Excellence, 9th Edition
Transcrição
Excellence, 9th Edition
excellence Edition 1 | 2014 Anchored by Partner Magazine of the BBC Chartering Group African Aspirations Intra Europe heavy lifts No one will be left behind A differentiated view on the continent and BBC Chartering’s activities New lifting record and growing interest for intra Europe services BBC Fuji Captain Hermes on the rescue of 117 refugees Content 7 14 04 A message from Svend Andersen Outlook 2014 - some promising signs 06 African aspirations On the world’s fastest growing continent 08 Developing business in Africa An exclusive interview with Hendriette Theron-Instinsky 12 Project briefs Heavylift services in Africa and Intra Europe 14 Intra Europe heavylift services BBC Mont Blanc performs 641mt heavy lift – more to come? 16 BBC = Best Business Centerfold Mythology is fascinating – especially if it delivers real performance 18 The Congo River Crossing Project BBC Chartering’s involvement in a project of national importance 20 A master’s job: mastering the job An interview with ‘CRX-Captain’ Pavel Gonchar of the MV Skaftafell 22 More than a job – an attitude Leda shipping provides crewing services for BBC Chartering 22 24 No one will be left behind BBC Fuji Captain Norbert Hermes on the recent rescue of 117 refugees 26 Supply chain challenges at ‘guara-lula’ BBC Chartering supports Brazilian oil field development 28 Brazilian award for BBC Chartering BBC as ‘best carrier for specialized cargoes’ 26 page 2 | excellence 29 BBC Chartering Events Q1/Q2 in 2014 Shanghai, Sao Paulo, Santiago, Antwerp 30 BBC Chartering world map Contact BBC Chartering representatives nearest to you Dear readers Welcome back to our winter & spring edition of ‘excellence’. With this issue in your hands we are pleased to take a closer look at an aspiring African continent, as you might tell from the cover. Inside we take the opportunity to talk to our regional business development expert for Africa, and we present a recent project where we supported Angola’s Congo River Crossing project managed by our project division. We are proud ‘to leave no-one behind’, and report about a rescue mission of 117 refugees we supported with the BBC Fuji south of Sicily. This again gives us a good opportunity to talk about our crewing partners at Leda shipping. Also inside we present the heaviest lift ever for a BBC Chartering vessel to date and we are pleased to talk about our MPP /HL vessels being employed on intra European heavy-lift services supporting numerous projects. As a new feature we also test a new format where we show some project briefs highlighting BBC Chartering’s assignments in Africa and Europe. We are proud to report about Brazil where BBC Charting not only delivers for the Guara-Lula project but also received an important business award from Guia-Maritimo, a leading national media resource. In conclusion, in his personal foreword to this edition, Svend Andersen gives us his short term outlook on the project shipping industry. Being in its 9th edition so far, ‘excellence’ tells the BBC Chartering story in innovative ways to our business partners. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the many people that helped to produce this issue. On the content side these were Hendriette Theron- Imprint Responsible for content: Svend Andersen Raymond Fisch Contact and editing: Raymond Fisch [email protected] Instinsky, Benjamin Nobel, Christoph Krueder, Mykola Kazadayev, Francesca Oppicini, Capt. Norbert Herems, Capt. Pavel Gonchar, Matthias Steffens, Janni Larsen, Viviane Marques, Lena Pollmann, and André Olthuis. On the production side this issue was supported by Dennis Bruenings, Lisa Girgott, Sarah Bruton, and last but not least Christina Kruse. Without the great work of the team this ‘excellence’ would not be possible. I like to thank all for their ‘excellence’ engagement and for their efforts to further develop our partner magazine. Nevertheless, we are always pleased to receive any external comments or remarks, to make ‘excellence’ even more enjoyable, informative, inspiring and entertaining. Lastly, on behalf of our global team I hope you enjoy this magazine and stay connected till the next issue. Warm regards, Raymond Fisch ‘excellence’ editor Suggestions to: [email protected] Published by: BBC Chartering GmbH Hafenstr. 10b · 26789 Leer · Germany © BBC Chartering 2014 - All rights reserved purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 3 page 4 | excellence » Start where we are, use what we have, do what we can « Dear business partners and friends The year 2013 is history and we are looking ahead at a new year, which may offer us many new opportunities to learn and grow. I would like to take this opportunity today to give a brief outlook on the world of project shipping and what we may expect in the near future. The breakbulk and project shipping market is still challenging although growth of the project cargo sector can be observed on the demand side. There is above average demand growth in South America, Africa and Asia. However, competition remains strong on all trades. Demand for project logistics follows the orders and leadtimes of manufactured components for major projects. Shop load is slowly increasing but currently ranges around 50-70% in Asia and Europe and around 6590% in North America. Cost issues are still often above schedule issues, but the situation is reversing here and there. Forward looking shippers plan and secure capacity ahead. In some trades we saw shipping rates moving up by 30-35%. Fundamental market dynamics need to be observed carefully. The oil price is an important lead indicator. We cannot predict the oil price, but the current level still shows room for improvement to substantiate new investments. The situation regarding commodity prices is similar and we look forward for decreasing pressure on prices here as well. There is some uncertainty, and as we are confident about a positive signs, we might see a few challenges in 2014 on that side. In the past, cost issues have broadly influenced breakbulk and project cargo logistics, but there are signs that 2014 may show an increase in schedule issues again. With the fifth consecutive year in this crisis, we can look at a slow recuperation of a global real economy but we can also promote a stronger recovery. As there is light at the end of any tunnel, I like to adopt a quote of Arthur Ashe saying whatever the situation is, we have to “start where we are, use what we have, and do what we can.” This, I am sure will get us ahead. This “excellence” in your hand today certainly demonstrates our purpose, conviction, and quality attitude in the world of BBC Chartering, the world of project shipping. No matter where, we hope to see you soon. We would be pleased to welcome you at any of the upcoming events, be it in Shanghai, Sao Paulo, Santiago or Antwerp. Sincerely, Svend Andersen Chief Executive Officer purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 5 african aspirations the world’s fastest growing continent Economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa remained robust in 2012. Output increased by an estimated 4.7 percent, and projections for 2013–15 forecast growth of more than 5 percent a year. Poverty has declined, with the share of people living on less than $1.25 a day falling from 58 percent in 1996 to about 48 percent in 2010. This is the promising summary of the World Bank in its most recent report. Even “The Economist” reported in February 2013, that never in the half-century since it won independence from the colonial powers has Africa been in such good shape. Its economy is flourishing. Most countries are at peace. Ever fewer children bear arms and record numbers go to school. Mobile phones are as ubiquitous as they are in India and, in the worst-affected countries, HIV infections have fallen by up to three-quarters. It is also a great success that life expectancy rose by a tenth in the past decade and foreign direct investment has tripled. Consumer spending will almost double in the next ten years; the number of countries with average incomes above $1,000 per person a year will grow from less than half of Africa’s 55 states to three-quarters. Poverty may have become less visible in Africa’s capitals but it remains widespread. The battle against hunger has not been won. The spread of wealth is uneven and winners from today’s boom all too often rush to fortify their gilded positions inside guarded compounds. The financiers who suggest that Africa could soon rival Asia have let their imaginations run riot. Whereas one is the workshop of the world, the other almost exclusively exports what grows in fields or is dug out from below them. About a third of Africa’s GDP growth comes from commodities. There is a risk that this will not last as commodity markets have a habit of collapsing sooner or later. Furthermore, gains in agricultural commodities may be undermined by climate change, becoming more irregular. One in five Africans page 6 | excellence will be directly affected by 2020. Even as their continent prospers, many of them will continue to depend on agriculture and there is little they can do about the threats to the world’s environment. And Africa must make the most of two transitions it is now going through. First-off the move from the countryside to cities offers the chance of a one-off boost to productivity both on the farm and in the slums. Africa’s population is still growing rapidly; it will double to 2 billion by 2050. This promises a “demographic dividend”, as the number of workers relative to children and the elderly increases. The continent must make use of this bulge of labor, and the savings it produces, for development. If they miss it, Africans will grow old before they grow rich. Second-off Africa’s citizens are already striving to become more productive. Still Africa’s entrepreneurs are often stymied by the state. The bottom third countries in the World Bank’s ease-of-business ranking are almost all in Africa. Their people could easily have better lives; abundant capital and technology offer big opportunities. The infrastructure is improving yet there is a risk that useless regulations create unnecessary bottlenecks. Bureaucrats and customs officers inflate the cost of getting anything done. For example, shipping a car from China to Tanzania costs $4,000, but getting it from there to nearby Uganda can cost another $5,000. We can conclude that although Africans deserve the credit for much positive development. Yet, enormous challenges remain. The danger is that Africa settles for today’s pace of change. Only if Africans raise their ambitions still further will they reach their full potential. They need to take on the difficult jobs of building infrastructure, rooting out corruption and clearing the tangle of government regulation that is still holding them back. Sources: The Economist; World Bank purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 7 developing business in africa For the past 5 years, developing business in Africa has been on the agenda of Hendriette Theron-Instinsky who works as Global Business Development Officer for Africa and Europe for BBC Chartering. We took the opportunity to talk to her on market specifics and opportunities in Africa, both in her capacity as Business Developer for the continent, and also as a South African born global citizen. page 8 | excellence Hendriette, thanks for taking the time for this interview. In recent years, the African economy has been developing very dynamically. What do you project will give us important market opportunities in the coming years? Hendriette Theron-Instinsky: The transportation of equipment needed for the oil and gas industry, not just for the upstream stages but also midstream and downstream, will offer good opportunities in the coming years. These projects will be a basis for countries to invest in infrastructure programs, power projects (renewable, hydro, coal fired power plants, combined cycle power plants). As soon Hendriette Theron-Instinsky as commodity prices rise, new mining projects will go ahead with not just the construction of new mines, but also railway lines required to transport the commodities to the ports. In my opinion, how fast these projects will be implemented remains to be seen as the future economic growth of some African countries are closely linked with the global economy – foreign investment and development loans are needed for the major projects. Political stability is another key factor which will greatly influence these developments. How does BBC Chartering prepare to participate in these developments? HTI: We are already involved in these developments. It is an on-going process in which we have been involved for years and will be in the future. Most important for our ongoing success was, and is, the building of strong purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 9 relationships and our reputation of being a reliable partner. It is important to know the players in the market and to talk to all of them; the owners and operators of the projects, the EPC’s and the freight forwarders controlling these shipments. Understanding the client’s needs, being flexible, and understanding the culture and regulations of the countries where we are operating is of utmost importance in order to be successful. It is a people’s business and we are selling a service which is just a small part of the overall supply chain - and therefore it is wise to not just focus on port to port services alone, but to see and understand the whole complexity of logistic services and know that we are a part of a bigger picture. Knowing of possible problems our clients and their suppliers may be confronted with and being prepared to work together on favourable solutions for all parties makes the difference for us at BBC. page 10 | excellence Today Nigeria, Angola and Algeria account for the lion`s share of the continent’s oil production – which nations will come next in your view? HTI: Nigeria, Angola and Algeria will remain strong on the oil & gas field developments. The gas findings off the shores of Mozambique & Tanzania are very exciting ones and there is a scramble to get a piece of the pie. The majority of the projects in Mozambique and Tanzania are in exploration/drilling and appraisal stages but with a clear signal that they will move towards extracting the gasses. I expect to see big volumes of cargo movements to these two countries. Congo, Ghana and Uganda have a few interesting oil & gas field projects in the pipeline for the future. These countries are also investing in power projects and infrastructure programs. You mentioned the infrastructure and energy sectors as important markets. What are the typical solutions BBC Chartering is asked to deliver? be lifted but also where in the vessel they will be stowed and lashed.This includes calculations for lashing and acceleration forces during a normal sea voyage. To complement this we have our experienced port captains and crew at the points of loading and unloading ensuring the safe discharging into girder bridge trailers or onto hydraulic modular trailers in the ports. Basically we supply transport solutions tailor-made to the specific needs and requirements of our customers. What is BBC Chartering’s market approach to African clients? HTI: It is all about building relationships based on trust. The need to identify possibilities, understanding the needs in the particular market, and develop a sound business and marketing strategy are key factors. To understand and respect the cultural environment of the African countries in which we do business and to adapt to their service needs. What are the biggest risks and challenges? HTI: BBC has a regular sailing to West- and South Africa, this alone already provides our clients with more flexibility. Especially when there are smaller parcels with higher unit weights that need to be shipped to these regions we have the perfect vessels to handle the heavy lift operations. We have an excellent comprehension of the ports and challenges confronting us in some of the ports we call on a regular basis. Here we can caution our clients in advance if we suspect complications at the respective port of call which need to be taken into consideration. In my opinion the most important aspect of our service is that we understand how sensitive some cargoes are and how to optimally handle them. This especially accounts for the many shipments of huge transformers which we handle for our customers. This already starts with the booking stage and the subsequent preparations for the transport. We have our own technical department which generates a method statement showing not just how the units will HTI: In general, political turmoil, civil wars, labour legislation, continuous change in regulations (such as mining legislation), create uncertainty in the African marketplace; these in return slow the investments of foreign companies in Africa. In addition, energy shortages and poor infrastructure hampers growth – some of the most promising countries present the highest risks. Instead of taking a gamble and investing in Africa, companies would rather invest in other economies in Asia. A lack of reasonably priced and reliable power supply remains one of the most binding constraints to economic growth throughout Africa. Governments across the continent are working to attract new trade and foreign investment that will sustain their rapid economic growth. What’s your short closing remark regarding all these aspirations of Africa in the future? HTI: Aspirations are great – getting things done, however, is the real measure of success! Thanks Hendriette for your heads-up. We wish you all the best and hope to talk soon again. purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 11 project briefs / africa Ikhwezi Project, South Africa Project Ikhwezi is set to play an instrumental role in sustaining the life of the gas-to-liquids (GTL) refinery in Mossel Bay. It involves tapping into gas reserves in PetroSA’s F-O field, which is located 40km south-east of the F-A production platform off the south coast of South Africa. BBC Chartering is a proud supplier of this strategic project and was contracted to transport offshore cable reels from Newcastle, UK, to Cape Town, South Africa onboard the BBC Scandinavia. Port Expansions, South Africa In February 2012, Transnet announced a R80bln. upgrade and expansion investment program for the ports of Richards Bay and Durban. Both ports are critical hubs for South African transports and logistics. Supporting these efforts, the BBC Kibo was assigned to transport two Liebherr LHM550 mobile harbor cranes (each 408mt) for these projects, which are designed for the versatile and efficient cargo handling of postpanamax-sized vessels. Matla Power Plant, South Africa The Matla Power Station in Mpumalanga, South Africa, is a coal-fired power plant operated by Eskom and consuming the output from the Matla coal mine. Eskom has embarked on a refurbishment and replacement program to secure the plant’s output capacity. Helping this project, the heavy-lifter BBC Mont Blanc was employed mid 2013 to transport a 320mt heavy SMIT transformer from Antwerp to Richards Bay. Nacala Mine, Mozambique The Mozambique coal mining industry is currently considered the primary driver for infrastructure development in the country. Improved logistics infrastructure is necessary to export raw materials and to make mines successful and competitive. A $22.4-billion program is underway investing in transport infrastructure and about $9.7-billion in energy and power infrastructure. In August 2013, the BBC Vesuvius was commissioned to transport railway infrastructure equipment to Nacala. page 12 | excellence project briefs / intra europe service Goliat Field, Norway The Goliat oil and gas field is located roughly 85km northwest of Hammerfest in Finnmark and 50km southeast of the Snøhvit field. The plan for development and operations was approved in June 2009. Production is expected to start up in the third quarter of 2014. Goliat will be developed with subsea templates tied to a circular, fixed floating production facility with an integrated loading and storage system. This facility will be partially supplied with power generated on land, which will reduce the need for local power generation. It will be adapted to the prevailing climatic conditions and will satisfy strict HSE regulations. The plan is to develop the field with 22 wells drilled from eight templates. The oil will be transported using shuttle tankers. BBC Chartering is a proud supplier of the Goliat project and is primarily charged to support logistics for cable reels from Le Trait, northern France to Hammerfest, Norway. Multiple vessels were employed on this project so far, amongst them BBC Germany, BBC Kusan, and BBC Oder. Dohuk Extension, Iraq The Dohuk extension project concerns the upgrade of the existing 500 megawatt (MW) Dohuk power station. Four gas turbines of 125 MW each should provide a total power upgrade of 500 MW. The BBC Pearl was used to transport one of the gas turbines from Antwerp to Iskenderun, Turkey. The BBC Lousiana was employed to deliver a generator and the BBC Asia brought other accessories. Via road the cargo went to Northern Iraq. Knarr Field, Norway Subsea 7 has won a subsea, umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF) contract to develop the Knarr field, in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. The scope of Subsea 7 is to carry out engineering, procurement, construction and installation works of a four kilometer flow-line containing production, water injection and service lines. The BBC Everest transported a total of 12 riser anchors (6x 90mt, 6x 126mt) for the project from Aalborg, Denmark to Floro, Norway. purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 13 Current heavy lift series 500 - 800 mt lifiting capacitiy Vessel type Deadweight Lifiting capacity BBC Congo BBC Europe BBC Everest BBC Amber BBC Winter 17,000 dwt 7,500 dwt 9,282 dwt 14,800 dwt 19,320 dwt 500 mt 500 mt 700 mt 800 mt 800 mt intra europe heavy lift services It’s not a secret that BBC Chartering meanwhile operates one third of its fleet in a segment capable of lifting 500mt and beyond. This not only covers broad logistic challenges for charterers on inter-continental trades, but also provides distinctive heavy lift services on intra European trades. “There are interesting options for charterers if you look at the cargo intake and heavy lift capabilities of our vessels,“ says Matteo Fortuna, Managing Director of BBC Chartering in Genoa, Italy. “Often, some clients don’t have heavy lift vessels on the radar and miss out on such transport solutions which may prove very competitive even on regional trades.” Fortuna says, “Our capabilities add a lot of value to the Intra Europe heavy lift market. I am sure we can prepare for more opportunities like the recent BBC Mont Blanc shipment we did in September.” The transport he refers to has been a one of kind so far, as it concerns the single heaviest piece of cargo which has been ever handled by BBC Chartering: a 641mt reactor! The piece was 40m long, about 8m wide and needed to be shipped together with a second lighter reactor of “only 568mt” to Ilychevsk port in the Black Sea, Ukraine. With her 700mt lifting capacity, the BBC Mont Blanc was just the right vessel to take on the heavy weights; loading them directly from the Fagioli owned barge ‘Ticino’ onto the page 14 | excellence vessel’s deck. Here the reactors were safely fastened, each resting on multiple heavy duty flat-racks to spread the heavy load on the weather deck. “Each reactor was loaded through basket lift and we needed to employ both cranes and a stability pontoon,“ said Fortuna. The discharge was executed in the same way, and after safe unloading, the reactors made their way to their final destination, the Rosneft refiniery in Novokuibyshevsk. More examples for Intra Europe heavy lifts In January 2013, BBC Chartering safely transported a 470mt heavy Liebherr crane from Valencia to Tarragona on board the BBC Kibo; another member of the Everest family, which is like the BBC Mont Blanc, a 700mt lifter. Again, the BBC Mont Blanc was hired this August to ship a giant tunnel boring machine from Bilbao and Fos to Porto Empedocle, Sicily where the equipment is needed to build highway infrastructure. Other good examples for Intra-Europe heavy lift services were the shipments of heavy generators from Rotterdam to St. Petersburg on the HR Recognition (2x 250mt cranes) and the BBC Rushmoore (2x 350mt). The generators weighed 341mt and 320mt and were shipped with accessory equipment to their final destination in Russia; one going to the power plant Yuzhnouralskaya GRES, and the other to the power station Mosenergo TEZ. Comparing apples with apples Heavy lift capabilities add value for many more projects when charters compare and realize the economics behind a reliable solution over a putative “cheap” solution. “There are sad but true cargo stories out there and charters eventually learn where they encountered losses. In the end, they will not remember how cheap a job was done, but how well it was done,” says Jens Meilvang, Chief Chartering Officer from Leer. “We are happy to talk more about this with our clients so they will really be able to compare apples with apples, but please before (!) they actually sign a contract.” purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 15 page 18 | excellence mythology is fascinating especially if it delivers real performance purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 19 congo river crossing project more in the pipeline? The Congo River Canyon Crossing project (CRX) is Angola’s most important project; designed to supply natural gas from two offshore operations (Block 0 and Block 14) to Angola’s gas liquefaction plant “ALNG”. As a project of national importance, it is the cornerstone of Angola’s plans to develop and commercialize its natural gas resources, as well as reduce gas flaring. The construction of the liquefaction plant began in 2008 west of the city of Soyo in the northwest corner of Angola. The facility is designed to process 1.1 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, 5.2 million metric tons per year. Gas from offshore fields will be piped into the plant, which will supply up to 125 million cubic feet of natural gas per day to Sonangol for Angolan distribution. Project partners are Chevron (36.4 percent interest), Sonangol (22.8 percent interest), Eni, Total and BP (with 13.6 percent interest each). BBC Chartering’s project division engaged in providing pipe feeding solutions for this project and project coordinator Christoph Krüder reports about his experiences. SAIPEM as turnkey contractor The Congo River Crossing (CRX) includes an 81-mile pipeline originating at South Nemba platform and terminating at ALNG. A major share of the project went to Saipem, a well known international turnkey contractor in the oil and gas industry. Through a contract awarded by the Cabinda Gulf Oil Company (CABGOC), Saipem was asked to provide engineering, procurement, construction and installation of three subsea pipelines (with a total length of 110 kilometers), the subsea spools, as well as trenching and crossing works in water depths up to 117 meters. BBC Chartering’s Christoph Krüder said, “CRX project execution started in Q4/2012 and it was planned to be completed by the end of 2013. To support the logistics, we were the selected maritime transport partner to provide pipe feeding and offshore storage solutions for the first lot of the project called CRX I.” Pipe feeding and offshore storage solutions It was in December 2012, when BBC Chartering got involved in helping deliver the logistic spread of the assignment. Three vessels were supplied: the BBC Germany, as “pipe page 18 | excellence mother vessel”, mainly in charge of executing discharge operations in safe offshore waters, and two “pipe feeder vessels”, the MV Saxum and MV Barbarossa, which were tasked to supply pipes from the mother vessel to a pipe laying barge. “All three vessels commenced the project by loading pipes in Leith, Scotland and then sailed to Luanda Bay, Angola to provide onsite services as required,” said Christoph. The unit which needed to be served by the feeder vessels was the S355, a barge for shallow water pipe-laying works. In order to stay in position, the S355 barge employs a 4-point-mooring-system, i.e. an anchor and winch system that keeps the vessel in position at sea. Through this system, the barge can only berth vessels of a maximum length up to 83 meters to fit between the mooring lines. This led to the selection of the MV Barbarossa and MV Saxum. With a length of 82.5 meters they were the most suitable candidates for the job. “During this project spread BBC Chartering vessels feedered a total of 10,000mt of pipes until February 2013,” remarked Christoph. Mainly charged with managing the commercial task of the project, Christoph Krüder said “The vessel crews were instrumental for the successful onsite delivery of the assignment. We were very grateful for the great cooperation in this project.” These were the teams around Capt. Nikolay Gombalevsky (BBC Germany), Capt. Bogdan Kowalski (MV Saxum), and Capt. Igor Ivannikov (MV Barbarossa). Services were continued on CRX II The completion of this first project, demonstratedthe performance of vessels and crews, and BBC Chartering won another share for the continuation of the CRX project in June 2013. This time three “mother vessels” were supplied by BBC Chartering to support the installation works of the pipe layer CASTORO 7. As the works had to be carried out in deeper waters further offshore, requirements for safe marine operations needed to be met. Christoph Krüder said, “this time, we had to focus on the mother vessels only. So called platform supply vessels (PSVs) with a DP system had to be employed as feeding units by the client.” The BBC Chartering provided vessels were the MV Skaftafell, MV BBC Thames and MV HR Marion. Starting July 2013, the vessels loaded a total of about 35,000mt of pipes in Leth, Scotland before making their way to Angolan waters. “Also this time the challenge was that lifting trials had to be done to test a potential new pipe transfer location offshore Cabinda,“ said Christoph. “The site however showed unfavorable swell conditions and in the end operations were moved back to Luanda Bay.” The project was concluded by the BBC Thames in the beginning of November, after HR MARION already completed her part in mid-October 2013 and the Skaftafell by mid-September. “It is always a challenge to make ends meet with the client and all the parties involved,” reported the project coordinator, “but again we made it happen, and we like to thank the crews around Capt. Pavel Gonchar (MV Skaftafell), Capt. Vitaliy Teplow (MV BBC Thames) and Capt. Yevhen Dems’ky (MV HR Marion) for their support and engagement.” The next assignment is already in the works as the project division was awarded another pipe feeding and offshore storage contract on the Mafumeira project offshore Angola. “We just started in September 2013,” said Christoph, “and we are glad to have the MV Stoertebeker, the MV Barbarossa, and their experienced crews around Capt. Alexander Fomin and Capt. Igor Ivannikov currently deliver the project.” This project is planned to end in March 2014. We can conclude from the many pipelines being built at the moment that Angola clearly holds an interesting pipeline of future projects, which we are convinced may also prove beneficial for Angola’s economy and people. BBC Chartering is proud it could support such “a project of national importance,” as it is considered by the Angolan government. We take this opportunity to thank all parties involved for their solicitousness, engagement and support that made things happen! purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 19 a master`s job: mastering the job It was in 2007 when Pavel Gonchar hired at Leda Shipping, BBC Chartering’s crewing partner. In his six years of service, he has mainly worked on coastal tramp shipping services. Recently, as a master of the MV Skaftafell he got involved in the world of project shipping; supporting the Congo River Crossing Project. Christoph Krüder of BBC’s project division took the opportunity to talk to Pavel regarding his experiences on this assignment. Pavel, thanks for making the time. What were your immediate thoughts when you heard your vessel would join a longterm “offshore” job for Saipem in West Africa? You are welcome Christoph. I got quite curious and thought that it might be an interesting and challenging time for the crew and me. I also thought it was a good opportunity to learn more about double banking operations and offshore cargo operations regarding the handling and transfer of concrete coated pipes to PSVs. How did you manage the strong HSEQ requirements and special inspections ordered by our client(s)? I felt well informed in advance about these requirements. page 20 | excellence It was enough time to organize trainings with the crew, to arrange an additional supply of required personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as to make some arrangements like painting safety lines on the edges of the hatch covers and mooring stations. Since this was the first time you executed such a project with BBC’s Project Division, can you tell how the communication worked out? The communication from BBC’s side was well organized, but there have been challenges regarding the client communication. E.g. we needed to deal with a lack of information regarding some cargo units changing destination just after completion of loading and with regards to a very long stay at Luanda. What was the most challenging situation during the project, and how did you manage it? Although we filled up our provision and freshwater stock completely upon our departure in Las Palmas, we ran short on provisions due to the long stay at Luanda anchorage. We needed to arrange provision and freshwater supply at Luanda roads. This proved to be a challenge as we had to deal with very long response times of local agents and suppliers. Eventually, we got great support from BBC and the client to arrange supplies at Luanda roads. job as well, by crane driving and connecting pipes to slings. How do you think West Africa is different compared to the other areas you’ve been, and how do you feel about Angola as a destination in general? What were the best experiences during the project? On a very positive note, I was surprised how fast the response was from the local agency on my request of medical assistance for one of my crew members. He was delivered to the hospital in only 30 minutes after my first call. Technically speaking, I liked how we managed the double banking operation and the transfer of pipes to the PSVs that served as feeding units. How was the collaboration with the PSVs and their crews? Working with PSVs, the discharging was a little bit slow in the beginning, because of positioning of the first bay of pipes. After that we continued operations with a good discharging rate and I was very satisfied with how the PSV‘s crew was stowing pipes on deck of the PSV. For sure this was not their girst job, they had experience with this kind of operation. My crew did a very good, professional West Africa has always been different. It is a challenging destination because of comparably low degree of organization, business ethics and morale in the ports. However, there are differences; I have seen worse destinations in West Africa than Angola. Still in any case, it is our challenge to make the best out of any situation and make things work over and over again. All said and done, would you join us again for another BBC project division job? (Laughs) Yes, this will of course be very interesting and I would say it’s also a good opportunity for any crew member to gain offshore experience; I think that’s also a plus in any seafarers CV. Pavel, thanks for sharing your experiences with us. We hope to see you and your colleagues back soon. purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 21 more than a job – an attitude Leda Shipping provides crewing for BBC Chartering vessels page 22 | excellence “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to go to the forest to gather wood, saw it, and nail the planks together. Instead, teach them the desire for the sea,” said World War II pilot and French writer, Antoine de SaintExupéry. LEDA Shipping also manages crew documents according to STCW 95 and the respective flag states requirements; issues employment contracts and executes payment of wages; assures crew P&I insurance and the proper handling of respective claims. That quotation holds great meaning because it suggests a profound difference between routine and passion. And all of us, we believe, want to be people of passion. Seaman always had that certain attitude; they mostly were passionate men through all seafaring ages: the age of navigation, the age of discovery, the age of sail, the age of steam, and the age of global commerce. A crewing client can also appreciate implementation and follow-up of drug and alcohol policies, a supply of working clothes for the crew, regular visits to the vessel by a LEDA Shipping Superintendent, regular consultation and reporting, and lastly, the handling of all matters related to the I.T.F. (International Transport Workers’ Federation). From a recruiting perspective, LEDA Shipping and its affiliates are always interested in hiring Seafarers of a variety of professions and ranks. At BBC Chartering, we appreciate that each one of these roles carries unique responsibilities which are integral to the successful operation of our vessel. If you are interested in applying for a seafaring position onboard a BBC Chartering operated vessel please contact our crewing partners: With globalization, the whole industry expanded massively and today faces the situation that qualified seagoing people are needed all over the world. At the same time, ship-owners and principals face massive competition fighting two fronts: the war for passionate seafarer talent and the war for efficiency. Although the often cited seafaring romance has gone in today’s economic world, there are spaces in the industry that provide exciting opportunities and interesting jobs. If you have asked yourself, for instance, how BBC Chartering’s vessels are crewed, this article gives you a glimpse behind the scenes. As, BBC Chartering sailor, you are very likely sailing with LEDA Shipping, a crew management company based in Leer. It is a 100% subsidiary of the Leer-based shipping company Briese Schiffahrts GmbH & Co. KG which currently manages and operates about 130 vessels. LEDA Shipping GmbH takes care of the vessels of the mother company, as well as vessels belonging to other shipping companies. Depending on the client‘s given parameters, Leda Shipping is able to act as agent for the foreign employer or as direct employer. In either case, LEDA Shipping covers the entire crew management process and provides selection and recruitment of duly qualified and experienced captains, officers and ratings; arrangement of trainings; all related administration with the crew‘s embarkation and repatriation, including visa formalities and traveling arrangements. Leda Shipping (Leer/Germany) www.ledaship.de Email: [email protected] Briese Swallow (St.Petersburg/Russia) www.briese.ru Email: [email protected] Briese Swallow (Sevastopol/Ukraine) www.briese.net.ua Email: [email protected] HeavyLift Manila (Manila/Philippines) www.crewasia.com Email: [email protected] If you share our purpose, work out of conviction and demonstrate a quality attitude, we hope to see you soon onboard a BBC Chartering vessel. purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 23 no one will be left behind at sea On the 24th September 2013 discharging operations on board of BBC Fuji were completed and the vessel was already heading her passage to Gibraltar, when a message was received from MRCC Roma (Maritime Rescue Coordination Center) indicating that a boat was in distress with about 130 persons on-board. At 07:10 UTC BBC Fuji found a rubber boat. “At first we couldn’t see the object. But then we found a boat overcrowded with people. It was impossible for the refugees to sit, everyone was standing upright,” remembered Capt. Hermes. Immediate assistance for the refugees Seeing the physical condition of the refugees, Capt. Hermes immediately decided to let them all on-board the BBC Fuji. There were also some babies amongst the fugitives. To bring them on-board safely, the crew members used a strong sports bag as a baby basket which they pulled up. The embarkation took about one hour and in total 117 refugees (95 men, 16 women and 6 children) transferred to the BBC FUJI. There was even a pregnant woman on-board of the rubber boat. The given position was 50 nm ahead, in the South of Sicily. “The position was not far away and I decided to proceed to same immediately,” explained Capt. Hermes. The details of the distressed boat and the situation of the people were unknown, but it was said that women and children were supposed to be on-board and that people needed water. “There is no standing order for what to do in such a situation, but we did our utmost to reach the boat as fast as possible,” said Capt. Hermes, “I informed the crew about the situation and we tried to have all necessary equipment ready at hand. The rescue boat was prepared; a pilot ladder was rigged on starboard side; ropes, life belts, stretcher and fresh water were put on deck.” page 24 | excellence To accommodate the refugees on-board, the crew arranged some space between the poop deck and cargo hold, which provided some shade. Also the Suez cabin was opened for the sick and for the women with their babies. Water and food were supplied to the weak fugitives. “One woman suffered from heart problems, one man showed shock symptoms and many people were complaining about strong pain in their feet,” remembered Captain Hermes. In the meantime, MRCC Rome was informed of the situation and the vessel got clearance to proceed to the port of Augusta to disembark the refugees. The MRCC Malta also contacted the vessel and asked for health conditions of the fugitives. A rescue helicopter was sent and two paramedics winched down to examine the refugees. Their health condition were assessed and considered sufficiently stable. Fears on board During the passage to Augusta the crew tried to communicate with the refugees. This was very difficult: firstly, the language barrier and secondly, the refugees‘ fears concerning their future. The crew observed that some refugees threw their papers / ID cards and other personal belongings over board. However, some said they came from Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea. They also said that they were originally sailing with two rubber boats, but further information on the second rubber boat and its whereabouts wasn’t available. “Such an escape is usually a planned process. We have learned that some of the refugees paid to sail with this rubber boat,” knew Capt. Hermes. “We noticed from their behavior that one of the refugees was their group leader who might have organized their escape.” Fateful past – fateful future? In the morning of September 25th, the BBC Fuji reached the pilot station at Augusta. “Initially the refugees were scared because they thought that the coast in sight was the coast of Tripoli, but the crew and the group leader assured them it was Augusta, Italy,” remembered the Master of BBC Fuji. After disembarkation, medical assistance was given by the Italian Red Cross and the Coast Guard. Captain Hermes learned from the Italian Coast Guard that the refugees will stay at Sicily for the time being. Captain Hermes was proud of the excellent job and team spirit of his crew: “That was a new experience for all of us as no one had ever done such a sea rescue before. I’m happy that we reached the Port of Augusta safely and I want to take the opportunity to thank BBC Chartering, the Briese Inspection, Leda Crewing and all official parties involved for their support. Also everybody’s solicitousness was very much appreciated”. One remark of Captain Hermes really stuck in my mind after the conversation: “Of course we help, and no one will be left behind at sea. However, it’s not on us to judge this escape, but what we can certainly say is that the refugees are most needed in their countries where they are actually fleeing from.” We like to thank Lena Pollmann (BBC Chartering trainee in her third year), for preparing the interview and Capt. Hermes for his availability and dedication to the job. purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 25 supply chain challenges at ‘guara-lula’ The Lula field was discovered in October 2006 by Petrobras. It is located in the Santos Basin, approximately 260 kilometres off the coasts of the Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo States. The Lula field lies below 2,000 meters (6,600 ft) of water and then 5,000 meters (16,000 ft) of salt, sand and rocks. The field was discovered in a geological formation known as the Pre-salt layer. It is estimated that the Lula accumulation in the Santos basin contains at least 5 billion barrels (0.79 km³) of page 26 | excellence recoverable oil which makes it Brazil’s most important oil field. Back in 2011, Petrobras awarded Saipem an EPIC contract for the Guara & Lula-Northeast gas export pipelines. The contract encompasses the transportation, installation and pre-commissioning of two export pipelines (54 km and 22 km), as well as the engineering, procurement and construction of related subsea equipment. BBC Chartering supported this project providing the MV Stoertebeker as a pipe feeder vessel to Saipem. Supply chain issues for the ‘Guara-Lula’ represent ongoing major challenges for the project owners. With increased attention, the pressure was on to manage the expectations tied to the overall execution of any related project spread. Under these conditions two more BBC Chartering vessel were successfully employed for the Gura-Lula project. First, although only indirectly, the BBC Germany was busy as an intra-European heavylift shuttle to bring together a total of 32 reels (max. 150mt) with thread cords to Arendal. There, they were collected to be brought by another vessel to South America. And second, it was the BBC Citrine that loaded time critical components, a module and a pressure tank, in Batam, Indonesia for delivery to Angra dos Reis, Brazil. The BBC Citirine is one of the new BBC Ambertype heavy lift vessels that feature 2 x 400mt lifting capability and 14,800 dwt. With weights of 200mt for the module and 150mt for the tank, the lift was a relative lightweight which could be executed safely both at loading and discharging operations. As schedule issues remain a major concern, high quality execution and performance are at the center of attention for supplied transport services. BBC Chartering is proud its services helped the project progress. purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 27 best carrier for specialized cargoes BBC Chartering is pleased to announce it was awarded first winner in the category “best carrier for specialized cargoes” by the Brazilian magazine and maritime guide “Guia Marítimo”. On Sept. 16, the magazine publicly awarded the industry recognitions during a ceremony staged in Sao Paolo. The award was based on assessments given in an online survey executed in the first quarter of the year amongst global traders selected by the publication. This year, more than 1,200 maritime companies, including terminals, ports, freight forwarders, port agents, and cargo customers, participated in this field study, marking a new record. Washington de Barros, President of BBC do Brazil, took reception of the prize and stated: “We feel honored to receive this award for a second time. It is very important for us as it conveys how much our services are valued by the market. I would like to thank the global team of BBC Chartering, which enables us to do our job, and our business partners for their assessment. We can assure you that this motivates us even more to keep up our hard work and keep improving so we will be able to satisfy our clients over and over again.” page 28 | excellence events 1st half 2014 Breakbulk Asia, Shanghai China exports are a major driver for the world’s breakbulk and project cargo industry. We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming Breakbulk event in Shanghai to discuss your business opportunities in Asia. Event date Mar. 10 - 13, 2014 Location World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center Shanghai, China, Booth #A108 Intermodal, Sao Paulo Intermodal South America is the leading integrated exhibition and conference event for international trade, logistics, transport and cargo handling in Latin America. See us at the show to talk about your cargo challenges. Event date Apr 01 - 03, 2014 Location Transamerica Expo Center, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Booth #B-190 Expomin, Santiago Visit us at Expomin. The key industry event and one of the world’s most important gatherings in the mining industry, a branch of fundamental importance for the Chilean economy. We look forward seeing you there. Event date Apr 21 - 25, 2014 Location Espacio Riesco Av. El Salto 5000, Huechuraba, Booth #600A, Hall 2B Breakbulk Europe, Antwerp Breakbulk Europe is the largest and most important gathering in Europe for companies involved in the handling of heavy-lift and oversized cargoes. We are excited to see you in Antwerp for the 2014 event. Event date May. 12 - 15, 2014 Location Antwerp Expo in Antwerp, Belgium Booth #706 Hall 4 purpose. purpose. conviction. conviction. quality quality attitude. attitude. | page | page 2529 29 worldwide offices page 30 | excellence Leer, Headquarters Liverpool Phone +49 491 9 25 20 90 Phone +44 151 600 5390 [email protected] [email protected] Bremen St. Petersburg Phone +49 421 330 75 0 Phone +7 812 448 3714 [email protected] [email protected] Antwerp Houston Phone +32 3540 5645 Phone +1 713 668 4020 [email protected] [email protected] Genoa Montreal Phone +39 010 899 0950 Phone +1 514 904 0484 [email protected] [email protected] Rouen New Orleans Phone +33 (0) 2 3218 2737 Phone +1 504 830 3900 [email protected] [email protected] Istanbul São Paulo Phone +90 216 4632 322 Phone +55 11 5542 7446 [email protected] [email protected] Rio de Janeiro Quito Seoul Phone +55 21 3550 4451 Phone +593 2 381 7630 Phone +82 2 795 0008 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Santiago de Chile Lima Melbourne Phone +56 2 2847 3900 Phone +51 1 616 5100 Phone +61 3 9510 8410 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Buenos Aires I Dubai Brisbane Phone +54 11 4331 4643 Phone +971 4 386 0829 Phone +61 407 965 502 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Buenos Aires II Singapore Phone +54 11 4871 8533 Phone +65 6576 4130 [email protected] [email protected] Bogota Shanghai Phone +57 1 300 4227 Phone +86 21 6336 9901 [email protected] [email protected] Guayaquil Tokyo Phone +593 4 236 5585 Phone +81 3 6228 6433 [email protected] [email protected] purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 31 ‘Bienvenue en France’ France is not only a central region in Europe, it also represents an important market for BBC Chartering’s activities. Just starting in 2014, we happily introduce our new BBC Chartering representation in Rouen. With this new presence we are pleased to bring our unique MPP / HL fleet and performance concept now one step closer to our customers in France. We hope to see you soon – Salut et bienvenue en France! www.bbc-chartering.com Contact Details: 19 boulevard du midi 76100 Rouen · France Phone +33(0) 2 3218 2737 Mobile +33(0) 6 7433 8593 [email protected]