Edition 3 | 2011 excellence - BBC Chartering · respective energy to drive it. Energy can be...

Partner Magazine of the BBC Chartering Group

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excellenceEdition 3 | 2011

| excellence

Content

04 Foreword of Svend Andersen Developing together

06 Shipping ‘fueled by excellence’ The BBC bunker desk approach

10 No ‘excellence’ without ‘care’! Taking care of BBC business in Antwerp

15 Regular service to Venezuela and Trinidad & Tobago CaytransBBC extends services

16 Project Division A quality approach for heavy lift tenders

20 BBC Amber Your shipping centerfold

23 BBC events Meet BBC Chartering at upcoming events

24 A cosmic shipping project BBC helps to explore the origins of life

28 On a quest to continued ‘excellence’ in shipping Preparing for opportunities – BBC SkySails

32 Excellence in Maritime Logistics ISL – Institute of Shipping Economics

and Logistics

34 A call for excellence in controlling the shipping cycles An interview with Prof. Dr. Lemper

38 BBC world map BBC Chartering offices nearest to you

6

24

10

32

purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 3

Volume 3 of ‘excellence’ in 2011 is at your table and

in our hands, and I would like to take this opportunity

to thank you for your support and I can tell you, that

‘excellence’ would not be part of our lives if it was not for

you and your appreciation.

We all know that we are going through turbulent times,

and I would like to share a word of Marcus Aurelius with

you who not only said but also elaborated on his famous

quote that ‘The art of living is more like wrestling than

dancing.’ As one of the great stoic philosophers and the

last of the five ‘good’ roman emperors he has given us the

faith to believe in our natural being, which he proclaims is

the great source of never ending inspiration.

Machiavelli argued that Titus, Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian,

Antoninus, and Marcus, the five ‘good’ Roman emperors,

through good rule, earned the respect of those around

them. They had no need of praetorian cohorts or of

countless legions and spies to protect them, but were

defended by their own good lives, the goodwill of their

subjects, and the attachment of the senate. Today we

might say they followed their ‘excellence’.

In the ‘excellence’ editing role it is our conviction that you

may enjoy to read and experience what we do at BBC

Chartering, and in filling this role we communicate about

our activities and hope to create an image that displays

our efforts as we support global economic development.

We hope this gives you inspiration, potentially in a context

you are looking for, and this delight is already praise

enough for us. Thank you and please enjoy volume three

of ‘excellence’.

On behalf of ‘excellence’ I like to wish you a joyful holiday

season and a happy new year 2012!

Very best regards,

Raymond Fisch

‘excellence’ editor

Dear readers

ImprintResponsible for content:

Svend Andersen

Raymond Fisch

Contact and editing:

Raymond Fisch

[email protected]

Suggestions to:

[email protected]

Published by:

BBC Chartering & Logistic GmbH & Co. KG

Hafenstr. 10b · 26789 Leer · Germany

Graphics:

Dennis Brünings

Christina Kruse

© BBC Chartering 2011 - All rights reserved

As I am writing this, the year approaches the holiday

season and sometimes I wonder how this happened so

fast again. For me at least it almost feels like I have not

even quite digested last year’s turkey and I am already

confronted to work on the next one…

Now, this is also the time you hold the third issue of our

partner magazine in your hands. It fills me with joy to see

that this is so well received, and it also gives me another

occasion to thank you for the input to the stories that

actually gets delivered from you – our business partners.

We appreciate the fact that big things can only be

moved when people work together. As such it is a de-

cision that each one of us takes in full awareness when we

do business together. And we like to thank you for that.

Now, with volume three of ‘excellence’ in your hands, we

hope to give you interesting insights on the happenings

within the BBC Chartering group.

We like to highlight our efforts that we put into our

ongoing fleet renewal and modernization program in the

heavy lift segment above 500mt. We have strengthened

our team and introduced our ‘Project Division’ that

delivers a dedicated service approach for assignments

in this new segment for BBC Chartering. The recent

delivery of our new heavy-lifters BBC Everest, BBC Fuji,

BBC Amber marks an important starting point this year

and we will eventually see this fleet segment grow to a

total of 22 new vessels by the end of 2013 that allows us

to serve you with flexible tonnage and lifting capacities

up to 800mt.

At BBC Chartering it is our purpose to support global

economic development with our vessels. We are proud

of the fact when this purpose helps to deliver the largest

astronomical project in existence. The Atacama Large

Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international

project and represents a single telescope of revolutionary

design in northern Chile. Learn more inside about this

project and our involvement.

With the operating of a fleet of currently 140 multi-

purpose and heavy lift vessels comes a lot of responsibility.

This is especially the case when discussions about

environmental issues are led. We know that maritime

transportation is a must; it is a sufficient factor that

facilitates global trade. Often considered as the ‘greenest’

means of transportation relative to the volume, we are

aware that our industry is challenged to become ‘greener’

in the future as well.

We know that EEOI (energy efficiency operating index),

EEDI (energy efficiency design index) and SEEMP (ship

energy efficiency management plan) become an im-

portant part of the reality for ship operators and owners.

Dear business partners

and friends

page 4 | excellence

We have decided to take on the BBC SkySails to show-

case a pilot project supporting the way to investigate a

means of green propulsion support of the future.

Also, as ‘excellence’ aims at inspiring others by providing

a stage for joint achievements with our business partners,

we are also pleased that Eliane Achten of Van Doosselaere

& Achten in Antwerp, Belgium shares with us some

aspects about her agency business and philosophies

that we at BBC Chartering have learned to appreciate for

many years. Moreover, we take this opportunity to share

the approach to excellence of United Fueling Services

(UFS), the BBC Chartering bunker desk, as we address

this transaction-intense business that represents a large

share of our operating expenses with a professional

specialist team.

I like to complement on these relationships by saying

that ‘coming together is a beginning, staying together is

progress, working together is success, and developing

together is excellence.’ You may figure that it was Henry

Ford who was the mastermind behind the first 75% of this

sentence, and I believe he would not mind if we enhance

his quote following our spirit of ‘excellence’.

Following the mission of ‘excellence in maritime logistics’

we are also pleased to talk to Prof. Dr. Burkhard Lemper,

Director of the ISL, the Institute of shipping economics

and logistics located in Bremen, Germany. We appreciate

this opportunity to highlight some important aspects of

our industry and the work of the Institute.

BBC Chartering is in a constant effort of becoming, of

developing. We are proud to share this process together

with you, our business partners, and we look forward to

follow this path in the future. We like to thank you for

the successful collaboration in 2011, and we like to wish

you and your family a joyful holiday season and a happy,

healthy and successful new year 2012!

We hope to see you soon, no matter where! Meanwhile

please enjoy this new issue of our partner magazine.

Yours truly,

Svend Andersen

Chief Executive Officer

»Coming together is a beginning,

staying together is progress,

working together is success,

developing together is excellence.«


‘fueled by excellence’

Acting corporate in the bunker market

There is one fundamental truth in the fact that no

ship in the world will move without propulsion and the

respective energy to drive it. Energy can be delivered

by many means, still most commonly used as sources

of power for mobile equipment today not only in the

shipping industry are fossil fuels.

Our current civilization depends on an effective and

efficient supply of combustibles and any other means

of energy which can be exploited economically. Cost for

energy is a major cost driver for many industries. This

is very visible in the airline and the shipping industry.

However, not only the absolute numbers is a core subject,

but the risk that lays in the volatility, i.e. the constant up

and down of the price for this commodity. A change in

price represents an uncertainty when a deal is committed

to under fixed assumptions.

As a special supply item, this effect has hardly anything

to do with the operating business of either an airline

page 6 | excellence

shipping

Fuel Services (UFS) plays an important role in helping

to secure the focus on improving the operating business

of BBC Chartering by professionally taking care of the

bunker management for the single largest multipurpose

and heavy lift fleet in the market.

A fueling joint venture

In 2007, the Briese Group, together with the Hartmann

Group and Schoeller Holdings decided to centralize their

purchase of marine fuels. This decision was made in

order to secure fuels of the best quality and in the most

cost-effective manner. A dedicated and experienced

team of bunker professionals was put in charge to follow

this mission which also marked the birth of United Fuel

Services which from now on acted as the extended in-

house bunker desk for above shareholders and its affiliate

companies.

Today, UFS is responsible to arrange bunker purchases

for a fleet of about 600 vessels and therefore ranks

amongst the world’s largest bunker purchasers. UFS

accounts for an estimated 4,500 bunker fixtures in

around 550 ports per year, resulting in a total volume of

1.8mln tons - a blend of heavy and distillate fuels. UFS

is also acting as third party bunker broker for a fleet of

some 150 vessels. A couple of well-known bunker trading

houses rely on UFS as service provider as well.

Since its founding, UFS positioned itself not only as a

‘buying desk’ but moreover as a well-known market

participant. ‘We know the markets, we know the players

and vice versa. As part of our daily responsibility we

decide when it’s time to fix bunkers and with whom

and when it’s better to wait’, says Holger Pommer. ‘A

profound market understanding of this complex field,

coupled with tight market monitoring, is of paramount

importance to make decisions and place orders at the

most suitable point in time,’ remarked Henning Pommer.

The UFS-team presently consists of seven people: the

two managing directors (and brothers) Henning and

Holger Pommer, the bunker purchasers & brokers Tatjana

Bier, Christoph Jansen, and Richard Wagenaar followed

by two assistants, Stefanie Scheeper and Sylvia Oltmann-

Kaufmann. UFS presently looks for an additional qualified

marine fuel broker/purchaser that likes to support the

team. A focus of this acting role is to help UFS stay on

top of the ever-changing legal, technical and logistical

dynamics of the bunker market.

UFS ‘excellence’ helps BBC Chartering

Generally speaking, UFS cares for all bunker related

matters for the group. The main focus is organising the

commercial aspects of a bunker delivery. Upon receiving

the bunker order from the operations department,

UFS interprets market information and formulates a >>>

‘fueled by excellence’

or a shipping company but still has the power to

severely impact results and quickly turn any project

into a loss-maker. Depending on the lead currency of a

business, this effect gets amplified with an exposure to

foreign currencies, as we see in the trading currency of

commodities such as oil which today is tied to the USD.

As member of the Briese Group of companies BBC

Chartering can enjoy a professional approach in the

active management of this significant risk and cost

component to the benefit of a global clientele. United


shipping

strategy for purchasing the fuel. The main factors

considered are price, quality and availability. Ongoing

communication with the operations department is

essential to ensure that bunker orders are placed in a

timely manner at the most suitable port on the schedule.

UFS also proactively explores local bunker supply markets

to ensure that BBC Chartering’s fleet is assured of quality

bunkers on a global basis.‘

Claims, be it large or small, are handled by the UFS team

as well as other matters which can arise and normally

cause headaches to operators. Providing support in

quality and quantity disputes, credit control and generally

advising the operations and chartering departments of

clients are all part of the role that UFS plays.

UFS always strives to acquire the highest quality bunkers,

whilst maintaining a close eye on all prices offered in

the market from qualified sources. ‘We keep in mind the

phrase ‘if you pay peanuts you get monkeys’, and this

leads us to continually check and evaluate bunker prices

and qualities from our chosen suppliers,’ added Henning

Pommer.

UFS sees the bunker market as a small but complex

environment, built largely on personal relationships that

abide a certain code of unwritten rules and conduct.

Therefore, UFS concentrates on forging long-term

professional partnerships with its business partners.

„You can only realize successes in this market if you work

together and act responsibly. Those who do not follow

page 10 | excellencepage 8 | excellence

these beliefs will only find short term success in the market,’

Holger Pommer amends.

Jointly developing in the future

‘In every aspect of the work we represent the interest of

the carriers for which we arrange bunker. In dealing with

huge numbers one can easily imagine that purchasing

bunker is a matter of trust, reliability and foremost

credibility. Today this seems more important than ever.

This aspect is considered in two ways: first we have to be

able to get credit for bunker purchases that often have

payment terms of 30 days, and second bunker suppliers

are also often used as a ‘hidden source’ for corporate

credit checks for shipping companies. We are aware of this

responsibility and appreciate a developing partnership

as the bunker desk of BBC Chartering and other leading

shipping companies,’ says Henning Pommer.

BBC Chartering and UFS can look back at a successful

co-operation of the businesses since the establishment

of UFS. ‘It helps us tremendously in our daily business

of operating our vessels. We appreciate if we only have

one partner to talk to that takes care of all bunker related

business aspects. The fact that UFS is a company group

member gives us additional confidence in a trustable

partner. We can rely on the quality attitude of the UFS

staff’s constant striving to meet our expectations. We know

that we share the same purpose. This helps to make things

easier,’ says Svend Andersen, CEO of BBC Chartering. rf

purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 11purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 9

Schuesselkorb 17/18 · D-28195 Bremen · Germany

Phone: +49 421 8357600 · Fax: +49 421 835760 -99

Email: [email protected]

| excellencepage 10 | excellence

no ‘excellence’ without ‘care’!

Van Doosselaere & Achten – taking care of business in Antwerp

As per Wikipedia, the term shipping agent refers

to the relationship between the principal (in this case

the shipping company conveying the goods) and its

representative, whereby the principal, expressly or

impliedly, authorizes the agent to work under his control

and on his behalf.

Shipping agents are responsible for handling shipments

and cargo at ports and harbors worldwide on behalf of

shipping companies. Sometimes they are also referred

to as port agents or cargo brokers. Depending on the

shipping company they render specific services as port

agents, liner agents or owner agents.

Closely collaborating with the ship’s operator, agents

ensure that essential supplies, crew transfers, customs

documentation and waste declarations are all arranged

purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 11purpose. conviction. quality attitude. | page 11

with the port authorities without delay. Quite often,

they also provide the shipping company with updates

and reports on activities at the destination port so that

shipping companies have up-to-the minute information

available to them at all times while goods are in transit.

Agents as benevolent elves

As helping hands they quietly and efficiently take care of

all the regular routine tasks of a shipping company. As a

service that often goes on unnoticed in the background,

agency activities represent crucial elements in the chain

of experiences that BBC Chartering clients have during

the transport execution.

Over the years BBC Chartering has build up an agency

network which today comprises about 300 shipping

agents worldwide. A global shipping company needs to

be represented in almost each port of the world. Now

with Antwerp we are looking at one of Europe’s largest

sea ports. And with Van Doosselaere & Achten we are

looking at BBC Chartering’s agent which has a handful

of work with BBC’s assignments in Antwerp as a central

liner connection point.

We are happy that we had the opportunity to talk to Eliane

Achten, the third generation representative heading the

activities of this agency run in a family tradition.

Starting the business by helping to re-build Europe

In 1939 Paul van Doosselaere founded the Company

P.van Doosselaere which however remained dormant

in the six troubling war years until 1945. ‘Soon after the

war the business was revitalized through the company’s

nomination as agents for New York based ‘State Marine

Lines’. This shipping company was instrumental in

bringing all types of aid cargo to devastated Europe

under the umbrella of the Marshall Plan. Antwerp was

chosen as destination due to the little to no damages the

harbor and its crucial installations received during the

war,’ says Eliane Achten.

Paul van Doosselaere was soon joined by his friend and

business partner Charles Vanderkerckhove and his son

in law, Désiré Achten. This is when the company got

renamed then to Van Doosselaere & Co. and later to Van

Doosselaere & Achten (VDA).

In the early expansion phase of the business other

representations followed such as the general >>>

agency of Navigation Maritime Bulgare from Varna

(Bulgaria),Hellenic Lines Piraeus (Greece), and Belgian

Fruit Lines from Antwerp, with the last being co-owned

by the agency and the fruit importers.

Blows of fate

A shock hit the company in 1963, when the driving force

of the company by that time, Désiré Achten, passed away

at age 52. ‘I remember it was quite a heavy blow of fate

to me. And now me, just having graduated law school, I

had to grow into the role of leading the family business.

Congratulations, young Ms. Eliane Achten, you are the

first woman to head this business in a man’s shipping

world,‘ Eliane Achten remembers this difficult time. „In

2010, we suffered another big loss. It was a shock that

my daughter, Aline Koninckx, at age 44 and designated

to be my successor and the 4th generation to lead the

business, was taken away from us. As a consequence

today, we are preparing the 5th generation to take over

the steering wheel of Van Doosselaere & Achten.‘

Increase heavy lift competences in Antwerp

In the early 1960’ies it was also the time the company had

to manage the increased demand from the development

of many national shipping lines that emerged as public

interest services to support the economic goals of its

founding nations. Van Doosselaere & Achten became

agent to the Nigerian National Shipping Line, Unithai

Bangkok, Djakarta Lloyd, Flota Mercante Grancolombiana

(FMG), Compania Venezolana de Vapores (CAVN),

Peruana de Vapores, and Safmarine, which later also

acquired the Belgian Line (CMBT). Especially the

engagement in the Orange River project (in the late

1960’ies) with the representation of Safmarine led the

Antwerp port authorities to increase the ports heavy lift

capabilities.

Focus on South America and West Africa

Building on its past experience VDA developed as leading

agent in Antwerp focusing on South America and West

Africa. Representing the English carriers Elder Dempster

and Palm Line, the Norwegian carriers Hoegh Line and

Delmas allowed VDA to provide a wide range of services

covering the shipment of containers, bagged cargoes,

bulk and break-bulk cargoes. A joint agency got created

with Delmas as carrier, but following its acquisition

by French investment group Bolloré, this venture got

dissolved shortly thereafter.

From national carriers to mega carriers

Due to the 1974 Code of Conduct for Liner Conferences

17 and the 40-40-20 (representing agreed shares of

business: 40% for national carriers, 40% for European

lines conference members and 20% for outsiders)

page 12 | excellence

national carriers played a substantial role until 1990. In

practice, this rule led to the existence of several shipping

companies without ships, selling their country’s share

of cargo to foreign companies, without accepting any

responsibility for the quality or cost of services. Faced

with numerous constraints, shipping lines strategies have

been focused on conferences, niches’ quest and stopping

the erosion of tariffs, which decreased in the end of the

1990s. Market liberalization was enforced and as a result of

this brought an end of the 40-40-20 in several countries.

National shipping lines have greatly diminished in size and

importance with a few exceptions. The shipping industry

now became dominated by a few companies, the ‘mega-

carriers’, organized in global consortia and able to offer

lower rates for shippers.

‘From then on, such new commercial lines dominated

the business and this evolution certainly represented

a milestone in the history of VDA. Mainly German

shipowners entrusted their agency to us and we have

taken this opportunity to further develop our services

and NVOCC activities.’ It was then when VDA decided

to also act as ocean freight carrier and issues own bills

of lading without operating the vessels by which ocean

transportation is provided.

Developing partnerships needed to succeed

On its course to seek further possibilities to expand its

business, VDA acquired the agency company Grisar &

Velge, and with that obtained the representation of OPDR

Hamburg which plays an important role as European

short sea carrier. ‘The representation of BBC Chartering

was one of the last successes and consolidated the break-

bulk division for VDA,’ Ms. Achten proudly confirms.

One can recognize that VDA’s business also means to

forge co-operations with partners, all of which VDA claims

have been successful, but due to ongoing consolidation in

the industry many were of temporary nature.

With any representation and partnership Van Doosselaere

& Achten follows the same mission, i.e. to support and

develop effective and efficient supply chain solutions

for its customers when it comes to ocean carriage, port

handling and hinterland logistics.

Other lasting co-operations were built with Menzell-

Doehle Hamburg and Solman-Neptun. The founding of

‘Neptumar’ is an offspring of the later representation

and operates successfully as recognized agency also

offering the planning and implementation of supply chain

solutions.

‘Our core activities fall in four divisions. We take care of

customers seeking services for the shipping and handling

of (1) containers, (2) break-bulk cargoes, (3) general

forwarding arrangements and (4) NVOCC activities. Our

port services represent a separate legal entity due to

the very specific nature of the work, associated liabilities

and also the servicing of ships which are not handled

commercially by us. With currently about 90 employees

we take care of business in all these fields,’ says Ms.

Achten.

Ongoing change requires fresh thinking

The markets changes continuously. Ongoing consolidation

can be observed in the container sector on the East/West

trades. ‘This leads large players to integrate their own

agency service network into their organizations, forcing

external agents such as VDA to question their strategies

and eventually forces them out of the market for this

share of business,’ Eliane Achten remarks.

VDA believes its location is beneficial as central hub that

helps facilitating Europe’s North/West cargo traffic.

Trying to leverage this position the company can access

the manifold links that Antwerp provides to the hinterland

by road, river barge and rail connections to France,

Germany, Switzerland, and Northern Italy. ‘We have

valuable contacts all over Europe that we link with the

excellent hinterland connections to the Port of Antwerp

as a strategic landing location. This strengthens our role

as freight forwarder,’ states Eliane Achten. ‘For the short

sea container trade we can also see that an important role

for us is laid aside, as this type of traffic gains popularity

over inland transportation due to the increase of energy

cost and congestions.’

Break-bulk cargo marks a very important pillar of VDA’s

activities. ‘We are developing own marketing activities

and with the help of our principals, we support the

opening of new routes. BBC Chartering has always been a

strategic development partner for this business and with

the new ‘excellence’ magazine it gives us the possibility

to further capitalize on the BBC Chartering offerings and

improve our marketing,’ Ms. Achten states. ‘At the same

time using this magazine helps us to create goodwill

amongst our fellow port service providers since it allows

us to create some sense of belonging to our activities. In

general we are grateful for this, as we are always looking

for ways to increase our activities as project cargo and

break-bulk logistic provider. As an example, we are close

to Arcelor as we handle all their ships in port, and we are

open to play this role for many more clients.’

Think global but act local

Global freight forwarders have played an important

role in developing Antwerp’s importance as continental

logistic hub. ‘With these forwarders we enjoy excellent

relationships. Our contacts are very good and as such we

are entrusted with the most diverse cargoes of all origins.

The industry in our part of the world is extremely varied and

our sales and marketing people visit clients on a regular


basis. And since Antwerp also has an excellent reputation

as chemical and petrochemical port we also handle a

lot of liquids for global players in the chemical industry,’

explains Eliane Achten. ‘As a small country Belgium

always had to look over the border for its economic

development. We are a medium size family business

and we are also extremely international in our business

approach. Maybe it was our seafaring origin that helped

us on the way.’ As chairman for nine years, Elaine Achten

headed the local port promotion organization (Assiport)

and organized missions all over the world together with

the port authorities, fellow agents, forwards and terminal

operators. The purpose followed was always to learn

more about the client’s requirements and the subsequent

continuous fostering of local service improvements for all

parties that have been involved.

Quality starts with people acting

‘For us quality management is before anything else to lead

the company to success. Quality starts with the people

that work for the company. They should find pleasure in

fulfilling their tasks and find satisfaction in what they do.

This is the basis how everyone can evolve and become

better at what he or she does. If this is not the case, you

will have grunting people that are unaware of the fact that

they often seek to spoil the work of others overlooking

their own wonderful potentials’, notes Eliane Achten. ‘As

company leader and manager I seek to share the burden of

responsibility with people that act responsibly. In order to

do this, I have faith and trust in the developing capabilities

of our people. This is of paramount importance to me.’

‘I like to apply the same principle to the work which

simply has to be accomplished. One can always choose

to like it or not. If you don’t like what you do, it does not

necessarily mean that it gets better if you do what you

like! The highest attention and care needs to be given

to protect the interests of the customers. My advice to

anyone: There is no ‘excellence’ without ‘care’! This applies

to every facet of the management of the company. Avoid

pre-mature jumping to conclusion as this disqualifies

most approaches and kills initiative of those who do care,’

states Elaine Achten wisely. ‘Realizing this, I like to share

my favorite quote of Sir Noël Peirce Coward with you. It

goes: Work is more fun than fun!’ rf


regular service to venezuela and trinidad & tobagoCaytransBBC, a service of Caytrans & BBC Chartering

managed by Dan-Gulf shipping, introduces regular

sailings of its break bulk vessels from the US Gulf to

Venezuela and Trinidad & Tobago twice a month start-

ing October 2011.

The service loads out of Care Terminals in Houston

and Alabama State Docks in Mobile and discharges

in Pt. Lisas, Trinidad. Other load ports are offered on

an inducement basis.The increased frequency to

Venezuela and the establishment of a new regular

service to Trinidad is a logical extension of the

service CaytransBBC operates to North Coast South

America primarily serving the energy and mining

sector.

CaytransBBC is a joint venture service of the leading

German multipurpose and heavy-lift fleet operator BBC

Chartering and New Orleans based Caytrans Project

Services (Americas). The company operates box

shaped multipurpose tween-deckers ranging from

3,500dwat to 6,000dwat and offers lifting capacities

up to 120mt. On a demand basis, the service can

access a fleet of 140 multi-purpose vessels which is

operated by BBC Chartering and offers clients lifting

capacities up to 800mt.


CaytransBBC, New Orleans

Phone+1 504 830 3900

[email protected]

BBC Chartering, Houston

Phone +1 713 668 4020

[email protected]

BBC Chartering, Bogota

Phone +57 1 62 12 833

[email protected]

| excellence

BBC Chartering has introduced a global project

division aiming at the exclusive delivery of heavy lift

project tenders especially targeting the offshore, oil

& gas sector. Two new vessel types are instrumental

in developing the project division activities. The BBC

Everest and the BBC Amber type. Both vessel concepts

follow one mission: helping a client’s project succeed

with efficient tonnage. The new building program under

delivery increases the BBC fleet’s lifting capacities from

formerly 500mt now up to 800mt. This also represents a

milestone in the company’s development.

‘We are aware of the fact that operating and marketing

of vessels capacity is not sufficient if we strive for a

leading role in this market segment. Many projects in this

range follow a different sales cycle and delivery process

if compared to our traditional business, especially

regarding the required transport engineering,’ explains

Svend Andersen, Managing Director of BBC Chartering.

‘We can clearly see the benefits of a dedicated set-up

for these types of cargo. By the end of 2013 we plan to

operate 22 vessels in this segment. This requires us to

step up and assume our responsibility as competitive

player in this segment. We are committed to follow this

call.’

Heavy lift project competence,fleet modernizationand renewal program

Roberto Frigeni heads BBC Chartering’s project division

activities that are organized as a cross-functional service

unit. Mr. Frigeni brings in more than 18 years experience

in the project cargo and heavy lift sector. Clients are

supported by an experienced and professional team

covering all relevant aspects of the work. This concludes

sales engineering and tender management in the tender

phase, project management and transport engineering

in the execution phase, and relevant HSEQ management

throughout the delivery of a project in a joint process

with the client.

‘We are prepared and we will continue to strengthen the

world wide setup of our services supplying the required

resources that enable us to effectively manage and deliver

on project tenders and their engineering requirements.

The transport engineering represents a weighty line of

action,’ states Mr. Frigeni confidently.

The project division can be contacted around the

globe through representatives in Houston, Sao Paolo,

Genoa, Singapore and Leer. For inquiries please contact

[email protected]. rf

introducing the bbc chartering

project division


| excellence

Classification GL + 100 A5 E3 IW BWM

DG + MC E3 AUT

GT/NT 12,838 / 5,968

Deadweight (summer) 14,360 mt

Max. draft (summer) 9.10 m

Length o.a. 153.44 m

Breadth moulded 23.20 m

Speed 17.5 knots

Cargo hold capacity 18,176 cbm / 641,878 cbft

Floor space under deck 2,986 sqm / 32,141 sqft

Floor space on deck 1,891 sqm / 20,354 sqft

Cranes 2 NMF cranes situated portside

400 mt capacity each

800 mt capacity combined

Plus 1 NMF crane situated

starboardside, 80 mt capacity

Container intake 958 TEU nominal

Deck strengths per sqm 20.00 mt on tanktop

5.00 mt on tweendeck

5.00 mt on hatchcovers

14x BBC Amber typeMultipurpose heavy lifter with tween-deck

The BBC Amber represents the first of a series of 14

vessels that BBC Chartering is taking delivery of. The

14,360 dwt vessel series allows a maximum draft of 9.10m

and features a combined lifting capacity of 800mt.

A universal cargo hold measuring 83m x 19m and a

wheelhouse located at the forecastle of the ship turn the

vessels of this series into precious assets that can deliver

to new standards.


Classification GL + 100 A5 ICE E G

BWM + MC E AUT

GT/NT 8,255 / 3,966

Deadweight (summer) 9,282 mt

Max. draft (summer) 7.60 m

Length o.a. 125.80 m

Breadth moulded 22.00 m

Speed 16.5 knots

Cargo hold capacity 12,391 cbm / 437,583 cbft

Floor space under deck 2,286 sqm / 24,606 sqft

Floor space on deck 1,245 sqm / 13,401 sqft

Cranes 2 NMF cranes situated portside

350 mt capacity each

700 mt capacity combined

Container intake 660 TEU nominal

60 reefer plugs on deck

Deck strengths per sqm 16.00 mt on tanktop

4.70 mt on tweendeck

2.20 mt on hatchcovers

8x BBC Everest typeMultipurpose heavy lifter with tween-deck

The BBC Everest and the BBC Fuji are the first two

vessels out of a series of eight joining the BBC Chartering

fleet. With a 9,282 dwt, a maximum draft of 7.60m and

a combined lifting capacity of 700mt these vessels are

made to be flexible workhorses.

The sister vessels are the BBC Kibo, BBC Mont Blanc,

BBC Olympus, BBC Rushmore, BBC Vesuvius, and the

BBC Vinson.

Preparation + Opportunity = Success

| excellence

BBC Chartering announces the commencement of a

new monthly liner service that connects loading ports in

the Mediterranean with the East Coast of Latin America

starting November/December 2011.

With this step the company responds to the solid demand

it encounters for the shipping of capital goods in the

mining and energy sector due to the ongoing positive

development of major investment projects in South

America.

‘We are glad that we can now also offer regular

connections from Turkey and Italy to South America.’

states Matteo Fortuna, Managing Director of BBC

Chartering in Genoa. ‘Latin America has always been an

important focus region of our shipping activities. Today

we can enjoy a well earned reputation with international

shippers as a reliable and flexible shipping partner. We

are glad that we continue to become the carrier of choice

for their assignments, not only for shipments to this

region,’ Mr. Fortuna confirms.

The new service is marketed under the name ‘BBC

Americana Line – Med Service’ and calls loading ports

Izmir, Porto Maghera, and Genoa in the Med and discharges

in Suape, Rio de Janeiro, Santos and last Buenos Aires.

The company states that other ports en route can be

called on inducement basis.

This service represents the tenth regular intercontinental

connection to South America of BBC Chartering since

the commencement of the liner activities to the region

in 2005. The initial sailing on that route leaving the

Mediterranean left the Med just recently in December 2011.

BBC Chartering introduces

additional Trans-Atlantic ServiceNew monthly liner service connects Mediterranean with East Coast of South America

Intermodal South America is the leading integrated exhibition

and conference event for international trade, logistics, transport

and cargo handling in Latin America. The event stages over 450

exhibitors from all over the world, presenting new products,

the latest equipments and technology innovations. A vast

conference program complements this event. The event

expects about 45,000 participating professionals.

Event date Location

April 10 - 12, 2012 Transamerica Expo Center, Sao Paulo,

Brazil, Booth# B-53

Intermodal 2012

Expomin is one of the world‘s most important mining

exhibitions and is well recognized as a key industry event for

suppliers in the Latin American region. The mining sector is

fundamental to the Chilean economy. Chile has become the

copper mining capital of the world, producing over 1/3 of the

global copper output. The confirmed investments in the sector

amount to US$ 60 billion in the period 2011-2015.

Event date Location

April 9 - 13, 2012 Espacio Riesco Convention Center,

Santiago, Chile, Booth# 600A-2B

Expomin 2012

Following the Breakbulk conference series in Europe,

North America and Singapore, organizers will now inaugurate

Breakbulk China in Shanghai early 2012. This brings an important

event in the heavy-lift, project cargo and breakbulk sector to

the world’s largest port city.

Event date Location

Feb. 28 – March 1, 2012 New International Expo Centre,

Shanghai, China, Booth# F06

Breakbulk China 2012


BBC events Q1/Q2 2012

One may say that ‘the art of living consists of seeing

the wonderful in the ordinary’, as Pearl S. Buck is often

famously cited. Shipping can be perceived as ‘ordinary

trade’ in this world. Excitingly this often delivers crucial

items that support the global economic development

and in this case also cargoes that help to expand our

knowledge as scientific society.

Today we talk about the BBC Ems, the BBC Arizona, or

the BBC Virginia and many more BBC Chartering vessels

that have delivered components that progress our

understanding about the origins of life or at least the

promise of it through cosmic observations. Uncoinci-

dental BBC Chartering was selected to deliver shipping

capacity for this stellar project: the delivery of currently

the most advanced cosmic radio telescope called ‘ALMA

.

Studying the cool universe

ALMA stands for Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-milli-

meter Array, and represents a single research instrument

composed of up to 80 high-precision antennas. It is located

on the Chajnantor plain of the Chilean Andes in the district

of San Pedro de Atacama at 5,000 meters above sea

level.

ALMA will be the forefront instrument for studying the

cool universe - the relic radiation of the Big Bang, the

molecular gas and dust that constitutes the building

blocks of stars, planetary systems, galaxies, and life itself.

This material typically resides at temperatures of 3-100°

Kelvin, resulting in spectral energy distributions peaking

at sub-millimeter to far-infrared wavelengths.

It operates at wavelengths of 0.3 to 9.6 millimeters, above

the Earth’s atmosphere which is dry and sight is largely

transparent. It will provide astronomers unprecedented

sensitivity and resolution. The 12-m antennas will have

reconfigurable baselines ranging from 15m to 16 km.

Resolutions as fine as 0.005’ will be achieved at the

highest frequencies, a factor of ten better than the Hubble

Space Telescope. ALMA will be a complete astronomical

imaging and spectroscopic instrument, providing

scientists with capabilities and wavelength coverage that

complement those of other research facilities of its era,

such as the Expanded Very Large Array (EVLA), the

European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), and the

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

An international research co-operation

The ALMA project is a partnership between Europe,

East Asia and North America in cooperation with the

Republic of Chile. ALMA is funded in Europe by the

European Southern Observatory (ESO), in East Asia by

the National Institutes of Natural Sciences of Japan in

cooperation with the Academia Sinica in Taiwan and in

North America by the U.S. National Science Foundation

in cooperation with the National Research Council of

Canada. ALMA construction and operations are led on

behalf of Europe by ESO, on behalf of East Asia by the

National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ)

and on behalf of North America by the National Radio

Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), which is managed by

Associated Universities, Inc.

The ALMA antennas

The antennas are central to the ALMA project. Their

quality and performance define the overall functionality

of ALMA. The specifications of each antenna are 2’

absolute pointing over the whole sky, 0.6’ tracking, and

a 25 micrometer RMS surface accuracy (RMS expresses

a wave front variance as the Root Mean Squared value of


a cosmicshipping project

the wavefront over the pupil, i.e. the diameter of mirror).

These are very tight specifications for radio-telescopes

fully exposed to the harsh weather environment at

5,000 m altitudes. In view of the difficulties in fulfilling

these requirements, prototype antennas were supplied

by three companies: the AEM Consortium (procured by

ESO), Vertex RSI (procured by NRAO for North America)

and Mitsubishi Electrical Company (procured by NAOJ,

Japan).

Intense testing led to further improvement and eventually

the North American partners of the ALMA project, through

AUI, signed a contract to supply up to 25 antennas, with

options to increase to 32 antennas, with Vertex RSI on

July 11, 2005. On December 6, 2005, the ESO Director

General signed a contract with the AEM Consortium

(composed of Thales Alenia Space, European Industrial

Engineering, and MT-Mechatronics) for the supply of 25

ALMA antennas, with options to increase the number of

antennas to 32. The four antennas measuring 12 meters

in diameter and the twelve antennas measuring 7 meters

in diameter are to be provided by Japan. They have been

ordered from Mitsubishi Electrical Company.

The ALMA science objectives

ALMA will provide an unprecedented combination

of sensitivity, angular resolution, spectral resolution,

and imaging fidelity at the shortest radio wavelengths

for which the Earth’s atmosphere is transparent. It

will provide scientists with an instrument capable of

producing detailed images of the formation of galaxies,

stars and planets in both continuum and the emission

lines of interstellar molecules. It will capture images of

stars and planets being formed in gas clouds near the Sun

and will observe galaxies in their formative stages at the

edge of the Universe, which we see as they were roughly

ten billion years ago.

A World Class Observatory in the Desert

The ALMA Array Operations Site (AOS) is a truly unique

and unusual place: the Altiplano de Chajnantor, a plateau

at an altitude of 5,000 meters in the Atacama Desert

in Chile. This location was selected due to many well

scientific reasons, particularly dryness and altitude.

Considering these aspects, the ALMA Observatory is

unique because of its ambitious scientific goals, the

unprecedented technical requirements and the harsh

environment at the AOS.

The ALMA Observatory will be operated at two distinct

sites, far away from comfortable living conditions of

modern civilization. The ALMA Operations Support

Facilities (OSF) will be the base camp for the everyday,

routine operation of the observatory. It is located at an

altitude of about 2,900 meters, which quite high compared

to standard living conditions, but still acceptable.

However, the OSF will not only serve as the location

for operating the joint ALMA observatory, it is also the

assembly, integration, verification, and commissioning

station for all the high technology equipment before they

are moved to the Array Operations Site (AOS), located at

5,000 meters altitude.

The Operations Support Facilities (OSF) is presently the

area where all ALMA Site contractors and their staff are

accommodated. Special camps have been erected that

can accommodate up to 500 workers. It is the central

location for running the observatory and taking care of

all maintenance and operations aspects. In the operations

phase it is the workplace of the astronomers verifying the

quality of the ALMA data and of the teams responsible for

maintaining proper functioning of all the telescopes. >>>


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| excellence

Transportation of ALMA antennas

It was early 2009 when the first Antennas of the project were

delivered from Aviles, Spain to Antofagasta, Chile onboard

the BBC Andino Express Line – European Service. This is a

regular liner service that BBC Chartering has developed in

2005. Today this connection serves one of the most exciting

cosmic projects in the world.

The antennas were wrapped and dismantled into three

components. One radio telescope shipment consists of the

radio telescopic base (~50mt), two yokes (~each about 20mt)

and a few containers storing other smaller components. In

shipping terms, the entire antenna displaces about 100mt

and represents a comparably small but very sensitive cargo.

‘It is for this reason why the antenna’s equipment had to

be loaded in the mid-ship segment,’ states Christian Buss,

Chartering Broker of BBC Chartering Leer, and continues

‘this is an area where cargoes usually encounter least motion

forces from the sailing of the ship through wind and water.’

After their four to five week journey to Chile, the components

were unloaded and carried to the Operations Support

Facility (OSF). Upon their assembly and acceptance testing

a special transporter takes them to the high plateau to the

observatory’s Array Operation Site (AOS).

The first antennas supplied by Vertex RSI have been delivered

to Chile in 2007. The first antenna to be supplied by the AEM

Consortium got delivered early 2009, traveling onboard the


BBC Sweden. Meanwhile the four Japanese 12meter antennas

have also been delivered to the Operations Support Facility

(OSF). Just recently the last three of the twelve Japanese

7meter antennas were transported on board the BBC

Virginia from Kobe to Mejillones. To date, BBC Chartering has

transported a total of twelve antennas from Japan and sixteen

antennas from Europe for this project. Two more are planned

to be loaded in December 2011, increasing this to 18 in totals

for this year. The remaining seven antennas from Europe will

follow early 2012.

‘As the output of antennas follows specific production

schedules, we and our clients appreciate the availability of

a regular connection that helps to deliver these cargoes to

their destination in Chile. BBC Chartering could convince

with its flexible, yet reliable and practical approach delivering

a convenient and valuable service helping us to ship the

antennas to Chile,’ says Ulrich Kleckers of Alca Transitario S.A.,

the Spanish logistics firm charged to arrange the European

antenna logistics.

‘We are excited to contribute to this amazing project,’ says

Peter Roland, Managing Director at BBC Chartering’s Tokyo

branch who worked closely on this assignment with the UK

office of logistics firm Schenker. ‘We can appreciate that we

were the shipping partner of choice for the Japanese portion

of this prestigious project and it has been a true pleasure to

work hand in hand with our friends from Schenker UK.’

Traditional shipping meets cosmic endeavor. Surely special –

yet another step ‘anchored by excellence’. rf


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| excellence

‘excellence’ in shipping

on a quest to continued


Changes challenging the shipping industry

Ship owners and operators are facing a dramatically

changing business landscape. According to the

Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI), this is influenced

by a multitude of factors which fall into three major

categories:

First off there is a changing economic context with

changing trade patterns, governance and sustainability

regulations, which raises questions on industry growth

and ocean governance issues.

Second off, we can observe increasing expectations and

scrutiny of market participants, clients, investors, NGOs,

etc. regarding speed, security, price, and returns but also

vessel efficiency, emissions, biodiversity, and compliance

with environmental/labor rights. This brings up questions

on both openness and means of communication and the

messages companies send out to the market.

Third, the future of energy sources and climate change

becoming ever more visible goes along with the end

of the ‘easy-oil-age’, a high volatility in fuel prices, the

required reduction of greenhouse gases and measurable

global warming. This poses questions with regards to the

future suitability of existing vessels, the global shipping

capacity and future investments in new technologies that

improve ships and shipping processes.

In addition and mostly influenced by the shifting of

global demand, ongoing over-tonnage, changing trade

patterns, and the high volatility in fuel prices today - both

ship owners and operators face questions about their

immediate and long term solvency which in turn drives

industry consolidation.

Change, adoption, fixation

Every so often we experience fundamental changes in

the very nature of how we live and as a consequence of

how our businesses operate. Today we can witness such

an upheaval. Recent and radical volatility in the price

of oil will fuel even more the discussion on how we live

our lives, what business strategies we employ, where we

invest our money, what types of job we seek, and what

kind of business we create – more than probably any

phenomenon since the advent of the Internet.

Is this an overstatement? Not if we depend on the

availability of cheap and abundant energy to fuel our

cars, heat our homes, propel our ships, fly our planes. Our

physical well-being today is inevitably tied to the price

of oil.

Prepare for opportunities

Many opportunities can emerge out of the challenges and

risks faced by industry players. They will look different

depending on perceptions and viewpoints and so will

decisions, thus raising the question of a shared ‘strategic

imperative’ for market participants or lobbying groups.

Owners and charterers serve the same purpose but, due

to the nature of their businesses and as a consequence of

their commitments, they follow different goals. Still we all

share the underlying crucial mechanisms that enable us

to adopt: competition & cooperation.

There are many ways to innovate in the industry turning

questions into answers, challenges into opportunities.

Often groundbreaking ideas or innovations create the

opportunities by themselves. Still anything has to prove

its purpose of existence. Competition and co-operations

are helpful mechanisms that drive this game on different

levels. We can be successful when our preparations hit

opportunities. Not being prepared, as an individual or

as an organization, represents an almost certain path to

failure.

A call to leaders

Leadership is more than responding to areas where

there is a clear business case today but also shaping and

anticipating the industry of tomorrow.

Successful companies have strong leaders that are able

to recognize the challenges and opportunities that lie

ahead, and they are also able to guide their organizations

in developing appropriate business models, practices and

policies that will define the future operating environment.

Friends of green shipping are leaders – they understand

this. While pioneering new practice they create a new

vision to work towards. They understand the imperative

of competition and cooperation - not only in the shipping

industry - and want to profit from it.

We know what we know, but we also know there is a lot

more that we do not know. And this fate we share with

every living human and organization on earth. However,

we can always learn and improve. And this seems the

only way. We like to take this opportunity to learn with

you. Please e-mail us your opinion to innovate@bbc-

chartering.com. rf

BBC Chartering and Skysails set out to create ‘green shipping’ awareness

A merchant vessel using wind power for propulsion

sounds more like a historic concept. Today this gains

popularity again although the application of such

concept may look different. The multipurpose freighter

BBC SkySails is a vessel that features an innovative wind

propulsion technology, more specifically a kite that tows

the ship.

The BBC SkySails is fitted with the latest prototype

propulsion support system with a towing kite surface of

320m2. The technology is a development of the Hamburg

based company SkySails, an expert and technology

leader in the field of auxiliary wind power propulsion

support systems and vessel performance management.

The BBC SkySails uses the towing-kite as auxiliary

propulsion support whenever the wind conditions allow.

In good wind conditions the SkySails system can replace

up to 2,000 kW of the main engine’s propulsion power

thus saving fuel and emissions.

The goal of this joint project between BBC Chartering

and SkySails is to further probe and improve the practical

application and the long-term energy and emissions

saving benefit of the system, but at the same time use the

system to create awareness for ‘green shipping’.

‘There are many technological developments underway

that innovate the way we execute shipping in the future.

Clients expect us to assume responsibility for a sustainable

development of our business. At BBC Chartering there

will always be efforts underway that push into this

direction. Today we support such an effort through this

cooperation with SkySails. By adding BBC SkySails to our

fleet, we can offer our customers an innovative means to

reduce emissions and at the same time demonstrate a

measurable way to support both credibility and visibility

of their corporate sustainability strategies.’

‘The SkySails wind propulsion system as cutting edge

technology offers cargo owners and shippers the

possibility to share into our joint responsibility for green

actions. We notice high attention from single market

participants but also industry associations that see their

leadership role as an opportunity in creating ‘green

awareness’ and call for responsible actions amongst

peers. We look forward in developing such ideas together

with BBC Chartering and other interested parties.’

Green light to set sail with BBC SkySails

Svend Andersen, CEO of BBC Chartering Stephan Wrage, CEO of SkySails


Using the cheapest, most powerful, and greenest source of energy

The worldwide patented SkySails propulsion system

consists of three main components: a towing kite with

rope, a launch and recovery system, and a control system

for automated operation. The kite’s launching is an easy

process where first the fabric is taken out of the storage

compartment, second the baled kite unfolds at the top of

the telescopic mast, and third the sail gets launched to

the desired yielding altitude.

Steered by a control pod underneath, the towing kite

performs regular dynamic flight maneuvers in the air in

front of the ship to generate propulsion. This tractive force

is transmitted to the ship through a towing rope made of

high-strength synthetic fiber. The ship’s officers operate

the SkySails system using a control panel installed on

the bridge. The launch and recovery process is partly

automated and requires only a few simple actions by

the crew on the foredeck. The towing kite is controlled

automatically by autopilot software at all times while in

flight mode.

SkySails’ mission is to constantly improve the system’s

efficiency and its ease of use while maintaining required

safety standards. Obviously, with wind being much

cheaper and cleaner than burning oil, a successful

application of this principle makes the SkySails system an

attractive technology that allows both reducing operating

cost and emissions.

Green force at work on BBC SkySails


SkySails GmbH

Veritaskai 3 · 21079 Hamburg · Germany

Phone +49 40 702990

Fax +49 40 70299333

E-mail [email protected]

Additional information is available at

www.skysails.com

| excellence

The ISL - Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics

was founded in Bremen in 1954. By combining tradition

with modern science, Bremen can pride itself hosting

one of Europe’s leading institutes in the area of maritime

research, consulting and knowledge transfer.

Today, about 60 employees at the ISL offices in Bremen

and Bremerhaven handle projects from all over the world

in interdisciplinary teams. Whether in China and South-

East Asia, Saudi Arabia and Dubai or Russia and the

Ukraine, whether logistics systems, maritime economics

and transport or information logistics are concerned –

the ISL ensures that innovative ideas are developed into

solutions with practical applicability on behalf of project

partners from the public and private sector. For its efforts

the ISL is recognized on a national and international level.

Serving the public and private sector internationally

The ISL Department of Maritime Economics and Transport

advises clients from the areas of politics, business

and administration on matters relating to shipping,

harbours including their hinterland and shipbuilding

operations. In-depth analyses of influencing factors

and interdependencies as well as the development of

forecasts for the markets of the maritime economy form

the working basis in this field.

ISL experts also compile concepts for transportation

policy on a regional, national and international level and

develop qualitative/quantitative approaches to planning

and modelling traffic infrastructure for ground and

maritime transportation.

Overall, the ISL disposes of a broad spectrum of databases

and information services for the statistic analyses and

forecasts as well as the diverse consulting services based

on in-depth market information. In addition to economic

factors, the ISL also deals with issues in the area of

shipping and the environment to an increasing degree.

‘We see ourselves as a knowledge hub and initiator for

shipping economics and maritime logistics in Germany

and Europe’, says Prof. Dr. Burkhard Lemper, director of

the ISL. ‘We put clear emphasis on quality in research and

consulting for practical applicability in order to develop

and oversee innovations geared towards the market

environment and new scientific topics, both today and

tomorrow.’

Excellence in managing relevant information

In the Department of Logistics Systems, issues relating to

the future of logistics on behalf of clients are addressed.

An ISL core competence in this area is the corporate

system integration of intermodal transportation and the

configuration of synergetic regional networks comprising

hubs and logistics centres, for example. Innovative

approaches from the area of science are applied and

refined for issues such as meso-logistics, supply chain

controlling, resource efficiency or multi-agent systems.

The Department of Information Logistics offers compe-

tent services, products and innovative research relating

to information and simulation technologies in the

transportation industry. To achieve this, ISL experts

combine specialist knowledge of characteristic processes

in the area of logistics with efficient project management

and modern IT expertise.

ISL tasks concern the developing and networking of IT

systems for a cooperation along the transport chain (in-

house, web), the use of quantitative methods to support

the planning process and optimisation of logistics

processes or the planning and monitoring of intermodal

transport chains by means of active supply chain event

management. Prof. Dr. Burkhard Lemper adds: ‘In any

respect, our work is oriented towards the client and

the assigned tasks while we employ proven methods

and procedures. We accompany our clients through all

project phases: Analysis, design, implementation, launch,

maintenance and upkeep.’

ISL methods used around the world

Remarkably now for 20 years, the ISL has also specialized

in developing simulation systems which are used around

excellencein maritime logistics


the world for optimising container terminals, harbour

planning and analysing transportation networks. Current

focuses in this area lie on expanding productivity figures

with an evaluation of ecological effects and linking

simulation models with real control software (emulation),

particularly with respect to highly automated logistics

facilities.

Another specialist area of the ISL concerns Auto-

ID and container transport safety and addresses the

current issue of container safety in the framework of

national and international projects in cooperation with

partners from the transportation industry and official

bodies. The work in this area focuses on increasing the

level of transparency and consequently, effectiveness

in container transportation, e.g. by means of automatic

container identification. ISL’s work is based on extensive

analysis of underlying processes, legal principles and

provisions as well as issues of global standardization.

Delivering practical analysis and solutions

Hence, the ISL offers a wide variety of different services,

including but not limited to the shipping and port industry

that cover market analysis and forecast, feasibility

studies and business consultancy over simulation and

optimisation of business processes, as well as the design

of logistic concepts and regional planning up to advisory

for politics and administrations.

For the heavy lift and offshore industry the ISL has

produced market analyses on the development of business

in different industries that are most likely to ship project

cargo as well as in-depth fleet and competition analysis.

Amongst others the ISL also developed a dedicated tool

for the offshore-wind industry that aims at simulating and

optimizing supply-chains for the construction of offshore-

wind parks incorporating critical processes and factors

leading to operating bottlenecks (e.g. weather windows).

The ISL mission is excellence in maritime logistics.

‘Our activities focus on the practical application of the

solutions that we develop,’ states Mr. Lemper and adds

’We are always curious to learn about the challenges that

our clients face, and we hope our work continues to be of

benefit for them as we move on.’

| excellence

a call for excellence in controlling

the shipping cycles


A lot has changed in our industry on various levels. And

change goes on as we speak, and also the year 2012

challenges the players on a global scale. The ISL has

established itself as a key resource for market participants

in many shipping sectors. We appreciate the fact to have

the opportunity today to talk to Prof. Dr. Burkhard Lemper,

director of the ISL – Institute of Shipping Economics and

Logistics to elaborate on some key questions concerning

our industry today.

Raymond Fisch: Thanks Mr. Lemper for taking the time

to share with us some of your insights as we know that

our international clientele and partners will be keen on

learning about your work. Let us start with the question,

what your key observations regarding the development

of the international shipping landscape are?

Burkhard Lemper: My pleasure Mr. Fisch. First we could

observe that after the 2009 crisis most of the shipping

markets experienced a very strong recovery of demand.

Together with a reduced capacity growth due to

scrapping, cancellation of new-buildings, or delay in their

delivery, this led initially to rate increases.

However, the order book on new-building shipping

capacity is still very high and today the growth of capacity

in most shipping segments is much stronger than the

growth of demand. Therefore, the revenue situation in >>>

Prof. Dr. Burkhard Lemper is Director at the Institute

of Shipping Economics and Logistics (ISL), Bremen,

Germany and Head of the Maritime Economics and

Transport Department. He has managed a wide variety

of projects for individual clients in the maritime industry,

especially for port authorities, ship yards and shipping

companies. He has worked on studies for the German

Ministries of Transport as well as of Research and

Technology, Dealing with developments in the European

and world wide transport markets, especially container

transport, port development projects and feasibility

studies including cost benefit analyses. He has written

and published especially on maritime sector issues. Other

important aspects of his research are cargo flow and

market analysis, simulation of cargo flows and transport

modeling.

Introducing Prof. Dr. Burkhard Lemper

most shipping markets is currently under strong pressure

and we see this still being the core challenge influencing

industry players on a global scale.

RF: How do you see this impacting the multipurpose and

heavy lift market?

BL: The global multipurpose fleet is to some degree

active in the general cargo, container, bulk and heavy lift

markets. A lack of dedicated container and bulk tonnage

opens new chances for MPP vessels, but the over-tonnage

situation forces the MPP vessels to focus on general cargo

and HL transport.

The multipurpose and especially the heavy lift market was

of course also affected by the crisis, although specifically

for project cargo there was a time lag compared to other

segments. While bulk and container markets immediately

(i.e. by end of 2008, beginning of 2009) lost significant

shares of their volumes, the project cargo market profited

from and at first still maintained ‘pressure in the project

pipeline’.

This helped the market for a major part of 2009, but

then led to a delayed downturn when the other segments

already started to recover. In the meantime also the

market for multipurpose and heavy lift vessels regained

momentum. On the other hand especially in the heavy

lift segment the capacity growth is significant, too, while

against the background of the current age structure the

overall capacity growth of all multipurpose vessels can be

considered moderate.

RF: From a ‘demand for tonnage‘-perspective which

regions have shown above average growth in the past

one to two years? How do you anticipate this will impact

the MPP/HL shipping market in the coming year?

BL: The regions are different by the individual industry

sectors. But in general the BRIC region (Brazil, Russia,

India, China) as well as Near East are the major ones for

the most important MPP/HL shipping markets, also in the

foreseeable future.

RF: What would you consider the most important

industries that are driving this demand?

BL: The major branches are power plants construction

and chemical plants, air and gas liquefaction, gas

converter and refineries as well as wind turbines with

different ranking under individual regional aspects.

RF: From a ‘supply for tonnage’ perspective in the MPP /

HL sector, what have been your key observations?

BL: We had high demand and good charter rates during

the China boom until 2008 parallel to the container and

bulk markets. In 2009 there was a sudden collapse of

rates especially for standard multipurpose vessels while

specialized ships with strong gear for some time profited

from longer lasting contracts for project cargo.

The high rates before 2009 triggered many newbuilding

orders for MPP ships – a lot of them with HL gear – and

flexible short-sea tonnage. Much of this order book is for

2011 and 2012 delivery and delays the improvement of

charter rates.

The new tonnage changes the structure of the HL fleet.

In the past there had been a few specialist operators

with strong gear on small vessels for tramp trips or larger

project cargo volumes. In addition a few liner operators

were known for their regular services with HL capabilities.

Many of the remaining ships have been liner types with

one boom of 80 to 125mt lifting capacity. The majority

of the new vessels are MPP ships featuring two cranes of

80 to 180mt and more. As long as the MPP and HL fleets

are under-utilized these new ships have problems to find

adequate employment in their core markets.

RF: What can you comment on the current scrapping

situation in the MMP/HL segment and the new buildings

on order?

BL: Specialist and liner companies are replacing their

fleets according to demand, i.e. the oldest fleet members

go for scrap. Many of the old liners with one boom are also


reaching the end of their life cycle and are demolished.

Unfortunately, the number of new vessels joining the fleet

is much higher than the sales for scrap. Not only is the

total number of ships growing but also the HL capacity

per vessels. Perhaps many of the old ‘one boom vessels’

are no more in the HL markets, but this would mean an

even faster relative capacity extension.

RF: If you had a crystal ball and you could peek in the

future – what would you be looking for, what drives your

curiosity most?

BL: Two things: First, how will the turbulences at the

financial markets and the increasing debt problems

of many countries influence the future economic

development and as a consequence world trade and

demand for shipping? And second, to see if and when

the shipping sector learns to better control overall

investment in capacities in a way to reduce the self-

enhancing shipping cycles?

RF: Thanks for taking the time for this insightful

conversation. We will be pleased to stay in touch for

future occasions. How can we reach you?

BL: My pleasure Mr. Fisch – and in case of further questions

we will be pleased to assist. Anyone interesting in getting

in touch with us can reach us at the ISL in Bremen,

[email protected], or me personally under [email protected].


Contact information:

Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics

Universitaetsallee 11-13

28359 Bremen, Germany

Tel.: +49 421 220 96-0

Mail: [email protected]

Web: www.isl.org

Prof. Dr. Burkhard Lemper, [email protected]

Director Maritime Economics and Transport

Prof. Dr. Hans-Dietrich Haasis, [email protected]

Director Logistic Systems

Prof. Dr. Frank Arendt, [email protected]

Director Information Logistics

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