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RINA launches Competence Management System certification
International
classification society RINA Services has launched a new Competence Management
System certification which helps ship owners and managers to raise the skill
levels of their crews and shore staff above the basic statutory requirements.
Italy-based PB Tankers is the first company to benefit from the new voluntary
certification.
RINA’s Competence Management System guides shipowners
and managers to develop and maintain high level targeted skills in their ships’
crews and operational shore staff. Its certification benefits them by proving
to charterers, authorities, financiers and insurers that the company has a
system for ensuring that its crews have the skills and competence required to
operate safely and efficiently in today’s complex marine environment.
Paolo Moretti, General Manager Marine, RINA Services,
says, “The increasingly complex technologies on board ship, constantly changing
and ever more stringent regulations and the close attention paid to the
preparation of the personnel by the verifiers used by charterers and also Port
State Control officials make it necessary for ship operators to upskill their
crews, and they need a system to manage that. RINA’s CMS gives them both a
system framework and recognition of their investment.”
Federica Barbaro, Managing Director, PB Tankers says, “We
are confident that being the first to be certified with the Competence
Management System will demonstrate to our loyal clientele the continual
improvement we build into our services, the safety of our seafarers and
environmental protection.”
RINA’s Competence Management System is set out in RINA
NCC89E Rules for the Certification of Competence Management Systems. It requires
companies to establish,
document, implement and maintain a competence management system and continually
improve its effectiveness in accordance with the requirements of the rules. The
company must determine the criteria and methods needed to ensure that both the
operation and control of the competence management system are effective and
ensure the availability of resources and information necessary to support the
operation and monitoring of the competence management system.
The CMS has to include a competence management policy, a plan for the
implementation of the competence management system on board and ashore, defined
company objectives and indicators relevant to the competence management system,
procedures for competence assessment and gap analysis and a plan of competence
acquisition. A monitoring and evaluation process must be built in.
The CMS is certified for three years following a
process of initial audit, then maintained with annual audits. It can be
integrated into an existing business management system and is complimentary to
and works with and alongside industry systems such as the TMSA.
For
a copy of NCC89E e mail john@merlinco.com
PB Tankers is
an Italian company operating a fleet of MR and product tankers. www.pbtankers.com
RINA Services
is the RINA group company which delivers ship classification, and testing,
inspection and certification services. www.rina.org
RINA is a
multi-national group which delivers verification, certification, conformity
assessment, marine classification, environmental enhancement, product testing,
site and vendor supervision, training and engineering consultancy across a wide
range of industries and services. RINA operates through a network of companies
covering Marine, Energy, Infrastructures & Construction, Transport &
Logistics, Food & Agriculture, Environment & Sustainability, Finance
& Public Institutions and Business Governance. With a turnover of over 330
million Euros in 2014, over 2,750 employees, and 163 offices in 60 countries
worldwide, RINA is recognized as an authoritative member of key international
organizations and an important contributor to the development of new
legislative standards. www.rinagroup.org
Contacts:
Giulia Faravelli
Head of Media & Internal
Communication RINA
+39 010 5385505
Victoria Silvestri
Media Relations RINA
+39 010 5385555
Labels: certification, classification society, competence, management systems
Moore Stephens says UK Autumn Statement is light on content for offshore maritime sector
International
accountant and shipping consultant Moore Stephens says
the UK Chancellor’s Autumn Statement 2015 is light on content
for the offshore maritime sector, other than an unkind reference to falling oil
prices. But it has
highlighted a number of issues which may be of interest to the offshore
maritime industry.
Sue Bill, Moore Stephens tax
partner, says, “The government is to invest £1.3 billion to transform
HMRC into ‘one of the most
digitally advanced tax administrations’ in the world. Most businesses
and self-employed
individuals will be required to keep track of their tax affairs digitally and
to
update HMRC at least
quarterly via their digital tax account. The government will consult on the
details in 2016.
“As part of the government’s
drive to encourage voluntary compliance with the tax rules, it will
legislate to introduce a new
requirement that large businesses publish their tax strategies as they
relate to or affect UK
taxation, as well as a special measures regime to tackle businesses that
persistently engage in
aggressive tax planning and a framework for co-operative compliance.
“The government has
introduced legislation in order to counter two specific tax avoidance schemes
involving capital allowances
and leasing, which involve companies artificially lowering the
disposal value of plant and
machinery for capital allowances purposes. It is also introducing a new
penalty of 60% of tax due in
all cases successfully tackled by the general anti-abuse rule. In
addition, there is a new
criminal offence for corporates failing to prevent tax evasion by their
agents.
“In other measures, the
government is to consult on the rules concerning distribution by companies and
will introduce further anti-avoidance in order to prevent opportunities for
income to be converted to capital in order to gain a tax advantage.
“Finally, Chancellor George
Osborne made an unkind reference to the reduction in oil prices, pointing out
that, if Scotland had voted for independence, it would have had its own
Spending Review this Autumn and that, with world oil prices falling and
revenues from the North Sea being forecast by the OBR to be down 94%, there
would have been catastrophic cuts to Scottish public services. He went on
to say that, thankfully, Scotland remains a strong part of a stronger United
Kingdom and that it would be given the resources to invest in its long-term future.”
Moore
Stephens LLP is noted for a number of industry specialisations and is widely
acknowledged as a leading shipping, offshore maritime 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 626
offices of independent member firms in 103 countries, employing 26,290 people
and generating revenues in 2014 of $2.7 billion.
For more information:
Sue Bill
Moore Stephens LLP
Tel: +44 (0)20 7334 9191
sue.bill@moorestephens.com Labels: Autumn Statement, Moore Stephens, offshore maritime, tax
Moore Stephens highlights potential tax issues for shipping in UK Autumn Statement
International
accountant and shipping consultant Moore Stephens has highlighted a number of
issues arising from the UK Chancellor’s Autumn Statement 2015 which may be of
interest to the shipping industry.
Sue Bill, Moore Stephens tax
partner, says, “The government is to invest £1.3 billion to transform
HMRC into ‘one of the most
digitally advanced tax administrations’ in the world. Most businesses
and self-employed
individuals will be required to keep track of their tax affairs digitally and
to
update HMRC at least
quarterly via their digital tax account. The government will consult on the
details in 2016.
“As part of the government’s
drive to encourage voluntary compliance with the tax rules, it will
legislate to introduce a new
requirement that large businesses publish their tax strategies as they
relate to or affect UK
taxation, as well as a special measures regime to tackle businesses that
persistently engage in
aggressive tax planning and a framework for co-operative compliance.
“The government has
introduced legislation in order to counter two specific tax avoidance schemes
involving capital allowances
and leasing, which involve companies artificially lowering the
disposal value of plant and
machinery for capital allowances purposes. It is also introducing a new
penalty of 60% of tax due in
all cases successfully tackled by the general anti-abuse rule. In
addition, there is a new
criminal offence for corporates failing to prevent tax evasion by their
agents.
“In other measures, the
government is to consult on the rules concerning distribution by companies and
will introduce further anti-avoidance in order to prevent opportunities for
income to be converted to capital in order to gain a tax advantage.
“Finally, Chancellor George
Osborne made an unkind reference to the reduction in oil prices, pointing out
that, if Scotland had voted for independence, it would have had its own
Spending Review this Autumn and that, with world oil prices falling and
revenues from the North Sea being forecast by the OBR to be down 94%, there
would have been catastrophic cuts to Scottish public services. He went on
to say that, thankfully, Scotland remains a strong part of a stronger United
Kingdom and that it would be given the resources to invest in its long-term
future.”
Moore
Stephens LLP is noted for a number of industry specialisations and is widely
acknowledged as a leading shipping, offshore maritime 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 626
offices of independent member firms in 103 countries, employing 26,290 people
and generating revenues in 2014 of $2.7 billion.
For more information:
Sue Bill
Merlin Corporate Communications
Tel: +44 (0)20 7334 9191
sue.bill@moorestephens.com Labels: Autumn Statement, Moore Stephens, shipping, tax issues
Liberian Registry appoints new general manager for London
The Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR), the US-based manager of the Liberian Registry, has appointed Kostas Ladas as general manager of its London office.
Kostas Ladas joins LISCR from London-based ship and insurance broker and agent Victoria Steamship Co Ltd, where he was vessel operations manager. Prior to that, he spent over 25 years with Coscon/Cosco (UK) Ltd in London, where he held a variety of executive roles, including Chartering & Shipbroking deputy general manager, commercial manager and company legal adviser.
LISCR CEO Scott Bergeron says, “London is one of the world’s leading centres of maritime commerce, and LISCR’s dedicated presence there is a vital part of the Liberian Registry’s global network which provides help and advice to ship owners and managers at all times of the day and night. Kostas’s extensive all-round experience of ship and chartering operations, together with his specialist legal and insurance expertise and his exhaustive industry contacts, makes him the ideal person to head up the registry’s London operation.”
Kostas Ladas says, “I have seen how the role of responsible ship registers has evolved and increased in importance over the past 25 years, and I am proud to be joining the most successful and proactive registry in the industry today.”
The Liberian Registry is one of the world’s largest and most active shipping registers, and has long been considered the world’s most technologically advanced maritime administration. It has a long-established track record of combining the highest standards of safety for vessels and crews with the highest levels of responsive service to owners. Moreover, it has a well-deserved reputation for supporting international legislation designed to maintain and improve the safety and effectiveness of the shipping industry and protection of the marine environment.
www.liscr.com
Labels: COSCO, Liberian Ship Registry, LISCR, London office, new general manager, shipping
Liner agent’s slip-up results in hefty fine by US Customs & Border Protection
International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) has highlighted how a careless mistake by a liner agent resulted in the imposition of a fine of almost $300,000 by the US Customs and Border Protection.
The liner agent, working for a non-US carrier, correctly manifested a shipment of nine reefer containers for discharge in Seattle, Washington. The vessel was also carrying more than a hundred empty containers due for discharge at Seattle.
On departing the load port, the agent received instructions to discharge all the empty containers upon arrival at Oakland, California, rather than in Seattle. While in the process of changing the port of discharge on the empty containers from Seattle to Oakland, the agent also mistakenly changed the port of discharge on the nine
loaded refrigerated containers which were sitting underneath the empty containers.
The refrigerated containers were duly discharged upon arrival at Oakland, leaving the agent with the problem of getting them to Seattle as per the carrier’s commitment under the bill of lading and in compliance with the terms of the US Merchant Marine Act 1920 (The Jones Act), under which all merchandise transported by water between US ports must be carried on US-flag ships. (It was not possible to move the cargo by road or rail because the containers were overweight.)
The agent contacted the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) about the erroneous discharge, in the mistaken belief that the notification to CBP was sufficient. CBP, however, took the position that a written application had to be made for the movement to be properly authorised. That application had not been made, and an initial penalty of $1.17m was assessed by CBP. Following numerous
exchanges with the authorities, the fine was ultimately reduced to $292,478, being
25% of the initial penalty. This amount, less the policy deductible, was reimbursed by ITIC.
ITIC is managed by Thomas Miller. More details about the club and the services it offers can be found on ITIC’s website at www.itic-insure.com
For more information:
Charlotte Kirk
ITIC
Tel. +44 (0)20 7338 0150
Fax. +44 (0)20 7338 0151
charlotte.kirk@thomasmiller.com
Labels: containers discharged at wrong port, fine imposed by US Customs and Border Protection, ITIC, Jones Act, liner agent mistake, shipping
Liberia launches enhanced web-based liability certificate facility
The Liberian Registry has demonstrated once again its reputation as the world’s most technologically advanced ship registry by enabling shipowners and managers to apply online for certification under the major international liability conventions.
Earlier this year, Liberia launched an online certification facility on its secure eMaritime website to expedite shipowners’ compliance with the requirements of the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks 2007 (WRC). Following the success of that initiative, the registry decided to further enhance the website to include online applications for certification under the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage 2001 (BCLC) and the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage 1992 (CLC).
The enhanced online facility is available to owners of Liberian-flagged ships as well as owners of ships registered in non-convention States that need to obtain the WRC, BCLC and/or CLC liability certificates. The Liberian Registry issues these liability certificates as they are required to be carried on board ships to verify that registered owners maintain insurance or other financial security to cover liabilities in compliance with relevant conventions.
David Pascoe, senior vice-president of the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR), the US-based manager of the registry, says, “Liberia’s online application system for WRC certification has been a tremendous success, so it was a logical decision to extend the website to include BCLC and CLC certification applications.
“Liberia believes that the job of responsible ship registries is not only to ensure that owners and managers are in full compliance with international regulations, but also to facilitate the application process wherever possible. LISCR has always taken a highly proactive approach to all regulatory issues affecting shipowners and managers, and will continue to do so.”
Shipowners and managers can apply for Liberian WRC, BCLC and CLC certificates online directly at: https://emaritime.liscr.com
The Liberian Registry is one of the world’s largest and most active shipping registers, and has long been considered the world’s most technologically advanced maritime administration. It has a long-established track record of combining the highest standards of safety for vessels and crews with the highest levels of responsive service to owners. Moreover, it has a well-deserved reputation for supporting international legislation designed to maintain and improve the safety and effectiveness of the shipping industry and protection of the marine environment.
www.liscr.com
Labels: BCLC, CLC, Liberian Registry, online application for liability convention certificates, ship registration, WRC
Multraship and Damen agree deals for Carrousel Rave tugs and ASD
Leading
towage and salvage specialist Multraship, through its 100-per cent-owned
subsidiary Novatug BV, has commissioned the construction of two evolutionary
Carrousel Rave Tugs (CRTs) from Damen Shipyards Group. These new vessels will
provide tug operators with more power, more freedom and more durability, as
well as eliminating the risk of capsizing under a tow load.
Construction
of the CRTs will begin immediately under an agreement between Novatug, with
Multraship as its first customer, and Damen subsidiary Van der Velden
Barkemeyer GmbH. The hulls of the vessels will be built by German shipyard
Theodor Buschmann GmbH in Hamburg, with final outfitting carried out by Damen
Maaskant Shipyards in Stellendam, the Netherlands. Delivery of the Bureau
Veritas-classed vessels is scheduled for first-quarter 2017.
The
RAVE design was developed by leading naval architecture consultancy Robert
Allan Ltd, in conjunction with Voith GmbH. The CRTs have an overall length of
32 metres, and a bollard pull of minimum 70 tonnes. Propulsion is via two Voith
thruster units and two ABC main engines of 2,650 kW operating at 1000 rpm. Free
running speed is over 14 knots at 5,300 kW.
The
Carrousel tug’s lower operational costs, speed of action and enhanced control
over the tow can provide huge advantages over conventional tugs, for example by
widening or even removing tidal and/or weather windows for certain ports.
Novatug will offer the Carrousel Rave tugs on the basis of long-term bareboat
charters, basically a financial or operational lease construction, which is
both customary and proven in other capital-intensive industries such as
aviation.
Leendert
Muller, managing director of Multraship, says, "Safety is always our
overriding objective, and that it is why we have opted wholeheartedly to
produce the Novatug CRT. This new tug design, for the first time, eliminates
what has always been the most significant threat to safety in towing – the risk
of capsizing under a tow load. The benefits in terms of efficiency and
flexibility, meanwhile, are also enormous".
“The
involvement of Theodor Buschmann and Maaskant completes the so-called Novatug
'dream team' which, over the years, has benefited greatly from the input of
Voith, Robert Allan, ABC and the Luyt Group, working closely together and using
all their experience and expertise to produce a design which has been awarded
the Dutch Maritime Innovation Award.”
Meanwhile,
Multraship has also agreed a deal with Damen for a new state-of-the-art ASD
3212 tug as part of its planned fleet expansion to keep pace with increasing
demand for its specialist services.
The
Dutch-flag, LR-registered Multratug 31 was
built at Damen Song Cam, Vietnam. A sister vessel to Multratugs 19, 29 and 30, it will operate mainly in the Western
Scheldt area. It has a maximum bollard pull of 83.2 tonnes and a maximum speed
of 15 knots. The 453 gt vessel is powered by two Caterpillar 3516C engines and
has two Rolls Royce Azimuth thrusters and a 2,800 mm-diameter controllable
pitch propeller.
The
vessel’s deck layout features a hydraulically driven escort double drum winch
forward and single drum aft, and a 25 mt deck crane. There are two one-man
cabins, four two-man cabins, a mess room and galley.
Leendert
Muller says, “This new tug is needed, because our workload is still increasing
and we are confident this will be the case for several years to come. This is
not an industry where you can stand still. If you want to stay at the top, you
have to keep investing in new vessels, new equipment, new technology, and good
people. That is what Multraship is doing, and will continue to do.”
The signing ceremony for the two
CRTs and the ADS 3212 will take place at the Damen stand, No. 1221, at the
Europoort exhibition in Rotterdam at 1500hrs on 4 November. Photos will be
available from chris@merlinco.com after
the signing ceremony has taken place.
Note to editors:
The
Carrousel towing system is as simple as it is effective, consisting of a
relatively straightforward steel construction, basically a freely rotating ring
(the actual ‘Carrousel’) fitted around the superstructure of the tug. It is on
this freely rotating ring that the tug’s towing point is located, as opposed to
a conventional fixed towing point that has been the case for as long as towing
has existed.
Tugboats
fitted with the Carrousel towing system can turn around freely relative to the
tow without letting go of the line. When there is force on the line, the
shifting towing point also changes the centre of force relative to the tug’s
centre of gravity. The tug’s own hull profile can safely be used for generating
braking and/or steering forces, based on the lateral resistance of the hull
through the water and given the kinetic energy present in the moving tow and/or
the current. A Carrousel tug can brake or steer a moving tow much better,
faster, cheaper and from any position forward or aft, than any regular tug
relying on installed power for braking or steering. A Carrousel tug simply
cannot be capsized by a tow load.
For
its braking and steering operations, a Carrousel tug needs far less added
energy, resulting in significantly reduced fuel consumption and emissions. The
cost-saving potential on fuel alone is at least 25 per cent, depending on the
operational profile of the tugboat. The fact that a tugboat with the Carrousel
towing system depends on its lateral hull resistance more than its engines and
propulsion systems in order to generate braking and steering forces also
results in significantly less mechanical wear on the propulsion train, with
lower annual repair and maintenance costs and a longer economic life for the
tug itself.
Multraship
is a leading Dutch towage and salvage company. It is a division of the Muller
Maritime Group, which has been engaged in the shipping industry for more than
230 years. The company's core activities include harbour towage, salvage &
wreck removal, ocean towage and support to offshore energy & dredging
industries. Multraship operates and manages a large fleet of tugs, salvage
vessels, floating sheerlegs and other craft equipped with modern towage,
salvage and fire-fighting equipment and manned by experienced and
highly-trained masters and crew. www.multraship.com
For more information contact:
Eline
Muller
Multraship
B.V.
+31
(0) 115 645 000
Labels: ASD tug, Carrousel RAVE tug orders, Damen Shipyards, eliminates capsize under tow, Multraship, Novatug, Robert Allan, Voith
MatthewsDaniel completes Heidelberg Marine Warranty
Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, November 3, 2015 – MatthewsDaniel
has safely completed its Marine Warranty Services for Anadarko on the
installation of the Heidelberg spar in the Gulf of Mexico. The installation was
done utilizing the semi-submersible crane vessel Thialf. MatthewsDaniel
provided project engineering review and attendance monitoring for all critical
operations including the lift and set of the spar production topside, living
quarters module, stair towers, platform crane, flare boom, and cellar deck
extension.
Kevin Jarman, CEO,
MatthewsDaniel, says, “MatthewsDaniel enjoys a long-standing relationship with
Anadarko, dating from our appointment in 1996 as Marine Warranty Surveyor for
the transport and installation of the world's first production spar. This is the latest example of MatthewsDaniel
providing valued marine expertise for transport and installation of their
high-value assets.”
Located in the Green Canyon Area of the Gulf of
Mexico, the Heidelberg joint-venture is led by Anadarko Petroleum Corporation
and features a truss-spar design. The spar dimensions are
33.5 m diameter, 184 m length and gross weight of nearly 20,000 tonnes, moored
by nine combination chain/polyester mooring legs in 1,600 m water depth.
Installation of the
topsides involved transportation to its location 390 miles offshore from Corpus
Christi, Texas and a lift of 9,255 tonnes to set the main topside in
place.
MatthewsDaniel is
part of the Bureau Veritas Group, a world leader in conformity assessment and
certification services. Headquartered in London, with offices in Europe, the
Middle East, Asia and the Americas, MatthewsDaniel is widely recognised for its
expertise in marine warranty surveys and engineering reviews, risk assessment
and valuation services and specialist loss adjusting, focussing on the energy
and marine sectors. It also operates a dedicated weather forecasting,
monitoring and forensic meteorology service.
About Bureau Veritas
Bureau
Veritas is a world leader in laboratory testing, inspection and certification
services. Created in 1828, the Group has more than 66,000 employees in around
1,400 offices and laboratories located all across the globe. 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. Bureau Veritas is listed on Euronext Paris and belongs to the Next 20
index. Compartment A, ISIN code FR 0006174348, stock
symbol: BVI.
For more information, go to www.bureauveritas.com
www.veristar.com
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Contacts
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Bureau
Veritas
James Vavasour
MatthewsDaniel
+1 713
622-1633
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Labels: classification society, marine warranty, offshore energy
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