ISS in Iraq - Inchcape Shipping Services

Inchcape
Shipping Services
ISS in Iraq

Our Value Proposition
Since entering Iraq as the first international ships agency with a permanent presence in the country, ISS has gained
invaluable experience and expertise. This enables us to offer our clients a portfolio of port and marine services to
facilitate the development and smooth running of their business interests.
Forwarding, haulage, equipment rentals, surveys, stevedoring services, project cargo management, launch operations,
samples deliveries, work-camp management and procurement are among the wide range of services offered.
As more international companies are looking to expand their activities in Iraq and as well-known restrictions and
problems of operating there continue to ease, our experience will be a critical success factor for these new entrants.
Our services can be provided either as tailor-made for specific projects, or on an ad hoc basis.
Key Features and Benefits
9 Senior expatriates based full-time in Iraq and with long
term experience of living and working there, together with
Iraqi nationals who bring a lifetime of seagoing and
shore-based maritime experience and insight, to create
an unrivalled team. In a difficult to operate location, the
ability to navigate the local way of working yet maintain
international standards, has time and again enabled us to
reduce incidents, turn around vessels faster and minimize
the costs for our customers.
9 The only international ships agency with expatriate staff
resident in Iraq, and the only one with a presence within
the country’s major import gateway port, Umm Qasr. This
means we can address issues quickly and communicate in
real time on the progress of the port call.
9 ISS provides port agency services across all the ports of
Iraq for owners and charterers of all types of vessel:
supply boats and inshore vessels, navy ships, bulkers
and tankers, and for all types of commodity ranging from
grains, cement and containers into Umm Qasr, to fuel
imports at Khor Al Zubayr, and crude oil exports at the
offshore terminals. ISS is as familiar with the procedures
and requirements for Government and NGO clients in
Iraq as with commercial cargo and customers.
9 Clearance and transportation of all types of goods
from the smallest fuel samples to project heavy-lifts to
destinations throughout Iraq - whether by land or air
carrier, from the Kuwait free zone hub, or direct from the
Iraq gateway ports.
9 ISS staff enjoy close and cooperative relations with the
various authorities in Iraq at all levels and work with
preferred and vetted service providers. We actively
manage our relationships with third parties to ensure that
our customers benefit fully.
9 The ISS team in Iraq work closely with their colleagues
providing support and assistance from other regional
offices and when required, call in expertise from the ISS
Global Network. This means any customer issue new to
ISS Iraq management can be handled under the guidance
of an experienced hand from elsewhere in the Group.
9 As a major global agent we offer security and peace
of mind to our customers with business in Iraq.
We can demonstrate financial robustness and integrity;
we work to well defined QMS & HSSE procedures,
and we conduct extensive internal and external audits.
We also have disaster recovery and business continuity
plans in place.
9 ISS Iraq manages a 24/7 service using its in-house,
state-of-the art operational and financial management
application in place across the ISS network and supporting
the processes outlined in our global QMS system. This
means our customers can be sure of the same high level
of service from ISS both in Iraq and across the world. It also
allows us to manage and control the D/A process meaning
our principals receive more accurate D/As more quickly.
9 A key measure in ensuring high service levels is through
setting and monitoring of KPIs. We benchmark response
times to enquiries, estimates, D/A turnaround times,
customer praise and complaints, and other information
requested by our clients so they can make informed and
accurate decisions pertaining to their own operations.
Iraq’s Trading Partners
EXPORTS
36.8%
US
Italy
IMPORTS
30.5%
Syria
Turkey
16.3%
South Korea
US
12.6%
9.5%
6.3%
4.2%
4.4%
4.7%
5.2%
Taiwan
Spain
Canada
19.8%
11.1%
5%
4.8%
28.8%
Jordan
China
Others
Top Commodities
• Crude oil
• Petroleum products
• Food and live animals
France
Netherlands
Others
Top Commodities
• Food
• Medicines
• Manufactures

FAQ Iraq
9 Will my ship be safe?
There have been no incidents compromising the security of
international vessels calling at Iraq ports, or their crews, for
several years. The ISS team on the ground keeps close
contact with the ships they handle, providing advice and
guidance, and with the coalition and Iraqi civilian and
military services operating in the northern Gulf, to ensure
the most up-to-date information is at hand.
9 Are disbursement accounts handled effectively?
The port operational process in Iraq is supported by
POPDA – the ISS global port operations and finance
application. With POPDA we ensure accurate and timely
reporting and issuance of disbursements. ISS is able to
reduce the delays in finalizing port disbursement accounts
by working closely with the relevant authorities.
9 Can crew changes be carried out in Iraq? Can visas be obtained?
Crew changes can be effected at most Iraq ports and visas are readily obtainable for most nationalities.
However, insurance issues mean most crew changes are still effected elsewhere.
9 Does ISS Iraq hold any internationally recognized quality accreditation?
ISS holds ISO 9001 2000 accreditation and is part of the ISS global Quality Management System undergoing
regular quality audits to ensure highest standards. All ISS Iraq business processes are established and
performed in accordance with global ISS HSSE procedures and standards.
9 Will coalition naval operations delay my ship or entail boarding and inspections?
The security concerns of the Coalition naval forces in the northern Gulf have eased such that they no longer
consider it necessary to board and inspect every vessel which enters Iraq waters. With the establishment of
contingents tasked with liaising between the merchant and naval maritime communities, they recognize and
actively support the need to foster and simplify Iraq’s international trade and commerce. While they still
reserve the right to inspect vessels in Iraq waters, a report by ISS to the navies’ liaison offices concerning a
vessel’s Iraq call-plan will normally suffice. This reporting process also allows the coalition naval command to
keep a watching brief over merchant vessels until they complete their calls and depart from Iraq waters.
9 How does ISS cope with security issues in Iraq?
While the ports in Iraq have been safe for several years, there are still areas of the Iraq hinterland where
security remains a real and high-profile concern. ISS recognizes this and takes very seriously its
responsibilities for its clients and their interests and also for its own staff and operations. To this end, the ISS
team in Iraq includes several staff who served with western military forces and whose security and safety
expertise is key in the provision of appropriate precautionary procedures for ISS Iraq’s operations, and for
those of its clients. Such security issues are nowadays most relevant for goods and personnel in transit within
Iraq outside the port facilities and here ISS has well-established relationships with a number of specialist
providers of security services through whom such services can be arranged for ISS Iraq’s clients.
.
9 Are communications with Iraq a problem?
The process of restoring the public communications infrastructure after years of neglect and damage is
not yet complete and on occasion the needs of military security operations can disrupt the public
communications system and can also prevent travel by staff from inland offices to attend operations and calls
in the ports. However, ISS Iraq staff based full-time at their secure offices and accommodation within
Umm Qasr, are online and in touch 24/7 at youriss.iraq@iss-shipping.com
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, Inchcape Shipping Services accepts no liability nor makes any
representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to its completeness, accuracy, reliability or suitability. V1.1

A World of Local Expertise
TURKEY
Van
Tabriz
L. Urmia
Ardabil
50ºE
Rasht
Caspian
Sea
SYRIA
Mosul
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z
5671
Kirkuk
Tehran
Tigris
Qom
Z a g r o
Euphrates
IRAQ
Baghdad
Bakhtaran
IRAN
Esfahan
s M t s .
Najaf
Ahvaz
Basra
Abadan
30ºN 30ºN
An Nafud
ISS offices
UMM QASR
KUWAIT
KUWAIT
The
Gulf
Shiraz
© Oxford Cartographers 96967 E&OE/jp
www.iss-shipping.com
50ºE
Umm Qasr
Inchcape Shipping Services
Business Centre, Port Administration Office
Umm Qasr New Port
Umm Qasr, Iraq
Tel:
Fax
Telex:
Email:
+964 407 61516 / 17 (Iraq Lines)
+965 22434 993 (Kuwait Lines)
+882 167 745 4856 (satellite phone for emergencies only)
+964 407 61516 (Direct Iraq)
+965 2241 5423
(054) SW 62321 ISSIRAQ (via Sweden)
youriss.iraq@iss-shipping.com
Mailing Address:
Kuwait Maritime & Mercantile Company
Safat 13001
PO Box 78
State of Kuwait
13001