on you and just find flaws. Nowadays we work together to detect deficiencies, but most importantly to train the crew. Since I have a young crew and cadets under my command this is the best way “to learn the ropes”. Continuous training and internal audits are our best protection next time we face a Port State Control”. MV Torrens, commercially operated by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, managed by Wilhelmsen Line Car Carriers and crewed by Wilhelmsen Ship Management, is an ISO 14001 certified vessel. That sets the bar high for the standards onboard. During his five days, Captain Lars Andersson performs a total of four different audits. There is an ISM-audit

(International Safety Management Code), an ISPS-audit (The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code), a VGP-audit (Vessel General Permit) and an environmental audit. It all starts with an opening meeting with the entire crew present. Then there is review of vital documentation, exercises and inspection of gear and equipment. It ends with a closing meeting, where Captain Andersson presents his findings and delivers the final report. ‘Safety and security are not fixed assets. We have to train all the time to maintain our competence. My job is to check that all our company procedures and regulations are followed, to ensure the vessels are operated in a safe manner and to prepare the Master and crew for external audits. An observation I have made during my time as an auditor is the heightened level of safety among crews. Not only on Wilhelmsen vessels, they are usually premium, but in general. And that makes our job both important and rewarding,’ says Captain Lars Andersson. and hoW did it go? Yes, the auditor found some areas of improvement. But nothing major, after such a strict inspection. Captain Bonilla can relax and with a smile on his face comment: ‘I regard these vessel audits as very important. We are not perfect, and we can always improve. But I know that we are a better performing crew than we were before this audit. Knowing that we do our best for the safety and operation of the vessel helps me sleep better at night.’

wHAT DID yOU lEARN FROM THIS vESSEl AUDIT? Junel mendez (31), 2nd engineer

‘captain andersson corrected our mistakes and gave us good advice during the fire drill. he also highlighted revisions of documents as essential, and i know we are much better prepared for the next port state control than prior to this internal vessel audit. i found it very useful.’ charlemagne g. postano (31), 3rd engineer

‘We all really know the procedures, but captain andersson showed us that the devil is in the details. he gave us advice on how to correct and showed us the big picture as well. personally i also think that his lecture on risk assessment was very good and handy. We will follow up his work on the next security meeting on board.’ Jorge calimbo (21), decK cadet

‘i really learned much from captain andersson’s lecture on safety in enclosed spaces, and the importance to assess risk in everything we do on deck. i also learnt more about the Docmap system. i found his audit very useful.’ WWWORLD 2 2013 57


environment

THE wORlD'S lARGEST MUlTI-STREAM ScRUbbER IN PlAcE

It was a highly complex engineering task, but after 45 days at the Sembawang ship yard the installation phase of the project was completed: the installation of the world’s largest hybrid multi-stream scrubber onboard MV Tarago, a 13 year old Mark IV ro-ro vessel. text arilD s Johannessen photos thamBa ra JeeVan anD semBaWang shipyarD

singapore: The Wärtsila Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS) with accessories weighed approx. 80 tons in total. In addition more than 10 kilometres of wiring and several kilometres of piping were needed to complete the installation. During the 45 days at the yard, MV Tarago spent 19 days in dock. The new system will allow the M/V Tarago to use heavy fuel oil in Emission Control Areas (ECA) and still be in compliance with the new sulphur requirements coming into force from 1 January 2015. ‘We had to remove the old funnel entirely, but the most challenging part was to integrate the scrubber and all the pipes with the vessel’s current infrastructure and operating systems. The new EGCS is a semi-integrated system with a simplified operator interface. The installation has also sufficient redundancy built in, so high reliability could be ensured during service. Apart from few days of delay, the installation mostly went according to chedule,’ says Thamba Rajeevan, senior project manager in the technical department of Wilh. Wilhelmsen ASA. He is heading the project team which consists of several key personnel from the supplier Wärtsila Moss, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics and a few other individuals fro the WW organisation. Tarago’s master Robin Trulssen, chief engineer Ole Kristiansen, chief officer Magnus Bergman and the remaining crew were also present during the installation, and supplemented valuable input. Thamba also gives credit to vessel manager Ove Saetre for excellent cooperation throughout the project execution phase MV Tarago left Sembawang Shipyard 20 April. During the next months all functions of the EGCS will be thoroughly tested before completing the commissioning, which is expected in the second part of 2013. 58 WWWORLD 2 2013

thamba raJeevan: senior project manager in the technical department of wilh. wilhelmsen asa.

mission completed: crew, project team and workers from sembawang ship yard in front of tarago and the funnel containing the world’s largest hybrid multi-stream scrubber.

the project in brief in april 2012 wwasa and Wärtsilä moss (then hamworthy) agreed to retrofit a ro-ro vessel, i.e. the mV tarago, with the world’s largest multi-stream scrubber. the system is designed to remove sulphur and particulates from the exhaust gases from the vessel’s main and auxiliary engines, whose combined power output is 28 000 kW. the project is a major step in preparing the WWasa fleet for compliance to stricter sulphur emission regulations coming in 2015. When in operation, the scrubber will provide important experience with this technology and be a valuable tool for decision making related to the rest of the fleet. measurement and verification of the project will be carried out by marintek, the norwegian technology research institute to further endorse the viability of scrubbing as an efficient and cost effective solution for compliance in the new emission control areas (eca). tight sQueeZe: the most challenging part was to integrate the scrubber and all the pipes with the vessels current infrastructure and operating systems.

the wärtsila exhaust gas cleaning system.

WWWORLD 2 2013 59


photo: thinKstocK

hr/od

gm training: 16 of wilhelmsen ships service’s general managers from all over the world met in barcelona for the second module of their in-house training programme.

TRAINING MAkES bUSINESS SENSE

Meeting for the second module of Wilhelmsen Ships Service’s innovative, in-house general manager development programme, sixteen general managers were put through their paces on everything from how to measure and improve the performance within their GM territory, to using tools to develop a continuous improvement culture and beyond.

b

text DaViD hopKins

arcelona, spain: Fresh from leading the very intensive programme she helped create alongside Rune Pedersen VP HR & OD, Leona Geilvoet, Head Of Organisational Development, gives us an overview of the latest module. In addition to sessions around recruitment and the exit processes the main focus of the module is ‘quantifying and improving performance, from a customer, financial, process and people point of view,’ says Geilvoet. Keen to re-iterate the in-house nature of the entire programme, from the content, exercises and intention to its delivery, Geilvoet is also eager to highlight that the training is also specific to WSS’ business rather than being a generic, general corporate set-up. ‘We have exercises where we provide real-life scenarios of challenges that our managers face on a day-to-day basis, this can be either related to governance, people management, customers etc.’ The exercises themselves are also given an extra level

60 WWWORLD 2 2013

of authenticity as they’re the direct result of the stakeholder group of WSS colleagues Along with the colleagues who helped sculpt the programme’s exercises, senior management have also played an important role, in both supporting the project and indeed delivering some of its content. During module 1 the WSS President, Bjørge Grimholt and several CMT members played a key role in delivering the content. Present for the Barcelona module was none other than the Wilh. Wilhelmsen group CEO Thomas Wilhelmsen who gave an inspiring presentation about his journey through the company and his responsibilities in leading a family business with a long history such as the Wilhelmsen group. ‘In addition to that, during the meeting he indicated that what motivates him most is to travel around and meet all the great people that work within the Wilhelmsen organisation,’ says Geilvoet. Varying between challenging and gruelling, depending on your outlook, the training programme condenses an awful lot into just

a few short days, with every waking moment seemingly utilised in some way, shape or form. But despite the long hours and for many delegates the jet-lag, the GMs are kept motivated and on track due to; the real need to actively participate in sessions, the nature of the tailor-made content and the ‘passion and thorough expertise’ of the expert facilitators. But, as Geilvoet adds, a little fun and relaxation also goes a long way too. ‘For example our ‘morning activity session’ is a time where everyone who wants to, gather together before the day starts to go for a walk or a run, go to the gym or the pool, or do some kind of physical activity.’ Initially conceived as a two module programme, in line with the rapidly changing needs of the business, and in response to the feedback from the first sixteen GMs, an additional third element may be added at a later stage. Planning is also already underway for the next group of GMs to enter the programme early next year.

social media

wHAT HAPPENS ONlINE - STAyS ONlINE!

Are you sharing too much? Sometimes even the most Internet savvy can find it hard to know if the information they share online is being kept private. The reality of the situation is that websites are not secure by default. text and photo stacey troDal

oslo, norWay: You need to assume that everything you post on the Internet can be seen and accessed by anyone – forever! So – when you post things on the Internet – take three seconds to think before you press the enter key! Do you want these pictures or comments to come back and haunt you five years from now? Could you proudly repeat your online comment out loud in front of colleagues and friends? be proactive. WW group’s security advisor Tor Langrud agrees that people need to take a more proactive approach to protecting their own and the WW group’s online image. ‘Awareness is really key. At the end of the day, it’s up to each person to ensure that the information they upload is not going to create a security threat or damage their and

the company’s reputation.’ ‘A harmless post about meeting a business partner or posting images from inside your office building can provide considerable insider knowledge that can be used maliciously against you and the company. So be aware and think about the risks of any information you share online. No matter your position or how long you’ve been working for the group, make yourself familiar with the group’s social media policy and other guidelines,’ says Langrud. ‘Be proactive and keep track of what is associated with your name online. Know what information is out on the Web associated to you. Do a regular Google (or other search engine) search of your name. Always keep in the back of your mind – what happens online stays online, so think BEFORE you click!’

thinK first: ‘take three seconds to think before you post things on the internet,’ says security advisor tor langrud.

could you proudly repeat your online comment out loud in front of colleagues and friends? WWWORLD 2 2013 61


the World as i see it craig JasiensKi the way the world looks depends largely on where you are. in order to balance the traditional head office view, ww world is challenging managers from our worldwide organization to give their views on the market situation, current events and other subjects of interest.

Our guest this time is Craig Jasienski, who took over as President & CEO EUKOR Car Carriers Inc. after Sjur Galtung at the beginning of this year.

cHANGING FAST – bUT I DON’T MIND

s

eoul. Korea: One of my favorite proverbs is an old African one: “Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle. When the sun comes up, you better start running.” Lengthy as proverbs go, but it says a lot and can readily be applied to business. Our markets are ever changing as are our competitors. In the global Car Carrying sector alone, often considered an oligopoly, three new players entered in the past 4-5 years; Glovis, Siem and TMT. Next phase of sulfur emission regulations come in force in just 18 months’ time. China now imports and exports 5 times more cars than it did 5 years ago and where will that end? Perhaps China will be the new Korea? That has been the new Japan in the past 10 years, for export growth of new vehicles from the Far East. Manufacturers continue to seek; production, logistics and marketing alliances and fuel prices have risen steadily. The list goes on, the point? Standing still is not an option. Not for gazelles, lions or EUKOR Car Carriers Inc. great tracK record. In EUKOR we have just completed our International Management Meeting (IMM) in Seoul where this is being addressed. We have a fantastic track record the past ten years since our inception with an average annual growth rate close to 12%. How to secure similar growth rates the next ten years is our focus. In a constantly changing market, and the next ten years will be no exception, new opportunities will appear and some will be created. Using our strengths, we can continue sure and steady growth for EUKOR in what is still a big market with opportunities ready to be taken. Once again, standing still is not an option – adapting ourselves to a changing world is. As this article is written from my desk in Korea, most readers would expect some reference to the political situation between South 62 WWWORLD 2 2013

and North Korea. During the traditionally tense weeks in April what I saw in the international media (outside of Korea) was somewhat over-dramatized and exaggerated. My wife taught me that when you are flying in bad weather and get worried, look at the cabin crew and if they are calm – then you’ve nothing to worry about. In the streets of Seoul during that period, life was normal and everyone was calm and going about their business – there was nothing to worry about. We of course made necessary precautions in case of an emergency, just like any other contingency. But where did that manual go on dealing with full scale nuclear war…? “Duck and Cover” wasn’t that the solution children were taught at school in the 1950’s? I am of course making light of a serious matter, however if you read some of the more popular but less informed media, this is what journalists were telling us would happen. If it did, then frankly I’m not even sure things would be normal in Spitzbergen or Tasmania. an amazing country. The most disappointing aspect I think, as a new guest in Korea, is the amount of media attention abroad on North Korea, compared to the amazing country that is South Korea. It is completely out of balance - there is simply not enough good press on the South. South Korea and her people have managed impossible change during the past 50 years. In only the last 25 years, it has moved from a military dictatorship to the 2nd most democratic nation in Asia, in 1953 the country was destroyed and poverty stricken. South Korea is now the 15th largest economy in the world. All this was achieved without threatening the world, or its own people, with nothing but hard work, hope of a better future and producing great products for export – with very limited natural resources. To see successful change in real life on a large scale that has been driven by a common goal by all people – come to South Korea. Considering the tremendous development of South Korea and the fact that EUKOR is and will remain based in Korea. Can that same spirit see the company through the next round of; growth, challenges, opportunities and changes the next ten years will bring us? There is no doubt in my mind. Having just moved from Oslo to Seoul in January this year has also meant a large change for me. Moving from my former employer UECC to EUKOR, family soon to follow and changing how I work in a new business environment and culture are also significant personal events – but not even a drop in the ocean compared to this changing world.

standing still is not an option. not for gazelles, lions or euKor car carriers inc. craig JasiensKi, president & ceo euKor car carriers inc.

WWWORLD 1 2013 63


histoRic corner

Wilh. Wilhelmsen was established as an independent company in 1861 and celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2011. WW World would like to share some of the company’s long and exciting history with its readers. readers with stories to share or feedback to give are welcome to send an email to ww.world@wilhelmsen.com.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen logistics –

a giant in rolling stocK

In March 1999, Wilh. Wilhelmsen and Wallenius Lines in Stockholm signed an agreement to establish a joint venture company for the activities in Wilhelmsen Lines and Wallenius Lines. The news was spread through internal memos at headquarters and press releases worldwide. text hans chr. Bangsmoen

today wallenius wilhelmsen logistics (wwl) is one of the worlds largest roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) operators.

oslo, norWay: The two companies were to put in their entire fleets of ro-ro vessels and car carriers and the joint venture would be owned equally 50% by each partner. The ships, however, would still be owned by the respective companies. Thus was created Wallenius Wilhelmsen Lines (WWL), one of the world’s largest shipping companies for the transportation of all kinds of rolling stock. At the time of founding, the company had more than 70 vessels at its disposal, in addition to 10 new ships on order and options for further newbuildings. This agreement had not been reached over night. It was the result of a process that had begun several years previously, and was full of interesting factors with contacts on various levels in the two organisations. Explaining the establishment of WWL as an industrially correct move was easy, especially to the companies’ many customers. While Wilhelmsen Lines had a centralised organisation and focused on ro-ro vessels, Wallenius had a more regional orientation and concentrated on car carriers. The fact that the two companies’ areas of operation and organisations complemented each other, rather than competed, made it easier to adjust. A major reason for establishing WWL was the increased globalisation taking place at that time in 64 WWWORLD 2 2013

the ro-ro and car carrying markets. Acquisitions and mergers had resulted in fewer and larger players among the manufacturers. They in turn demanded better global transport services from the ship owners. WWL was able to satisfy these demands and positioned itself in all the large, important shipping areas. Whereas WW had its strength in the trades between Europe and the US and Australia/ New Zealand and from the Far East to the US, Wallenius’ strengths lay in the North Atlantic trade and between Europe and the Far East. It was decided that Ingar Skaug from Wilhelmsen Lines was to be the first CEO in the new company, while Christer Olsson from Wallenius Lines would be chair of the board. The new organisation was to be in place on 1 July and WWL would have two head offices, one in Stockholm and one in Oslo. Even though the staff were positive to the merger, it quickly became clear that many were affected by the process and had to think about changing jobs and workplace. Two months after the announcement, the new organisation was in place, truly a great achievement, considering that this was a new giant in shipping to be built both at home and abroad. We will study more details in the development of the company in a later article.


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.