TEMAS MARITIMOS‏

DP training addressed

 

DNV GL has introduced a new recommended practice for the training of dynamic positioning (DP) operators.

The new standard is based on the latest training and certification principles and defines the role that simulators can play in giving candidates better and more efficient training.

Given the differing duration and frequency of DP operations, the recommended practice (RP) does not define a universal seatime requirement expressed in days. Instead, learning goals are used to define the training experiences required. Simulator training can reduce sea time requirements by up to 50%.

“Dynamic positioning can be considered a high risk activity involving a team of people working together on high technology equipment. Realistic simulation, including time on full mission simulators, plays an important role in how they learn to deal with situations that rarely occur at sea,” said Aksel Nordholm, DNV GL’s manager for simulator certification. “As long as all operational aspects are included in the training, such as communication and cooperation with others, simulators enhance competence and reduce training time.”

Major players in the offshore industry, which includes FPSOs/FSOs and shuttle tanker operators, collaborated on the development of the new RP which covers: competence development, seatime/on board competence building, competence assessment, certification and re-certification.

“Teekay is very satisfied with the great work carried out by DNV GL and their partners to finally launch the new certification scheme for dynamic position competence,” said Torbjørg Undem, head of marine human resources at Teekay Shipping Norway. “Teekay greatly welcomes this certification scheme which we strongly believe will both enhance the quality and competence of DP personnel and also facilitate a better flow of new competence to the market.

“DP competence is needed today, and the need for qualified personnel is expected to grow significantly. With this robust scheme provided by DNV GL, we are optimistic that the entire industry will benefit in the years to come,”he said.

Stig Wiggen, CEO, Ship Modelling & Simulation Centre, Trondheim, Norway added:“The new recommended practice on DP operator certification from DNV GL is a giant leap forward with regards to quality in all aspects of DPO certification, and is the first real proof of competence for DP operators.”

The RP provides guidance to flag states and other parties wanting to establish an independently validated certification scheme. It refers to existing DNV GL standards and certification activities and provides detailed input for training centres and test centres.

The combination of the RP and related DNV GL standards helps flag states meet anticipated STCW DP operator requirements currently covered in Part B (guidance) but expected to be moved to Part A (mandatory) in the near future.

The conclusion from Mark Pointon at IDPOA, The International Dynamic Positioning Operators Association welcomes the publication of this RP by saying: “We hope that it will be adopted as the universal mechanism that ensures a consistent standard of DP certification globally for DP operators."

*DNV GL has also opened a new South China office in Guangzhou to support business growth in the area.

Located in downtown Guangzhou, the DNV GL office services as a centre for the company’s operations in South China. Headed by area manager Gu Xiaoli, DNV GL South China covers the provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, Guangxi and Hainan.

“South China is one of the three national shipbuilding bases laid out by the Chinese government. The launch of DNV GL’s expanded new office shows our stronger commitment to the market after the merger of DNV and GL,” said DNV GL’s vice president and regional manager for Greater China, Torgeir Sterri.

Looking ahead, Sterri said, “2014 marks year one of DNV GL as a merged company and 150th anniversary of our proud heritage. We expect to further deepen and expand the co-operation in new areas such as LNG carriers, Arctic shipping, offshore units, etc.”

LPG carrier orders continue

May 02 2014

This week’s brokers reports contain the news that Eastern Pacific had ordered three, plus two optional, Suezmaxes at Sungdong for 2016-2017 deliveries. The price per vessel was said to be $64.35 mill.

In addition, Atlas Maritime was said to have ordered two Aframaxes at Daehan for 2015 delivery.

Navigator Holdings has confirmed that the company has exercised its option to build an additional three 35,000 cu m ethylene/ethane capable semi-refrigerated liquefied gas carriers, in addition to the one vessel of the same size already under construction.

The three additional vessels will be built at Jiangnan Shipyard in China for $78.4 mill each.

The 35,000 cu m ethylene/ethane carriers are specifically designed in anticipation of large scale exports of ethane becoming available from surplus US shale gas production and the desire by international petrochemical companies to diversify their feedstock supplies with low cost US ethane, the company said.

However, as the world’s largest semi-refrigerated LPG carriers, they will have the versatility to transport the full range of liquefied gases, such as propane and butane, as well as petrochemicals, including ethylene and ethane, plus ammonia.

They will be delivered with dual fuel engines, reducing running costs through optimised propulsion systems and together with larger carrying capacities, will offer greater economies of scale, increasing competitiveness for the charterers, Navigator said.

Following the three additional vessels, Navigator has 13 vessels in its newbuilding programme, four of which are scheduled for delivery in late 2014, four in 2015 and five in 2016.

Following on from the holiday period, there was little to report on the timecharter market other than Indian interests fixing the 2002-built Aframax ‘Intisar’ for a short charter of 10-15 days at $16,500 per day.

Oetker was said to have chartered the 2000-built MR ‘Lakatania’ for 12 months at $13,750 with an option for a further 12 months.

In the S&P market, DHT was believed to be the buyer of Euronav’s 2008/2009-built VLCCs ‘Olympia’ and ‘Antarctica’ for $178 mill for the pair.

Reportedly leaving the fleet was the 1996-built VLCC ‘Universal Peace’sold on the basis as is Singapore for $475.6 per ldt to unknown breakers. The 1992-built Aframax ‘CE-Wave’ was said to have been sold for $473 per ldt to unknown breakers.

IRI celebrates reaching milestone

May 02 2014

International Registries Inc (IRI) and its affiliates, who provide administrative and technical support to the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Registry, will be celebrating passing the 100 mill gt milestone at two major shipping events in China.

IRI will host receptions at the Asia Shipping Fortune Summit taking place in Shanghai from 13th-14th May and the World Shipping (China) Summit in the Autumn.

“We are delighted to celebrate this landmark achievement with shipowners and other industry stakeholders in the Chinese maritime community,” said Annie Ng, IRI’s head of Asia. “Since 2011, there has been, on average, a 20% increase in the number of Chinese owners in the RMI fleet, due to the shipyards and other maritime services companies in China that have expanded their global reach and influence.”

The RMI Registry is the third largest in the world and now stands at over 102 mill gt with more than 3,100 vessels.

“While the RMI Registry’s largest shipowning countries include Greece, the US, Germany and Norway, we have been very happy to see tonnage coming out of the Far East,”said Ng.

The RMI Registry claims to be the only major open registry to be included on the White Lists of both the Paris and Tokyo MoUs and to hold Qualship 21 status with the US Coast Guard for nine consecutive years.

“The RMI Registry is committed to our owners and operators in China and will continue to provide strong support to this developing market,” concluded Ng.

Danish maritime week planned

May 02 2014

Between 6th and 10th October this year, the Danish shipping cluster will be coming together for Danish Maritime Days - claimed to be a major new event for the global maritime industry.

It will bring together a broad spectrum of leaders from across the industry with the objective to find new solutions to the most important challenges facing the industry today and in the future, the organisers said.

Many events, including conferences, briefings, exhibitions, symposia, company visits, receptions and dinners, are planned throughout the week.

The week has been planned to be a global platform for collaboration across the industry– shipowners, bankers and other investors, shipyards, suppliers, brokers, lawyers, shipmanagement, insurance, ports and various service providers – as well as regulators and other important stakeholders and opinion shapers.

According to the organisers, it will include events on new technologies, Arctic shipping, international trade and development, piracy, recruitment, education, offshore shipping and more.

The inaugural Danish Maritime Forum is planned to be the major event during the week. The purpose of this high-level, by-invitation-only summit is to bring together leaders in the global maritime industry with policy makers, experts and other influential decision makers to discuss how to enhance future profitability while strengthening the role and positive impact of the maritime industry on sustainable growth and development. It will take place on 8th-9th October, 2014.

Danish Maritime Days is intended to be an annual event, taking place in and around Copenhagen and across Denmark.

PDVSA to use St Eustatius to load VLCCs

Apr 28 2014

Venezuela's state-run PDVSA will use a terminal owned by US-based NuStar Energy on St Eustatius island in the Caribbean to store crude for loading into VLCCs destined for Asia.

This move comes after PDVSA decided to cease renting a facility in the Bahamas, a PDVSA executive said on Friday, reported Reuters.

PDVSA has been using the St Eustatius terminal since March this year as a centre to store and mix its crudes and product exportable blends, the Venezuelan oil company confirmed to Reuters.

The company has already started to receive crude tankers at the facility from Venezuela.

"We plan to build a new terminal in Araya (at Venezuela's Eastern coast) but meanwhile we are renting some storage centres in Aruba and St Eustatius and using our own facilities in Bonaire and Curacao," PDVSA's refining vice president, Asdrubal Chavez, reportedly said.

"We used the Bahamas before, but from St Eustatius to Asia the trip is shorter, so we are saving time and money after negotiating with NuStar," he added.

After selling several facilities in the Caribbean to raise cash in recent years and trying to overcome fires and accidents that affected its domestic refining and storage network in 2012, PDVSA has signed new leasing contracts to use private facilities.

BORCO terminal in the Bahamas, which was owned by PDVSA until 2007 when it was sold, was later rented by the state-run company as an additional facility to its domestic network.

Asia, which last year became Venezuela's main oil export destination, is receiving an increasing volume of PDVSA's crude and products and most shipments are made by VLCCs loaded on the Venezuelan east coast, as well as the Caribbean, Reuters said.

Last year, PDVSA started leasing 4 mill barrels of storage capacity on Aruba in a facility owned by US refiner Valero Energy.

MAN Diesel & Turbo ready to support Tier III

Apr 28 2014

“We are ready for IMO Tier III”, said Dr Stephan Timmermann, MAN Diesel & Turbo Executive board member responsible for Marine Systems and After Sales.

“We have the technologies in place to support our customers for this new era of environmentally efficient shipping. I am pleased that the adoption of the IMO regulations will save us from mushrooming national regulations. Now we have a clear set of rules,”, he added.

The company’s CTO, Dr Hans-O. Jeske, underpinned its technological readiness:“Exhaust gas recirculation and selective catalytic reduction are technologies we not only have available but (also) have operational experience with.”

MAN Diesel & Turbo has also met the Tier III challenge by introducing dual-fuel engines that can operate on clean-burning gas. The two-stroke, high-pressure ME-GI and four-stroke, 51/60DF engines were introduced in 2013 and 2012, respectively and give shipowners and operators the option of using either HFO, or gas, depending on emission and price parameters.

Experts across all disciplines at MAN reckon that emissions regulation will remain a key driver for maritime technology development. “For MAN Diesel & Turbo, it is important to offer a variety of solutions so that customers can best balance their needs in terms of cost efficiency, environmental efficiency and operational profile”, Jeske explained. “For decades to come, we will see a rivalry of fuels. Versatility will be key. This is why we offer highly efficient, dual- fuel, two- and four-stroke engines, emission-control equipment and highly developed propeller designs.”

“While fuel prices remain high and emissions become ever more stringent, shipowners look for the most efficient solutions for newbuildings and existing ships”,said Ole Grøne, senior vice president marketing & sales, for MAN’s Low-Speed business unit. “From an environmental point of view, low-sulphur fuels such as methane, natural gas and LNG are highly relevant – all the more reason for us to be pleased with the success of our ME-GI engines.”

While IMO Tier III will come into force for newbuildings from 2016 onwards, already today retrofits can significantly enhance fuel efficiency for existing fleets. “Any percentage point of fuel saving means lower operational costs and lower emissions – it’s a win-win situation”, Grøne concluded.

*An in-depth look at MAN Diesel & Turbo will be included in our June issue.

 

Recopilado por Cap. Parra Avello