TAKEROperator · 2013. 4. 12. · former Intertanko managing director Peter Swift. This new...

OCTOBER 2011 www.tankeroperator.com

TA�KEROperator

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October 2011 � TANKEROperator 01

ContentsNews Focus EEDI- collaboration needed

Sweden Report� Battling for the future

� Tanker giant expands further

Anti-piracy/security� Armed guards- IMO speaks

� Specialised training offered

� Vetting is crucial

� Fighting the menace

� Pirates change tactics

Satellite Communications� Always available communications

� Inmarsat gears for the future

Technology31 Propulsion systems� ABB looks for efficiency

� Switching fuels causes problems

� Platinum control systems

� NAPA goes shipboard

08

Front cover Thomas Gunn �avigation Services is the world's market leading International Admiralty Chart agent. The company specialisesin the supply of navigational products and associated services to the shipping industry on a worldwide basis. It has recently upgraded its website and offers many services online.

26

40 Underwater repair� UMC extends reach

� Saving time and money

44 Safety Systems� Accident investigation failures

� Viking gains certification

� Liferaft exchange programme

49 Tank Servicing� From dirty to clean cargoes

� Cargo heating management

09

31

16

p1:p1.qxd 30/09/2011 11:27 Page 1

We make no apology for the number of piraterelated stories and articles appearing in this issueof TANKEROperator Magazine.There is no doubt that the problem continues and will continue toescalate, while the world’s shipping and military organisations debateabout what to do next.

One security advisor has suggested putting together a large combatforce, which could be paid for by the insurance industry and act as asingle unit with the capacity to get anywhere in the world quickly. Atthe moment we have diverse military and commercial organisationswith different agendas trying to solve a problem, which is becomingincreasingly insolvable.

What of the victims of pirate attacks and hijackings? They haveseemed to be overlooked in all the rhetoric being banded about.

It was pleasing, therefore, on World Maritime Day to receive detailsof a new initiative put together by industry heavyweights aimed athelping seafarers and their families cope with the physical and mentaltrauma caused by torture and abuse at the hands of the pirates. They areroutinely using extreme brutality and the threat of death againstseafarers and their relatives in search of ever more lucrative ransoms.

The new initiative goes by the name of Maritime PiracyHumanitarian Response Programme (MPHRP). It is funded by the ITFSeafarers’ Trust charity and The TK Foundation and is chaired byformer Intertanko managing director Peter Swift.

This new programme claims to speak for a grouping of shipowners,trade unions, managers, manning agents, insurers and welfare associations,representing the entire shipping industry, from crews to owners.

Its mission is to aid seafarers who have been, or may be subject topirate attack. At its launch, the organisers said that Somali-based piratesnow regularly treat hostage seafarers with extreme violence in order toput pressure on their families and/or employers to expedite theirransom demands.

This includes phoning family members and making the seafarerplead for his life while he is abused and threatened with death, filmingthis and posting it online for relatives to see.

MPHRP chair Peter Swift explained: “Piracy is reaching an all-timehigh: in the number of incidents, in the vast ransoms demanded and,most of all, in the extreme violence used. The treatment meted out tothe victims now frequently crosses the line from savagery into torture.

“The effects are potentially horrendous. For those, say, who successfullyresisted capture but were nearly burnt alive in the room in which theybarricaded themselves; for the brutalised hostages; and for those who dailyput to sea in fear that it may at any time happen to them. And that’s not toforget the families, who are now firmly on the pirates’ target list,” he said.

Roy Paul of the ITF Seafarers’ Trust and MPHRP programmemanager, added: “Until now, there has been little co-ordinated help forthose who are suffering. Now that will change. With the help of those inthe industry who want to do their best for those involved, we intend tobuild up a network of first responders and get psychosocial help foraffected crews.

“We have already been listening to seafarers and recording theirexperiences. Those will lay the foundation for new guides for seafarers,families and employers, for training in their use and for building thenetworks of human and medical help that are now desperately needed,”he concluded.

The MPHRP partner organisations are: BIMCO, ICMA, ICSW,IFSMA, IGP&I, IMB, IMEC, IMHA, Intercargo, InterManager,INTERTANKO, IPTA, ISAN, ISF, ITF, IUMI, OCIMF and SIGTTO.

There is also a grouping of observers, which includes the IMO, ILOand the NATO Shipping Centre.

As is now well documented, piracy is costing billions of dollars,endangering people and trade and ruining lives. Today, there are up to300 seafarers being held hostage by Somali pirates, who apart fromissuing death threats and torturing their captives, are increasinglyforcing kidnapped crews to navigate their vessels so they can be used asmotherships. These have helped to extend the pirates’ operationsthousands of miles from Somalia.

Piracy has never been so far reaching, so savage or so successful, theMPHRP said. According to monitoring body International Maritime Bureau(IMB), piracy at sea hit an all-time high in the first three months of this year.

The IMB told the MPHRP that as of 25th September 2011, there were15 vessels with 277 crew under negotiations (hostage), and a further 19being held prisoner on land.

COMMENT

Piracy- helping seafarers and their families

TO

TANKEROperator � October 201102

TANKEROperatorVol 11 No 1Tanker Operator MagazineLtd2nd Floor, 8 Baltic Street EastLondon EC1Y 0UP, UK www.tankeroperator.com

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Country type attack TotalGulf of Aden Attempted 13

Boarded 1Hijacked 4Fired upon 14

Total 32Red Sea Attempted 21

Boarded 3Fired upon 9

Total 33Somalia Attempted 38

Boarded 14Hijacked 20Fired upon 55

Total 127GRA�D TOTAL 192

Type attack TotalAttempted 94

Boarded 134

Hijacked 35

Fired upon 81

Grand total 344

Source: IMB.

Worldwide figures as of 25th September

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 09:38 Page 2

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INDUSTRY - MARKETS


Although these units have beenemployed outside the tanker marketon long-term storage contracts forsome time, it does once again put

the spotlight on what impact (if any) theremaining SHs have in today’s tanker market.

Analysis undertaken by Gibson Researchshowed that just 223 single hulls tankers ofover 25,000 dwt remain in the fleet as of themiddle of September, which represented about5% of the total tanker tonnage.

Only seven flag states had 10 or more SHson their respective registers. Excluding Panamaand Liberia, Indonesia has 31 SHs, China (21)and Brazil (13). Petrobras remains the largestowner of SH tanker tonnage with 13 vessels.

Closer scrutiny of the accompanying tableshows that of the remaining 33 VLCCs, justfive continue to trade. More significantly, 16units are employed in long-term projects mostlystoring fuel oil in the Singapore area. A furtherseven are laid-up in waters around Labuan.

With the inclusion of the three Ship Financevessels (reported sold to Petrobras for possibleconversion to FPSOs), as many as 10 SH VLCCsare destined for conversion to FPSO/FSOs*.

By comparison, the Suezmax fleet is now 98%double hull with just eight SH units still afloat.Again, a few of these are engaged in long-termstorage, or destined for offshore conversion.

Excluding those vessels still trading, it ismost unlikely that any of these units willreturn to the tanker market. It is also unlikelythat we will see any further tanker sales forconversion to dry cargo once those presentlycompleting are redelivered.

While Gibson’s analysis stops short of acomplete breakdown of the fleet, many of thesmaller tankers are known to have had noreported movements for several years. Owners

are able to continue to trade these tankers untilthe end 2015 and there are several exampleswhere owners have declared that this is theirintention.

On the other hand, several owners have put upthe ‘for sale’ signs with little prospects of findinga buyer, or indeed even realising a scrap value.

Gibson said that for some time, its view hasbeen that the remaining SHs have had little orno impact on the tanker market. However,swifter removal of the remaining SHs couldprovide opportunities for some of the olderdouble hulls to fill the roles currently held bytheir counterparts.

VLCC disasterRemaining with the VLCC market, Gibson saidthat it is rare that the underlying level of tradecan increase by around 10% in less than a yearand at the same time, returns collapse to nearnon-existent levels, but this is what hashappened to the Middle East VLCC sector.

Over the past nine months, Middle EastOPEC production has increased by 2 millbarrels per day (plus 10%) and yet VLCC TCEearnings on TD3 (at 15 knots) have fallen from$30,000 per day to sub-zero. Even if vesselsslow-steam, the earnings are only just coveringfixed operating costs of around $11,000 per day.

So, despite more Middle East crude cargoes,the simple answer is ‘there are far too manyVLCCs’ and worse still, there are a lot morestill to be delivered. However this is portrayed,it is disastrous for VLCC owners. At the sametime, it is not in charterers long term intereststo see low returns threaten their operations.

There are no easy answers to thesefundamentals, but either demand has to riseeven faster, or somehow owners have toremove tonnage, Gibson said.

On the demand side, more long haulMEG/western destinations would help, but withthe US and European economies “looking down

the barrel of a gun” this cannot be relied upon. This means turning to supply, with slow-

steaming a first step. Although slow-steamingon the laden leg is limited because anylengthening of voyage time incurs a cost tothe charterer on the capital tied up, theseconstraints are not there when ballasting.

At around nine knots, a VLCC in ballastconsumes less than 30 tonnes per day, comparedwith around 55 tonnes per day at 13 knots. Inthis case there will be a cost saving of around$200,000 on a VLCC ballast leg from Japan tothe Middle East, BUT the more importantaspect is that at these super-slow speeds therewill be an effective cut in supply of some 10-15% and so rates/earnings will be higher.

On paper this is a ‘no-brainer’, but in thereal world this is not quite so easy. There isalways the temptation to chase a cargo fromsome way out; also, if an owner operates atthese super-slow speeds it will help everyoneelse – even those that don’t engage in thepractice. Nonetheless, if enough owners stickto slow-steaming it will help their market.

The challenge going forward will be toresist speeding up in a rising market, therebyremoving the very support created by slow-steaming. However, in the current marketowners have to do something.

Beyond slow-steaming, there is the optionto lay-up. At the moment it is too early to taketankers out on a semi-permanent basis, withthe concern about losing approvals andmissing the chance of a market pick-up,especially in 4Q11 and 1Q12. If there is nosignificant market upturn over this winter,then lay-up will be a much hotter topic in2Q12. Either way, VLCC oversupply issomething we are likely to be talking aboutfor some time, Gibson concluded.

* The analysis excludes tankers alreadyunder conversion, as they are deemed to bealready out of the tanker markets.

More single hulltankers leave the fleet

A few weeks ago, Ship Finance International announced the sale of three single hull

VLCCs, following the early termination of their long-term charters.

TO

Tanker Fleet Hull Profile. Source – Gibson Research.

Single Hull Fleet Still Laid Long Term Unknown/�ot(SH) Trading Up Storage Projects Moving/Other

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INDUSTRY – NEWS

Recent pirate activity in theMozambique Channel hasprompted Neptune MaritimeSecurity to issue a notice to its shipping partners transitingthe area. The International Maritime Bureau (IMB)

had previously warned of potential activity

in the area and, ironically, on the day of the

first attempted attack (as described by the

IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre), 21st

September, defence analyst Helmeod-Römer

Heitman told a security seminar in Pretoria

that: “Both sides [of the channel] are not

particularly densely populated, are seriously

under-policed and there is a lot of shipping

going through.”

The two incidents Neptune drew attention

to took place on 21st and 23rd September in

the area of the Glorioso Islands in the

Northern Mozambique Channel, off the coast

of Madagascar.

In the attempted attack on September 21st,

the IMB report said that the crew of a

containership underway at position 12:46.6S-

046:18.5E spotted two skiffs at 0643 UTC,

with three to four people aboard each skiff at

a distance of about 1.5 miles.

The skiffs increased speed to around 18

knots and approached the vessel from

different sides. The vessel carried out evasive

manoeuvres and enforced anti-piracy

measures, which led to the skiffs breaking off

their pursuit after about 25 minutes.

The second attempted attack two days

later, took place at 0850 UTC, when a bulk

carrier underway at position 12:16.1S-

043:19.5E noticed two blue-coloured skiffs at

a distance of around 1 mile.

The Master raised the alarm and alerted

the armed security team on board the bulker.

Although the attempted attacks occurred

around 177 miles apart, two attempts in the

area in a matter of days must raise concerns,

Neptune said.

The move of pirates further South along

the coast of Kenya was reinforced by the

attack on a Greek-owned vessel at 04:47S-

044:35E on 20th September. Whether this

was conducted by the same Pirate Attack

Group (PAG) who then moved further South

is unknown at this time.

Helmoed-Römer Heitman stated during his

presentation that Madagascar, with more than

4,000 km of coastline, had one patrol craft

and one landing craft. While a South African

Navy frigate was heading for Pemba port in

Northern Mozambique to take up her second

anti-piracy patrol in the Northern Channel,

he said that this is a large area to patrol, and

that all precautions should be taken during

transit of the area.

NATO’s Shipping Centre has warned of

the dangers to shipping in the area,

suggesting that there are two or three PAGs

in the area and that they may move towards

the Mozambique Channel as well as

Eastwards.

Neptune said that while two attempted

attacks in the region are not statistically

significant, they did occur further South than

many security experts might have predicted,

while their separation in terms of time and

location should be noted by any companies

with vessels in transit in the area.

Pirates reach Mozambique Channel

TO

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 15:04 Page 6

INDUSTRY - NEWS


P&I club to vet armed maritime security providersThe North P&I club has joinedforces with specialist maritimeintelligence, investigation andcrisis management companyGray Page to vet armedmaritime security providers onbehalf of it’s members. In partnership with Gray Page, North’s

aim is to help its members identify

armed maritime security providers

whose governance and operations meet -

at the time the vetting is carried out -

the professional, legal and ethical

standards required by a shipowner,

or operator contemplating the use of

privately contracted armed security

personnel on board a vessel entered

with the club.

“An increasing number of shipowners

and operators are considering the use of

armed guards to defend their vessels and

crew from Somali pirates in the Gulf of

Aden and wider Indian Ocean,” said North

director Mike Salthouse. “Despite recent

IMO guidelines on the appointment of

privately contracted armed guards, this

remains a complex decision”.

On 23rd May 2011, IMO’s maritime

safety committee (MSC) published Interim

guidance to shipowners, ship operators,

and shipmasters on the use of privately

contracted armed security personnel

on board ships in the high risk area

(MSC.1/Circ.1405).

Although not endorsing the use of

privately armed security personnel,

nor addressing all the legal issues that might

be associated with their use on board ships,

the guidance recommends due diligence

when assessing prospective security

contractors, including a review of company

structure, background and training. MSC

published a revised version of the circular

on 16th September

(MSC.1/Circ.1405/Rev.1).

James Wilkes, managing director of Gray

Page, explained, “In the absence of cross-

border statutory regulation governing armed

maritime security providers, and of an

independent industry regulatory authority,

the IMO recommendations underline the

necessity for proper vetting and due

diligence processes to protect customers

employing the services of armed maritime

security providers.

“This is a position supported by industry

stakeholders including lawyers, insurers and

some flag states, so reliable and independent

vetting is central to ensuring that services

are provided safely and lawfully,’ he said.

Salthouse said, ‘Working closely with our

members we have identified the contractors

most frequently used and have now invited

this group of companies to undergo the

vetting programme.

“Although the programme is designed to

assist members to exercise due diligence

when determining the suitability of

prospective security contractors,

complementing rather than replacing their

existing selection criteria, North strongly

endorses the adoption of the shipping

industry’s best management practices for

protection against Somalia based piracy

(BMP4),” he concluded. TO

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 15:04 Page 7


INDUSTRY - NEWS FOCUS - EMISSIONS

Adopted by the IMO in July, the

EEDI will phase in increasingly

strict energy efficiency demands

on new vessels delivered from

2015. Newbuildings will have to be up to 10%

more fuel efficient than the EEDI baseline and

vessels delivered from 2020 will have to

increase this by a further 10%, with 30% more

efficiency required from 2025.

Industry critics have warned that the EEDI

will only guarantee emissions reductions after

2019, due to a waiver secured by the

developing flag states. This could see a

significant number of new vessels not meeting

the requirements for the next eight years, the

ICS secretary general has said that “no

responsible shipowner” would buy a vessel that

did not comply with the EEDI regulations.

In any case, there will be commercial

implications for those that choose to apply the

waiver: EEDI-compliant vessels will always

be more desirable, as shipowners will want to

avoid ‘yesterday’s model’.

Heralded in the summer as a real step

forward for international shipping, it appears

that the EEDI has met with somewhat inevitable

resistance. As an industry, it is crucial that the

EEDI is supported if we are ever to make

headway in meeting impending emissions

reduction targets. This is more because of what

the EEDI represents than what it does. No one

is under any illusion that it will single-handedly

transform shipping into a sustainable industry.

But the EEDI will open doors for further

discussion of market-based measures, including

an emissions trading scheme (ETS).

ETS is the fairest, most transparent and

effective means of achieving real and

meaningful reductions in emissions. All

evidence from existing schemes points to this.

As with the EEDI, any market based measure

must apply to all vessels regardless of flag.

This is a key precept of the IMO.

An ETS with a decreasing cap is also

essential if shipping is to avoid following the

route taken by the automotive industry. Cars

and trucks have become much more efficient,

but growth in vehicle numbers means actual

volumes of emissions have steadily increased.

Stark warningThe legal challenges to the inclusion of aviation

in the EU ETS are well documented and a stark

warning of the difficulties presented by

attempting regional regulation of an inherently

global transport sector. Any shipping market

based measure must bring in all countries to

avoid this. The IMO provides the historically

proven global platform that all shipping

industry stakeholders should work through.

The sheer volume of newbuild vessels

coming on-stream before EEDI is fully

implemented means there is much to be done

with all vessels that will pre-date the EEDI.

Also, reducing emissions is not just about

design features, but also tackling emissions

from operational inefficiencies.

Basic economics means the search for

profitability is already driving the industry

towards efficiency improvements and shipping

companies are already applying their

operational and engineering expertise to that

end. A growing arsenal of efficiency

technologies and strategies is being

developed: advanced hull coatings, air

lubrication systems, new propeller designs,

just-in-time virtual arrival and waste heat

recovery are just a few examples. These are

becoming increasingly viable as costs fall and

operational experience grows.

So, if there are commercial drivers for clean

technology take-up, why is an ETS necessary?

The reason is that an ETS will deliver carbon

footprint reductions across the sector, while

unregulated commercial drivers, or levy-based

schemes will only result in relative reductions,

such as tonnes of CO2 per tonne mile.

Whichever form regulation takes, clear

targets based on solid data are essential to

solving the problem we are trying to address.

This can only come from actual emissions

data. A design index for newbuild vessels will

do no more than encourage more efficient

designs. Placing a price on carbon can both

deliver more efficient ships and encourage

their more efficient operation.

Criticism of regulatory measures and

industry apathy are both inevitable as we chart

a course through what is certainly a period of

significant change in shipping. The industry’s

transformation will be ensured, however

through a combination of technical

development, commercial drivers, leadership

on sustainability and appropriate regulation.

Our next step is to ensure collaboration to

develop these appropriate regulations. By using

the skills, our engineers and industry innovators,

the future of shipping will be secure, with a

significantly reduced carbon footprint.

*This article was written by John Aitken,secretary general, SEAaT.

Regulation andinnovation for a

sustainable future

SEAaT’s secretary general John Aitken.

The International Chamber of Shipping’s (ICS) recent statement defending the Energy

Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) against critics who have pointed out a potential weakness

in the standards sends a strong signal that shipping industry’s various stakeholders are

becoming increasingly impatient with those looking to delay regulation*.

TO

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 09:43 Page 8

At the 2011 Swedish Shipowners’ Association annual meeting held in Stockholm

on 14th April the Swedish Secretary of State Carl von der Esch from the Ministry

of Industry was told that the association had received no information

on measures to strengthen Swedish shipping’s competitiveness.

The battle for thefuture of Swedishshipping goes on

INDUSTRY - SWEDEN REPORT


He replied that he was well

aware of Swedish shipping’s

situation, but shipping was

not on the government’s

timetable anytime soon.

“We can not compete under the Swedish flag

in the very tough tanker market that Swedish

ships are involved in,” said Swedish Shipowners'

Association chairman Lars Höglund.

“The forecast for 2011 is bleak for the

Swedish flag. We will lose another 40 or so

cargo ships this year and then we will have

100 cargo ships remaining under the Swedish

flag,” said CEO Hakan Friberg.

New directors elected at the AGM included

Sirius Shipping’s Jonas Backman, in the

tanker sector.

“We are approaching a disaster for the

Swedish shipping industry, and unless the

framework conditions change, there will be

no cargo ships under the Swedish flag in

three to five years,” warned Friberg at a

subsequent meeting.

“Unfortunately, we have seen a massive

flagging out to Denmark, but also to other

European countries with much better framework

than the Swedish politicians have given us. We

have no tonnage tax, or tax-free possibilities, as

is the case in the Danish registry.

“Although we have a Conservative

government in Sweden, we encounter

absolutely no sympathy for the Swedish

shipping industry’s needs and unfortunately

there is no reason to be optimistic, because the

current government has three years left until

the next election,” said Friberg.

He emphasised that a better deal in itself

will not mean that a lot of ships will return to

the Swedish flag, but it opens up investment.

“Flagging is not only a loss for the shipping

industry, but also a significant loss of

knowledge and technology in the maritime

industry,” he explained.

The Riksdag (Parliament) passed a maritime

policy decision (Government Bill 1996/97:1)

in December 1996, which called for the

government to create sustainability and

reasonable competitive conditions for Swedish

merchant shipping. The decision stipulates the

following objectives for a business-oriented

maritime policy.

� The state should take advantage in various

ways of the export opportunities inherent

in shipping as an export business in order

to strengthen the balance of payments.

� The Swedish merchant fleet must be

ensured reasonable competitive conditions.

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 11:32 Page 9


Through the resolution by the Riksdag taken

in autumn 2001 in response to (Government

Bill 2000/01:127) ‘Maritime Support,’ the

previous support was expanded so that support

corresponded to taxes and all social insurance

fees levied on income earned at sea by seafarers

working on vessels registered in Sweden.

The purpose of this support was to provide

the Swedish shipping business with

competitive conditions equivalent to the

merchant fleets of other EU countries.

The Government appointed a committee of

inquiry on tonnage tax in the shipping sector

on 25th November 2004, whose report was

presented in March 2006. The purpose of

tonnage tax was to support shipping-related

businesses in EU member states and to induce

shipping companies to re-register their vessels

under their national flags.

However, on 1st April, 2009 the Swedish

infrastructure minister announced that no

tonnage tax would be introduced during the

present term of office, which started the

heated debates between the association and

the government.

DNV appointed ROA couple of months ago, DNV was granted

extended authorisation by the Swedish

Transport Agency to act as a recognised

organisation (RO) providing statutory survey

services to Swedish-flagged vessels engaged

in international trade.

Effective from 1st September 2011, this

move had the strong support of the Swedish

Shipowners’ Association, Sveriges Redare-

Förening, DNV said.

The authority agreement was signed by

DNV Maritime’s technical director, Olav

Nortun, and the Swedish Transport Authority

general director, Staffan Widlert, on 30th

August 2011.

As a result, as well as their own class

certificates, DNV is now able to issue almost

all certificates required for Swedish cargo

ships, including those relating to IMO

conventions and codes and also Swedish

national statutes.

“This increased authorisation is significant

as it breaks with long Swedish flag tradition

and will lead to new synergies for the

shipowners,” said Johan Gärdin, DNV’s

country manager for Sweden.

“Statutory certification has to be factored

into the life-time of each vessel, from initial

certification in connection with delivery,

through annual, intermediate and renewal


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“DNV’s leadership in risk management

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Johan Gärdin, DNV’s country manager for Sweden

“

”

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 11:32 Page 10



surveys during the operational life of the

vessel. Swedish shipowners can now rely on

DNV for efficient and timely execution of

these services,” said Gärdin.

In addition, DNV is actively involved with

shipowners and research institutions in

Sweden to promote the adoption of new

technologies and environmental performance

best practices.

One project, Research Eco Ship, aims to

optimise selective catalytic reduction

technology for marine applications. The

project is a partnership between Chalmers,

IVL Swedish Environmental Research

Institute, DEC Marine and the Swedish

Maritime Administration.

“Environmental performance is high on the

agenda for Swedish shipowners even though

they are pulling through a year characterised

by extremely competitive market conditions

and political uncertainty about the country’s

shipping policies,” said Gärdin.

“DNV’s leadership in risk management and

our holistic approach to best practice and

technology adoption allows for a partnership

that moves beyond statutory requirements to

all facets of business success,” He claimed.

In Sweden, DNV has offices in Stockholm,

Gothenburg and Malmö.

Anti-piracy debateSwedish shipping is also addressing the

thorny question of carrying armed guards in

the High Risk areas. In April, the Swedish

Government launched an inquiry into the

use of armed guards on board Swedish

flag vessels.

One of the major Swedish shipowners –

Wallenius – has decided to act and has

employed armed guards on board its vehicle

carriers in and around the Gulf of Aden.

At the time of the announcement, Peter

Jodin, Wallenius’ maritime safety manager

said to local radio; "This is no development

which we would have liked to see, but we

have unfortunately felt forced to act."

The Swedish Shipowners' Association has

expressed its support for Wallenius' action.

"This method is unfortunately the best

available and I fully understand that they have

done so," said Friberg. Friberg added that

security matters are currently a decision for

the shipping lines themselves.

"It's entirely up to the shipping companies

today, they make an assessment based on the

safety of the crew and the security of cargo

owners," he explained.

The association changed position on the

issue last winter following a series of attacks

on vessels passing the coast of Somalia,

choosing to align themselves with companies

wanting to hire armed security forces.

The issue was at the same time placed

under review by the government and

infrastructure minister Catharina Elmsäter-

Svärd described the matter as a priority, but

since then there has been no clarity on the

matter. "We have not received any clear

answers to the questions we have posed so

far," Friberg said.

Another major Swedish-based shipping

company, Stena Bulk, began deploying armed

guards on vessels entering the HRA several

months ago. "We chose early on to do so and

were among the first shipping companies in

the world to take the decision," claimed Stena

Bulk CEO Ulf Ryder.

"The ships are also equipped with barbed

wire and large signs that state 'Armed

Response' in Somali, in other words that we

have weapons on board," Ryder said. TO

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p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 11:32 Page 11



Swedish-based tankergiant continues

expansion programmeLeading Swedish-based tanker operator Stena Bulk has increased its presence in several

sectors this year and surprised the market with the recent purchase of three L�GCs.

For example, the company beefed up

its presence in the MR sector by

acquiring 50% of the Danish

shipping company Weco.

This has resulted in Stena Bulk doubling its

fleet in this segment from 15 to 30 tankers. Its

objective over the next couple of years is to

build up an operation with up to 50 vessels

under the new Stena Weco brand.

Weco, which is part of the privately owned

shipping group Dannebrog, concentrates on

the shipment of special-type products, such as

palm oils, edible oils and caustic soda. Before

the change in ownership, Weco operated some

15 vessels with peaks of 30-35 vessels, which

included those on short-term charters.

“This is in line with our new investment in

worldwide MR operation with a greater focus

on cargoes of edible oils. With Weco’s world-

leading position in this segment and our

strength in petroleum products, we will

achieve major synergies in the long term. The

P-MAX tankers (65,000 dwt) with their

shallow draft are highly suitable for this

transport pattern”, said Ulf Ryder, Stena

Bulk’s president and CEO, speaking at the

inauguration of the new company.

In addition to the 10 P-MAXs, Stena Bulk

operates another 15 MR tankers of around

50,000 dwt with an average age of only 5.5

years. All the vessels are fitted with phenolic

epoxy-coated cargo tanks – a prerequisite for

transporting vegetable oils.

“We have nearly 20 years’ experience in the

MR-segment and our earnings are already

well above the average in a fragmented

market. We are now strengthening our

position in the spot market by building up a

large fleet of first-class vessels together with

an outstanding service level for our

customers”, Ryder continued.

Johan Wedell-Wedellsborg, owner of

Dannebrog Rederi, said; “Weco’s strategy for

nearly 10 years of concentrating on edible oils

and caustic sodas, where we now have a

world-leading position in the MR market, has

really paid off when such a large and well-

reputed shipping company as Stena Bulk

chooses to merge with us.

“With the Stena’s strong balance sheet, we

will be able to focus in a completely different

way on winning more and larger freight

contracts in our edible oil and specialty cargo

segments. We will also be able to develop and

increase investments in IMO III tonnage for

the benefit of our joint investment”, Wedell-

Wedellsborg added.

In 2010, the average earnings for Stena

Bulk’s MR tankers were more than $5,000

per day better than the average market. With

its new Danish partner, Stena Bulk said that

it is building up even more muscle. “Stena

Weco will provide advantages of scale as a

result of a more sophisticated charter

network for its refined raw materials, which

will increase the vessels’ earnings potential

by a couple of thousand US dollars per day”,

Ryder explained.

Stena Weco is being co-ordinated through

the two companies’ head offices in

Gothenburg and Rungsted, north of

Copenhagen respectively. In Houston and

Singapore Weco’s personnel have moved into

Stena Bulk’s existing offices.

Wedell-Wedellsborg assumed the position

of chairman of the board of the jointly owned

company while Stena Bulk’s senior vice

president Kim Ullman is managing director

and Weco’s Johnny Schmolker deputy

managing director. Jan Torgersen was

appointed as vice president of Stena Weco and

is located in Houston.

“With offices in Gothenburg, Rungsted,

Houston, Singapore and Rio de Janeiro, our

large and flexible MR fleet will have the 24/7

availability needed to give this customer base,

with its varying requirements, outstanding

service”, said Ryder.

Suezmax poolStena Bulk is also active in the Suezmax

market together with Sonangol. Recently, the

The flexible P-MAX series has been a success. Photo credit Copenhagen Malmo Port.

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 09:44 Page 12



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first of the new in-house designed Suezmaxes

– Stena Superior – was named at Samsung.

She is the first in a series of seven, most of

which will join the Stena Sonangol Suezmax

Pool. The Pool was formed in 2005 and is

controlled by Stena Bulk and Angolan state-

owned oil company Sonangol.

These new series of Suezmax tankers are

claimed to have dramatically improved energy

efficiency, which will reduce bunker

consumption by up to 15%, compared with

the most efficient, conventional Suezmaxes

currently in operation.

“The Pool has today a total of some 20

Suezmax tankers and there will totally be up

to some 30 modern tankers with an average

age of only 3.5 years, once both Sonangol´s

five newbuildings and ours have been

delivered,” Ryder said.

The next Stena Bulk Suezmax in the series

is the Stena Suède, which is due to be

delivered on 15th November. She will enter

into a long term timecharter with the French

oil giant Total.

LNG marketIn a surprise move earlier this year, Stena

Bulk entered the LNG carrier market by

purchasing three LNGCs from Taiwan-based

TMT for $700 mill in total.

The three LNGCs have been renamed

Stena Blue Sky (145,000 cu m/built 2006) plus

the two newly delivered vessels Stena ClearSky and Stena Crystal Sky, each of 174,000

cu m capacity.

They are all ice classed. At the time of the

purchase, the Stena Blue Sky was chartered

by Gazprom with 22 months remaining on

its contract.

“We believe this to be a very good

investment. LNG accounts for a significant

part of the growth in the global energy supply

and there is currently a shortage of LNG

tankers. Consequently, we expect the two

newly built vessels to directly command

freight rates in excess of $100,000 per day”,

said Ryder.

Capacity utilisation of the 320 or so large

LNGCs in operation is currently nearly 90%.

In addition, the demand for transportation of

liquid natural gas is expected to rise about

8% per year over the next 10 years, Stena

Bulk said, explaining its move into the

natural gas markets.

“In addition to the shipyards’ full order

books, there is a need for 60–70 new LNG

tankers to satisfy the rising demand up until

2014. LNG tankers are more capital intensive

than normal tankers and are about three times

as expensive. It takes nearly four times

longer to build a LNG tanker than a normal

tanker of the same size. Because of this and

the more complicated operation of an LNG

tanker, there are few players active in the

segment”, said Ryder.

He added: “Having in this situation the

liquidity and operational knowhow to be able

to purchase these three vessels so quickly,

two of which are so new that they have not

even been delivered from the shipyard yet,

gives our LNG investment an excellent

starting point,” he said at the time of the

purchase announcement.

Stena Bulk took delivery of the two

newbuildings in June. They were then fitted

with supplementary equipment and manned

with new crews. Like most Stena vessels,

technical management is being undertaken by

Stena-affiliate Glasgow-based Northern

Marine Management.

Last P-MAXStena Bulk’s quoted Swedish partner

Concordia Maritime took delivery of its 10th

and last P-MAX tanker – Stena Premium -

during the second quarter of this year.

A few months earlier, the company started a

The P-MAX Stena Primorsk seen in Stockholm’s archipelago.

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 09:44 Page 13


INDUSTRY – SWEDEN REPORT

project to convert at least two of the P-MAXs

to IMO III types. According to Concordia, this

would give the vessels extra market flexibility

by way of being able to quote for vegetable

oil cargoes. A third is expected to follow.

Despite the current malaise in the tanker

market, Concordia was still able to garner an

average of $20,000 per day on its long term

timecharter contracts during the first half of

this year, the company claimed.

In May of this year, Concordia redelivered

the Suezmax Yasa Scorpion to her owner. This

vessel had been chartered together with Stena

Bulk and marked Concordia’s exit from this

sector, leaving the company with large MRs,

until a Suezmax is delivered during the second

quarter of 2012.

The company said in its half year results

presentation that the rest of this year would

remain weak, but next year and 2013 should

see a better market balance in the product

tanker sector. The reason for optimism was

that growth in the world’s product tanker fleet

was forecast to decline during the rest of this

year, Concordia said.

Concordia also has two LR1s, operated in

a joint venture with Neste Shipping. They

transport product for the Finnish energy

concern.

Explaining, the company’s relationship

with Stena, Concordia said that it involved

purchasing services from the Stena Sphere

group, including Stena Bulk. Stena and

Concordia do compete for new tanker

business, resulting in an agreement being

signed several years ago whereby new

business is regulated between the two

companies. Under the terms of this

agreement, Concordia has the right to opt

for 0%, 50%, or 100% participation in each

new transaction.

For example, at the beginning of April, as

mentioned in this article, Stena Bulk engaged

in a 50:50 joint venture with Weco and formed

a new company- Stena Weco. Under the

agreement, Concordia is entitled to funds

resulting from vessels being chartered into the

joint venture for more than 12 months, should

Concordia elect to participate in the charters.

Concordia is not involved in any other

transactions, the company said.

Basically, Concordia buys in services from

Stena Teknik for newbuildings, conversions,

R&D and procurement; Stena Bulk for

chartering and commercial operations;

Northern Marine Management for technical

management, operations and manning. TO

Artist’s impression ofthe Suezmax StenaSupreme.

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p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 09:44 Page 15


INDUSTRY – ANTI-PIRACY/SECURITY

However, despite issuing further

guidance on the subject, the

IMO is sticking to its guns by

reiterating that it is up to the flag

states to decide on the use of armed guards on

board their vessels.

As for the guidance, last month, further

interim guidance on the use of PCASP was

approved by an IMO MSC intersessional

working group.

The MSC’s intersessional maritime security

and piracy working group has approved the

following circulars for dissemination:

� MSC.1/Circ.1408 on interim

recommendations for port and coastal

states regarding the use of PCASP in the

HRA;

� MSC.1/Circ.1406/Rev.1 on revised interim

recommendations for flag states regarding

the use of PCASP in the HRA;

� MSC.1/Circ.1405/Rev.1 on revised interim

guidance to shipowners, ship operators and

ship masters on the use of PCASP in the

HRA;

� A joint MSC and Facilitation Committee

(FAL) circular on questionnaire on

information on port and coastal state

requirements related to PCASP, which is

aimed at gathering information on current

requirements.

The circulars provide interim guidance and

recommendations to be taken into account

when considering the use of PCASP if and

when a flag state determines that such a

measure would be lawful and, following a full

risk assessment.

The IMO was at pains to point out that the

interim guidance and recommendations ‘are

not intended to endorse or institutionalise’ the

use of armed guards. Therefore, they do not

represent any fundamental change of policy. It

is for each flag state, individually, to decide

whether, or not PCASP should be authorised

for use on board ships flying their flag. If a

flag state decides to allow this practice, it is

up to that state to determine the conditions

under which authorisation will be granted.

PCASP should not be considered as an

alternative to best management practices

(BMP) and other protective measures. BMP4

has recently been issued by the shipping

industry and will shortly be disseminated

by IMO (as MSC.1/Circ.1339), the

organisation said.

This move has been welcomed by many

other organisations including the Security

Association for the Maritime Industry (SAMI)

and the ICS among others.

Flag state listingWith the assistance of its members, the

International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) in

association with the European Community

Shipowners' Associations (ECSA), has

compiled a reference document collating

the policy and rules of flag states on the

carriage of arms and PCASP on board vessels.

The document, providing tabulated

information on flag states' rules, has been

added to the ICS website. Kiran Khosla, ICS

director of legal affairs and secretary of the

ICS' maritime law and insurance committees,

said: "When the information is compiled

together like this it is interesting to see the

similarities and variations in approach

throughout the international community.

Piracy remains a major cause for concern

among shipowners and the wider shipping

industry and we are not surprised that

members are keen to ensure they are up

to speed with the latest recommendations

and advice.

"The consensus view among ICS national

shipowner associations remains that private

armed guards are a clear second best to

military personnel. However, in view of the

current crisis, ICS has had to acknowledge

that the decision to engage armed guards,

whether military, or private, is a decision to be

made by the ship operator after due

consideration of all the risks and subject to the

approval of the vessel's flag state and insurer,"

she said.

The ICS pointed out that this information is

for general guidance only and is not a

substitute for proper verification with the flag

states concerned. Further information from

flag states to update the listing would be

welcomed, the ICS said.

Crisis highlightedAt its recent annual meeting, the ICS members

agreed to use every opportunity to continue

ICS’ Spyros Polemis.

Industry welcomesIMO initiative on

armed guardsAs the mood swings in the shipping industry in favour of the use of privately contracted

armed guards (PCASP) on vessels transiting pirate infested waters, or so called

High Risk Areas (HRA), the IMO is gradually coming to the party.

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 09:44 Page 16

resume after the lull during the monsoon

period and a reduction in scale and operation

of the world’s navies.

Commenting on the first intersessional

meeting of the IMOs Maritime Security and

Piracy Working Group, SAMI director Peter

Cook (who attended the meeting as a

consultant to the Marshall Islands) said, “The

IMO is making great progress towards

providing a structure for the maritime security

industry, importantly the IMO has made

recommendations and provided guidance for

the use of armed security personnel which is a

necessary step towards creating a relevant

structure for the industry to work within.”

There has also been praise for the work

undertaken by the IMO on facilitating the

passage of armed guards and their weapons on

board ships. It is hoped that the IMO’s work

in this regard will remove flag and port state

obstructions, thereby clarifying the procedures

and rules on the embarkation and

disembarkation of armed guards and their

equipment, SAMI concluded.



highlighting the severity of the crisis and the

reality that the international community has

ceded control of the Indian Ocean to criminal

gangs, despite the best efforts and dedication of

military navies in the area.

“The truth about governments’ failure, and

the terrible suffering endured by captured

seafarers, might be unpalatable to many

politicians,” said ICS president Spyros Polemis.

“But our expectation is that the frequency

of attacks against shipping will escalate again

dramatically, once the monsoon season is

over. The current military response – with

only a handful of navy ships available to

provide protection on any given day – has

just been a sticking plaster on a gaping

wound. We have still not yet seen the

political will from governments needed to

develop a comprehensive military strategy

that will have a decisive impact.

“It is ironic that the world has just marked

the anniversary of the tragic events of ‘9/11’,

following which very radical measures were

taken, such as the IMO ISPS Code, to reduce

the possibility that shipping might be used by

terrorists to attack society at large – measures

that have cost the shipping industry billions of

dollars to implement. However, for all the talk

of maritime security during the last 10 years,

governments have so far failed to protect

shipping, and the smooth flow of world trade,

from being literally held to ransom by Somali

criminals,” he concluded.

SAMI endorsementAs mentioned, the Security Association for the

Maritime Industry (SAMI) has welcomed the

IMO’s progress on its revised guidance and

recommendations for the use of privately

contracted armed security on board ships.

Following last month’s intersessional

maritime and piracy working group meeting,

the IMO has released new guidance and

recommendations on the use of privately

contracted armed security personnel.

SAMI believes the new guidance and

recommendations are timely, as violent pirate

attacks are set to reach record levels, as they TO

An example page of the ICS/ECSA flag state rule table.

“ ...our expectation is that the frequency of attacks against shipping

will escalate again dramatically, once the monsoon season is over.

The current military response – with only a handful of navy ships

available to provide protection on any given day – has just been

a sticking plaster on a gaping wound”

Spyros Polemis, president, ICS

“

”

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 09:44 Page 17



Many security companies are

based in the UK and the US

and are run by ex military

personnel some of whom have

shipping experience. The vetting and training

of the companies and their anti-piracy teams is

now essential due to the shear scale of the

piracy problem being encountered and the

number of so called ‘security companies’

springing up.

At the recent ICS conference, EU

NAVFOR’s Capt Keith Blount said that 16

vessels were still being held by Somali

pirates, including the VLCC Samho Dream,

as of the middle of September. There were

also still 351 seafarer hostages held. With the

Indian Ocean Monsoon season about to peter

out, the number of attacks could rise again

shortly.

The number of vessels taken has led to ever

higher ransoms being paid. Capt Blount said

that the highest recorded payment thus far is

$12 mill. He also warned that in the Southern

Red Sea area, there were many Yemeni fishing

boats, most of whose fishermen are armed,

thus sometimes being mistaken for pirates.

One company offering high level training is

relative newcomer Ocean Protection Services

(OPS). This concern recently conducted a

three day Ship Security Officer (SSO) course

with an anti-piracy module attached. The SSO

course is MCA approved and the training was

undertaken by Belfast-based Sentinel Training

Operations (STO).

Once passing the course, participants are

presented with proficiency as SSO certificate.

The first two courses were held near London’s

Heathrow Airport at OPS headquarters, while

a third is planned for Glasgow and another in

Northern Ireland.

All the OPS personnel are SSO qualified

and have undergone in-house anti-piracy

course, plus the appropriate vetting

procedures.

“Our clients prefer an accredited properly

trained security team, as while undergoing the

training, the recruits can be vetted at the same

time,” OPS operations director Richard

Mcenery told TA�KEROperator. Vetting of

personnel applying to become armed guards is

extremely important, as some will claim to

have accomplished tours of duty with armed

services, which soon becomes clear is not

correct.

Four coursesAt present four courses are offered to would

be maritime security team members- weapons

handling, medical, SSO and an STCW 95

course. For the latter, OPS has teamed up with

Red Ensign, based at Cowes, Isle of Wight, at

whose premises the courses are held.

The STCW 95 basic safety training courses

are also accredited by the MCA and last for

five days covering four areas – elementary

first aid, fire prevention and basic firefighting,

personal survival techniques and personal

safety plus social responsibility. The latter

includes being able to interact properly with

the Master and chief officers of the vessel

being guarded, especially the team leader.

The optimum number of participants in

each course is - eight for weapons handling,

10 for the medi-course and 15 each for the

SSO and STCW courses. Each participant

pays to go through the training but once

certification is achieved, OPS will then

interview the participants with the aim of

adding them to the company’s comprehensive

database of available personnel.

Attached to the SSO course is a half day

anti-piracy training session, which is free of

charge to those attending the SSO course. The

package includes:

� Preparing the vessel for transiting using

Best Management Practices Four (BMP4).

� Effective reporting and monitoring (to

naval assets and external agencies).

� Anti-Piracy emergency response training.

� Identifying and preparation of a Citadel.

� Up to date threat and intelligence briefs.

� Effective bridge team management (under

attack).

Mcenery was keen to stress that armed guards

should be used as more of a deterrent, making

themselves visible to approaching craft. All of

OPS’ unarmed and armed personnel operate

within the company’s standard operating

procedures, which comply with -

OPS’ team take preventative measures.

Anti-piracy nowbeing offered with

SSO coursesWith the concept of armed guards sailing on board vessels in pirate infested waters now

becoming accepted by more and more flag states, shipping companies and their insurers,

several security firms have surfaced offering teams of armed guards.

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 09:44 Page 18



[email protected] Operations - Tlf: 0044 (0) 7585 44 2728 Administration – 0044 (0) 7884364368

� Best Management Practices Four (BMP 4).

� Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA)

Notice to Mariners (NTM).

� United Nations Convention on the Law of

the Sea (UNCLOS).

� Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).

� International Flag and Port state regulations.

� International Maritime Organisation (IMO)

guidelines.

� International Code of Conduct (ICoC).

Due to having operations in strategic

locations, OPS is able to provide a swift

response to shipowners and operators.

Launches can be arranged to rendezvous with

a vessel Outside of Port Limits (OPL) thereby

minimising any deviation and delay to the

vessels schedule. However, this is obviously a

more expensive exercise.

OPS armed personnel can

embark/disembark in many ports and areas

outside the HRA in several countries around

the region. Recently, Madagascar has joined

the group of countries offering easy transits of

armed guards.

Once on board, OPS personnel will use

their skills to train the officers and crew in

defence against a possible pirate attack. A

comprehensive ship security survey will be

undertaken to identify any vulnerable points

and advice given how to ensure the vessel is

as safe as possible.

Early preparationMcenery explained that specialised teams are

sent to Singapore with the aim of boarding a

vessel due to transit a HRA and train the crew,

advising them on the setting up of citadels etc,

while the vessel is on passage to the Indian

Ocean area. “We want the vessels and crew to

be prepared before they reach Sri Lanka,”

Mcenery said.

One blow to the security companies is

Egypt’s recent refusal to allow border transits

to armed personnel, thus precluding the

guards from transiting the Suez Canal on

board a vessel southbound.

OPS will usually provide teams consisting

of four consultants to vessels about to transit

the HRA. However, the company said that it

can be flexible but as a minimum, three will

be provided.

The minimum equipment carried by the

team are -

� Satellite phone and x1 charger (for

reporting to OPS’ operations room).

� Hand held spot tracker device (position is

sent automatically every four hours).

� Powerful hand held torches.

� Binoculars.

� Night vision scopes.

� Fully licensed UHF handheld marine

radios.

� Training tools.

� Comprehensive medical trauma pack.

� Four weapon systems.

� Appropriate ammunition and in sufficient

quantity.

OPS also offers unarmed security teams,

which have acquired experience in over 30

HRA transits per person. They have worked

in the Gulf of Aden and surrounding waters

since 2007 providing unarmed services to

various maritime security companies.

The company claimed that the presence of

an experienced unarmed security team makes

a valuable difference to the morale and

confidence of the crew and also the difference

between vessels being hijacked, or attacks

thwarted.

“Besides having no firearms on board, there

are a number of sophisticated, successful and

proven methods that our consultants will

utilise to harden and defend the vessel from

unwanted attention,” OPS said.

Security groupingAnother initiative recently set up was the

London Maritime Security Group. This is a

grouping of six UK-based security concerns,

which are all members of the Security

Association for the Maritime Industry

(SAMI), have been vetted and have the same

rules of engagement.

The idea is to offer assistance to each other

by way of personnel on the ground and advice

on intelligence etc.

All of the companies have Special Forces,

or Royal Marines as directors.

Mcenery said; “London Maritime Security

Group has had great feedback from shipping

clients as this means they are always

guaranteed to get security by a group of fully

vetted companies.”

Attacks have also been increasing in the

waters around West Africa. To help

counteract this threat, OPS is now providing

armed security guards in the Gulf of Guinea.

“We are also in talks about training the

Ghanean navy in anti-piracy procedures and

the best SOP's for this environment,”

Mcenery explained. TO

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 09:44 Page 19



Armed maritimesecurity personnel–vetting is critical

Imagine if you will, the following statistics being applied, not to crew of ships,

but to the cabin crew and pilots of the world’s airlines*.

According to the International

Maritime Bureau (IMB) in July

2011, piracy attacks numbered

266 in the January/June period,

with 163 involving attacks made by Somali

pirates, up 63% from a year earlier.

A total of 29 ships were hijacked and 495

crew taken captive in the six-month period.

Injuries and deaths caused by the attacks rose

to 46 people from 17 a year earlier.

With attacks increasing in number, boldness

and violence, it is perhaps understandable that

momentum is quickening to provide

sometimes ill-informed shipowners/operators

with the guidelines and legal tools, required to

make deployment of armed security personnel

feasible and responsible.

In reaction to growing piracy activity, and

amid the call for support and guidance from

shipowners and operators as to how to deal

with this burgeoning issue, Norway passed

legislation on 1st July 2011, defining a

legal framework for the deployment of

guards. The UK is also preparing to give

formal legal backing to the use of private

armed guards on UK-flagged vessels and it is

increasingly likely that the US will back

similar legislation.

So the question – reassuringly for

shipowners and operators - is no longer

whether armed security teams should be

employed on board ships, but how their

provision can be managed safely and

lawfully.

To provide some guidance on this, the IMO

Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) met at the

IMO’s London Headquarters for its 89th

session from 11th to 20th May 2011. It

approved interim recommendations for flag

states regarding the use of privately contracted

armed security personnel on board ships in the

‘High Risk Area1’ (HRA) (MSC.1/Circ.1406)

and interim guidance to shipowners, ship

operators, and shipmasters on the use of

privately contracted armed security personnel

(PCASP) on board ships in the HRA

(MSC.1/Circ.1405).

Although not endorsing the use of PCASP,

nor addressing all the legal issues that might

be associated with their use on board ships,

the IMO recognised that - with the rapid

escalation in the number of companies

providing such services and lack of

regulation - shipping companies may find it

difficult to identify reliable and professional

private providers. So the recommendations

are intended to assist any shipowner

‘considering the use of PCASP on board

ships to provide additional protection

against piracy’.

In addition to this, the interim

Proper protection is vital in the HRA. Photo credit---Ocean Protection Services.

[1] Defined in the guidance as ‘Areas as defined inthe Best Management Practices to Deter Piracy offthe Coast of Somalia and in the Arabian Sea Area(BMP) unless otherwise defined by the flag State.’

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 09:44 Page 20

recommendations for flag states advise that a

policy should be put in place to determine

whether or not the use of PCASP will be

authorised by flag states and, if so, under

which conditions.

For a shipowner, employing the services of

an armed maritime security provider (AMSP)

is an exceptionally serious proposition; the

logical consequence of putting men with arms

on board a ship is, fundamentally, to

countenance the potential use of lethal force to

defend the vessel (albeit in extreme and

proscribed circumstances).

Not commercialWhile the temptation for an industry used to

rationalising costs may be to make a decision

based largely on fees, armed guarding is not a

typical commercial decision and the

paramount factor must be the health and

safety of the crew. With that in mind, key

criteria such as the weaponry, training and

experience of the armed guards, as well as the

financial and procedural standards adhered to

by each AMSP need to be understood,

interpreted and communicated to the

owner/operator in significant detail.

In the absence of cross border statutory

regulation governing AMSP and of an

independent industry regulatory authority, the

recommendations of the IMO go further,

thereby underlining the necessity for proper

vetting and due diligence processes to protect

the customers employing the services of

AMSP, a position supported by lawyers,

insurers and some flag states.

Vetting is a systematic measurement of

evaluating a person, or entity against a set of

criteria. In the context of AMSP, providers

should be assessed against professional, legal

and ethics-based criteria encompassing

corporate probity, financial substance,

regulatory and legislative compliance,

commercial experience, contractual integrity,

operational and logistical capability, weapons

licensing and accountability and the

selection, recruitment and training of security

personnel.

Crucially, while vetting an AMSP is a

process that an owner may chose to undertake

themselves, it is critical that whoever is

performing the vetting must be able to meet

two fundamental conditions of competency:

independence and experience.

Objective processVetting should be an objective process.

Independence preserves objectivity because it

provides a perspective untainted by interests,

which might otherwise conflict with the

outcome of the vetting process. The necessity

for independence is one of the reasons why

AMSPs should be vetted before they are

contracted for the provision of services.

Whatever then the outcome of the vetting

process, it has not been crafted to reinforce

the initial decision to use an already-

contracted AMSP. Moreover, independence is

central to the credibility of the vetting process.

If AMSPs are to agree to being subjected to a

level of scrutiny that, hitherto, they have not

been required to, it is not unreasonable for

AMSPs to expect that they will be evaluated

under a process that is not coloured by

competitive bias.

Experience is, of course, vital. Not only so

that the process is assuredly relevant and

comprehensive, but because competent vetting



150 YEARS

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:03 Page 21

is also inherently empiric. Therefore, vetting is more than simply a

matter of asking the right questions: being able to understand the

answers and what those answers mean in the circumstances, is integral

to the validity of the outcome.

In this regard, if there are points on which shipowners’ own due

diligence might flounder, they are likely to arise out of issues outside

owners’ normal professional competency. For example, the

operational and logistical management of security personnel and their

firearms, Rules for the Use of Force, or weapons licensing and

accountability are not matters in which shipowners are commonly

expected to be versed. Moreover, AMSPs will reasonably expect that

whoever is vetting them understands the operational dynamics of

providing armed security services in the maritime domain and the

nature and practical realities of the Somalia-based piracy threat, at the

very least.

Inevitably, there will be circumstances in which the diligence that a

shipowner took in their evaluation and selection of a chosen AMSP

will, itself, be scrutinised. Scenarios might conceivably include a

negligent discharge of a firearm resulting in damage to a vessel or

cargo, or even the loss of the life of a crew member. And, although no

ship carrying armed security personnel has, to date, been hijacked, it

cannot be taken for granted that this will remain the case, particularly

if the firearms being carried are not effective and proportionate to

the threat.

Many shipowners simply want to know which AMSPs are ‘good’

and which are not. However, the objective of vetting is not to

recommend any particular provider, or indeed determine which

companies are ‘good’, or ‘bad’. The vetting process does not - nor

should it - provide a warranty on the likely performance of a

potential contract. Lists of companies that others have recommended

may, superficially, make the decision easier. But in reality this

should be seen as no more than a useful starting point for

investigation.

Naturally, recommendations and ‘approval lists’ make the decision

easier, at least superficially. However, vetting is an eminently practical

tool and, in these circumstances, provides a robust foundation for a safe

and lawful working relationship between shipowners and providers of

armed maritime security services.

An intersessional meeting of the Working Group on Maritime

Security and Piracy was due to meet during the week commencing 12th

September 2011 to review the interim guidance to shipowners, ship

operators and masters on the use of PCASP. As the shipping industry

continues to battle the plague of piracy, these current recommendations

are an encouraging step in recognising the role that armed guarding

can perform. However, as the IMO develops its strategies to counter

piracy and flag states review their position, the market for armed

guarding will undoubtedly grow significantly and so too will the need

for independent, robust and informed vetting.

Shipowners and operators should be in no doubt; the deployment

of armed guards on board vessels is far from the panacea. But

taking an informed decision using all available tools will help

shipowners and operators to defend cargoes, vessels, crews, liability

and reputation.

Sadly, there is no magic wand to eradicate piracy. So for now, the

ability to protect vessels safely and lawfully provides the next step

along the road towards the ultimate goal of finding a cure.

*This article was written by Anthony Carroll, head of businessdevelopment, Gray Page.



TO

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p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:03 Page 22


When the Somali Pirates firststruck, it was big news. We wereall shocked with the reportscoming out of the waters aroundthe horn of Africa. Kidnappings,ransoms and lost cargo weremind boggling*. However, new terrors, horrors and natural

disasters took over and we now only hear

about the violence and insanity when

something particularly horrible happens, or a

new book is published.

The reality is that piracy in the waters

leading from the Suez Canal is a paying

business and has not stopped. An entire

article could be penned explaining why the

Somali pirates do not have fear of

repercussions. Piracy is a crime that is costing

all of us billions of dollars a year in the higher

cost of goods because of lost time, cargo and

ransoms.

Piracy is terrorism and once ransom

payments are made, more fuel is added to the

fire that allows the terrorism to continue

unabated. An entire generation of Somalis

think that piracy is a valid career choice. At

Armed Piracy Defence (APD), we know that

piracy can be stopped, with investments from

the shipping and insurance companies that are

most affected.

The pirates have become much more

daring. What started as a ragtag team of

untrained and ill-prepared guerrillas looking

for easy money has turned into a well

organised industry, resourceful group of

mercenaries. There is a continuously

growing group of increasingly daring,

tactically savvy, violent men without any

regard for human life.

They now have mother ships with satellite

& Internet-based communications systems

and a highly developed intelligence network

that allows them to track EACH AND

EVERY SHIP and cargo that passes through

the Suez Canal. The pirates lie in wait for

the most lucrative cargoes and vessels.

They attack far out at sea with mother

vessels & multiple skiffs using strategically

planned methods to neutralise vessels as

quickly as possible. They are known to use

captured vessels as mother ships to attack

other vessels.

The United Nations and governments

around the world have placed their priorities

elsewhere and are not able or willing to find a

solution & funds to deal with piracy. In order

to combat this issue, the entire industry must

show a unified front.

To accomplish this, APD is proposing that

shipowners, insurance companies and other

leaders use our knowledge base, first class

security teams, security protocols and

financial resources to invest in a training

centre to better prepare those key officers on

board the targeted vessels to counter the

threats posed by the pirates. There are some

basic strategies that can be used to save lives.

Each voyage must be well planned with an

alert and equipped crew.

If the entire industry that had vessels sailing

within the Red Zone agreed on a specific

safety protocol and each ship and crew was

prepared in the same way to counteract

attacks, the pirates income would shrivel to

nothing and they would not be able to fund

their illegal activities.

In addition to the training centres to prepare

the crews, each ship passing through the Gulf

of Aden, Lagos, Dar es Salaam, Mogadishu,

Somalia, Monrovia (Liberia), Hanish al Kubra

Island (the southern Red Sea, off the Omani

coast), the Arabian Sea, Indonesia,

Bangladesh, the Malacca straits, the south

China Sea, Malaysia, the Philippines,

Vietnam, or the Singapore straits will acquire

Red Zone insurance, which includes a team of

armed guards that have been trained to deal

with the terrorist threat.

The solution is simple. Companies would

set up insurance account. An underwriting

team will be available 24/7 for activation of

the insurance and the deployment of teams

of first class combat trained security guards,

as ships are scheduled to transit within the

Red Zone.

There will be up to 40 types of standard

categorised insurance to choose from, to suit

the needs of the individual shipowner. The

larger the ship, the more guards needed, the

higher the premium. With even the minimum

insurance level, the shipowner will have a first

class security detail to protect its crew, vessel

and cargo.

APD’s armed squads are equipped with top

quality army grade automatic weapons,

including night vision and protective

equipment. All our squads consist of combat

savvy personnel and a medic; we claim that

no other company in the market place can

make that guarantee.

We also claim to be the only company that

maintains ongoing training with our combat

teams, which include simulations of both

night and day attacks by multiple skiffs. APD

is familiar with all weapons used by pirates in

this area, their strategy, mindset, their

equipment and the sea & land routes of supply

that are used by the mother ships and the

skiffs. All of our team members originate from

the same naval combat unit.

The years of working together has created a

coherent combat team that work in complete

synergy. We have the personnel to deploy 20

combat ready teams simultaneously, with

another 15 combat teams ready to be deployed

within 72 hours. As market forces increase,

the number of deployable teams will increase.

Team strategiesAPD will take the initiative to ensure that all

armed security forces will have the same

strategies in dealing with the pirates and that

they all have combat grade weapons. We also

create guidelines for essential drills to be

completed by all crews 48 hours before

entering the Red Zone. Also included is a list

of required equipment and ammunition, ‘do’

and ‘don't do’ list and a list of possible

scenarios related to a particular vessel.

In paying ransom to the pirates, insurance

companies are merely adding fuel to

terrorism and are stimulating the pirates to

continue their activities. The ransoms are

very lucrative and are worth the risks that the

pirates make. As a result of the protection

we provide, insurance companies are willing

to decrease the premium by 40%-50% on

their maritime Ransom and Kidnap (R&K)

coverage.

Piracy will be stopped only if the shipping

industry creates a united front, under one

guide line of a unified standardised single

security protocol, which will provide an

escort for each and every ship sailing in the

Red Zones.

The investment needed to bring safety and

security to the Red Zone is a small price to

pay compared to the millions and millions of

dollars that is paid in ransom each and every

year. With investments dedicated to the

training of key officers, the creation of a state

of the art training facility and control centre

for 400 teams of four people each and the

arming of our security teams with top quality

weapons and equipment, the industry can

supply the economic stability that is needed to

carry us to the future.

*This article was written by Armed-Piracy-Defence, Inc; Skype Phone ID: Armed-Piracy-Defence; Email:[email protected]

Taking the fight to the pirates

TO


p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:03 Page 23



Following a report filed on 7thAugust by the IMB Live PiracyReporting Centre, which sawsuspected Somali pirates attemptto hijack a vessel off the coast ofEritrea in large numbers, NeptuneMaritime Security has raisedconcerns over this apparentchange of tactics.Unfortunately, it would indeed appear that

pirates in the area have banded together in an

attempt to ‘swarm’ vessels. Another example

occurred on 18th August, the IMB Live Piracy

Reporting Centre listed an attempted hijacking

on a bulk carrier underway around 22 miles

NE of Assab, Eritrea in the Red Sea.

Interestingly, this is approximately 26.19

km North of the attack on 7th August and

could suggest that this large group of pirates

have a specific area of operations.

The report states that seven high-speed

boats suddenly approached the vessel and that

each boat contained three to five men, each

armed with automatic weapons. This mirrors

the previous attack of 7th August, which saw

an estimated 60 pirates mount an unsuccessful

attack on a vessel protected by an armed

security team.

Even underestimating the number of

pirates in the later attack to just 21, it would

still seem to confirm that pirate gangs have

adopted a new tactic of mass attacks in the

waters surrounding Eritrea. Intelligence

sources suggest that this new trend may be a

consequence of the monsoon season, but

without further data, this is difficult to

confirm.

Since then Neptune Maritime Security has

examined the available data through its

intelligence bank, including material supplied

by intelligence sources and presented the

following report.

In July, pirate activity off Eritrea was limited

to small numbers of pirates mounting similarly

small-scale attacks on shipping. For example,

on 20th July, the Suezmax Front Pride was

attacked by a single skiff containing six pirates

while underway about 27 miles NW of Assab,

Eritrea. Pirates fired an RPG at the vessel, but

the armed security team on board returned fire

and the pirates aborted their attack.

Then, on 21st July, a cargo vessel was fired

upon by a single skiff containing six pirates

while underway in position about 30 miles off

Assab. The location of this second attempted

hijacking is just 3.5 miles from the scene of

the previous day’s incident and it is highly

likely that this was the same pirate group. On

this occasion, the attempt was again deterred

by armed security personnel on board the

cargo vessel.

This incident occurred some 48 miles away

from the first ‘swarm’ attack on 7th August

(see Figure 2, Attack 1), but without further

intelligence, it is impossible to establish

whether this was a small raiding party or a

single pirate group on a scouting mission

operating far from their base of operations.

Indeed, both incidents may be entirely

unrelated to the spate of attempted swarm

attacks in August, although their proximity to

three of the attempted hijackings that month

does suggest that pirates have been driven into

the Red Sea by local monsoon conditions in

the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast.

Neptune Maritime Security highlighted the

swarm attack of 7th August (Figure 2, Attack

1), when (according to a report from the

IMB’s Live Piracy Reporting Centre) 12 skiffs

containing between five and eight pirates per

skiff complete with arms and boarding

ladders, attacked a bulk carrier underway

about 20 miles off the coast of Eritrea.

As the pirate skiffs approached to within

300 m of the vessel, the Master ordered the

armed security guards on board to fire

warning shots at the skiffs. While the majority

of pirates aborted their attempt, two skiffs

continued to pursue the vessel for some 30

minutes, returning fire until they, too finally

aborted. If this report is accurate, then this

means that a minimum of 60 pirates attacked

a vessel en masse.Following this, word reached Neptune

Maritime Security via colleagues at

OCEANUSLive.org of another incident in the

Red Sea on 10th August (Figure 2, Attack 2).

This took place at just under 6.5 miles away

from the 7th August incident. On this occasion,

a Panama-flagged chemical tanker, GoldenTopstar, was pursued while underway by

pirates in 12 skiffs. The vessel evaded the

attack by firing flares and engaging in evasive

manoeuvres. The incident was listed by the

IMO as having been reported via ReCAAP.org.

Two incidents involving 12 skiffs and large

numbers of pirates, less than 6.5 miles apart

cannot be coincidental and is surely cause

for concern.

Third attackA third attack (Figure 2, Attack 3) occurred on

17th August (initially listed by the Live Piracy

Reporting Centre as 18th August). A bulk

carrier underway, about 22 miles off Assab,

Eritrea, was approached by seven high-speed

boats with each boat containing three to five

men armed with automatic weapons. Again

underestimating the number of attackers to

just 21 still leaves us with a large hostile

force. On this occasion, the attack was

repelled due to the vessel increasing speed and

adopting evasive manoeuvres.

It should also be noted that the site of this

attack is less than 10.2 miles away from the

incident on 10th August.

Further evidence of pirates swarming

vessels occurred on 20th August, at the

mouth of the Red Sea at Bab-el- Mandeb.

The incident involved a bulk carrier and

saw a concerted, lengthy attack by a large

pirate force.

According to the Iranian Navy, who

ultimately came to the vessel’s rescue, the first

attack occurred at around 15:00 local time and

saw four skiffs containing 20 pirates engage

the vessel. The second attack saw eight skiffs

with a force of 40 pirates while the third and

final attempt featured two skiffs with 12

pirates on board.

The final incident that Neptune Maritime

Securities highlighted in the Red Sea occurred

on 24th August and involved another bulk

carrier. The incident took place in the

Southern Red Sea, some 88.5 miles away

from the attack on 17th August.

This attack saw two skiffs approach the

vessel as it was underway at a speed of 12

knots. The Master raised the alarm and as the

skiffs approached the vessel, the armed

security team on board took preventative

measures, repelling the attack. The

‘preventative measures’ mentioned in the

report are not expanded upon.

Given the distance between this attempted

hijacking and the attack on 17th August, it is

entirely possible that these are unrelated.

However, from the data we have examined, it

would seem clear that pirate activity in the

Red Sea area and the new trend of attacking in

large groups are something that all shipping

companies and vessels transiting the area

should be aware of and prepared for.

Pirates adopt ‘swarms’ attacks

TO

Figure 2, attack 3

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:03 Page 24

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:03 Page 25


INDUSTRY - SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS

This has generally required paying

for costly services, such as

machine-to-machine (M2M)

satellite communications to

guarantee a two-way data pipe and deliver

near-guaranteed vessel reporting during the

period when a vessel is in open water. The

problem with this approach is that the typical

vessel spends as much as 20% of the time

near to the shore. Alternatively, fleet

managers can now use multiple

communications modes to significantly

increase fleet reporting while cutting overall

costs by more than 50% as compared to

satellite-only methods.

There are four primary methods for

maintaining fleet communications, each with its

own advantages and disadvantages. The first is

VSAT, an always-on satellite service that

delivers low-bandwidth vessel communications

without imposing incremental new data fees. If

already on board, VSAT supports enhanced

satellite-based vessel reporting. But if it’s not

already being deployed for other uses, it can be

very costly to implement VSAT for this

application alone.

The second method is commercial satellite

providers, such as Iridium or Inmarsat-C,

which use satellite communications for

periodic position reporting, text messaging,

and compliance with International Convention

for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)

requirements, including the Global Maritime

Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) and

other standards. While Inmarsat-C delivers

global satellite-based vessel reporting, its cost

per byte, or character, is very high and it

supports only a few vessel reports per day.

Cellular is the third mode of fleet

communications. It combines high bandwidth

with low cost and can be used when vessels are

near the shore, or in port. The advantages of

cellular communications include its high

reporting frequency with very low data costs,

but it cannot be used for vessel reporting at sea.

The fourth communications method is

Automatic Information System (AIS), which

uses the ship’s collision-avoidance signals for

near-real-time reporting at no cost. AIS users

can implement real-time vessel reporting and

alerting both near shore and, with satellite-

based AIS, on the open water. The

disadvantage of AIS is that it can only be used

for one-way communications and does not

currently support shore-to-ship messaging.

Rather than choosing only one of these four

communications modes, the ideal solution for

fleet owners and operators is to create a

comprehensive vessel reporting solution that

includes a mix. A hybrid solution enables

fleet managers to cost-effectively achieve real-

time (or near-real-time) messaging and

position reporting when vessels are near the

shore, while limiting the use of more

expensive satcom technology to those periods

when vessels are at sea.

This is the approach that Houston-based

PortVision has taken with its TriMode

service. The web-based fleet management

system extends the company’s AIS-based

offering to include two-way cellular and

satellite service for messaging and position

reports. The system then uses ‘least-cost

routing’ (LCR) over all available modes to

direct traffic over the most cost-effective

communications paths. The advantage of

this approach is that higher-cost satellite

communications pipes are only deployed

when lower-cost alternatives are unavailable.

With a multi-mode communications

strategy, fleet owners and logistics personnel

can use low- or no-cost cellular and AIS

communications for near-real-time

information about vessel movements when

ships in the fleet are near port, which is when

logistics complexity is highest and numerous

resources must be managed. This gives

voyage management and back-office

Improving businessvisibility and

reducing costsFleet owners and operators face an increasingly difficult challenge.

It is critical that they have an ‘always available’ communications channel

for shore-to-ship and ship-to-shore messaging and vessel reporting*.

PortVision data can now be accessed on a laptop, or a Blackberry.

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 03/10/2011 13:18 Page 26



personnel complete visibility into vessel

interactions with tugs, pilots, line handlers,

docks and a variety of associated marine

service providers. By using integrated cellular

and AIS communications rather than satellite

services for these in- or near-port activities,

fleet management can improve visibility and

tracking while simultaneous lowering the cost

of communication.

A typical application might look like this:

AIS is used for real-time reporting of the fleet

and other AIS-enabled vessels during those

periods when they are near shore or in-port,

with no additional communications costs.

Available more than 75% of the time in many

cases, AIS gives operators visibility not only

into their own vessel activities, but those of

their competitors, as well, and also enables

them to see the availability of critical

resources including docks, locks, anchorages,

pilots and tugs.

Cellular service is then used for high-

performance reporting at a low fixed cost --

up to 12 position reports per hour, plus

unlimited text messaging while a vessel, or

fleet is within the coverage area. Finally,

satellite service is used for guaranteed two-

way text messaging and position reporting

during those periods when the fleet has moved

into open water and is beyond either the low-

cost or cellular or no-cost AIS coverage areas.

Additional methodsThere are a number of additional ways to

leverage the power of AIS data in a multi-

mode communications solution. The

technology has been used by shore-side

maritime personnel to enhance business

visibility and operational efficiency since

2005 when it was mandated for use as a

collision-avoidance tool. While some AIS

services do little more than enable fleet

management to view ‘points on a map,’ the

most useful solutions combine real-time

visualisation and historical information with

a variety of management tools. This enables

them to provide a rich and comprehensive

look at all relevant vessel traffic in one

convenient command-and-control display

environment.

AIS services provide the greatest benefits

when they enable users to monitor all

activities in user-defined zones and share

real-time information with remote

participants and other operations centres.

With these kinds of capabilities, AIS

services can be used by maritime

professionals for applications ranging from

enhancing safety and efficiency and

streamlining vendor and resource co-

ordination to simplifying traffic scheduling

and dispatch management. Many companies

are also using AIS service to generate

maritime business intelligence, perform

demurrage reporting and analysis, accelerate

and improve incident response and execute

stronger security initiatives.

These applications require access to both

real-time and historical AIS data, which is

generated from the tens of thousands of

merchant ships, worldwide, that carry AIS

Class ‘A’ equipment for transmitting their

location reports. The system broadcasts

information on a fixed schedule, anywhere

from two to 10 seconds to as much as six

minutes apart.

Static dataThis information includes static data such as

the ship’s name, call sign, type, length,

beam, antenna location, and its IMO, or

maritime mobile service identity (MMSI)

number. AIS also broadcasts certain types

of voyage-related data, plus a variety of

dynamic data including time and the ship’s

current position, course and ground speed,

its gyro heading and rate of turn, and its

navigational status.

All of these data

points roll up into an

enormous source of

powerful business

intelligence

information. To

provide an idea of how

much data is available,

PortVision’s AIS data

warehouse adds 40

mill vessel position

reports daily to a five-

year database that

contains more than 15

bill records related to

vessel arrivals,

departures and other

movements. All of

this real-time and

historical data can be

used by AIS-based

business intelligence

systems to improve

fleet visibility and

enhance operational

efficiency, both in real

time and as a historical

playback tool for such

purposes as generating

legal forensic

evidence, reviewing

best practices and

developing training programmes.

Fleet owners and operators face escalating

communications costs. They typically

deploy vessel monitoring and management

services across dozens of vessels. Until

now, they have used costly satellite services

to guarantee an ‘always available’ channel,

even though each vessel typically spends

considerable time within reach of

communications networks that are much less

expensive. By using AIS services that are

enhanced with multi-mode communications

capabilities and LCR technology, fleet

managers can achieve enhanced vessel

reporting while significantly reducing

communications fees as compared to

systems that rely solely on satellite services.

The advent of multi-mode communications

makes comprehensive fleet management

systems more affordable to a broader range of

companies and organisations that can now

take advantage of their operational and

reporting benefits to improve fleet visibility

and enhance safety and efficiency.

* This article was written by DeanRosenberg, CEO, PortVision.

TO

WARSASH MARITIME ACADEMY

SHIP HANDLINGCENTRE,TIMSBURY LAKE

Contact: Warsash Maritime Academy, Newtown Road, Warsash, Southampton, SO31 9ZLVisit: www.warsashacademy.co.ukE-mail: [email protected]: +44 (0)1489 576161

Ship Handling courses now operate from our new Ship Handling Centre at Timsbury, near Romsey, Hampshire. The Ship Handling Centre, the only one in the UK, is set in 25 acres of sheltered woodland, 10 miles north of Southampton, 21 miles from the main Warsash Maritime Academy campus. Over 30 years of experience in operating a Ship Handling Centre has enabled us to design and develop a lake that meets the demands and needs of today’s seafarer.

MANNED MODEL SHIP HANDLING

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MSc Shipping Operations

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 03/10/2011 13:18 Page 27



This provides maritime users with

access to both Ku-band VSAT and

L-band FleetBroadband services in

a bundled package.

Initially available from Ship Equip and

Stratos, Inmarsat’s direct distribution channel,

the new offering will deliver a fully-integrated

managed service for an inclusive monthly

fixed fee. It is intended to be available to all

GX-appointed distributors.

Designed to provide a bridge to Inmarsat’s

Ka-band Global Xpress service, the package

includes a guaranteed free hardware upgrade

when Inmarsat’s new service becomes

available in 2013.

With a suggested retail price of $2,999 per

month for 60 months, it offers:

� Ku-band hardware, approved by Inmarsat

as upgradable to Ka-band.

� FleetBroadband (FB500) hardware.

� Airtime at 512 kpbs/512 kbps, with a

committed information rate (CIR) of

128 kbps.

� Inclusive FleetBroadband airtime where

the VSAT service is not available.

� The complete range of Ship Equip and

Stratos applications and support products.

� Guaranteed free upgrade from the Ku-band

hardware to Ka-band Global Xpress.

� Guaranteed double bandwidth upgrade on

Global Xpress: 1 Mbps/1 Mbps and 256

kbps CIR.

“This is an exceptional value proposition. It

gives the maritime industry a clear path to the

true broadband services that Global Xpress

will deliver and removes risk from upgrading

now”, said Frank Coles, senior director of

maritime for Global Xpress, at the pathway’s

launch.

“It is currently the only approved Global

Xpress upgrade path. We intend to appoint

further GX distribution partners, who will

also be able to offer this winning proposition.

Combined, Ship Equip and Stratos offer

unprecedented capability, service and support

for both FleetBroadband and Ku-band

VSAT and are ideally placed to bring this

unique value-driven solution to the market,”

Coles claimed.

The announcement follows the introduction

of fixed fee options on FleetBroadband, which

provide very large allowances for commercial

shipping fleets that want the functionality and

reliability of an L-band service with

predictable fixed costs.

Key manufacturerLast month, an agreement was signed between

Thrane & Thrane and Inmarsat, whereby the

Danish concern will be the key manufacturer

for the forthcoming Global Xpress service.

With Thrane & Thrane now on board,

Global Xpress expects to go live in 2013 with

newly designed SAILOR terminals produced

specifically for use with the new maritime Ka-

band service.

“We are delighted to have reached this

agreement with Thrane & Thrane as it means

our maritime customers will have a wider

choice of terminals for our super-fast

broadband network,” Coles said.

“SAILOR terminals have proven the most

popular for all recent Inmarsat maritime

services and this makes us confident that

Thrane & Thrane’s partnership will be a very

positive asset as we gear up for the launch of

Global Xpress,” he said.

The introduction of state-of-the-art Global

Xpress terminals will expand an already

diverse portfolio, the company said. Thrane

& Thrane has shipped more than 20,000

SAILOR FleetBroadband terminals since the

launch of Inmarsat’s current flagship service

in November 2007 and in late September

2011 the company announced the

commercial availability of its new SAILOR

900 VSAT antenna.

As a Global Xpress launch manufacturer,

Thrane & Thrane claimed that it is uniquely

positioned to offer high quality L-band/Ka-

band combination packages in line with

Inmarsat’s expectations, as well as provide

Global Xpress terminals to shipping

companies.

“The higher data speeds and compact

terminals mark Global Xpress as an important

development in the world of maritime

communications,” said Casper Jensen, VP,

maritime business unit, Thrane & Thrane.

“We are keen to use the knowledge and

experience we have acquired as a long-

standing Inmarsat manufacturer to ensure the

new SAILOR terminals capture the promised

speed, reliability and flexibility of the

forthcoming new service,” he said.

Antenna agreementTo enhance the sales and marketing of its new

SAILOR 900 VSAT antenna, Thrane &

Thrane has signed an agreement with Marlink.

Under the terms of the agreement, the

company will add the new Ku-band antenna to

its VSAT portfolio and offer it to its extensive

global customer network.

SAILOR 900 VSAT is claimed to be a

powerful, quick and easy-to-install four-axis

stabilised Ku-band VSAT antenna, featuring

a low-profile and high performance RF

design. It can be easily integrated with all

leading VSAT modem units. The antenna

control unit (ACU) features multiple LAN

and diagnostics ports and built-in test

equipment (BITE).

During the intensive development and

testing of SAILOR 900 VSAT, Thrane &

Thrane’s in-house engineers were supported

by Marlink’s experience as a key global

maritime communication organisation.

“As one of the leading maritime satcoms

service providers, Marlink’s input during the

development of the SAILOR 900 VSAT was

Inmarsat upgradespathway to

Global XpressIn June, Inmarsat launched

a pathway product aimed at

its future Global Xpress

(GX) service.

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:06 Page 28



invaluable,” said Jensen. “SAILOR 900

VSAT will of course be offered through our

entire global partner network, but we are

delighted to continue our long relationship

with Marlink and co-operate closely as we

gear up to bring an innovative new product

to the VSAT space.”

“By including the new SAILOR 900 VSAT

antenna in our product offerings we continue

to bring flexibility to our customers, offering

choices of hardware and products that suit

their specific needs,” said Tore Morten Olsen,

CEO Marlink. “Shipowners worldwide have

very different communications needs. Adding

the new SAILOR 900 VSAT antenna into our

VSAT portfolio further strengthens Marlink’s

position as the most complete maritime

communications provider in the market.”

To ensure reliability of the SAILOR 900

VSAT on board any vessel type, Thrane &

Thrane built a antenna testing and simulation

facility at its headquarters. The facility

features a multi-axis hydraulic motion testing

and simulation platform that uses real-life

vessel motion and conditions, to test the

SAILOR 900 VSAT while it is connected to a

live satellite. This extra testing ensures that

the SAILOR 900 VSAT is ready for

installation on board vessels of all sizes and

types, the company said.

Marlink’s has also enhanced Inmarsat’s

FleetPhone offering by providing a free

terminal for each 12-month subscription of

Vizada’s Universal Card, a prepaid solution

for private calls and crew data.

FleetPhone service is Inmarsat’s latest

satellite voice, circuit switched data and SMS

messaging system.

As part of the subscription, the system will

also have a free crew handset and call blocker,

which restricts crew to the prepaid traffic.

The Universal Card is claimed to provide

important advantages when attracting new

crew to a vessel, as it gives seafarers only one

card for cost-effective voice calls and allows

complete control over call spending and

budget at pre-defined costs. Shipowners can

stipulate the level of usage on the card and

any number can be ordered to cover the entire

ship’s complement.

The FleetPhone service is available through

two equipment options, both of which are

provided free of charge. The Oceana 400

enables five standard phones, or integration

into a PBX system, while the larger Oceana

800 has integrated Bluetooth, a GPS receiver,

providing tracking and instant message

reporting via SMS, and the 505 emergency

calling feature.

The service is claimed to be simple to

install and use, connecting to existing phone

systems making it easy for the Master or crew

to make calls anytime. Additional tools can be

added for other daily communication and

administration needs.

Stratos buys BOWAs for Inmarsat subsidiary Stratos, earlier this

year it purchased most of the operational

assets of Blue Ocean Wireless (BOW). BOW

was a provider of shipboard GSM services

that enabled seafarers to use their personal

GSM phones to communicate with family and

friends by voice and SMS.

As part of the acquisition, Stratos assumed

responsibility for providing services to most

of BOW’s customers, including many large

commercial shipping companies worldwide.

Since 1st July, Stratos has marketed and

sold BOW’s services to existing and new

customers under the new brand GSM

Oceanwide.

Stratos offers a variety of crew-welfare

services, including GSM Oceanwide, prepaid

Stratos ChatCards and AmosConnect Crew.

“Today, more than ever, savvy

shipmanagers understand that offering a wide

range of communications options is critical to

attracting and retaining qualified crew

members,” said Stratos president and CEO

Jim Parm. “Each day we work with these

shipmanagers to ensure they can offer

advanced voice, private email and SMS

services that are powerful, easy to use and

available away from the bridge.”

Parm concluded, “Our acquisition of the

BOW assets improves our ability to offer

affordable GSM services to our global

customer base.”

Stratos is the largest supplier of mobile

satellite services to the maritime industry.

with communications to more than 40,000

maritime terminals worldwide.

Chemical Tanker Seminar for Shipping Professionals

- Your choice of course

8-9 February 2012 in CopenhagenDevelop your knowledge of Chemical

Tankers and their cargoes

Call or send an e-mail to receive information and course programme

TO

Thrane & Thrane’s Casper Jensen.

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:06 Page 29


INDUSTRY - BOOK REVIEW

This hardback takes bothstudents and tanker professionalsthrough the various cycles oftanker operations*. It is edited by marine author and former large

tanker navigator and deck officer Dr Raymond

Solly in co-operation with Warsash’s Capt

Quentin Cox and John Onslow.

Starting from the early history of the tanker

from the bridge amidship design of the 19th

and early 20th centuries to today’s modern

double hull VLCCs, the first few chapters

outline basic hazards, including the refining

process, to a description of the operating

technicalities of today’s tanker.

Much reference is made to the ISGOTT

guide – the bible of the gas and tanker sectors

– in the various paragraphs and chapters

describing on board operations. Terminals,

both onshore and offshore also get an airing as

does ship-to-ship transfers (STS), which have

been the subject of legislation recently.

Tank cleaning and washing, pollution

prevention, entry into dangerous spaces, cargo

calculations, vetting inspections and responses

to an oil spill are all covered in the 15

chapters.

The book is also well illustrated with actual

photographs of vessels and equipment, plus

tables and graphics, giving the reader a feel

for the subject being written about. A couple

of errors have crept in to the captions, but

these do not take anything away from the

technical content of the book and its

usefulness as a guide.

It was obviously written before the advent

of EEDI and SEEMP (TEEMP), which will

hopefully be covered in any revision planned.

A well stocked index also acts as a glossary

when referred back to the page in which the

subject is mentioned.

Another book from the same publishers

along similar lines is Liquefied Petroleum Gas

Tanker Practice, by Capt TWV Woolcott. This

142 page illustrated hardback was published

in 2009 and is very relevant today with the

increased interest in these type of vessels.

This book looks at LPG and ammonia cargo

carriers covering fully-pressurised, semi-

pressurised and fully refrigerated vessels. It

looks at cargo preparation, loading,

transportation and discharging.

Special safety precautions are highlighted

due to the dangerous nature of this cargo,

especially fire prevention and response.

*Manual of Oil Tanker Operations by DrRaymond Solly, Capt Quentin Cox and JohnOnslow, published by Brown, Son &Ferguson, 193pp, hardback, illustrated.

Manual of Oil Tanker Operations

In the August/September issue of

TA�KEROperator on page 12, we

prematurely promoted International

Registries’ John Ramage. His official

position in the administration is Chief

Operating Officer (COO).

John Ramage

TO

The Latest �ews is now available on TA�KEROperator’s website at www.tankeroperator.com and is updated

weekly. For access to the �ews just register by entering your e-mail address in the box provided. You

can also request to receive free e-mail copies of TA�KEROperator by filling in the form displayed on the

website. Free trial copies of the printed version are also available from the website. These are limited to

tanker company executives and are distributed at the publisher’s discretion.

TA�KEROperator

p2-30:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 11:26 Page 30

TECHNOLOGY - PROPULSION SYSTEMS


One is the Azipod® propulsion

system, which is an electrically

driven propellers mounted on a

steerable pod and the other is a

new concept for the distribution of electricity

on board using direct current (DC) instead of

the traditional alternative current (AC).

Over the years the Azipod system has not

only gained a reputation for its high

manoeuvrability, quick response and smooth,

quiet operation, but also for its higher efficiency

and lower emissions, the company claimed.

Huge savings in fuel oil of as much as

55,000 litres per week have been made by

ships fitted with ABB’s Azipod system, when

compared with sister ships travelling the same

routes using conventional propulsion systems.

An Azipod even provides between 10% to

15% higher efficiency than conventional

electric shaft line systems, ABB claimed.

However, it should be noted that these claims

mainly relate to cruise vessel operations,

although a few Azipods have been fitted to

tankers and other types of vessels (see table

on the next page).

The pod is fitted to the ship’s hull and rotates

freely along its vertical axis, which means that

thrust can be delivered in any direction,

avoiding the need for a rudder, transverse

thrusters at the stern and long shaft lines inside

the hull. The superior manoeuvrability of the

vessel brings with it improvements in

operational safety, ABB claimed.

ABB is now developing the next Azipod

generation – Azipod XO. The company said

that it was also engaged in pre-studies of an

XI version for ice conditions by looking at

how XO features and technology can be

adapted to vessels regularly sailing in ice.

“We would like to have some operational

experience of Azipod XO first before we start

the XI development programme. We have a

modern Azipod VI series in our product

portfolio, so we can fulfil most of the market

needs with that product,” ABB said.

Although the company has not undertaken

any tests on the XI concept, it has tested the

present ice application design Azipod VI on

many projects, ABB explained.

For example, the Azipod VI has been fitted

to several Arctic tankers and Arctic

containerships. Last year, one of Norilsky

Nickel’s containerships transited the Northern

Sea Route (NSR) between Murmansk and

Shanghai without icebreaker assistance.

More recently, an Azipod VI was fitted to

Norilsky Nickel’s new Arctic tanker Enisey,

which was due to be delivered from Nordic

Yards in September. The 14,800 dwt tanker is

169 m in length and is of Ice Class Arc 7

(Russian Maritime Register). The propulsion

system is based on a single 13 MW Azipod

VI, similar to that fitted on the five Norilsk

Nickel Arctic containerships now in service.

Based on the model tests undertaken at Aker

Arctic, a conventional vessel requires about

1.5-2 times the power of a DAS (double acting

ship) type vessel to fulfil the same ice going

performance. Thus it is not economically

feasible to build large ice going tankers with

conventional propulsion concepts.

Neste’s tankers Tempera and Mastera use

the DAS principle and operate in the Baltic.

Neither has ever needed icebreaker assistance,

although there have been a couple of heavy

winters during which other vessels had

become stuck in ice, ABB explained.

Pod optimisationEarlier this year, software designer Eniram

signed an agreement with ABB to integrate

it’s pod optimisation technology into the

Azipod propulsion system for newbuilds, as

Propulsion specialist ABB

has pioneered two systems,

which are claimed to be

able to improve vessel

energy efficiency.

Improving energyefficiency

p31-43:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:11 Page 1

well as for retrofit projects.

The dynamic pod optimisation, based on

Eniram’s vessel management system (VMS),

optimises the relation of the pod angles and

enables ship operators using this propulsion

system to make further increases in fuel

savings already realised using traditional

Azipod systems.

Results from a collaborative study carried

out last year by Eniram and ABB exceeded

the originally anticipated fuel savings proving

that the combined technology has the potential

to truly increase vessel efficiency, both

companies claimed.

In order to transfer the Azipod’s energy

savings to the large vessel segment, ABB is

developing a completely new propulsion

concept. It consists of a fixed, non-turning,

electrically driven pod placed just behind the

vessel's fixed–pitch, direct-drive propeller,

with a separate rudder for steering at the rear.

ABB said that the new contra-rotating

system, called RudderpodTM CRP, is

expected to provide an improved propulsion

efficiency of some 7%. In high powered

containerships this means a huge fuel saving

and reduction in exhaust gases. ABB told

TA�KEROperator that model tests were

currently being performed, plus other studies.

Once they have been evaluated, the company

will then decide which tanker types will be

most suitable for this concept.

These advantages make electric podded

propulsion an attractive alternative propulsion

system, the company claimed. This

development has spurred ABB to take electric

propulsion one step further by developing a

more efficient direct current (DC) electrical

system, known as ABB’s on board DC system,

to replace the traditional alternating current

(AC) power distribution systems currently

available on ships.

This system is part of a DC revival in

power solutions that uses modern technology

to overcome its earlier limitations, which now

not only makes DC a contender, but a superior

system since it avoids the inefficiencies

inherent with AC power distribution systems

currently found on board ships, ABB said.

The DC system will provide highly efficient

power distribution and electric propulsion for a

wide range of vessels, including coastal

tankers, as it is applicable for vessels fitted with

a low voltage propulsion system with the view

to reducing fuel consumption and emissions by

up to 20%. In traditional electrical propulsion

vessels, multiple DC connections are made

from the AC circuit to thrusters and propulsion

drives, which account for more than 80% of

electrical power consumption.

ABB's on board DC system connects

directly to all DC links and distributes power

through a single 1,000 V DC circuit, which

eliminates the need for large AC switchboards

and heavy-duty transformers. This results in

space and weight savings of up to 30%,

allowing ships to carry more cargo. The

placement of electrical equipment is also more

flexible, allowing the electrical system to be

designed around the vessel functions rather

than the other way around.

One of the biggest advantages of a DC power

system is that the vessel's engines no longer

have to run at a fixed speed, which means that

the engine’s speed can be adjusted to optimise

fuel consumption still further. This improves a

ship's operational efficiency by up to 10%

compared with traditional AC powered systems.

In addition, ABB's on board DC system

will enable supplementary DC energy

sources such as solar panels, fuel cells,

super-capacitors, or batteries to be plugged

into the vessel's DC electrical system

directly, creating further fuel savings.

ABB said that it believed hybrid power

systems will play an increasing part in the

next generation of ship designs, with batteries

or other energy storage devices being

employed to provide short bursts of higher

power when required.

“Our aim is to install the first DC system on

board a ship by mid-2012,” said Jostein

Bogen project leader for ABB's on board DC

systems. “This will be a major step forward in

the development of even more flexible, energy

efficient ships with superior performance.”

For larger tankers, ABB said that the

company believed that a hybrid solution,

including 2-stroke multi-fuel engine in



Azipod Yard Vessel Owner Ship Ice Class Azipod Total Frame Vessel �o ofType name type class power power size delivery pods

[MW] [MW] date

Azipod VI KMY HUT Uikku / NEMARC=> Arctic tanker 1 A Super DnV 11.4 11.4 VI2100 1994 1Varzuga Murmansk

Shipping Co

Azipod VI KMY HUT Lunni / NEMARC=> Arctic tanker 1 A Super DnV 11.4 11.4 VI2100 1995 1Indiga Murmansk

Shipping Co

Azipod VI Sumitomo Tempera Neste Oil Arctic tanker 1 A Super LRS 16 16 VI2500 2002 1

Azipod VI Sumitomo Mastera Neste Oil Arctic tanker 1 A Super LRS 16 16 VI2500 2003 1

Azipod VI Samsung Vasily Sovcomflot Arctic tanker LU6 ABS / 10 20 VI2300 2008 2Heavy Ind. Dinkov RMRS

Azipod CO Shanghai Excello Donsötank Ice strengthened 1A DnV 3.2 6.4 2008 2Edwards tanker

Azipod VI Samsung Kapitan Sovcomflot Arctic tanker LU6 ABS / 10 20 VI2300 2008 2Heavy Ind. Grotskiy RMRS

Azipod VI Samsung Shturman Sovcomflot Arctic tanker LU6 ABS / 10 20 VI2300 2009 2Heavy Ind. Albanov RMRS

Azipod VI Admiralty Mikhail Sovcomflot Arctic tanker LU6 LRS/ 8.5 17 VI2300 2010 2Shipyard Ulyanov RMRS

Azipod VI Admiralty Kirill Lavrov Sovcomflot Arctic tanker LU6 LRS/ 8.5 17 VI2300 2010 2Shipyard RMRS

Azipod VI Nordic Yards Enisey Norilsk Nickel Arctic tanker Arc 7 RMR 13 13 VI2300 2011 1

Tankers fitted with ABB Azipods

Source: ABB

p31-43:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:11 Page 2



combination with heat recovery systems and

electric podded propulsion, is feasible in order

to save fuel and emission.

This concept is currently being discussed for

large containerships. For tankers, it might also

be an option if it is within economic range. For

tankers, these types of concepts and solutions

are within the company’s targeted vessel

types/concepts, ABB told TA�KEROperator.

ABB added that for smaller tankers, electric

propulsion is even closer to coming to fruition

on a broader scale than for larger tankers,

especially in combination with LNG fuelled

generators. The company said that it is also

promoting electric thrusters (Azipod C) for

these tanker types in order to increase vessel

efficiency and manoeuvrability.

Energy appraisalABB has launched a marine energy appraisal

service to help vessels lower their fuel

consumption by reducing their energy use

and improving the environment by cutting

CO2 emissions.

Among the larger energy consumers on

board vessels are seawater cooling pumps,

chilled water pumps and engine room

ventilation fans. These applications are often

over-specified to handle the most extreme

conditions. In addition, they operate at full

capacity even when demand is not high. Any

flow control is often through mechanical

devices, such as bypass valves and air

dampers, which are inefficient and costly

to maintain.

By installing a variable-speed drive to

adjust the speed of these motors according to

demand, the energy consumed can be reduced

by around 50% with payback on equipment

and installation, from fuel savings alone, in

less than a year.

Lowering energy consumption helps to

reduce carbon dioxide (CO2), sulphur oxides

(SOx) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

“A single seawater cooling pump can save

$29,000 and 117 tonnes of CO2 per year,”

said Stuart Melling, manager for harbour

cranes and merchant vessel service. “When

applied ship-wide and fleet-wide these savings

can be tremendous.

“There is a large potential for retrofitting

existing ships with new fuel-reducing

technologies. For example, only around 2% of

the global fleet is currently equipped with

variable-speed drives for their seawater

cooling pumps, which means that 98% of the

fleet is missing an opportunity for high fuel

savings and environmental rewards,” he said.

ABB’s marine energy appraisal offering

aims to identify the motor-driven applications

that can benefit from the use of variable-speed

drives. Once the applications have been

identified, the energy appraisal is undertaken

and a value proposal for implementing

improvements is presented. If accepted, an

installation site survey is carried out before

the actual engineering and commissioning is

completed. A final report verifies the results

including a return on investment.

“The marine energy appraisal is built on

ABB’s extensive process knowledge

combined with in-depth system competence in

variable-speed drives, motors, pumps and

fans,” said Melling. “We take full

responsibility for complete energy efficiency

retrofit projects, ensuring quick and simple

project execution which saves customers time

and money.”

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Wärtsilä tests new 2-strokedual-fuel gas engine

TO

Wärtsilä has tested its new low-speed gas enginetechnology in trials conducted at the company'sfacilities in Trieste, Italy. Tests were carried out on 19th September in conjunction with

Wärtsilä's licensees conference in Trieste. Wärtsilä demonstrated that

the engine performance fully complies with the upcoming IMO Tier III

nitrogen oxide (NOx) limits, thereby setting a new benchmark for low-

speed engines running on gas.

The new RTX5 2-stroke test engine is part of Wärtsilä's 2-stroke

dual-fuel gas engine technology development programme. This is an

important part of the company's strategy to lower emissions, increase

efficiency and to develop its low-speed engine portfolio to include

dual-fuel gas engines alongside its medium-speed dual-fuel engines.

"The decision to initiate this project was announced in February

2011, just seven months ago. The fact that we have already conducted

a successful test shows that our gas engine technology is at the

forefront of meeting the future needs of shipping, a future that

stipulates more stringent environmental regulation." said Lars

Anderson, vice president, Wärtsilä Ship Power Merchant.

The tests with the RTX5 engine will continue during the autumn and

winter of this year, and into 2012. More details about the engine

technology and its performance will be announced upon completion of

the programme.

Test running during the company's licensees conference is

significant in that the company's low-speed engines are produced by

specialised engine manufacturing companies under license.

IMO's Tier III regulations, which will come into force in 2016,

stipulate that NOx (nitrogen oxides) emissions must be cut by 80%

compared to the IMO Tier I levels. TO

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The new requirements came into

effect in July 2009, under

California Code of Regulations

(CCR), Section 2299.2, Fuel

Sulfur and Other Operational Requirements

for Ocean Going Vessels within California

Waters and 24 Nautical Miles of the

California Baseline.

The regulations require that vessels burn

either marine gas oil (MGO) with maximum

1.5% sulphur, or marine diesel oil (MDO)

with maximum 0.5% sulphur, in their main

and auxiliary engines.

However, following the implementation of

the regulations, California witnessed a 100%

increase in loss of propulsion (LOP) incidents

within state waters during 2009. In 2010,

California saw 54 LOP incidents compared to

24 in 2008 (the last full year before ARB

regulations took effect).

The LOPs can be loosely categorised into

six groups for ease of discussion.

Group 1

In this group, engine failures resulting in the

LOP are due to the inability of the main

engine, operating with MGO/MDO, to

overcome the forces on the propeller from the

forward momentum of the ship. The engine

may turn over at higher rev/min and initiate

combustion; however, as the engine reduces

speed to come to dead slow, or slow astern,

there is not enough BTUs in the fuel to

maintain engine inertia. The engine stalls with

the subsequent loss of propulsion.

Similarly, ships not getting engine starts

while anchoring when an astern order is given,

typically initiates a ‘Failure to Start’ scenario.

The remedy, due to the lack of BTUs, is to

adjust the fuel rack to allow more fuel into the

cylinder. This procedure cannot be done from

most ship bridges but only from the engine

control room or from the engine side (manual).

Group 2

In Group 2, failures resulting in the LOP are

due to problems with controlling the

temperature of the MGO/MDO. Each engine

has specifications as to the temperature range

required to operate using either heavy fuels or

lighter fuels. For example, the optimal

temperature range for an engine might be 135

deg C for a heavy fuel oil (HFO) and 40 deg

C for the MGO.

Because heavy fuels must be heated (for the

right viscosity to burn) and lighter fuels may

not need to be heated, there are problems

associated during the fuel oil switch over in

both heating and cooling the different fuel oil

systems (since the fuel oil is supplied through

the same auxiliary systems). Heating an

MGO/MDO may cause ‘flashing’ of the

lighter fuel oil to vapour. The fuel injectors

would not work when the fuel flashes causing

a loss of power in that cylinder. Multiple

cylinder flashes could result in LOP.

Group 3

In the third group, failures resulting in a LOP

are associated with the loss of fuel oil pressure

to either the fuel pumps or fuel injectors. The

loss of pressure could be a result of many

factors including wrong control set points, use

of bypass valves, in-operable equipment,

inattention to operating conditions, or

excessive leakage through ‘O’ rings and seals.

The problem lies with physics. Metal

expands when heated and contracts when

cooled. Ships were evolved to burn the

heaviest and cheapest fuel available - HFO. To

utilise the HFO, the fuel is heated to as much

as 150 deg C to get it to flow. In comparison,

MGO/MDO fuel is burned at ambient engine

room temperature or 40 deg C and no heating

is required. Once the cooler MGO is

introduced into the fuel pumps and injectors,

they contract causing a loss of fuel pressure at

the pump with marginal spray pattern and

leaks at the injector.

One of the other issues using MGO in an

engine that has successfully run HFO for some

time is viscosity. Typically, the engine

manufacturer’s recommended minimum

viscosity is 2 cst. Fuel viscosity specifications at

40 deg C temperature for MGO/MDO range

from 1.5 cst to 6.5 cst. The MGO loaded in

California has a viscosity of 2 cst to 3 cst at

40 deg C. When the temperature of the MGO is

increased into an already warm engine that just

operated on HFO, the heat lowers the viscosity

causing the fuel machinery parts to bind or

break. Bearing in mind that the cylinder

temperature is usually maintained at 80 deg C

and this heat migrates into the fuel lines as well.

Unsurprisingly, the introduction of distillate

fuel into the fuel system causes leaks,

sometimes excessive leaks. With MGO/MDO

there is a very real risk of external combustion

or fire. The replacing of ‘O’ rings at the

manufacturer’s recommended intervals has

proved to be inadequate. For example, in the

case of injector ‘O’ rings on a ship, the

manufacturer suggested interval for replacing

fuel injector ‘O’ rings is 10,000 hours. The

vessel’s engineers found an interval of 2,000

hours was more appropriate to change the

rings to prevent potential fire hazards. These

fuel leaks tend to disappear when engines are

switched back to the heavier fuel oil.

Group 4

In the fourth group, failures resulting in LOP

are associated with the loss of fuel oil

pressure, or the loss of flow in sufficient

quantities to maintain operation. Strainers and

filters, or the lack of a strainer and filter,

contribute to clogging or restrictions in the

fuel oil supply system.

The MGO/MDO acts as a solvent causing a

de-coking effect, clogging fuel filters. This is

Preventingpropulsion loss after

switching fuelsThe California Air Resources Board (ARB) has laid down regulations for vessel

emissions’ reductions in California waters, as part of its continued mission to improve

air quality around the state*.

p31-43:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:11 Page 4



due to burning a lower grade of HFO that has

excessive amounts of asphaltenes. These

asphaltenes adhere to the inside of the fuel

lines and assorted other fuel components.

When MGO is introduced the asphaltenes are

released, collecting in the fuel filters/strainers.

Group 5

In Group 5, failures resulting in the LOP

appear to be associated with problems in

either the starting air system, or the control air

systems. Problems with starting air systems

are not fuel related and only need to be

mentioned as a cause of LOPs.

Group 6

In the final group, failures resulting in the

LOP appear to be associated with mechanical

failure not associated with other groups.

Having defined the groups of LOPs, the

intent of this guide is to reduce LOP incidents

occurring within the state of California

boundaries. The time to deal with problems on

board ship is either miles out at sea, or

alongside the dock. Not in manoeuvring/

pilotage waters!

Many of the LOP incidents that occurred in

2010 involved ships making their first entry

into California waters since July 2009. Since

California sees between one to two first time

callers per week, the Office of Spill

Prevention and Response (OSPR) decided to

provide suggestions for ships working with

low sulphur distillate fuel oil (LSDFO).

Operations For vessels intending to enter the emissions

control area for the first time since July 2009,

it is recommended and California advises the

crew should conduct a trial (actual) fuel

switching within 45 days prior to entering

California waters. Run main and auxiliary

engines no less than four hours on low sulphur

distillate fuel (LSDFO). This will help identify

any specific change over or operational issues

or problems.

If ships perform a trial fuel switch, the

operators will be more prone to avoid

problems that could occur versus learning

underway upon entering California waters and

not knowing the sundry issues. Forty five days

was chosen based upon an understanding of

containership operations where schedule is

everything. Somewhere within that schedule

there is always time to perform a trial

manoeuvre and 45 days should allow the

ship’s personnel to experience the fuel

switchover and document remedial fixes, if

any, mitigating Groups 1,2,3,4.

Repeat and initial entryPart One-TRAI�I�G:

� Within 45 days prior to entering the waters

of California it is strongly advised ship

engineers should exercise:

A) Operating main engine from the engine

control room.

B) Operating main engine from engine side

(local).

� Crew should become familiar with ‘Failure

to Start’ procedures while manoeuvring and

establish corrective protocols for ‘Failure

to Start’ incidents.

Following, the “Perfect practice ensures

proper performance” creed, if the bridge and

engineering crew is practiced in the event of a

‘Failure to Start’ scenario, they will perform

satisfactorily when called upon in the event of

a real failure. This is especially important in

manoeuvring/pilotage waters.

The air and fuel in the start sequence can be

adjusted in the engine control room and at

engine side. These items cannot be adjusted

from the bridge on most ships; hence, the

provision of the advisory/guide establishes

protocols for dealing with the ‘Failure to Start’

scenario as outlined in LOP groups 1 and 2.

Too many ships run out of ‘start air’

because they continue to initiate starts from

the bridge where control of the fuel rack and

amount of air for starting cannot be adjusted.

Part Two: While underway after fuel

switching completed (HFO to LSDFO):

Ships should ensure one of the senior

engineering officers is in the engine control

room while the ship is in pilotage waters to

be able:

1. To operate the main engine from the

engine control room.

2. To operate the main engine from engine

side (local).

Special attention should be given to the

STCW rest requirements

While interviewing Chief Engineers (CE),

the author of this guide found that they were

putting in excessive hours. CE’s are not

subject to the STCW rest requirements as they

are non-watchkeepers. However, the CE is

human and subject to fatigue just as junior

officers. It has been proven too many times

that fatigue can cause errors in judgment and

which could contribute to a LOP incident.

Usually the senior engineers consist of the

CE and Second Engineer on internationally

flagged ships, while CE and First Assistant

Engineer (on US flag ships) have the most

experience with the ship engine operation. If

the CE is comfortable with anyone substituting

on duty, it is usually the other senior engineer.

Hopefully, a substitution will allow the CE

some rest. Some ships have the CE down in

the engine room for the fuel switchover, then

the CE retires for rest while assigning the

other senior engineer to standby in the engine

room, mitigating all the groups.

The following Engine Advisory Guidelines

were taken from the US Coast Guard MSA

03-09 with additions and clarifications from

industry partners.

Part Three-engine guidelines:

� Consult engine and boiler manufacturers

for fuel switching guidance.

� Consult fuel suppliers for proper fuel

selection. Exercise strict control when

possible over the quality of the fuel oils

received.

� Consult manufacturers to determine if

system modifications, or additional

safeguards are necessary for intended fuels.

� Develop detailed fuel switching

procedures.

� Establish a fuel system inspection and

maintenance schedule.

� Ensure system pressure and temperature

alarms, flow indicators, filter differential

pressure transmitters, etc, are all operational.

� Ensure system purifiers, filters and

strainers are maintained.

� Ensure system seals, gaskets, flanges,

fittings, brackets and supports are maintained.

� Ensure that the steam isolation valves on

fuel lines, filters, heaters etc are fully tight

in closed position while running LSDFO.

� Ensure that the fuel oil viscosity and

temperature control equipment is accurate

and operational.

� Ensure detailed system diagrams are

available and engineers are familiar with

systems and troubleshooting techniques.

� Ensure senior engineers know the location

and function of all automation components

associated with starting the main engine.

* This article was written by Capt JeffCowan of the State of California, office ofspill prevention and response.

TO

Loss of propulsion incidents 2004 - 2011 (August)

80604020

0

LOPs

2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012Year

Loss of propulsion incidents2004 - 2011

i. Industry generated categoriesii. From USCG data

p31-43:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:11 Page 5



�APA for vesseldesign and operation

Operational monitoring software has reached a new level of optimisation and integration

ahead of the new regulations soon to be ratified by the IMO.

Vessel operation monitoring

software has been on the market

for a few years, but with the

deadline fast approaching for

every vessel to comply with the IMO’s Energy

Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and have a

Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan

(SEEMP) on board, owners and operators are

now seriously looking at the options available.

The reason for the ramping up of interested is

that at the IMO’s MEPC 62 meeting last July,

the committee adopted mandatory measures to

reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs)

for parties to MARPOL Annex VI.

At the meeting, it was agreed to set up an

intersessional working group on vessel energy

efficiency measures, scheduled to take place

in February/March 2012.

The working group was tasked with:

� Further improving draft guidelines on the

method of EEDI calculation for new ships;

draft guidelines for the development of a

SEEMP; draft guidelines on EEDI survey

and certification; and draft interim

guidelines for determining minimum

propulsion power and speed to enable safe

manoeuvring in adverse weather conditions.

� Considering the development of EEDI

frameworks for other ship types and

propulsion systems not covered by the

draft guidelines.

� Identifying other guidelines, or supporting

documents for technical and operational

measures.

� Considering the EEDI reduction rates for

larger tankers and bulk carriers.

� Considering the improvement of the Ship

Energy Efficiency Operational Indicator

(EEOI) guidelines.

This means that once everything is in place,

each new vessel over 400 gt ordered from 1st

January, 2013, would require a survey of fuel

efficiency and be issued with an International

Energy Efficiency Certificate. As for SEEMP,

new and existing ships will have to keep on

board a ship-specific energy use management

plan during operation. This will affect around

50,000 vessels.

INTERTANKO has developed a tanker

specific version of SEEMP - TEEMP. It is

based on the organisation’s best practice and it

is thought to be the only vessel type specific

management plan in existence thus far.

One company heavily involved in

developing software programs for operational

efficiency is Helsinki-based NAPA.

The company can trace its history back to

1975 when it was part of leading Finnish

shipbuilder Wartsila’s ship design department,

finally becoming a separate company at the

end of 1989.

At first, due to Wartsila’s interests in cruise

vessel and ferry newbuildings, the company

concentrated on newbuilding design work.

Indeed, developing software systems for ship

design is still very much the cornerstone of the

business. NAPA has contracts with most of the

Chinese, Japanese and South Korean shipyards.

Today, the company claims that around 95% of

the world’s newbuildings from Asian yards

were initially designed using NAPA software.

During the early 1990s, the company started

to develop software for use on board ship. By

this time, NAPA had developed software for

damage stability calculations and other

functions and had launched NAPA Loading

The tanker version of NAPALoading Computer covers alltypes and offers a number ofimportant benefits both toshipowners and shipyards. Itcovers crude oil carriers,product tankers, chemicaltankers, LNG/LPG carriers,bitumen tankers and FPSOs.The package offers a superior tool for

stowage planning, cargo operation

monitoring and damage calculation and it

comes with a clear, easy-to-use and

dynamic graphical user interface.

It is completely compatible with the

NAPA ship design software used by most

of the world’s leading shipyards and

classification societies and also with

LR’s and DNV’s emergency response

services.

It can be linked with the shipowner’s

own office applications, which the

company claims saves time and reduces

the threat of human error. �

NAPA Loading Computer for tankers

NAPA Office linear layout.

p31-43:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:11 Page 6



Computer starting with ferry operations.

Tanker installationBy 1994, the company was marketing NAPA

for Operations to other vessels types and

during that year Neste Shipping fitted a

loading calculation system on board the tanker

Uikku. Since then NAPA for Operations has

developed to encompass many other shipboard

operations, including those aimed at

improving operating efficiency, thus reducing

fuel consumption and with it – emissions.

Strategic partnerships are currently being

set up with both shipyards and shipowners

worldwide aimed at installing software on

both newbuildings and on operating vessels.

One example of this was the forming of a

strategic partnership between NAPA and

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering

(DSME) to develop the NAPA-DSME

Power® software for DSME-designed vessels.

Earlier this year, came news of the first order

for the joint venture. This was for software to

be installed on six newbuilding Aframaxes,

plus six options, contracted by Sovcomflot

subsidiary Novoship at DSME. The first of the

company’s ship operations optimisation

package will be installed in a Novoship-

operated tanker during the first quarter of 2012.

Following the contract, the company said that

NAPA-DSME Power® is fast becoming an

integral part of DSME's ‘Green Ship’ concept.

“This will present DSME's customers with the

unique advantage of adopting a solution that

already today covers not only all present

recommendations but also the highly anticipated

future regulatory requirements for energy-

efficient ship operations something no other

software package on the market can claim to

accomplish,” the company said in a statement.

Among other benefits that Novoship can

expect to gain from using NAPA-DSME

Power® are reductions in emissions,

operational costs, and fuel consumption. Prior

use of the software package has indicated the

annual savings potential on fuel costs alone to

be about 3-5%.

In the case of a single VLCC this would

equal to approximately $250,000 - $400,000

per annum depending on, for example, the

number of operating days and propulsion

power. Moreover, the decreased fuel

consumption would also directly result in a

significant emission reduction corresponding

to 1,200 – 2,000 tonnes of CO2 .

NAPA-DSME Power® software optimises,

monitors and follows up fleet-wide fuel

consumption and ship performance. Shipowners

and operators can realise considerable savings

through making ship operations more effective

and environment-friendly. By using the

software, the most optimal trim, route, speed

profile and engine configuration can be

obtained for any given voyage.

NAPA’s software is used by shipyards,

owners, designers, classification societies

and authorities. Napa has over 350 user

organisations – 52 in China alone – for

design application and 1,100 installations

on board. For the newbuilding software,

operational feedback as to a vessel’s design

is often used by a shipyard to benefit the next

generation of newbuildings. Conceptual

design work is also undertaken.

Operationally, sister vessels from the same

yard can be completely different hence a

SEEMP, or TEEMP, must be available on

every vessel. SEEMP is basically a vessel

specific efficiency awareness plan.

BenchmarkingThrough ‘NAPA for Operations’ software suite,

the information gathered can be collected on a

web portal and the operations of each vessel in

a fleet compared, enabling the owner/operator

to compare similar vessels and masters’

performance. A vessel whose efficiency

performance is lower than say a sister vessel can

be quickly assessed to see where the problem is.

NAPA for Operations total optimised

package includes a loading computer. This can

assess a vessel’s ballast and trim, which then

can be optimised if needed to produce lower

fuel consumption figures. “If the loading is

planned, then it is possible to change the

vessel’s configuration to make it more

efficient,” Esa Henttinen, vice president of

business development, explained.

All of the vessel’s data can be stored and

used for future reference to make

improvements in design and operations, as

both technical and operational data is stored.

NAPA has been undertaking vessel

performance analysis for a number of years

and has accumulated a wealth of data and can

filter the information needed in order to make

recommendations to gain further operating

efficiency. The data can also be offered to

organisations undertaking large vessel

operating efficiency studies.

NAPA’s software is interfacing and can be

integrated with other systems on board,

Brand summary.

NAPA Office for follow up and dataanalysis.

NAPA Voyage Optimisation forvoyage optimisation and route planning.

NAPA Electronic Logbook andVoyage Reporting for collectingand recording data.

NAPA Loading Computer/NAPA OptiFloat for optimumfloating position planning.

NAPA Real Time Monitoringfor monitoring various types of data onboard a vessel.

NAPA Performance Analysisservice for analysing the hull andpropeller condition.

NAPA forOperations concept

Dashboard.

p31-43:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:11 Page 7



including with various OEMs’ equipment. The

company tends to prefer the partnership

approach with clients, especially with SEEMP

on the horizon. The software is claimed to be

easy to understand as the company has strived

to make it as simple as possible to use. For

example, simple indicators are used, such as

traffic lights on board.

Henttinen said that NAPA was constantly

looking to improve the package, for example,

for vessels operating in ice conditions, the

vessel’s stability can be checked in the loading

computer. He saw a market in hull

performance, propeller polishing and

underwater hull cleaning analyses, especially

on the wide expanse of a tanker’s wetted

surface. Henttinen thought that these functions

were vital components in keeping a vessel

operating to its maximum efficiency, although

he recognised that there are restrictions in place

as to where a vessel can be cleaned afloat.

He said that he also saw a market in helping

coatings manufacturers find the optimum

solution in terms of vessel efficiency, especially

with the US banning copper in coatings.

Another piece of the jigsaw is NAPA’s

electronic logbook. This software has now

been approved by at least 15 flag states.

“Electronic logbooks are coming,” Henttinen

said. Information can be sent over XML files

by email, so an operator does not necessarily

need a wide bandwidth connection.

Due to its high operational input, about

60% of NAPA’s employees are naval

architects and master mariners. The company

has six offices worldwide and internal software

concerns in Romania and India. Elsewhere,

partners are used in hubs, such as Fujairah and

Singapore. As for servicing the software,

more and more can be achieved remotely.

Henttinen said that NAPA has ambitious

expansion plans both organically and by going

down the mergers and acquisitions road

should a likely candidate appear.

For example, as part of the company’s

ongoing expansion, Juha Heikinheimo was

recently appointed president of the NAPA

Group with former president Matti Salo taking

over the growing Onboard-NAPA Ltd’s

business operation.

According to the company, Salo will now

focus his attention on customers and

boosting the growth of the NAPA’s vessel

operations business.

Heikinheimo has extensive experience of

the shipbuilding industry. Most recently, he

has served as president of STX Finland. He

started his career as a naval architect at

Rauma Shipyard in 1983.

Salo said of his move, “We are witnessing

remarkable growth in software solutions

markets for ship operations. Our intention is

to work actively to grow our share of these

markets. NAPA is committed to developing

and delivering solutions and services that will

improve the performance of our customers.

“Energy efficiency and safety together with

environment-friendly and sustainable solutions

will become ever more important, not least

due to new, stricter regulations and legislation.

NAPA can already provide fully compliant

solutions for its customers,” he concluded. TO

Latest propulsion developmentsfrom Hamburg-based SAMElectronics comprise thePlatinum series of controlsystems covering bridgemanoeuvring, engine governorand safety assemblies.These have been approved by main engine

manufacturers, such as MAN Diesel and

Wartsila, as well as major classification

societies. System architecture is based on

individual products either as stand-alone

variants, or as part of integrated assemblies.

All feature extensive alarm facilities,

redundant LAN networks or fieldbuses for

long range applications, simple or complex

set-point facilities including third-party set-

points and a selection of telegraph options,

including electric shaft.

When combined with wider Platinum

monitoring and control assemblies,

networked units provide significant benefits.

These include, for example, extended

operator interfaces via PC screens and

graphical process overviews for sequence

monitoring, start/stop operations and load

regulators. The Platinum series complements

SAM’s established ranges of diesel-electric

propulsion systems, all of which can be

controlled automatically by advanced

navigation and command units or manually

from any control console.

Converter-fed systems feature four-

quadrant operation with reversal of torque

and direction of rotation with feedback of

reverse power to mains alternators as well as

the mains. Continuous speed control from

0 to 100% of rated speed is also possible.

Platinum systems also complement SAM’s

widely adopted series of shaft alternators,

over 400 of which have been installed on

board vessels of all types and sizes.

Designed for supply of mains power via

ship’s engine, the series provide significantly

improved rates of power generation at

lower cost.

With a PWM converter based on latest

IGBT (integrated gate bipolar transistor)

technology, systems feature a reduced

number of components, less cabling, lower

cost and no requirement for a synchronous

compensator. The convertor itself ensures

continuity of mains power under all load

conditions without additional support.

Supported by fully digitised control

facilities, which can also be used for

monitoring, testing and simulation of all

operating functions, systems are additionally

capable of reducing fuel consumption costs,

as well as those affecting maintenance of

installed diesel generator sets.

The estimated return on capital outlay for

an installation can typically be between two

and four years, depending on system power

requirements.

SAM introduces new control systems

Platinum covers bridge manoeuvring, engine governor and safety systems.

TO

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THE MARSHALL ISLANDS REGISTRY

THE MARSHALL ISLANDS REGISTRY

p31-43:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:11 Page 9


TECHNOLOGY – UNDERWATER REPAIRS/MAINTENANCE

The company said that it believed in

the philosophy that customers

want global quality, locally

available, at a locally competitive

price. In addition to adding many more

geographical locations (now more than 250) in

the last six months, the scope of this network

has been expanded to include offshore diving

partners and a growing number of specialist

engineering suppliers.

Although a challenging management task to

maintain such an extensive and growing

network, it meets a clear customer demand for

a one stop, affordable solution for afloat

maintenance and repair, UMC said.

One new area for UMC is the afloat

replacement of tunnel thruster units. Working

closely with key OEMs over the last six

months, the company said that it had

established a suite of procedures and

dedicated containerised equipment to support

the afloat replacement of tunnel thruster units.

These are predominantly fitted to shuttle

tankers and are also widely used in the

offshore vessel market.

This trend is set to continue as UMC

penetrates further into this market. Using the

benefits of its global network and almost 40

years of experience as an underwater

engineering service provider has resulted in

UMC being able to offer this service very

competitively, the company claimed.

Project managementDuring the past year and particularly in the

last six months, UMC has been involved in

more complex and involved engineering and

diving projects, offering customers more

substantial costs and time saving from afloat

repair and maintenance.

These projects have typically involved

FPSOs, as well as jack-up rigs and semi-

submersibles and often undertaken in close co-

operation with UMC sister companies in the V

Ships Technical Services group - SeaTec

Engineering and Seatec Repair Services. UMC

International is now part of the V Ships group.

The company is an autonomous organisation

within V Ship’s Marine Services division.

Managing these much more complex

projects has required investment in developing

project management skills and the hiring of

additional staff. This investment has already

paid dividends and provides the foundation for

UMC to win contracts for further large, turnkey

afloat repair projects, the company said.

Another area of interest for the company is

jetty repairs. For example, earlier this year,

UMC was awarded a contract to reinstate the

structural strength of a large jetty in the

Persian Gulf. Between April and June of this

year, UMC deployed a team of engineers,

divers and welders - based in the Middle East,

UK and US - to undertake a complex pier

plate replacement repair.

This involved a combination of extensive

underwater overhead welding, NDT, coating

application and confined space working. The

work was completed successfully in early

June and fully accepted by the customer.

In northern Europe, there has been a steady

stream of rudder repairs undertaken so far this

year and this trend looks set to continue.

Projects have included Becker rudder repairs

(see page 43), pintle bearing repairs and

replacements, plus substantial rudder plate

repairs and replacements.

An example last year was the repair

undertaken to an LPG carrier’s rudder. As the

LPG vessel was sailing towards the Dutch port

of Terneuzen, she suddenly experienced

problems with its steering capability and

needed some quick thinking and a fast solution.

Thus, UMC was asked to attend the vessel

and carry out rudder repairs as per class

approved procedures. The location of Flushing,

strategically located between the Scheldt River

and the North Sea was the ideal spot during a

cold January to carry out the repair.

Jean-Paul Engels, general manager of

UMC’s European network said, “As soon as

the vessel came alongside its lay-by berth our

divers were ready to carry out a pre-repair

survey and noted that the flap of the Becker

rudder was hanging in a 5 deg angle due to

the upper pintle being broken off. The flap

was first re-located in its original position and

UMC staff than started with making

measurements for the final repair.

“We were able to bring in our experienced

underwater repair staff and coded welders to first

remove the entire flap link pin assembly and

than weld six 1,000 x 150 x 20 mm stiffeners

onto the rudder flap and rudder, both port and

starboard sides, in order to create ‘one solid

UMC continues toextend global reach

UMC has continued its

programme of global

network development of

diving partners.

Cofferdam used in a tanker repair.

p31-43:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:11 Page 10



rudder, without flap’ capability,” he explained.

The most challenging conditions were the

strong tides and weather conditions that

caused zero visibility at times. However,

despite the delays encountered due to

underwater conditions, the repair was

completed within the time frame available and

thus, the vessel could regain the charterer’s

schedule as planned after the attending

Lloyd’s Register surveyor had approved the

repairs as carried out.

Although not specifically applicable to

tankers, UMC has also been asked to inspect,

and replace, stabiliser glanding packing,

bearings and fins afloat. These projects are

similar to afloat thruster replacements and

demand a high degree of co-ordination,

planning and engineering to ensure tight

project timelines are reliably met.

Tanker repairOne tanker repair was highlighted last year.

UMC was contacted to assist with permanent

insert repairs to a 95,371 dwt tanker lying at

Portland inner anchorage, UK.

An experienced UMC team was quickly on

site to carry out an immediate underwater

inspection of the damage, in conjunction with

a Testbank afloat repair team and a DNV

representative.

The inspection uncovered the need for

extensive repairs with a total of seven shell-

plating inserts to be carried out. A repair

procedure was devised and project managed

by UMC marine engineers with the

underwater placement of steel cofferdams to

allow defective sections of shell plate to be

removed and replaced.

UMC cofferdams, including a 500 kg, 3 m

x 600 mm cofferdam that could efficiently

cover three of the cracks, were specially

designed and fabricated.

Once in situ and confirmed to be a dry

habitat by the UMC dive team, the internal

repair crew cut away the longitudinal stiffeners

and the defective sections of shell plating.

Testbank welders repaired the cracks utilising a

single sided weld procedure with ceramic

backing strips on the outside of the hull. The

new inserts were then welded in position

utilising constant flux core MIG welding.

After allowing a 12-hour cool down period

an NDT inspection of the welds was carried

out utilising MPI and UT and following a

DNV inspection, all inserts were found to be

free from faults.

On completion of successful NDT, divers

removed the cofferdams and carried out a

CCTV inspection of the external weld cap.

They then applied an underwater epoxy paint

over the entire insert plate and weld cap.

UMC engineering director, Dave Richards

said, “These types of afloat insert repair

procedures allows the vessel to sail in good time

and help reduce repairs at their next drydocking.

“We have project managed and completed

many insert repairs from our operational hubs

around the world and designed a variety of

hefty cofferdams, some weighing over 10

tonnes,” he added.

In 2008, UMC and Portland Port entered

into a partnership agreement whereby the

huge natural harbour, a former UK naval base,

could be marketed for vessel maintenance and

afloat repairs.

Another partnership agreement was signed

the following year when UMC and Cathelco

joined together in an alliance. This enabled

UMC’s specialist diving services to be used

for the installation and maintenance of

corrosion protection systems supplied by

Cathelco. To accommodate the new service,

UMC has devised specialised techniques for

handling anodes underwater.

Tanker dockings boost A&PThe product tanker Sinbad leftTyneside recently afterundergoing a major refurbishmentat the A&P Tyne yard at Hebburn. The 183 m long Admanthos-managed vessel

was at the Hebburn yard for 14 days during

August while undergoing extensive repairs

and a complete repaint.

A team of 100 men worked around-the-

clock on the 45,000 dwt vessel to successfully

complete a tight work schedule.

A&P Tyne project manager Paul Baker said

the work involved steel repairs, pipe renewals,

grit-blasting the hull, electrical repairs and

installations, main engine repairs and

refurbishing the anchors.

In addition, the A&P group has successfully

carried out work on a number of tankers in

recent months.

The group’s Falmouth facility has a number

of tanker projects throughout September and

October. Three Eships oil and chemical

tankers Agamid, Quest and Barracuda were

all scheduled to drydock.

The three 127 m sisterships will undergo

underwater survey and repairs over an eight-day

period.

The work includes blasting and

painting, steel repairs to various tanks, shell

steel repairs, hand rail repairs, stern tube

seal replacement, windlass overhauls,

exhaust gas boiler surveys, various pipe

renewals, electrical circuit breaker

cleaning/overhaul, fuel oil tank

modifications and polishing of main

propeller and bow thrusters blades.

Falmouth welcomes back a long-term

customer this month, with the arrival of the

Belgravia from Komaya Shipping.

The 125 m LPG carrier will drydock for an

eight day docking period. The vessel will

undergo an underwater survey and class

certification. Major works include installation

of new mooring bits, a tail shaft survey, steel

repairs, piping repairs, main engine overhaul,

hull preparation and painting.

Sinbad seen in A&P’s Hebburn drydock.

TO

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p31-43:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 11:30 Page 11



Fast underwater vessel hull repairs saves time and moneyOn-site hull repair servicesundertaking by Belgian-basedHydrex include the renewal ofboth small and large areas ofdamaged hull plating. These repairs can be carried out above or

below water, according to the circumstances,

with tailor-made mobdocks. Normal

commercial activities can therefore continue

without disruption. These operations follow

the company’s procedure for welding cracks

in the vessel's shell plating, which are

approved by the major classification societies.

In most cases the damaged area can be

replaced with a permanent insert and no

condition of class is imposed. On the rare

occasions where the damage does not allow

such a repair, a temporary doubler plate is

installed over the affected area. This allows

the owners to keep their vessels on schedule

and have permanent repairs carried out during

the next drydocking period.

These types of repair work can only be

undertaken successfully by trained

divers/technicians who are familiar with

underwater repairs and who have the relevant

knowhow to resolve the technical difficulties

encountered during underwater operations. To

gain the knowledge needed, Hydrex technical

staff from every location undergo stringent

training after which they are able to perform a

wide range of operations.

To offer the quickest possible service to

customers, Hydrex offices have fast response

centres where an extensive range of state-of-

the-art tools and diving support equipment is

available at all times for the repair teams.

These fast response centres enable Hydrex to

mobilise diver/technician teams immediately,

the company claimed.

The following case studies give an account

of some of the more important hull repairs

performed by Hydrex recently on tankers.

When a survey, undertaken in Hong Kong,

revealed damage to the flat bottom shell

plating of a 182 m long tanker, Hydrex was

contacted to perform insert repairs with the

use of a cofferdam.

The inspection was performed by a member

of the Hydrex worldwide network of local

support bases who informed the shipowner

that the damage could be permanently

repaired and that the company had the

experience and equipment to perform such

an operation.

Mobdock installedThe repair started with the underwater

installation of a Hydrex mobdock on the hull.

Next, part of the bulkhead and the piping that

was located over the affected area was

removed. Once this was accomplished, a

plate measuring 550 x 550 mm was cut out

of the bottom plating and the edges of the

opening were ground smooth. A new insert

plate was then fitted into the hole and full

penetration welding was executed, after

which the bulkhead and piping were

reinstalled.

Thanks to the excellent communication

between the Hydrex technical department

and the local support base in Hong Kong,

several phases of the preparation for the

repair were handled simultaneously and the

repair work itself was performed in less than

two days.

Another example of a tanker afloat repair

came when Hydrex was asked to perform an

insert repair combined with a presale

inspection and propeller polishing on a 230 m

long tanker while the vessel was at anchor in

Cap Lopes Bay, Port Gentil. A

diver/technician team was mobilised from the

local Hydrex office.

The operation was performed using two

work barges, one on which housed all the

equipment needed for the insert repair while

the other had a monitoring station installed,

which was used for the underwater hull

inspection. This enabled the team to split up

and perform the two parts of the operation

simultaneously.

The repair operation started with the

installation of scaffolding on both sides of

the hull to give the team access to the

affected area on the vessel’s side shell

plating. Next, both an on board and an out

board inspection of the damage was

performed. This revealed that an area of

2,255 mm x 1,760 mm needed to be cut away

and replaced with a new insert plate.

While the new insert was fabricated to the

exact measurements, the affected shell plating

was cut away together with several frames that

were also damaged. New frames were then

installed and the edges of the hole were

prepared for the installation of the insert, which

was subsequently positioned and secured with a

deep penetration weld according to the class

approved Hydrex procedures.

When the insert plate was fully welded,

ultrasonic testing was carried out with positive

results. The full penetration weld was also

inspected from the outside, found to be in

good condition and authorised by class. This

allowed the new owner to sail the vessel with

a permanently repaired hull.

Crack repairIn another incident, a Hydrex diver-technician

team performed a crack repair on the pintle

area of the rudder of a 181 m long tanker,

which was lying alongside in Ghent, Belgium.

In addition, following a detailed inspection

of the vessel’s stern tube seal assembly, the

team replaced the worn seals and installed a

spacer ring, thus creating a new running area

for the seals.

Prior to the operation the vessel was

p31-43:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:12 Page 12



More and more shipowners areturning to rudder upgrades andconversions on operationalvessels to improvemanoeuvrability and fuelconsumption figures. This has benefited companies, such as Becker

Marine Systems, whose after sales team has

been refurbishing the company’s patented

rudder systems for many years.

In the case of a general overhaul, Becker’s

specialists turn old rudders into what they

claim to be “good-as-new” rudders by

exchanging all warn and damaged parts and

completely refurbishing the rudder.

The after sales team said that it has also

seen increased demand for conversions of

non-Becker rudders.

In the tanker sector, Becker replaced a

semi-balanced rudder with a Becker Flap

Rudder (FKSR) on the 51,000 dwt products

tanker Minerva Julie.Another example was a conversion carried

out on Gearbulk’s multi-purpose cargo ship

Jaeger Arrow. The vessel was built in 2001

with a semi-spade Schilling® Mariner Rudder.

Within three weeks in June, the Becker

team had cut out the tarnished semi-spade

rudder and replaced it with a new full-spade

Schilling® Monovec Rudder.

As is mostly the case when performing a

rudder conversion, the engineers were able to

fit the new rudder to the existing steering gear.

Jaeger Arrows’ crew took the opportunity of

a manoeuvring training course offered by

Becker Marine Systems to experience the new

and improved stability of their vessel.

Other conversions have been undertaken

on cruise vessels and ropaxes.

Increased demand for rudder conversions

trimmed by the head as much as possible. The

Hydrex team then put up scaffolding around

the rudder pintle and the stern tube seal

assembly. Next they removed the rope guard

and the damaged areas of the outer plating of

the rudder. This allowed them to perform an

inspection of the stern tube seal assembly and

start the repair in the rudder.

While the team prepared a first insert plate

on shore, the inspection of the seal assembly

revealed that the seals were worn and

needed replacement. They then installed the

first insert and secured it while the second

plate was prepared.

Simultaneously, other members of the team

opened the stern tube seal assembly and it

became clear that they also needed to renew

the running area of the seals. The team did

this by installing a new spacer ring on the

stern tube flange, after which they replaced

and bonded the three seals.

By this time the second insert on the rudder

had also been fitted and welded according to

the approved procedures. Independent

ultrasonic testing confirmed that the insert

repair was successful.

The only thing the team needed to do to

conclude the rudder repair was grinding away

a small crack located on the other side of the

rudder. By then the rest of the team had closed

the stern tube seal assembly and an oil test

had been performed, verifying the seal repair

had been carried out with satisfactory results.

Hydrex performed all operations under

DNV requirements, which were verified by an

attending surveyor. The diver/technician team

rotated in shifts to finish both repairs in the

shortest possible time and so avoid any

unnecessary delays for the vessel.

Custom built and series product Technically reliable Well proven designs Continuous technical development Dependable partner Customer oriented approach

DAMEN DOUBLE HULL OIL TANKER MTS ‘SHANNON FISHER’

DAMEN SHIPYARDS BERGUM Member of the DAMEN SHIPYARDS GROUP

P.O. Box 7 phone +31 (0)511 46 72 22 [email protected] 9250 AA Bergu fax +31 (0)511 46 42 59 www.damen-bergum.nl mThe Netherlands

STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE

CUSTOM BUILT IN SERIES PRODUCTION

TO

TO

Becker is benefiting from an increase in rudder conversions.

p31-43:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:12 Page 13


TECHNOLOGY - SAFETY SYSTEMS

Speaking at the world’s first Marine

Accident Prevention &

Investigation conference in

London, the union’s senior

national secretary Allan Graveson said

accident investigation in the shipping industry

is very much in its infancy and the resources

deployed are limited at best and often non-

existent – despite a well-established

framework of international regulation.

As a consequence, there are many shipping

accidents where no independent investigation

ever takes place, reports are never published,

trends never identified, and lessons never

learned. “What an atrocious state of affairs,

and no wonder this is an industry that labours

under an image problem,” he said.

In a hard hitting speech, Graveson said that

some countries are running registries in what

is little more than an offshore bank.

“Some flag states will argue that they do

not have the resources for adequate

investigations.

“In such cases should states be allowed to

register ships? I think not. If you are a flag

state you have to discharge the responsibilities

that come with the often very attractive

income that registration generates. Those that

fail to discharge these responsibilities must be

named and shamed and ultimately stripped of

their status as a flag states,” he said.

Even the best flag states sometime fall short

in delivering accident investigation reports

that redress long-standing and fundamental

safety failings, Graveson argued. Examples of

this include the continuing deaths and injuries

involving lifeboat drills and enclosed spaces,

as well as the large number of fatigue-related

accidents.

“There is a need for investigations to go

beyond the immediate causes of an incident

and wide-ranging recommendations that not

only prevent the same incident but similar

incidents where associated factors have a

potential adverse influence.

“Above all, there should be decisive

regulatory action. The latter is difficult to

achieve in an international environment where

some flag states are dependent upon revenues

from shipping and are reluctant to be seen as

pressing for what are frequently referred to as

‘burdens’ on the industry for fear of scaring

away shipowners from their registry,” he said.

Graveson said Nautilus is concerned at a

growing number of cases in which there has

been no post mortem to establish the cause of

death of seafarers at sea.

He concluded: “In many countries accident

investigation, criminal and regulatory

investigations are not independent. This has

serious potential adverse effects for the

seafarer, but more so for the accident

investigator who is less likely to get to the truth.

“As a consequence we all suffer – seafarers

without doubt, passengers and cargo owners in

not preventing reoccurrence and the national

economy and the environment through

possible pollution. Despite the sterling efforts

of the rapidly developing accident

investigation industry, prompted by new

regulatory measures, there is still a

considerable way to go in an industry that has

and continues to accept, a rate of losses and

fatalities that other sectors of industry would

find intolerable,” he concluded.

ETV decision attackedNautilus has also attacked the UK

Government’s decision to disband the

emergency towing vessels (ETVs)

strategically positioned around the UIK

coastline.

UK Ministers recently signalled their

intention to go ahead with proposals to end

the contract for ETVs at key points around the

UK coast and to scrap the Marine Incident

Response Group (MIRG), which provides

specialist fire-fighting, chemical and rescue

emergency support for ships around the UK.

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson

described the decision – confirmed in a House

of Commons transport committee report – as

shocking. “We are utterly appalled by the way

in which ministers have so casually and

recklessly dismissed the evidence and the

concerns of the transport committee, seafarers,

fire-fighters and independent experts,” he said.

ETVs were introduced in 1994 following

the official report into the Sea Empress and

Braer oil spills in Wales and Scotland

respectively and they have since become a

model for other countries.

On average, they are called out around 180

times per year and the number of recent

Union hits out overaccident investigation

failuresFlag states that fail to properly investigate maritime accidents should not be allowed

to operate ship registries, Anglo-Dutch maritime professionals’ union

�autilus International told a conference recently.

Despite efforts ...there is still a considerable

way to go in an industry that continues to accept

a rate of losses and fatalities that other sectors

of industry would find intolerableAllan Graveson, senior national secretary, Nautilus International

“

”

p44-56:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:18 Page 1

Survitec acquired the marine division of

Cosalt plc for £31 mill.

Cosalt’s marine business supplies a range

of marine safety equipment, including

liferafts, lifejackets and immersion suits and

also provides a number of associated services

to customers serving the marine industry

from a network of locations in the UK and

mainland Europe.

It has a turnover in excess of £57 mill. The

business operates across 21 locations

in the UK and continental Europe, including

19 service and distribution centres, adding

to Survitec’s existing portfolio of 17

owned and over 400 sub-contracted service

stations.

Cosalt Marine is a key distributor and

service agent for Survitec’s branded liferafts

worldwide. The newly acquired business will

be rebranded Survitec Service and

Distribution.

Last year, Survitec also acquired two other

marine business; Seaweather Marine in the

UK, and also the commercial marine business

of US-based Revere.



incidents and near-misses in the Channel

alone demonstrates the value of these vessels,

Nautilus argued.

“Nothing has changed since the disasters

that resulted in the establishment of the ETV

and MIRG services and the government is

turning the clock back in a deeply damaging

way,” Dickinson said. “Current provisions

exist because the market has failed to provide

in the past and the ministers are deluded

if they seriously believe it can provide in

the future.

“The costs of any future oil spill disaster

could far outstrip the entire £80 mill the

government intends to save through these

proposals. Indeed, the Sea Empress disaster

alone cost more than £140 mill to clean up

and the economic and environmental costs of

a similar disaster today could run to £1 bill

or more.

“But it’s not just money we’re talking

about: it is the safety of life at sea –

passengers and crew – and the wellbeing of

the marine environment,” he said.

Nautilus said that it was “deeply disturbed”

at the potential loss of the MIRG, which was

launched in 2006 following long-running

concerns over the decline in the number of

fire brigades capable of delivering emergency

support at sea.

“With ships getting bigger, carrying more

passengers, or hazardous cargoes, and

alongside significantly reduced crewing

levels, the support offered by the service

remains of critical importance,” Dickinson

added. “Scrapping MIRG will save the

Department for Transport just £340,000 a year

– so what price safety at sea?

“Scrapping these vital safety services is

like cancelling your home insurance because

you haven’t been burgled in the past year and

it is essential that we retain the ability to cope

with maritime emergencies not if, but when

they do occur.

“These cuts seriously threaten the safety of

all those who use the sea, and as an island

nation, this could seriously impact on every

single one of us,” he warned. TO

TO

Survitec on the acquisition trailIn September, the Survitec Group,completed its acquisition of theZodiac® commercial SOLASliferaft business from ZodiacMarine & Pool. This comprises Zodiac SOLAS in

Chevanceaux, France and its Vancouver based

sister company, DBC Marine Safety Systems

in Canada.

The Zodiac® brand was established in 1909

and has become one of the leading

manufactures of liferafts for vessels. This

acquisition of Zodiac’s SOLAS business

enhances Survitec’s existing marine safety

product range, the company said.

In particular, the addition of Zodiac liferafts

& marine evacuation systems to Survitec’s

existing portfolio creates a broader group of

complementary products, as well as extending

its market into France, Spain, South America,

the Middle East and Asia.

Survitec Group CEO Doug Baxter said of

the transaction; “Bringing the Zodiac®

commercial liferaft business into the Survitec

group is an extremely complementary

acquisition that reinforces our position in the

marine safety sector. Both companies have a

history of technical innovation in the

manufacture and supply of high quality

products. Together we can build on this to

ensure our continued growth in the marine

industry.”

The businesses will be integrated into the

Survitec Group under the brand Survitec-

Zodiac®, joining the other established brands

of RFD, DSB, EV Beaufort, Crewsaver and

Elliott.

Survitec was acquired by global private

equity firm Warburg Pincus in 2010. With the

backing of its new shareholders, Survitec is

pursuing its global expansion strategy and

strengthening its position in the marine and

other safety markets by growing organically

and through acquisitions both within existing

and new territories.

In addition, Survitec recently completed

the acquisition of the marine division of

Cosalt, incorporating Crewsaver, a

manufacturer of commercial and leisure

marine products.

Man overboard safety and rescue is our concern and speciality

Hvaleyrarbraut 3 Hafnarfjordur, IS-220

Iceland Tel: +354 5651375 Fax: +354 5651376

Main partners:

UK: Energy Marine Ltd. Tel: +44 (0)1525 851234

USA: Marine Rescue Technologies Inc. Tel: +1 772 388 1326

Markusnet Type MS is designed for man overboard recovery on all types of ships, offshore installations and dams with less than 40 metre height from water level upto rescue deck or platform.

Markus Scramble net Type SCN6 is a mobile light weight scramble-net / cradle recovery system for deck vessels and offshore installations with either rail or special fastenings inside bulwark where they are to be used. Less than 1/6 of the weight of traditional scramble-nets.

Markus MOB boat rescue-net is light, quick fastening, takes little space, provides easy and fast method to place the casualty in the net, is soft but firm around the casualty, provides easy lift by one or two persons and is easy to repack after use.

Markus MOB boat rescue-net

Markus Scramble-net Markusnet Type: MS [email protected] www.markuslifenet.com

p44-56:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:18 Page 2



This brings the company’s Asian

operations up to the same

standards for workplace

environment that are common

practice in Viking, the company said.

Viking Thailand has worked in compliance

with the ISO standards since the production

facilities in Thailand were established in 2002.

The aim of the internationally recognised

OHSAS 18001 certification is to help

organisations to control occupational health

and safety risks. It was developed in response

to widespread demand for a recognised

standard against which to be certified and

assessed.

Viking said that achieving and maintaining

OHSAS 18001 certification is no easy task. It

demands continuous improvement, policies

and targets for work environment and safety,

carefully mapped work stations and

procedures to improve work environment and

safety, the extended use of safety equipment,

etc. The certification also requires the

commitment of top management.

Contrary to popular belief, Thailand’s

workplace safety legislation is among the

world’s most stringent. In fact, Thai

legislation is even stricter than that of

Scandinavian countries in a number of

aspects. Government support is also provided

in the form of paid consultant assistance.

For Viking executive vice president Allan

Østergaard, the OHSAS 18001 certification

for the company’s Thai facility is a natural

part of the company’s way of doing business.

“All Viking production facilities around

the world must live up to the same,

consistent safety standards. As a global

organisation, our people need to feel secure

and confident about their own workplaces

and those they visit in other regions as part

of their work,” he said.

Beyond benefits for worker health and job

satisfaction, Østergaard also pointed out the

business advantages of such global policies,

where broad standardisation of equipment and

procedures can reduce training, speed up

workflows and ensure consistent quality of

manufacturing.

“Viking is a modern employer, founded

upon human values, so disregarding

workplace safety or quality standards when

outsourcing to the Far East would be

unthinkable for us,” he explained.

US rules changeIn the US, according to new US Coast Guard

regulations, vessels carrying life floats, or

rigid buoyant apparatus must remove them

from the vessel and replace them with other

approved survival craft by no later than 1st

January, 2015.

Viking has urged those who will be affected

to plan ahead by securing new inflatable life-

saving appliances.

The company said that it is already prepared

to provide a range of life-saving appliances.

Special pricing is available and potential

customers can schedule now for a fixed price

on advance orders.

Viking also offers service agreements for

ease of maintenance. The company can keep

track of a customer's, or installation's

servicing requirements and renewal dates,

automatically arranging for certified servicing

when needed.

Viking Thailand gainssafety certification

Thailand’s workplace safety legislation is among the world’s most stringent.

Danish-based marine and fire safety equipment supplier Viking’s

Laem Chabang, Thailand production facilities were recently OHSAS

(Occupation Health and Safety Assessment Series) 18001-certified.

TO

p44-56:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:18 Page 3



Tel: +47 56 32 68 50Fax: +47 56 32 68 60

Email: [email protected]: www.sotra.net Vindenes, 5363 Aagotnes, Norway

ANCHORS & CHAINSSotra Anchor & Chain is known as one of the largest

stockist of anchors and chains in the World!

We have at all time 10 000 ton of both brand new and

secondhand anchors and chains in our yards.

WE ARE ANCHOR&CHAINOur locations:Rotterdam - Shanghai - Bergen - Aberdeen - Nantong

By the middle of this year,Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS)had opened eight new liferaftservicing stations since January. These stations are a vital component of the

liferaft rental and exchange concept (LRE),

providing ready-serviced liferafts to vessels

that have signed up to the scheme, the

company said.

WSS claimed that the LRE concept had

been a great success since its launch with over

12,000 liferafts now operating. However, it

has not been without its challenges.

To enable the scheme to work effectively,

WSS has strategically placed 42 service

stations covering 900 ports worldwide,

equipped with service and liferaft exchange

stocks to meet customer demands.

The company stressed that it was essential

that all the participating service stations have

the right approvals from the manufacturers

and local authorities in place, as well as

enough liferafts of the right sizes. The liferaft

stocks are managed by due-date monitoring

systems in order to meet the individual needs

of customers.

Over the last six months, WSS has added

the ports of Antwerp (Belgium), Gothenburg

(Sweden), Istanbul (Turkey), Kaohsiung

(Taiwan), Valparaiso (Chile), Bintulu

(Malaysia), Darwin (Australia), Singapore and

New York to the network.

In most cases, the liferaft stations involved

in the programme can service vessels in a

number of nearby ports, as well as providing

other FRS (Fire Rescue and Safety) services.

The LRE solution was developed as a result

of consultation with WSS customers and

facilitates the exchange of service-due liferafts

for operational ones, enabling the vessel

owner to take better control of costs and thus

reducing the occurrence of unreliable service

dates and weak links in the supply chain.

LRE was launched worldwide two years

ago and recently WSS said that the concept

is thriving in the Eastern Mediterranean

(including Greece, Cyprus and Lebanon) as

an example.

New marketsWhen the concept was introduced, WSS’s

sales, customer service and supply teams

found the Eastern Mediterranean market

to be extremely positive and in the last

two years, 122 local shipping companies

have placed rented liferafts on more than

1,000 vessels.

Nicos Shiakallis, WSS area director Eastern

Mediterranean said, “The growth in liferaft

rental is an example of the snowball effect.

After the initial companies changed to liferaft

rental, their enthusiasm for the concept spread

to other companies in the region.“

“In addition, once these vessel operators

saw how effectively the global network

managed the exchanges, they started looking

at other ways in which we could work

together. Many of these customers have now

signed fleet agreements to enable WSS to

provide other products and safety services to

their vessels worldwide,” he said.

Basically, the LRE scheme enables vessels

to rent newly-serviced Unitor liferafts on an

annual basis, thus avoiding the difficulties

associated with arranging and carrying out

servicing on owned liferafts.

Servicing liferafts can cause problems for

ship operators, as a vessel’s short stay in port

allows little time for the annual liferaft

service. They no longer have time to send life-

saving appliances back to suppliers’ service

centres and wait for them to be inspected and

repaired before setting sail.

The operational budget is tight and cost

control is vital. Liferafts may be condemned,

and there is a risk of having to pay whatever

price is asked, WSS said.

Polish stationIn September, WSS opened a new FRS

service station in Gdansk, Poland, to serve

vessels in the Baltic Sea.

It is located in Gdansk and has the capacity

to serve all vessels in the port of Gdansk and

Gdynia, as well as in the local repair yards.

Roger Gundermann, WSS technical

manager for Europe, said, “A large new

workshop has been purpose-built and includes

impressive modern equipment. The workshop

and equipment is suitable for the wider range

of WSS’ safety services, and three new

employed technicians have been hired to

provide services within their dedicated fields

of expertise.”

In addition to having approvals from DNV,

LR and RMRS for the global WSS service

network, this station has also been approved

by the Polish Maritime Authority.

This new FRS service station in Gdansk,

together with the company’s liferaft service

station in Szczecin, enables WSS to offer a

full range of safety services and liferaft

exchange to vessels in the Baltic region, the

company claimed.

Liferaft exchange programme expands worldwide

� Fixed annual price.

� Due-date monitoring through customer services.

� Approved liferafts.

� Annual inspection.

� Official certificate of compliance.

� Quick turnarounds.

LRE advantages

TO

p44-56:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:18 Page 4

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p44-56:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:18 Page 5

TECHNOLOGY – TANK SERVICING


In an article published last year, I discussed the impact of the design of

modern tankers on their ability to change from dirty to clean cargoes

(See TA�KEROperator, August/September, 2010, page 61).*

From dirty to clean -How far do we

need to go?

Inoted that the primary objective for

most operators is always to carry out

these operations in the shortest possible

time frame, using the smallest volume

of cleaning chemicals or materials.

Indeed, the need to carry out any tank

cleaning operation in the most time efficient

manner, utilising the minimum volume of

cleaning chemicals, also fits the developing

‘environmentally aware’ footprint that many

shipowning/chartering companies are

following, by saving fuel and reducing the

volume of disposal of detergent based

cleaning materials into the seas.

Another challenge facing operators in this

trade pattern seems to be the reluctance of the

clean cargo charterers to accept a vessel with

dirty as last cargo, irrespective of the design of

the vessel, or the extent of the tank cleaning.

The reason for this is quite obvious;

residues of the dirty cargo that may be

retained on the vessel after the tank cleaning

operation is completed, have the potential to

discolour the clean cargo and as there is no

apparent method of accurately estimating the

extent of this discolouration, the natural reflex

is to prevent rather than invite a potentially

very costly claim.

Having said that, many vessels do switch

from dirty to clean, so there are clearly cases

where vessels successfully load a clean cargo

when the previous cargo was dirty. In some

of these cases the charter party agreement

may incorporate a ‘colour-drop’ clause,

which allows for some discolouration of the

fully loaded clean cargo, within acceptable

limits. But, accurately defining these limits is

not a precise science and there will always be

some risk for the charterers and of course the

owners of the vessel, who ultimately take

responsibility for the final (export) quality

of the loaded cargo.

As I concluded in my last discussion, if the

owners of a vessel cleaning from dirty to

clean are willing to take that responsibility for

ensuring the clean cargo will meet the

charterers quality specifications based on their

own experiences, research and knowledge of

the capabilities of their fleet, surely this will

ultimately lead to greater flexibility both for

the owners and charterers of such vessels?

Marinvest Shipping Marinvest Shipping of Gothenburg recognises

and accepts responsibility when company

vessels change from dirty to clean. Indeed, all

of the modern fleet of tankers trading in this

p44-56:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:19 Page 6



Test Sample ASTM Colour Absorbance

(comparator)

0.5 CPP 0.5 0.175

0.5 CPP / 0.01% (w/v) black oil closest to 0.5 0.210

0.5 CPP / 0.02% (w/v) black oil Equally between 0.5 - 1.0 0.240




0.5 CPP / 1% (w/v) black oil > 2.5 Off scale

Starting with clean oil having a given colour of 0.5 ASTM (termed 0.5 CPP):

Test Sample ASTM Colour Absorbance

(comparator)

1.0 CPP 1.0 0.450


1.0 CPP / 0.02% (w/v) black oil Equally between 1.0 - 1.5 0.525



Starting with clean oil having a given colour of 1.0 ASTM (termed 1.0 CPP):

area were specifically designed with the DNV

classified Easy Tank Cleaning (ETC) notation

in mind, because it was understood that the

corrugated bulkhead design of the cargo tanks,

in particular, would minimise the clingage of

previous cargo residues.

With reduced clingage and optimised tank

cleaning capability, the challenge of switching

from dirty to clean would not only become

more manageable, it would also become a far

more realistic proposition for charterers of

such tonnage.

Marinvest also realised that having the most

appropriate choice of vessel was only part of

the challenge. A greater understanding of the

mechanism of what happens when a black oil

cargo is discharged would allow a more

accurate calculation of the expected

discolouration of any clean cargo, which in

turn would encourage the development of new

and innovative approaches to tank cleaning

from dirty to clean cargoes in the future.

The most critical points were considered

to be:

1) The amount/extent of residual black oil

remaining on board after discharging and

tank cleaning.

2) How quickly and to what extent white oils

become discoloured with black oils.

3) Is the discolouration process linear or

logarithmic? (It has to be expected that

there will always be a finite amount of

black oil remaining on board a vessel after

tank cleaning, but of course this black oil

will become extremely well diluted in the

clean oil during loading. If this dilution

process is linear, it becomes far more

straightforward to calculate the expected

discolouration of the clean oil when all

cargo tanks are fully loaded).

4) Quantification of the extent of the

discolouration. (The main issue that needs

to be overcome surrounds the quantification

of the colour of the ‘pure’ black oil and

the fact that it does not actually have a

defined value. If black oil had an arbitrary

colour value of say 1,000, and it was

known that this colour diluted linearly, it

would be easy to calculate the maximum

volume of black oil that could be absorbed

into the clean oil and still maintain the

export specifications of the clean oil. But

of course, black oil does not have a colour

value and that is what makes this problem

so challenging).

One of the less obvious benefits of the DNV

ETC notation is that the cargo tanks have a

relatively low surface area to volume ratio

(typically 0.4 – 0.6). Essentially this means

that any residual black oil remaining on the

surface of the cargo tanks after tank cleaning

will be diluted to a much greater extent when

that tank is fully loaded with clean oil.

Furthermore, a lower surface area

physically reduces the volume of residual

black oil in the cargo tank after cleaning. So

overall, there is less residual black oil and

greater dilution, both of which are clearly

advantageous for the process of switching

from dirty to clean.

Marinvest also employed the services of

L&I Maritime (UK) Ltd, to set up a laboratory

based project to investigate the discolouration

potential of clean oil with black oil, in

accordance with points 2), 3) and 4) above.

In summary, this project looked at the

discolouration of two samples of clean oil

with different colours, with varying amounts

of black oil. The discolouration of the clean

oil was measured on the ASTM colour scale

using a portable colour comparator (in

accordance with ASTM D 1500).

The discoloured clean oil samples were also

analysed using a visible spectrophotometer

measuring absorbance at a fixed light

wavelength over a path length of 25 mm, but

it was understood, that the clarity of these

samples (or lack of it), would directly impact

the absorbance readings and these results

would most likely not be definitive.

The following results were noted:

The results proved to be very interesting

and showed a clear indication that the

discolouration of the clean oil with the black

oil appeared to be more linear than

logarithmic, for both the visual comparison

and the light absorbance readings.

It is very difficult to define the trend further

than this, because it is known (and therefore

has to be accepted) that the ASTM colour

standard does not represent precise colours;

rather, each ASTM colour represents a small

range, such that it is quite possible for two

samples with visibly different colours, to both

have the same ASTM colour reading.

But knowing the discolouration is linear is

extremely important because it provides more

confidence when dilutions of discoloured

clean oil are being calculated.

Furthermore, the results of the laboratory

work also indicated that each addition of

0.05% by volume of black oil to the clean oil

resulted in an increase in colour (colour drop)

of approximately 0.5 ASTM colour units. This

information on its own is extremely useful to

calculate the theoretical colour drop for any

clean cargo, loaded directly after a dirty cargo.

Marinvest believed that a better

understanding of how clean cargoes become

discoloured provides far greater knowledge to

monitor the discolouration during the loading

process. Typically when a vessel loads a clean

oil cargo directly after a black oil cargo, first

foot loaded samples will be drawn and

analysed. These samples are very often

discoloured, but the extent of this

discolouration should be far easier to relate

to the export specifications of the clean oil

p44-56:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:19 Page 7



and this will provide greater confidence to

decide whether it is possible to continue

loading or not. In the future, there is no reason

why vessels will not be able to carry out on

board testing of cargo samples (using the

same portable comparative colour measuring

device used in this investigation) in order to

monitor the discolouration of the clean cargo

during loading.

The modelSo if it is theoretically possible to calculate

the extent of the discolouration of a clean oil

cargo with black oil residues, it should be

possible to modify this approach by

quantifying the volume of black oil residues

that are retained on board a vessel after

cleaning and predicting the extent of the

discolouration of the clean oil cargo, before

any cargo is loaded onto the vessel.

This model could allow a vessel to stop

cleaning earlier than would normally be

anticipated and could also impact the choice

and volume of cleaning chemicals used.

Indeed, this is one of the approaches that

Marinvest investigated, using one of the

75,000 dwt tankers with DNV ETC notation

as a target vessel.

Typically, when cleaning from black oil to a

clean oil cargo, the following cleaning

operation would be expected:

A) All cargo tanks and lines well drained and

stripped back to an ROT (or similar),

adjusting ballast to ensure optimum trim

and list where appropriate.

B) Six hours seawater washing with two

fixed and two portable tank cleaning

machines per tank. Start the washing at 50

deg C and continue heating up to 70 deg C.

C) Clean through all cargo lines and

crossovers.

D) Eight hours hot seawater washing with

two fixed and two portable tank cleaning

machines per tank. After approximately

one hour, start injecting an IMO approved

solvent based emulsifying cleaning

chemical over a period of an hour, but

typically 1 x 200 litre drum per tank.

E) Drain all lines and drops back to the tank

and clean for another two hours with hot

seawater.

F) Gas free and visual inspection. If the tank

is not clean, steps D) and E) can be

repeated, alternatively manual spot

cleaning with an IMO approved emulsifier

or degreaser may be sufficient.

G) Freshwater rinsing to remove the seawater

residues.

If the cleaning is successful and no steps have

to be repeated, this process would normally

take seven days and consume approximately

3,000 litres of cleaning chemicals, assuming

the vessel has 12 cargo tanks and two cargo

tanks can be cleaned simultaneously.

The cost of this cleaning can be estimated

as follows:

Time: Seven days at $15,000 per day =

$105,000.

Cleaning Chemicals: 3,000 litres at $3.50 per

litre = $10,500.

Bunkers:Each pair of cargo tanks is cleaned

for approximately 16 hours with hot seawater,

during which time the boiler is being run to

produce the steam to heat the water. Auxiliary

engines (A/E) provide the power for the tank

cleaning machines.

The boiler and A/E both run on HFO and

the consumption is based on 16 x 6 hours = 96

hours to clean the entire vessel.

The A/E consume approximately 1.5 tonnes

HFO per day = 6 tonnes.

The boiler consumes approximately 10

tonnes per day (depending on seawater

temperature) = 40 tonnes.

46 tonnes of HFO at $680 per tonne =

$31,280.

With these figures in mind, it quickly

becomes apparent why more efficient tank

cleaning procedures are continuously being

sought and why unnecessary tank

cleaning/over-cleaning is so damaging to

tanker owners and operators.

If it is now considered that the vast

majority of the ROB black oil is removed by

the temperature and pressure of the washing

water during the first hot washing cycles

(and this can be visually monitored) it could

be assumed that the use of cleaning

chemicals is not actually necessary and is

primarily undertaken to make the cargo tanks

looks visually cleaner, without actually

removing significant additional black oil

residues.

Marinvest believed that the largest and most

significant risk to the clean oil cargo is from

liquid black oil ROB, not surface

discolouration. Therefore, if all liquid black

oil ROB can be removed from the cargo tanks

during the first round of hot seawater

washing, it is really only the cargo lines that

pose the greatest risk of contaminating the

fully loaded clean oil cargo.

It is known that after the first hot washing

cycles, the cargo tanks will become free of

liquid ROB (as the picture above indicates) so

the contamination potential from the cargo

tanks will be restricted to the surface

discolouration only, and it is possible to

quantify this contamination based on the

surface area of the cargo tanks.

As already noted, one of the characteristics

of a vessel holding the DNV ETC notation is

a relatively low surface area to volume ratio

(typically 0.5). If it is then assumed that less

than 25% of the internal surfaces of the cargo

tank are discoloured by a layer of 1 mm of

black oil (and from experience this is probably

well in excess of what is actually observed,

because it is really only the horizontal plates

and lower sloping hopper sides that are most

After the first hot washing cycles, the cargo tanks will become free of liquid ROB.

p44-56:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:19 Page 8


at risk from clingage), it is fair to assume that

this layer reflects the clingage of the black oil

after the hot washing is complete. This

clingage can be converted into a volume of

black oil that will be completely diluted into

the fully loaded cargo of clean oil.

Experience also suggests that there will be a

maximum of 0.5 cu m of liquid oil remaining

in each line after hot washing, with the

crossovers free from any liquid oil.

If the volume of black oil associated with

the clingage (after hot washing only) and the

maximum expected volume of black oil in the

lines are added together and this volume of

black oil is assumed to be in the tank at the

start of loading the clean oil cargo, the

expected discolouration of the clean oil can

be calculated.

Table 1 om the right refers to a typical

75,000 dwt tanker with DNV ETC notation

and shows the 98% loaded capacities, surface

areas (assuming a surface area to volume

dilution of 0.5) and theoretical volume of

black oil retained on the surface of each tank

that is representative of the 1mm layer of oil

that is assumed to be remaining on 25% of the

surface after hot washing:

Now if the volume of black oil representing

clingage is added to the (maximum) volume

of oil that can be expected to be trapped in the

cargo lines and this total volume of black oil

is assumed to be fully absorbed into the clean

oil cargo, the following discolouration

calculations can be made on the first foot and

fully loaded volumes (see Table 2).

In all cargo tanks, if the assumptions are

correct, there will be approximately 0.02% of

black oil fully diluted into the clean oil cargo

after loading to 98% capacity.

In other words and in accordance with the

generated laboratory data, the expected

colour drop of the clean oil cargo will be

approximately 0.2 ASTM colour units, if the

cargo tanks are cleaned just by using hot

water. This colour drop is theoretical,

because the ASTM colour scale is measured

in intervals of 0.5 colour units, so what does

become apparent is that cleaning with hot

water alone may actually result in no

reported colour drop, because of the size

of the ASTM colour scale.

The cost of the cleaning process is also

significantly reduced:

Time: Four days at $15,000 per day

= $60,000.

Cleaning chemicals: 0 litre at $3.50 per litre

= Zero.

Bunkers:Each pair of cargo tanks is cleaned

for approximately 16 hours with hot seawater,

during which time the boiler is being run to

produce the steam to heat the water. Auxiliary

engines (A/E) provide the power for the tank

cleaning machines.

The boiler and A/E both run on HFO and

the consumption is based on 8 x 6 hours = 48

hours to clean the entire vessel.

The A/E consume approximately 1.5 tonnes

HFO per day = 3 tonnes.

The boiler consumes approximately 10

tonnes per day (depending on seawater

temperature) = 20 tonnes.

23 tonnes of HFO at $680 per tonne =

$15,640.

Moving forwardIt is accepted that a large part of this

discussion is theoretical and the actual

results achieved on board a vessel may be

different. But the theory is based on a

scientific approach and the assumptions of

how much liquid black oil ROB will be

retained on board are purposely worst

case scenarios.

With this in mind, it is the opinion of

Marinvest and L&I Maritime that it will

be possible to develop and carry out

tank cleaning operations in the future

that consume less fuel, less cleaning

chemicals and less time and still meet the

demanding quality specifications of the

shipped cargoes.

The key to the success of such a project is

an understanding that most vessels switching

from dirty to clean massively over-clean in

order to ensure the quality of the clean cargo

meets the required specifications; yet


Cargo 98% loaded Approx surface Volume of black oil in

tank capacity (cu m) Area (sq m) residual layer (cu m)

1p 5479.7 2739.9 0.7

1s 5482.7 2741.4 0.7

2p 7078.9 3539.5 0.9

2s 7082.0 3541.0 0.9

3p 7095.0 3547.5 0.9

3s 7098.0 3549.0 0.9

4p 7095.0 3547.5 0.9

4s 7098.0 3549.0 0.9

5p 7095.0 3547.5 0.9

5s 7098.0 3549.0 0.9

6p 7001.1 3500.6 0.9

6s 7004.2 3502.1 0.9

Table 1

Cargo Total First foot % black oil 98% loaded % black oil

tank volume of loaded volume in first foot volume in the fully

black oil volume (cu m) volume (cu m) loaded

volume

1P 1.2 50 2.4 5479.7 0.02

1S 1.2 50 2.4 5482.7 0.02

2P 1.4 80 1.8 7078.9 0.02

2S 1.4 80 1.8 7082.0 0.02

3P 1.4 85 1.6 7095.0 0.02

3S 1.4 85 1.6 7098.0 0.02

4P 1.4 85 1.6 7095.0 0.02

4S 1.4 85 1.6 7098.0 0.02

5P 1.4 85 1.6 7095.0 0.02

5S 1.4 85 1.6 7098.0 0.02

6P 1.4 75 1.9 7001.1 0.02

6S 1.4 75 1.9 7004.2 0.02

Table 2

p44-56:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:19 Page 9


October 2011 � TANKEROperator

seemingly the use of cleaning chemicals is cosmetic rather than

essential to the success of the operation.

Perhaps, a far better approach would be to accept that the clean

oil will become discoloured during the early stages of the cleaning

operation, but accurate monitoring of this discolouration (knowing

that the dilution of the discolouration is linear and how much black

oil can be absorbed) will provide the necessary assurances that the

fully loaded clean cargo will be within the required quality

specifications.

Furthermore, the ETC notation specifies that vessels should be

able to maintain washing water at a temperature of 85 deg C and it

is firmly believed that increasing the temperature of the hot washing

from 70 deg C to 80/85 deg C will remove even more liquid black

oil ROB, thus reducing the volume of black oil that will ultimately

be absorbed into the fully loaded next cargo of clean oil. This can

only reduce the discolouration potential of the clean oil cargo.

The reality would seem to be that switching from dirty to clean

in a vessel designed to meet the DNV ETC notation, is now a far

more realistic proposition than it was before the ETC notation

was introduced. It should be accepted that the first clean cargo

after a dirty history will be gas oil, and it should also be

absolutely possible to expect that the discolouration of this gas

oil cargo will be so slight that it may not even register on the

ASTM colour scale.

Furthermore, once the vessel has loaded and discharged this first

gas oil cargo, there is absolutely no reason why the vessel cannot be

treated as completely clean, rather than having to carry two more

cargoes of gas oil, before other (water white) CPP cargoes can be

loaded. Bearing in mind the requirement to load three intermediate

gas oil cargoes before a water white cargo can be loaded was

introduced a long time before vessels were specifically designed

to meet the ETC notation.

So surely, as the operational performance of the vessels continues

to improve, the requirements governing these vessels should evolve

at the same pace? Always considering that the final responsibility

for the quality of the fully loaded cargo lies with the owners of

the vessel anyway.

*This article was written by Guy Johnson, director L&I Maritime(UK).

The above photograph was taken from a Marinvest vessel andshows samples of condensate loaded onto the vessel directly aftera dirty cargo. The middle sample is taken from the vessel’smanifold at the start of loading and the samples on the left sideand right side represent the first foot samples drawn from thevessel’s slop tanks, which would be expected to show the greatestlevel of discolouration. Clearly the discolouration of the first footsamples is negligible (if at all) and the vessel went on tosuccessfully load the full condensate cargo, without any reporteddeterioration in the quality.

TO

p44-56:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:19 Page 10

With depleting fossil fuels and

increased emissions taking a

constant toll on the ecological

balance, it’s imperative for

key market players to allocate an optimum

amount of their technological capital to

address these issues.

Spearheading the going green move in the

shipping industry; Blue Water, a Dehradun

(India) based marine consulting firm, has

implemented what it claims is a unique

approach for optimising the cargo heating

operations on board tankers by proper

planning and monitoring using the company’s

Cargo Heating Management Service.

This is a tool specifically developed for

tankers by harnessing the experience of Blue

Water’s expertise taken from diverse

industries. “Since inception of cargo heating

management service in October 2008, we

have helped our client’s in achieving around

16,000 tonnes of fuel savings to June 2011

when compared with their historical

benchmark figures,” claimed Anurag Datta,

Blue Water Trade Winds’ manager (technical

& business development). He further added

that corresponding emission reductions of

around 48,000 tonnes (CO2: 45,909 tonnes,

Sox: 896 tonnes, NOx: 1,195 tonnes) were

achieved during the same reporting period.

Cargo Heating Management Service

optimises the shipboard fuel oil consumption

required for cargo heating along with

estimating the cargo temperature trend over a

specified voyage. Comprehensive data is

compiled for the operational losses by

theoretical calculation and statistical record

analysis of a number of heated cargo voyages

on various ship models.

Along with reducing overall fuel oil

consumption costs on board ship, the system

also significantly reduces the direct costs and

man hours incurred in the running and

maintenance of auxiliary machineries, such as

boilers and its other ancillaries that are used in

the process of heating the cargo.

By optimising fuel consumption, the service

not only enables the ship to save fossil fuel

but also helps it to reduce harmful emissions,

thus contributing towards a cleaner and

greener planet.

There are three stages of working:

1) Data collection

The first stage of developing the service for a

particular vessel is the collection of relevant

inputs from the ship, such as the vessel

particulars, performance data of its steam

generation system and other factors that

directly affect the overall efficiency of the

cargo heating system on board. The inputs

received from the vessel are covered in the

initial report and can be classified under two

separate categories.

a) Static factorsThe static factors of a vessel have a significant

impact on the cargo heating system and

remain constant for each vessel irrespective of

the changing voyage plans, grades of cargo

and fuel oil being used on board.

These factors include the plans of the ship,

giving insight into the vessel’s constructional

details, such as whether the vessel is single or

double hull, the total cargo carrying capacity

and the number of cargo tanks and their layout

on board the vessel.

The constant factors also include details and

past performance reports of the vessels

existing cargo heating steam systems and



Cargo heatingmanagement - agreen initiative

Over recent years, environmental sustainable solutions have gained enough awareness

and environmental conservation has become an important issue, which needs due

attention at the forefront of existing and upcoming operational practices.

p44-56:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:19 Page 11

equipment, such as details of the boiler, the

boiler performance curves, the burner nozzle

characteristics along with design details of the

waste heat recovery system of the ship.

b) Variable factorsThe variable factors need to be continuously

monitored, as they change depending upon the

cargo and fuel oil quality, stowage and voyage

plans of the vessel.

Those affecting the cargo heating operations

are the grade and chemical qualities of the

cargo oil and the fuel oil being used for each

specific voyage. The initial report takes into

consideration the vessel’s stowage plan and

ballast plan for the particular voyage to

calculate estimated daily heat losses.

Depending upon the voyage plan, the

heating requirements in the expected climatic

conditions for the particular oceanic region are

decided. During the voyage the cargo heating

service ensures a daily reporting system from

the vessel to shore to enable the analysts to

monitor all variable parameters and suggest

corrective actions in-case of finding any

deviations from the set values.

2) Data processing

The inputs received in the vessel’s initial

report are then exhaustively processed by

specialised analysers. During the processing

of data, the performance and characteristics

curves of the boiler and burner are digitised

and the optimum operational parameters to

improve overall heating efficiency of the

system are calculated.

Based upon past statistical records, fuel oil

report analysis, cargo oil data sheets and

mathematical calculations heating schedules

and fuel oil consumption for cargo oil heating

is estimated. The processing and analysis for

the service also takes into consideration the

effect of the vessel’s stowage plan and the

weather during the voyage by referring to

naval hydrographs.

3) Heating plan, reporting and feedback

Once all the data received from the vessel has

been processed, a comprehensive cargo

heating plan is developed and sent back to the

ship’s staff. The plan covers all minute details

required to attain an optimum cargo heating

management service on board the ship.

The plan gives an estimation of the number

of heating days and the heating schedules to

be followed for a particular voyage along with

the estimated daily fuel consumption figures

in the process.

It also gives the optimum boiler load,

condensate temperatures and feed water

temperatures to be maintained to maximise

heating efficiency and fuel savings. The plan

comprises of a daily reporting and feedback

system that facilitates consistent

recommendations and trouble shooting from

the analysts throughout the voyage. At the end

of the voyage a post voyage summary along

with other optional reports are devised for

performance monitoring of the cargo heating

operations.

First stepThe initial report is the first step towards the

service implementation on board ship and

must be sent by the vessel’s staff before each

voyage to the analysts in the designed format.

The report consists of the all the vessel and

cargo particulars (variable and static factors)

required to process the voyage specific cargo

heating plan.

Based on the initial report obtained from a

particular ship, a comprehensive voyage

specific cargo heating plan is prepared using

special software, which takes into account

voyage data received from the vessel and



Projected total

Year heated cargo

world-wide (MT)

2011 64072000

2012

2013

2014

2015

Total

66399351

68811241

65225296

67594540

332102428

Projected voyages

Year using Cargo Heating

Management Service (nos)

2011 960

2012

2013

2014

2015

Total

995

1031

977

1013

4976

p44-56:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:19 Page 12

various other factors, such as heat losses,

expected drop in cargo temperature in the

prevailing weather, climatic, regional and

seasonal conditions, cargo and fuel

characteristics, vessel type and freeboard,

which have significant impact on fuel

consumption and time required for heating.

The plan is sent on board along with

guidelines for further implementation by the

vessel’s crew.

A daily heating telegram is exclusively used

as a means of communication between the

ship and Blue Water to monitor the cargo

heating performance on daily basis. It is a

daily report sent by the vessel to the Blue

Water analysts covering details and values of

the parameters of the cargo heating system

along with all the variable factors that can

affect the system’s efficiency. This enables the

analysts to continuously monitor progress and

initiate timely actions in case of any

discrepancy is found, or expected.

After each voyage is completed, a complete

analysis of the service is sent to the vessel and

vessel’s managers along with comprehensive

graphs that compare the projected cargo

heating hours and fuel oil consumption for the

heating operation to the actual heating hours

and fuel oil consumption during the voyage.

The analysis also contains the actual fuel oil

consumption in cargo heating operations along

with trends, general observations and

necessary recommendations to further

improve efficiency of the system.

“Our recent market study shows projected

fuel-savings and GHG (Green House Gases)

reductions of around 222,777 tonnes &

668,331 tonnes respectively, if cargo heating

management service is implemented on 4,976

voyages, totaling around 332,102,428 tonnes

of heated cargo transported worldwide, over

the next five-years period”, explained Capt

Sanjay Singh, GM (operations) at Blue Water.

Versatility of the service can be further

judged by its quick acceptance by leading

tanker owners and charterers within a short

time frame, the company claimed.

“Lacking over past three years was an

external validation of the service by a

scientific research organisation”, said Capt

Kumaresh Gupta, Blue Water Trade Winds

founder. Despite having an ISO 9001 approval

from DNV, Capt Gupta welcomed feedback

on the service, both technically and

commercially, to improve it further.

Many researchers have shown interest in the

underlying presumptions made and it has also

attracted the attention of leading research

universities in recent years, reports Nikhil

Mahendra, an MBA student at University of

Toronto, whose statistical research of the

‘Cargo Heating Management Service Model’

reflects a promising outcome further

validating the consistency prediction model

used by Blue Water.

Mahendra and his team have carried out

analysis on voyage data from over 100

consecutive voyages in order to verify the

appropriateness and accuracy of the service’s

prediction model.

Blue Water Trade Winds was formed to

provide dynamic professional marine services

& solutions for the shipping Industry. Its

strength lies in its diversified experience in

shipping, information technology, research

and design-engineering fields, the company

claimed.

The company’s personnel has a mix of

sailing and shore-based experience. Blue

Water is a DNV accredited ISO 9001-2008

organisation and has been serving major flags

states since 2006.



Projected Tanker owners

Year fuel-oil savings using

Cargo Heating

Management Service (MT)

2011 42980

2012

2013

2014

2015

Total

44541

46159

43754

45343

222777

Projected GHG (Green

Year House Gases) reduction

for next 5-years (MT)

2011 128940

2012

2013

2014

2015

Total

133624

138477

131261

136029

668331

TO

p44-56:p2-7.qxd 30/09/2011 10:19 Page 13

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at the heart of Shipping

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