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Wednesday 27 June 2012

Lubmarine expands global network with new Copenhagen facility



LEADING international marine lubricant supplier Total Lubmarine has extended its global network of service and supply centres with the opening of a dedicated commercial and supply hub in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Already a significant player in the Nordic region, especially in Norway and Denmark, Lubmarine is now able to offer ship owners and operators an international-class local sales and logistical service in the Danish capital.

Serge Dal-Farra, Head of Marketing at Lubmarine, says, “We believe in having a presence wherever in the world our customers need us. Our new operation in Copenhagen forms the latest link in our worldwide chain, and we look forward to welcoming customers, old and new, to our dedicated facility there.”

Lubmarine is the worldwide marine lubricants network of oil major Total, benefiting from the Total group supply chain facilities and connections. As a key industry player, Total is committed to achieving improved market share and a level of excellence which meets its customers’ needs by providing the right product, in the right place, at the right time, backed by first-class support and expertise.

 For more information:

Serge Dal-Farra
Total Lubrifiants / Lubmarine
+ 33 (0)1 41 35 95 55


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Shipping confidence rises for fourth successive quarter


Overall confidence levels in the shipping industry increased in the three months ended May 2012, to reach their highest level since February 2011, according to the latest Shipping Confidence Survey from leading accountant and shipping consultant Moore Stephens. This is the fourth successive quarter in which there has been an improvement in confidence, leading to an increased expectation of new investment on the part of respondents, despite an anticipated increase in the cost of finance over the next twelve months.

In May 2012, the average confidence level expressed by respondents in the markets in which they operate was 5.7 on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), compared to the figure of 5.5 recorded in the previous survey in February 2012, and to the 5.6 recorded one year previously, in May 2011.  The survey was launched in May 2008 with a confidence rating of 6.8.

The biggest increase in confidence was recorded by ship managers, up from 5.2 to 6.0 this time, the highest figure for this category of respondent since February 2011. Confidence among owners and charterers remained unchanged this time, at 5.6 and 5.0 respectively. Brokers (down from 5.6 to 5.2) were alone among all respondents in being less confident about the market than they were in February 2012. Confidence was up in Europe for the fourth successive quarter, from 5.3 to 5.6, stable in Asia at 5.7, and down in North America from 5.6 to 5.5.

A number of respondents were upbeat about prospects for the market, despite admitting that any recovery would have to start from a comparatively low base. “If we are still alive now, after all the vessels that have entered the market and all the banks that have pulled out, there is a good chance that better times await us,” said one. Some suggested that a recovery in the markets was achievable in the short term, typified by the comment from the respondent who noted, “The volume of business activity is expected to increase in the next quarter.” Most, however, were taking the longer view. “We will see the imbalance between tonnage supply and demand corrected in early 2014,” said one. “Until then, we hope to see ship operators, cargo interests and charterers exercising good supply-chain values based on reasonable freight and time charter rates in order to get the industry through these tough times”.

Respondents to the survey expressed a high level of concern about the global economy, and particularly about problems within the eurozone. One said, “The European economic crisis is worsening, leaving ship financing at the crossroads”. Two familiar causes of concern were again evident in the responses to the survey, the first of which was summed up by the respondent who emphasised, “There are too many ships coming onto the market”. One respondent foresaw a different kind of problem arising from the surfeit of tonnage, warning, “For the first time in a long while, shipping could face a situation where newbuildings currently being delivered may be rendered technically obsolete in five years’ time by new ships being ordered today which, due to technical innovations, may be up to 20 per cent cheaper to operate.”

Meanwhile, despite the recent fall in global oil prices, and consequently in the price of bunkers, fuel costs continued to occupy the thoughts of respondents. “The ultimate squeeze nowadays really comes from the cost of bunkers,” said one respondent. “On top of the high price of oil, refineries are producing less and less marine product, putting further pressure on bunker prices”.

The overall number of respondents expecting to make a major investment or significant development over the next twelve months rose, on a scale of 1 to 10, from 4.9 to 5.3, the highest figure since the 5.6 recorded in May 2011. All categories of respondent were more confident in this regard than in the previous survey, most notably charterers, whose expectation rating in respect of major investments was up from 4.9 to 5.8. The rating for owners was up from 5.2 to 5.6, and for managers from 5.2 to 5.5. Forty-five per cent of charterers, and 40 per cent of both owners and managers, assessed the likelihood of their making an investment at 7.0 out of 10.0 or higher. Expectation levels of major investments were up in all geographic areas covered by the survey, with the exception of North America (down from 5.0 to 4.5). The biggest increase was in Europe (up from 4.8 to 5.3).

One respondent said, “There will be excellent opportunities for cash buyers over the next 12 to 18 months, as banks increasingly foreclose or as distressed owners are forced to sell in order to survive”. Another noted, “There is an opportunity to invest in eco-friendly vessels at very low cost.”

Demand trends, competition and finance costs were the top three factors cited by respondents overall as those likely to influence performance most significantly over the coming twelve months. But the numbers in each category were down - in the case of demand trends from 22 per cent to 21 per cent, competition (down from 20 per cent to 18 per cent) and finance costs (down one percentage point to 16 per cent).  Fuel costs featured in fourth place, up from 12 per cent to 14 per cent, the second highest figure achieved in the life of the survey, behind only the 16 per cent recorded one year ago, in May 2011. Meanwhile, operating costs were cited by 12 per cent of respondents as a factor likely to influence performance significantly over the coming year, a three percentage-point increase on last time, and equal to the highest figure recorded for operating costs since the survey was launched in May 2008.

Fuel costs were in fact the most significant performance-influencing factors for charterers, up to 26 per cent from 23 per cent in February 2012, pushing demand trends (down from 24 per cent to 21 per cent) into second place. Competition – down significantly from 23 per cent to 16 per cent – was in third place.

Demand trends remained the number one performance-affecting factor for owners, unchanged at 21 per cent. Finance costs (unchanged at 18 per cent) were in second place, followed by competition, down one percentage point to 16 per cent. For managers, meanwhile, competition and demand trends (both down one percentage point this time to 18 per cent) occupied the top two places, with finance costs up one percentage point to 17 per cent in third place.

Geographically, demand trends remained the most significant factor for respondents in Asia (up from 22 per cent to 24 per cent) and in Europe (down from 22 per cent to 21 per cent). In Asia, fuel costs (16 per cent) supplanted finance costs in third place, behind competition (down from 21 per cent to 18 per cent) in second position. Fuel costs were also a significant factor in North America, where they were cited by 18 per cent of respondents. In Europe, finance costs (up from 18 per cent 19 per cent) featured in second place, ahead of competition, unchanged at 18 per cent.

There was a 2 percentage-point increase (from 49 per cent to 51 per cent) in the number of respondents overall who expected finance costs to increase over the next twelve months. The number of respondents who thought that finance costs would decrease over the coming year remained unchanged, meanwhile, at 8 per cent. The number of charterers who expected finance costs to rise was down 14 percentage points to 34 per cent, an all-time low in the life of the survey, not only for charterers but across all main categories of respondent. There was, however, greater expectation of higher finance costs on the part of owners (up from 46 per cent to 54 per cent) and managers (up from 45 per cent to 52 per cent). The number of brokers anticipating costlier finance was meanwhile down 7 percentage points to 47 per cent. One respondent complained, “We are completely hamstrung by banking and finance constraints”, while another emphasised, “The banks postpone much-needed action and keep on protecting bad owners by focusing on short-term cashflow”.  More respondents in both Asia and Europe were anticipating an increase in finance costs compared to last time (up from 49 per cent to 50 per cent, and from 48 per cent 52 per cent, respectively). The same was true of North America (up from 38 per cent to 48 per cent).

There was generally good news about the prospects for higher tanker and container ship rates over the coming year, even though one respondent - without specifying any particular sector - complained, “Brokers are not fighting for the best rates. They need to fix so many vessels per day that they no longer care about the levels at which they fix, and owners are suffering.”

The survey revealed an increased level of expectation of higher rates in the tanker sector than was the case three months previously. Overall, 40 per cent of respondents thought that rates would increase, as opposed to 35 per cent last time. Charterers were the notable exception. Just 18 per cent anticipated that rates would go up, compared to 35 per cent last time. Only once before in the life of the survey (12 per cent, in February 2009) has a lower figure been recorded across all main categories of respondent. The number of owners anticipating higher tanker rates was up from 34 per cent to 41 per cent, and of managers from 36 per cent to 41 per cent. Just 7 per cent of managers expected tanker rates to fall, a new survey low for this category of respondent. The expectation of higher rates was common across all the main geographical areas covered by the survey.

It was a similar story in the container ship market, where 34 per cent of respondents overall expected rates to go up, compared to 31 per cent in the previous survey. The number of respondents anticipating higher rates over the coming year was up in all categories, in the case of charterers by 15 percentage points to 41 per cent. For owners, the increase was from 28 per cent to 35 per cent, and for managers from 30 per cent to 31 per cent.

It was a different story in the dry bulk sector, however, where most of the indicators were down, in contrast to the previous survey, which saw a surge of optimism on the part of all respondents that rates would increase. Overall, 35 per cent of respondents this time expected dry bulk rates to go up over the coming year, as against 38 per cent in February 2012. Owners (up one percentage point to 36 per cent) were alone in being more confident of rate increases. The number of charterers of like mind, meanwhile, dropped 29 percentage points to just 15 per cent, the second-lowest figure in the life of the survey, behind only the 8 per cent recorded in August 2011. In fact, the number of charterers who thought that dry bulk rates would go lower over the coming year was greater, at 23 per cent, than the number anticipating that they would go higher.

Moore Stephens shipping partner, Richard Greiner, says, “Is there a more resilient industry than shipping? It seems unlikely. Despite the financial woes in Europe, notwithstanding the slump in the freight markets, and irrespective of tonnage overcapacity, our latest survey records an increase in confidence in the shipping sector for the fourth consecutive quarter. Indeed, 40 per cent of owners rate their prospects of making a new investment over the next twelve months at 7 out of 10, or higher – this despite the fact that the cost of finance is expected to go up over the same period. This is encouraging, although, if intent translates into action, it will do nothing to address the tonnage overhang. 

“It is true that the increased level of confidence recorded in the survey owes something to the conviction on the part of some respondents that the bottom of the market has now been reached. But a number of respondents nevertheless saw the beginnings of a recovery in the markets for more positive reasons, not least the continuing, indispensable role that shipping has to play in the conduct of global trade. Shipping is not an industry that will come and go. Nothing is going to replace shipping, at least not in the lifetimes of those involved in the industry today, or even of their great-great-grandchildren. So long-term players are looking to navigate a way through the difficulties currently besetting the industry, to emerge in calmer – and more profitable – waters.

“There is little new about the problems, which range from political and economic crises to the price of a good second mate. What is unusual is the severity of those problems, and their confluence at one period in time. And, as is so often the case, each possible remedy brings with it the potential for another difficulty. Fuel costs are a major expense, which shipping can do little to influence for the better. What it can do – and is doing already – is starting to explore the possibility of a future based on eco-friendly ships powered by fuel other than diesel oil. But, as more than one respondent noted, that places a potential cloud over some of the ships now being built and delivered, which could be made redundant by new technology long before they have served a useful working life. Furthermore, some owners are claiming that eco-friendly designs are being advanced by shipyards as a marketing gimmick to persuade companies to order more ships at a time when we already have too many.

“The number of respondents to our survey who cited operating costs as a significant performance-influencing factor is as high now as at any time in the past four years. Such cost increases, which are expected to continue for the next two to three years, can be ameliorated to a certain extent by good husbandry and sound business planning, and will of course be more easily borne in a profitable freight market. The same cannot be said, however, of some of the other issues affecting shipping. There is no end in sight, for example, to the political and economic strife that is today’s eurozone. And new finance is very hard to come by. Shipping is going to need the continuing support of the banks as it struggles to emerge from its current difficulties. Some argue that the banks have not done – and are not doing – enough. One leading operator has gone so far as to say that shipowners will have to become bankers in order to survive. He has even coined a name for this new hybrid being – the ‘shanker’.

“For those for whom this is a development too far, going to the bank with a sound business plan is likely to remain the preferred option. The banks, of course, will not want to see shipowners who lack confidence, any more than a gourmet likes to see a thin chef. Fortunately, on the evidence of our survey, confidence is something the industry does not lack. Nor does it lack the will to put its best foot forward in times of trouble, as evidenced by the recent Posidonia exhibition in Piraeus. Here, the great and the good of shipping gathered in their thousands, as indeed they have done every two years for the past forty years and more, come metaphorical rain or shine. In shipping, the show must go on.”

The Moore Stephens Shipping Confidence Survey includes responses from key players worldwide in the international shipping industry to a targeted, web-based survey by the Moore Stephens Shipping Industry Group.  Responses were received from owners, charterers, brokers, advisers, managers and others. Editors can apply for a copy of the survey by emailing chris@merlinco.com

Moore Stephens LLP is noted for a number of industry specialisations and is widely acknowledged as a leading shipping and insurance adviser. Moore Stephens LLP is a member firm of Moore Stephens International Limited, one of the world's leading accounting and consulting associations, with 636 offices of independent member firms in 100 countries, employing 21,197 people and generating revenues in 2011 of $2.3 billion. http://www.moorestephens.co.uk/  

For more information:                                                                        
Richard Greiner, Moore Stephens LLP
Tel: +44 (0)20 7334 9191

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Tuesday 12 June 2012

RINA updates GREEN PLUS notation to cover transhipment terminals

International classification society RINA has updated its industry-leading GREEN PLUS notation to include new potential sources of pollution involving seagoing ships and ships operating at fixed locations.

GREEN PLUS is awarded to new vessels that make a significant investment in design solutions, onboard equipment and operational procedures which contribute to an improvement in environmental performance beyond the minimum levels required by regulation. Now GREEN PLUS includes, for the first time, specific reference to dispersion of cargo dusts from solid bulk cargo storage, spillage/leakage of substances from areas on weather decks, hot water discharge, dirty water from areas on weather decks, noise, visual impact, and light pollution assessment and mitigation. Special consideration is given to barges without machinery spaces.

The importance of monitoring the impact on the local environment of ships mainly operated at fixed offshore locations has also been included in GREEN PLUS through the introduction of environmental risk assessment, and through the periodic monitoring of air and seawater quality and of terrestrial and marine flora, including migrant animals.

The new GREEN PLUS rules, together with other important new rules and amendments, were approved by RINA’s Technical Committee at its June meeting today.

Nicola Coccia, the current Chairman of Gestioni Armatoriali SpA and of Terminal Napoli SpA, has been appointed Chairman of RINA’s Technical Committee.
Committee members are:

-          Prof. Ing. Antonio Campanile, Professor of Offshore Structures, University of Napoli Federico II;
-          Dr.ssa Annamaria Cruciani, Division 4 Internal Maritime Safety, Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport;
-          Ing. Andrea Frabetti, Product development Director -  Ferretti Group;
-          Ing. Domenico Impagliazzo, Division 4 Internal Maritime Safety, Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport;
-          Ing. Giorgio La Valle, CEO Marine Engineering Services (MES);
-          Ing. Luigi Matarazzo, Deputy Chief Operating Officer - FINCANTIERI ;
-          Ing. Roberto Martinoli, CEO Grandi Navi Veloci;
-          CF Sergio Simone, Head of the Ship Design Office - Italian Navy General Staff;
-          Cap. Antonio Talarico, Director General P.L. Ferrari & Co. S.R.L.;
-          Ing. Tiziano Zarbo, Managing Director  E&C vessel management, maintenance and upgrading Vice President – SAIPEM.

RINA is a multi-national group fully capable of supporting its clients in the development and management of the various phases of their activities, using its innovation potential, competence, integrity and experience to help produce a successful outcome to a variety of initiatives. To guarantee the most advanced level of technical competence and speed of intervention, the RINA Group operates through a network of companies dedicated to different sectors, covering Marine, Infrastructures & Real Estate, Transport & Logistics, Food & Agriculture, Environment & Sustainability, Finance & Public Institutions, Business Governance and Energy. With a turnover of around 300 million Euros in 2012, over 2,100 employees, and 130 offices in 42 countries worldwide, RINA meets the needs of its clients and is recognised as an authoritative member of key international organisations and an important contributor to the development of new legislative standards. www.rina.org          

For more information:
Claudia Filippone
Head of Communication RINA Group
+39 010 5385643

Giulia Faravelli
Media Relations Manager RINA Group
+39 010 5385505

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Monday 4 June 2012

Bureau Veritas launches e-learning programme for MLC training

Leading international classification society Bureau Veritas has launched a web-based training programme to help companies in the shipping industry train their personnel for implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention.

As the deadline for implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 draws nearer, companies in the shipping industry are becoming increasingly aware of the need to make sure that they are properly prepared, and that their personnel are correctly trained.  That is why Bureau Veritas has launched its e-learning Introduction to Maritime Labour Convention 2006 training, which facilitates the concurrent training of large numbers of personnel without interrupting their normal working activities, in the process reducing the time and cost encountered when using other, traditional learning courses.

Introduction to Maritime Labour Convention 2006 training has been designed as a first step in MLC-related education. It is aimed both at seafarers and shore-based personnel, as well as those involved in MLC-related issues at a general level. It is also a valuable source of information and guidance for anyone involved in the development of MLC-related documentation as well as to those persons responsible for implementation of MLC systems and procedures on board ships and in the company offices ashore.

Training is divided into eight modules covering the background, concept and requirements of the convention. Each module is interactive, thus helping participants to understand the content by combining various learning methods. Attached internal documents and links to external documents provide a more detailed and comprehensive overview of each subject. Each module includes a self-test and case study, helping participants to acquire the knowledge necessary to undertake the final test and global case study, following which Bureau Veritas attestation is issued.

Claude Maillot, ships in service director, Bureau Veritas says, “Well-trained people are one of the pillars of any successful business, and especially so in such a fast-changing environment as the maritime industry. Responsible companies are continually looking to improve personnel knowledge and understanding of key issues. BV’s Introduction to Maritime Labour Convention 2006 training has been designed with the particular needs of the modern maritime industry - and the time and geographical constraints on those personnel who will typically need to undergo MLC training – in mind.

“Working closely with the Bureau Veritas Business School in Spain, BV’s Marine Division has delivered a high-quality, modern training service which enables companies to be properly prepared, in good time, for the challenges that MLC implementation will undoubtedly present.”
Bureau Veritas is a world leader in conformity assessment and certification services. Created in 1828, the Group has close to 52,000 employees in 940 offices and 340 laboratories located in 140 countries. Bureau Veritas helps its clients to improve their performance by offering services and innovative solutions in order to ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure and processes meet standards and regulations in terms of quality, health and safety, environmental protection and social responsibility.

www.bureauveritas.com for corporate information, www.veristar.comm for marine information

VISIT BV AT POSIDONIA STAND NO 2201

For more information:                                           
Claude MAILLOT
Bureau Veritas                                                
+33 1 55 24 72 21                                                   

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Friday 1 June 2012

Liberian Registry uses advance vessel screening to cut detention rates

THE Liberian Registry has introduced a sophisticated programme to screen advance notice of ship arrivals as part of a detention prevention plan to help maintain its independent ranking among the safest and most efficient ship registries in the world. The overall objective is to maintain and strengthen the already excellent safety record of the Liberian flag, and to further reduce detention rates, especially in Australia, China, the EU and the United States.

Liberia’s Advanced Notices of Arrival and Zone Notification schemes build on the mandatory IMO Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) system introduced in 2009, under which all flag states are required to ensure their flagged vessels transmit their location. The objective is to be proactive in terms of preventing a vessel detention by Port State Control or by other inspection bodies. The schemes are designed to increase awareness on the part of shipowners and operators with a view to ensuring compliance with international requirements governing safety, security and environmental protection.

All Liberian vessels calling at US, EU, Australian and Chinese ports must provide an Advanced Notice of Arrival (ANOA), which can be used by the Liberian administration to assess the probability of a PSC boarding. Thereafter, appropriate steps can be taken if necessary to prevent a detention. Under Liberia’s Zone Notification programme, meanwhile, if the Liberian administration has not received an ANOA from vessels entering LRIT zones which Liberia has established around the US, China, Australia and the Paris MoU countries, it can use their LRIT notification system to assess the probability of a PSC boarding, and take appropriate steps where necessary.

Scott Bergeron, CEO of the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR), the US-based manager of the Liberian Registry, says, “In the interests of both safety and commercial expediency, we are committed to minimising the number of Liberian-flag ships placed under detention. We are proactive at all times, with the intention of preventing deficiencies and detentions rather than responding to them. In addition to our ANOA and Zone Notifications programmes, we inform shipowners and operators of PSC Concentrated Inspection Campaigns (CICs) and recommend action where necessary. Ship’s masters are very busy when preparing to enter port. The point is to provide the master and the shore staff with timely and relevant information to help ensure compliance with regulations during periods of increased onboard activity. Based on feedback from the various MoUs, Liberian-flagged ships have performed very well during the CICs.

“We also contact PSC directly when there is an issue or a misunderstanding, and appeal detentions where they are considered unwarranted. We conduct ongoing initiatives designed to decrease detention rates, and to increase awareness of what is required in order to comply with international requirements.

“Prior to arrival for every vessel, we use an innovative risk analysis tool that we have developed to calculate whether a particular vessel may be a high target for PSC boarding. Subjective risk criteria cover both the ship and the company, drawing on PSC deficiency and detention histories. If we have concerns that a vessel may not be in compliance, we have several proactive support services that will be implemented. 

“Our goal is to ensure that Liberian-flag ships are in compliance with all applicable international regulations covering safety, security and the environment. Our objective is to continually improve and strengthen the excellent safety record enjoyed by the Liberian flag.”

For a screen shot of LRIT zones, or a photo of Scott Bergeron, go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/Merlinclients/LiberianRegistry


Visitors are welcome to visit the Liberian Registry’s at Stand No 3.221 in the Metropolitan Exhibition Centre during the Posidonia exhibition in Piraeus, Greece, from June 4 to June 8, 2012, and request a demonstration of the ANOA and Zone Notification initiatives.

The Liberian Registry is one of the world’s largest and most active shipping registers, with more than 3,880 vessels aggregating in excess of 129m gt. It has a long-established track record of combining the highest standards for vessels and crews with the highest standards of responsive service to owners. The latest annual Shipping Industry Flag State Performance Table published by the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Shipping Federation awarded Liberia positive performance indicators in every category covered by the report - port state control, ratification of major international maritime treaties, use of compliant recognised organisations, age of fleet, reporting requirements, and attendance at IMO meetings. Liberia features on the White List of all Port State Control Memorandums of Understanding, worldwide, and is included in the US Coast Guard’s QUALSHIP (Quality Shipping for the 21st Century) programme, to which only a small percentage of foreign-flag ships calling at US ports are admitted, based on the excellence of their port state control record. www.liscr.com

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RINA launches management shareholding scheme

International classification society RINA has introduced a management shareholding scheme which will increase group capital by Euro 12 million and give managers across the group the opportunity to share in RINA’s growth.

In the first tranche almost 50 per cent of the available shares have been taken up by 90 managers, who have paid Euro 6 million for 2,840 shares, around 5 per cent of the group capital. A further tranche of 3,000 shares will be released to staff over the next four years.

Ugo Salerno, Chairman and CEO of RINA Group says, “In the last year we have made a number of significant acquisitions, increasing group turnover by 50 per cent, and radically overhauled our internal structures so that we set innovation free. This scheme gives our managers a chance to buy into the growth of RINA. It provides the group with new capital to fund further acquisitions and at the same time gives our key staff a stake in their own future. Being a shareholder is truly motivating and the scheme will benefit both the individual investors and the group as a whole. An exciting internal dialogue is now underway in RINA, creating a climate for innovation and creativity. There is a positive feeling everywhere that with our new structures and new partners and now this staff shareholding scheme we can do more for our clients in more places.”

The RINA group diversified strongly last year and invested more in areas of the world with growing economies, ending the year with a turnover of Euro 249 million. That is expected to surpass Euro 300 million in 2012.


The RINA Group is an international company that helps enterprises and communities to achieve greater competitiveness and effective risk management through the conception, creation, management and assessment of projects. The Group has developed the best competencies and combined them with its own values of integrity and responsibility, gained in over 150 years of experience, into a way of working that
meets the highest expectations. RINA Group delivers advanced technical competency through a network of companies dedicated to different sectors covering Environment and Quality, Energy, Maritime, Ethics and Safety, Food Production and Healthcare, Infrastructures and Constructions, Logistics and Transport. With a turnover of around 300 million Euros in 2012, over 2,100 employees, and 130 offices in 42 countries worldwide, RINA meets the needs of its clients and is recognized as an authoritative member of key international organizations and an important contributor to the development of new legislative standards. www.rina.org 


For more information:

Claudia Filippone
Head of Media Relations RINA
+39 010 5385643

Giulia Faravelli
Media Relations
+39 010 5385505








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Liberian Registry uses advance vessel screening to cut detention rates

 THE Liberian Registry has introduced a sophisticated programme to screen advance notice of ship arrivals as part of a detention prevention plan to help maintain its independent ranking among the
safest and most efficient ship registries in the world. The overall objective is to maintain and strengthen the already excellent safety record of the Liberian flag, and to further reduce detention rates, especially in Australia, China, the EU and the United States.

Liberia’s Advanced Notices of Arrival and Zone Notification schemes build on the mandatory IMO Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) system introduced in 2009, under which all flag states are required to ensure their flagged vessels transmit their location. The objective is to be proactive in terms of preventing a vessel detention by Port State Control or by other inspection bodies. The schemes are designed to increase awareness on the part of shipowners and operators with a view to ensuring compliance with international requirements governing safety, security and environmental protection.

All Liberian vessels calling at US, EU, Australian and Chinese ports must provide an Advanced Notice of Arrival (ANOA), which can be used by the Liberian administration to assess the probability of a PSC boarding. Thereafter, appropriate steps can be taken if necessary to prevent a detention. Under Liberia’s Zone Notification programme, meanwhile, if the Liberian administration has not received an ANOA from vessels entering LRIT zones which Liberia has established around the US, China, Australia and the Paris MoU countries, it can use their LRIT notification system to assess the probability of a PSC boarding, and take appropriate steps where necessary.

Scott Bergeron, CEO of the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR), the US-based manager of the Liberian Registry, says, “In the interests of both safety and commercial expediency, we are committed to minimising the number of Liberian-flag ships placed under detention. We are proactive at all times, with the intention of preventing deficiencies and detentions rather than responding to them. In addition to our ANOA and Zone Notifications programmes, we inform shipowners and operators of PSC Concentrated Inspection Campaigns (CICs) and recommend action where necessary. Ship’s masters are very busy when preparing to enter port. The point is to provide the master and the shore staff with timely and relevant information to help ensure compliance with regulations during periods of increased onboard activity. Based on feedback from the various MoUs, Liberian-flagged ships have performed very well during the CICs.

“We also contact PSC directly when there is an issue or a misunderstanding, and appeal detentions where they are considered unwarranted. We conduct ongoing initiatives designed to decrease detention rates, and to increase awareness of what is required in order to comply with international requirements.

“Prior to arrival for every vessel, we use an innovative risk analysis tool that we have developed to calculate whether a particular vessel may be a high target for PSC boarding. Subjective risk criteria cover both the ship and the company, drawing on PSC deficiency and detention histories. If we have concerns that a vessel may not be in compliance, we have several proactive support services that will be implemented. 

“Our goal is to ensure that Liberian-flag ships are in compliance with all applicable international regulations covering safety, security and the environment. Our objective is to continually improve and strengthen the excellent safety record enjoyed by the Liberian flag.”

For a screen shot of LRIT zones, or a photo of Scott Bergeron, go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/Merlinclients/LiberianRegistry


l Visitors are welcome to visit the Liberian Registry’s at Stand No 3.221 in the Metropolitan Exhibition Centre during the Posidonia exhibition in Piraeus, Greece, from June 4 to June 8, 2012, and request a demonstration of the ANOA and Zone Notification initiatives.

l The Liberian Registry is one of the world’s largest and most active shipping registers, with more than 3,880 vessels aggregating in excess of 129m gt. It has a long-established track record of combining the highest standards for vessels and crews with the highest standards of responsive service to owners. The latest annual Shipping Industry Flag State Performance Table published by the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Shipping Federation awarded Liberia positive performance indicators in every category covered by the report - port state control, ratification of major international maritime treaties, use of compliant recognised organisations, age of fleet, reporting requirements, and attendance at IMO meetings. Liberia features on the White List of all Port State Control Memorandums of Understanding, worldwide, and is included in the US Coast Guard’s QUALSHIP (Quality Shipping for the 21st Century) programme, to which only a small percentage of foreign-flag ships calling at US ports are admitted, based on the excellence of their port state control record. www.liscr.com

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