COMMENT Pushing to get the industry involved We have the Round Table and other august shipping organisations and now we have the ‘Ginger Group’. The ‘Ginger Group’ is a self-constituted shipping foursome dedicated to improving the quality of shipping and that of the people employed in the industry. You would think that there are enough organisations and individuals addressing this problem and that the industry had by and large got its act together. Indeed, the industry has been improving for the past 20 years, especially in the tanker sector. However, there are the ‘bottom feeders’, who are not directly involved in the upstream stakeholders. They include obscure banks, non-IACS class societies, so called recognised organisations (ROs) and smaller flag states with not quite the same definition of quality as the mainstream players. For example, there are certain ROs, class societies and surveyors who will act for unregulated flag states as there are those who think that money can still be made by going down market. If this was not enough, major problems are looming such as the challenge of conducting quality maintenance in the face of the grave economic crisis, the reduction in the number of seafarers that are ‘fit for purpose’ leading to human errors, plus shoreside organisational problems, system errors, shipbuilding and repair quality and there are probably others. Prevent quality slippage Clay Maitland, one of the ‘Ginger Group’s’ leading lights, said he wanted to prevent slippage in quality due to financial pressures. He also said that he wanted to involve charterers, insurers and primarily bankers – those on the fringes of the other groups, but with a big say in shipping matters, as well as the mainstream operating concerns and their organisations. “We want to be a catalyst to the organisations always pushing to get the industry more involved,” the group said. Maitland made it clear that the views of the group, which also includes former GL marine head Dr Hans Payer, veteran writer and lecturer Michael Grey and former Lloyd’s List deputy editor and IT writer Neville Smith, who is responsible for the ‘blog’, were each acting as individual and were not influenced by any current positions held. TANKER<strong>Operator</strong> However, Maitland did illustrate his introductory talk about the group with the case of bankrupt Eastwind. He said that the Marshall Islands flag state, managed by International Registries with whom he is a managing partner, had thrown the company out a couple of years ago due to quality issues. However, since then certain banks continued to lend the company money, despite the quality issues being well documented until the company finally went bankrupt resulting in some of the banks losing money. Today it is easier than ever to find out about a vessel or company from the various websites, Port State Control, P&I clubs, class societies etc. With the electronic age has come more transparency. However, there were always the rogue traders ready to make a fast buck. At the group’s launch, Dr Payer talked of the problems of maintenance, shipbuilding and repair. He said that not only were freight rates suffering in today’s economic climate, but also newbuilding prices had fallen. Price pressure Some owners who may need new tonnage are under pressure to secure even cheaper newbuilding deals. New and exotic newbuilding yards are touting for business and are being favourable received in some quarters, despite bargain basement prices being offered by the more established and experienced shipyards. He warned that many of the new yards lacked experience of building a vessel to international standards, thus putting extra demands on owners’ inspectors and class surveyors. Despite the attentions of owners’ representatives and class, an owner may end up with a vessel not built to adequate quality standards and failing on safety performance, as seen before in the 1970s and 1980s. “Society will not tolerate any noticeable decline in ship safety and environmental protection performance today,” Dr Payer emphasised. “Everyone in the responsibility chain in shipping has to be vigilant and alert to any indication of developing slackness in safety standards in shipping. Our initiative is meant as a contribution in this sense at this critical time.” In a separate issue but continuing on the theme of quality, Dr Payer also warned that laws should not be written under pressure. To help channel the group’s efforts, a blog has been created at www.claymaitland.com where news and views can be found and commented upon. TO Vol 9 No 2 <strong>Tanker</strong> <strong>Operator</strong> Magazine Ltd 213 Marsh Wall London E14 9FJ, UK www.tankeroperator.com PUBLISHER/EVENTS/ SUBSCRIPTIONS Karl Jeffery Tel: +44 (0)20 7510 4935 jeffery@thedigitalship.com EDITOR Ian Cochran Tel: +44 (0)20 7510 4933 cochran@tankeroperator.com ADVERTISING SALES Melissa Skinner Only Media Ltd Tel: +44 (0)20 8950 3323 mskinner@tankeroperator.com SUBSCRIPTION 1 year (8 issues) $220 / €160 / £150 2 years (16 issues) $330 / €240 / £225 Subscription hotline: Tel: +44 (0)20 7510 4935 Fax: +44 (0)20 7510 2344 Email: jeffery@thedigitalship.com PRODUCTION Vivian Chee Tel: +44 (0)20 8995 5540 chee@btconnect.com Printed by Alya Print ul. Siemianowicka 98 41-902 Bytom Poland 02 TANKER<strong>Operator</strong> November/December 2009
Intershield ® 300 Abrasion resistant aluminium pure epoxy Need to comply with the IMO PSPC? For almost 20 years, Intershield ® 300 has successfully enhanced shipyard productivity, delivered long term corrosion protection and can now help you meet, and exceed all requirements of the IMO PSPC. To find out more visit: www.international-marine.com/ intershield300
Change language