Combined Article Robert.pdf - Incat

decision-maker Robert Clifford
www.fairplay.co.uk
Ahead, slow
Lightweight technology now focussed more onfuel efficiency than
outright speed, Incat chairman Robert Clifford tells David Mott
> Image, it seems, is everything, even
in thenutsand boltsworld of shipping.So
if Robert Clifford, thefounder and
long-termchairmanofTasmanian
shipbuilderInternational Catamarans
(Incat), is to lift thesentiment of thefast
ferrymarketfromits presentlow point,
he hastoconvincewould-beclients that
such vesselsare stillviableinspiteof
soaring fuel prices.
Thekey,hesays, is to burn fuel more
efficientlybygoing slower whichwould
have theadded bonusfor theowner of
beingmoreenvironmentally sound. “I
believethatonacomparable basis(no
theirnew challengingenvironment would
be quitehappywith20kt. “Why should
they be penalisedbyproducing allthis
unwanted high power,”hesays. The
chairman believes changescould be made
to theexistingcode, whichheagreeshas
become “inappropriate for thenew
business conditions”.Thiswould be
preferable to acompletely newcode, which
some expertshave suggested.
He agrees with thecontentionthatthese
changeswould mean thewhole pointof
theselightweight vesselsisnolonger speed
buteconomy of operation. “Althoughwe
canprove ourpoints, thisisquite adifficult
‘Twelve months ago people rather
dismissed gas power as afuturistic
concept but now they accept itasa
serious proposition’
trucks)wecan competewithconventional
ferries by goingat20ktratherthan30kt. It
is also thecasethatall ourvessels aremade
of lightweightaluminium whichusesless
fuel.Also, to improvethe qualityoftheir
emissions,conventionalvessels will have
to startusing dearerdistillate more
extensively, something fast ferries have
always done.”
To thisend,Clifford wantstosee changes
to IMO’sHighSpeed Code for construction
whichdemands aminimum speed loaded
of 30kt when, he claims,manyownersin
newconcept to getacrossafter 35 yearsof
fast ferries.” ButClifford hasanother shot
in hislockerthatheexpects to be even
more significant for thefuture–LNGpoweredships.
Thefirstofthese gasvessels,the only
orderonIncat’s books,has been disclosed
as beingfor Buquebus,the SouthAmerican
operator that will usethe 99-metre craftas
itsfirstro-paxshipferryingpassengersand
theircarsacrossthe RiverPlate between
Buenos Airesand Montevideo. “The two
main reasons for building thevesselwere
38 Fairplay 7June 2012

Robert Clifford decision-maker
www.fairplay.co.uk
for Father Fast
fuel economyand cleaneremissions,which
ticked allthe rightboxes in government
circles. Buquebus is forecasting that the
new vessel,due at theend of thisyear, will
only attract25% of previous operating
costs.”But didhebelieve that “Ibelieve
everything they tell me,” he says with
agrin.
TheBuquebusvesseland craftinthe
foreseeable future will also be able to
operatewithdieseland thisdualfuel
elementislikelytobeapermanent feature
until gassuppliescan be more widespread
andreliable. He does notexpectthisto
change for at leastfive years. “Atpresent
anyLNG ship on theChannel or theIrish
Seawould have to be fuelledbyroad
tanker.Weneed newfacilities; the
question is:who wouldpay for them –the
port,the government or theoperator”
Thisdual-fuel element, he admits,is
something of anegativefactor as thediesel
enginesare 10%moreexpensive than
Incat’snorm. Thereisameasureof
duplication, likethe fuel tanks.
Apluspoint,hesays, is that LNGisnot
very flammable.
Nevertheless, Cliffordsaysthere is
currentlyagreatwave of interest in gas
vesselsand predicts that in future therewill
be “moreordersthanwecan shakeastick
at”. Buquebus is thefirstbut will notbethe
last,hepredicts. “Gas powerwillundoubtedly
alterthe wholenatureofthe fast ferry
business.Twelvemonthsago people rather
dismissed theidea as afuturistic concept
butnow they accept it as aserious proposition.”
Onepotential orderIncat hasbeen
linked with in recent timesisthatofnew
ferries for theBassStraitbetween
Australia’smainlandand Clifford’sisland
stateofTasmania. “But Idon’t expect this
ordertohappen in thenearfutureand I
don’t have my radarset on that it.”
Therewas atimewhenCliffordsaw
military orders as just as viable as commercial
craft. He says thereisstill some
interest from Asia andIncat hasone vessel
workingfor theUSmilitary. Buthis
enthusiasm seemstohave wanedand he
will happily admitthatAustralian rival
Austal now seemstobethe military
specialist.“Thetroublefor us
is that to winaUSorder you
need to buildinthe country
andAustal is able to do that
aftertying up adealwitha
US shipyard.” Anotherarea of
some interest is theoffshore
market where supply boatsof
alltypes have greatpotential.
“I believeitcould be thecalm
beforethe storminthat
sector,” he says.
Apotential lawsuit
againstIncat by rivalAustal
concerning theownership
andtransferbetween the
twoofcommercially-sensitive
documentsdid notgo
ahead. Itwas held that too
much in theallegations was
open to speculation. “We
wonthe day”,saysthe
chairman.The Incat
workforceinTasmaniaisa
moveable feastand cangoup
to 1,000 permanentand
temporaryworkers.But at
thehighlevel employment “can be
difficultand expensive,”hesays. The
currentnumbers areabout 250.
> In th
Cliffordhas always been heralded as the
founding father of thefastferry industry
sincehestarted Incatin1977. He remains
chairman to thisday although thereissome
the spot
otli
ligh
ght:
Robert Clifford
Born:
1943,Hobart, Tasmania
Education:
HutchinsSchool, Hobart
Maritalstatus:
Divorced,threechildren
History:
Honorarydoctoratein
engineering from University
of Tasmania
1977 to present:
Founderand chairman of
InternationalCatamarans
HonoraryConsulfor
Denmark in Tasmania
Pastimes:
Narrow-boatingon
English Canals
speculationabout hisfuture, especially as he
hastwo of hischildren, Kimand Craig, on
theboard as managing directorsalong with
anotherMDand adirector. “I used to go
round theworld sixtimes ayearlooking for
orders.Now Idoitfourtimes ayearand have
theambitionofreducingittotwice ayear.
“I am now 69 andIguess Ishall carryon
until Idropoffthe perch.”
He says he is “sortofsemi
retired” butdoesnot concede
he hashandedovertohis
children.“Istill keep overall
controlbut runthingswitha
lighttouch.”
Fairplay metClifford at his
UK apartmentatWokingin
Surrey,convenientfor
Heathrow Airportwhich is
whyheusesitasone of his
basesonglobaljourneys. On
thistourhewas in touchwith
clientsinthe Caribbean,
France, theUK, Denmarkand
Japan. Butwhatoccupieshim
whenheisnot doingall this
globe-trotting“Iusedtogo
sailingbut it hasbecomevery
expensive. NowIaman
enthusiastic narrow-boater
on theEnglish canals;Iwas
on my boat last week.Itis
presentlyinthe UK Midlands
butIamhavingitbrought
down to thesouth of England.
When Ihave navigatedmost
of theEnglish canals Imight ventureabroad
to,say,France.”
Whileweweretalkinghetookaphone
call from hisofficeinAustralia andheleft
theclearimpression that,nomatterwhere
he is,RobertClifford is still very much in
commandofthe Incatoperation.
7June 2012 Fairplay 39