The Wilhelmsen Ship Management newsletter - No have what want you. Part of Wilhelmsen Maritime Services, a Wilh. Wilhelmsen group company

Transcription

1 The Wilhelmsen Ship Management newsletter - No have what want you Part of Wilhelmsen Maritime Services, a Wilh. Wilhelmsen group company

2 New name, same commitment to serve Dear customers, Barber Ship Management changed its name to Wilhelmsen Ship Management from 1 January I would like to briefly explain what this means. The reason for the change is a wish to identify more strongly with the Wilhelmsen name. The Wilh. Wilhelmsen organisation has, during its nearly 150 years of existence, built a strong reputation based on good maritime traditions combined with the best of modern business thinking. We believe that the Wilhelmsen identity will strengthen our position, particularly in attracting and retaining the best people onboard the vessels and onshore. This will create additional value for our customers in the form of safer and better run ships. There are no other changes beyond the new name. You will continue to deal with the same people as always. Nor will there be any changes in administrative routines. Our commitment to provide our customers with the best possible management services remains firm. We will continue to improve and to introduce new services. We will continue to deliver the quality of service you expect from us. We appreciate your trust and will continue to do our utmost to live up to it in the period ahead. Best regards Geir Sekkesæter President Wilhelmsen Ship Management We believe that the Wilhelmsen identity will strengthen our position, particularly in attracting and retaining the best people onboard the vessels and onshore. Geir Sekkesæter, President, Wilhelmsen Ship Management ManaGER Publisher: Wilhelmsen Ship Management AS Strandveien 20, P.O. Box 33, NO-1324 Lysaker, Norway Tel: , Editorial team: Helle K. Bakkeland Marketing and Sales Manager helle.k.bakkeland@wilhelmsen.com Don Pyle don.pyle@wilhelmsen.com Editorial production & graphic design: Blue International Communication All rights reserved 2008

3 Inhouse to Global: Wilhelmsen Insurance Services shifts focus Acting as Wilh.Wilhelmsen group s marine insurance department and insurance advisor for the past twenty years, Wilhelmsen Insurance Services (WIS) is changing its internal client focus. We are going from in-house to global. We are taking our in-depth knowledge of marine insurance to the international marketplace and will operate as an independent provider of specialist marine insurance services. Instead of servicing just WW, Wilhelmsen Ship Management and International Tanker Management, we are now offering our services to global shipowners, says Kjell Tørseth, President, WIS. Negotiating USD 18M premiums for the group in 2007, WIS is looking to expand considerably over the years to come. It will do so by leveraging its network to establish alliances and attract new business, and build its brand as a specialist, medium-sized marine insurance broker. We are a professional company and even have to fight for business within our own group. We take nothing for granted and look forward to competing in the open market, says Tørseth. Handling insurance for about 150 ships each year gives the company volume (big is beautiful in marine insurance), thus the ability to obtain competitive rates. Combine this with all the resources and experience of a world-leading shipping company, WW, and a worldleading ship service company, Wilhelmsen Maritime Services (WMS), the future looks bright for WIS. But according to Tørseth, WIS has to prove itself to the global market. Even though WIS s connection to both WW and WMS gives tremendous advantages for our clients, we have to concentrate our efforts on providing comprehensive marine insurance services at competitive terms. We will build our reputation through our hands-on shipping competence and fast, flexible and responsive service, he says. He maintains that clients will benefit from WIS s fully operational marine insurance department and broad marine expertise. Last year WIS arranged insurance for ships representing a combined value of over USD 5 billion. We are accustomed to handling sizeable values, managing most insurance budgets and supplying all types of coverage, from hull and machinery, war risks and P&I. WIS services include inviting tenders, purchasing and taking out insurances at competitive prices with reputable brokers and underwriters in all recognized insurance markets. Today we operate in all major markets, placing insurance in Scandinavia, the UK (London), Japan, and Korea, says Tørseth. Services provided by WIS also include securing accurate insurance documentation, premium payment, premium assessment and budgeting and insurance manuals. Further, the company will carefully monitor claims handling, loss prevention services and claims statistics follow up. We have a dedicated team of finance, claim and insurance specialists, said Tørseth. Depending on the type of vessel, marine insurance accounts for approximately 7 15% of a ship s annual operating costs. It is a business that demands professionalism, security We have a dedicated team of finance, claim and insurance specialists Kjell Tørseth, President, WIS. and a global network. Owners may dedicate their resources to concentrate on more pressing daily matters, focusing on core business, and leave marine insurance handling to WIS. On the strength of our total premium and a highly professional staff, we can offer shipowners maximum attention, support and service in all international markets. We are ready to become a niche marine insurance provider to quality-conscious shipowners, maintains Tørseth. WIS marine insurance advantage Securing best possible terms and conditions with top security underwriters Predictable insurance costs enabling shipowners to allocate funds to cover premiums and secure their budget goals and financial stability Expert insurance services (broker, markets, premium and claims lead Speedy claims settlement Professional loss prevention assistance and programs

4 Building ships around the globe The skill in running a successful new build project is an art. Wilhelmsen Marine Consultants experience can often mean the difference between success and failure. Wilhelmsen Marine Consultants managing new Ro-Ro projects. From left: Gunnar M. Gamlem, Hans Petter Grønlund and Håvard Hedlo Close co-operation with Wilh. Wilhelmsen shipowning division and Wilhelmsen Ship Management has given Wilhelmsen Marine Consultants (WMC) extensive operational experience in project management; vessel design; yard selection and negotiations; plan approval and site supervision; and environmental issues. But, with so many years of know-how under its belt as an in-house technical service provider, it also offers third-party consultancy to companies wanting a professional approach to the entire process of design, new building and conversions of ships. The split between undertaking our own projects and third-party ones is probably about 50/50 at present, says WMC s managing director, Per Brinchmann. However, this figure is likely to change as we are seeing increasing demand for our services from external ship owners. Brinchmann believes that the company has one overriding advantage over other providers of shipbuilding project management services it is a ship owner. Being part of the Wilhelmsen group is a major benefit to us as we actually think like a ship owner. We know intimately how ships are used day-to-day, the problems that occur and the challenges of operating a fleet. The growth of shipbuilding in China has had a major impact on WMC and it has an office in Shanghai and close links with a number of yards in the country. We are undertaking an increasing number of projects in China and I believe our extensive knowledge of how to operate there is a big advantage for us, explains Brinchmann. The cultural challenges are a large part of running a successful project in China and being on the ground with capable personnel is really the only way to build ships there successfully. But WMC does not limit itself to China. It has projects in Norway particularly for offshore ventures Poland, Vietnam, Korea and Japan, to name but a few locations. The decision on where to build is always based on the requirements of the clients their best interests always come first. Projects undertaken vary enormously from small seismic vessels to bulk carriers and chemical transporters. The only third-party work we do not undertake is in the ro-ro sector, Brinchmann says. Because of the competition in this market, we have decided to only manage ro-ro projects for ourselves and for owners with vessels on charter to us. But with demand so strong in other areas, I m sure we won t be short of work! If a company is looking for a Scandindinavian-style approach to running a project, combined with high quality and value for money from a global shipbuilding operator, WMC can provide a service unsurpassed in the industry. We know intimately how ships are used day-today, the problems that occur and the challenges of operating a fleet Per Brinchmann, Managing Director, Wilhelmsen Marine Consultants

5 DNV collaboration helps ensure quality crewing standards As a leader in third-party ship management, Wilhelmsen Ship Management takes a proactive role in initiatives and actions that will lead to safer and improved shipboard conditions. A recent cooperation with Det Norske Veritas (DNV) provides a prime example of this commitment. Wilhelmsen Ship Management Captain Steinar Rocky Ziem welcomed DNV inspectors onboard MV Antares as part of a trial to develop standards for crew conditions. When new maritime regulations and conventions are put into effect, classification societies need to be prepared for the inspections that they will be called upon to perform to ensure compliance. Recently, an anticipated new international convention concerning crewing standards (ILO Maritime Labour Convention MLC 2006) expected in 2011 brought DNV and Wilhelmsen Ship Management together in what can only be called a fruitful collaboration. DNV contacted Wilhelmsen Ship Management and requested its help in carrying out a trial inspection routine on a Wilhelmsen-managed vessel. Wilhelmsen Ship Management was positive to this, and suggested an inspection on the MV Antares to be carried out while the vessel was in port in Åbo, Finland on 13 October The master of the vessel, Capt. Steinar Rocky Ziem, was on hand to help DNV auditors Karl Johansen and Helle Fløtaker. This is a win-win scenario for both companies, says Ove Sætre, vessel manager in Wilhelmsen Ship Management s Ro/Ro group. He was responsible for coordinating DNV s visit on the Antares. Wilh. Wilhelmsen s focus on safety and environmental issues is renowned, and is most appreciated by DNV. DNV s inspection report afterward reflected that the trial inspection had been successful. The vessel had, they concluded, good accommodation and recreation facilities, both regarding size and environment. The ship was also judged to be more than sufficiently clean and tidy and had a pleasant working environment. The captain and his crew were thanked for their cooperation, and extensive notes were taken that will be used by DNV to improve future inspection procedures. All of our ship employees deserve praise for their special efforts with the inspection, says Sætre. DNV inspectors were impressed with what they saw onboard, and requested access to several key documents, including the Master s Summary, Hours of Rest, Employment Contract, Duty List in Port and at Sea, Occupational Safety and Health Program 2007, and the Medical Certificate. New vessels on management MV Universal Challenger Geared Panamax vessel Owner: Bulk Container Shipping, UK Wilhelmsen Ship Management office: Singapore MV Vinashin Diamond (currently Liberty Sea) Panamax vessel Owner: Shinpetrol JSC Wilhelmsen Ship Management office: Kuala Lumpur

6 Innovation: Pro-active for shipowners You can t teach an old dog new tricks? Well, we certainly try to prove that adage wrong, said Aditya Saxena, General Manager of Wilhelmsen Ship Management USA Inc. Wilhelmsen Ship Management, and its partner Wilhelmsen Marine Consultants, have extended the life of 24-year-old bulker Bernardo Quintana A for its owners until 2022, with cost-efficiency and reduced emissions. We are always looking for ways to reduce operating costs for our ships. We studied various ways to reduce fuel consumption, and found that a CLT propellor was the best way to achieve a significant and measurable reduction, said Saxena, pointing out that the propellor will pay for itself after only 18 months with today s high fuel prices. A CLT, or Contracted Loaded Tip, propellor s blades have winglets like those seen on the tips of some modern airliner wings (most notably, Boeing s 737). And the benefits are the same: fuel efficiency, greater speed and range and lower noise and vibration levels. The decision to reduce fuel consumption and thereby reduce operating costs also helps the environment due to reduced emissions and waste generation. Living conditions onboard also improved due to reduced hull vibration. The new CLT propeller has already demonstrated a reduction in fuel consumption and onboard vibration. Orders have been placed to install CLT propellers on two more self-unloading bulk carriers. The new CLT propellor on Bernardo Quintana A increases fuel efficiency and performance. Inset: A winglet from a Boeing 737 works on a similar principle. W Manager Regulatory Column Fluorinated gases In July last year, the EU effectively banned disposable refrigerant cylinders on EU-flagged vessels and in EU territory. The ban will most likely spread elsewhere. Bye-bye disposables HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) refrigerants can be found on all oceangoing vessels, where they feed air conditioning systems, refrigerators and/or refrigerated containers. Due to leaks and dissipation, refrigerants need to be topped up. Typically, suppliers in port offer disposable cylinders of HFC-refrigerant to commercial ships, which duly empty the cylinder and dispose of it (sometimes overboard, depending on the operators own rules). Because these cylinders are rarely completely empty, the remaining HFC gases escape to the atmosphere, where they contribute to the greenhouse effect. It was this kind of pollution, among others, that the EU sought to stanch with its F-GAS regulation (EC 842/2006), passed in 2006, in accordance with Kyoto Protocol commitments. The F-GAS regulation banned use of HFC-refrigerants in disposable cylinders after 4 July 2007 for the entire territory of the European Union and on EU-flagged vessels. Even non-eu vessels would lose their supply of such cylinders when calling at EU ports. Our strategy and response Working together with in-house expertise in cylinder management, Wilhelmsen Ship Management has arranged for delivery and return of refillable HFC cylinders for many years. Wilhelmsen Ship Management ensures compliance for all of its customers, and encourages use of refillable cylinders even when it is not stipulated. We practice safe disposal of one-time cylinders, inspect refrigeration systems regularly to prevent leaks and train staff in prudent use and management of refrigerant and cooling systems. Thanks to our global network of agents and managers, we were prepared for this regulation. Reducing emissions of greenhouse gases is part of our environmental management system, says Wilhelmsen Ship Management s HSEQ Manager Jan Jakobsen.