Experts from the well-known Norwegian research and consulting group Marintek, working on behalf of the KPI Project led by InterManager, have begun capturing performance data from dozens of ocean-going ships in the latest phase of the process to develop a workable system to produce a meaningful set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the whole shipping industry.

And InterManager, the international trade association for shipmanagers, says it is aiming to increase the number of ships providing data to the project to more than 1,000 during the course of 2010. The data collected, which is held in strict confidence, will be used to validate the standard, verify the data capture feasibility and test the industry benchmark features.

The more companies which take part in the project, the more effective the development of the new system will be. Peter Curtis of Seaspan, a member of InterManager’s Executive Committee, said: “This moves performance management on from a simple excel spreadsheet. The KPI project will enable companies to audit and improve their own internal systems to produce proper and meaningful data collection. And the added bonus for companies who help us is that this gives them a great opportunity to re-examine the effectiveness of their own internal monitoring and measuring systems.”

“This project will be incredibly important for this industry,” predicted George Hoyt, Chairman of InterManager’s KPI Committee. “We are at the early stages of capturing this information and our task for the year ahead is to extract meaningful amounts of data,” he said.

Earlier this year the leaders of most of the largest shipping industry organisations attended stakeholder meetings and workshops where they expressed a willingness to join with InterManager to continue to develop an industry-accepted system to enable the creation and development of performance standards. In 2010 InterManager plans to hold three further workshops, hosted in Asia and Europe, to enable stakeholders to assist in identifying what data is most useful and appropriate for performance monitoring.

InterManager President, Roberto Giorgi, says: “We believe that the new KPIs, if widely used, can help improve transparency and create more effective communications for the whole shipping industry, in the area of performance.”

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InterManager, the international trade association for the shipmanagement industry, has expressed its extreme anger and deep sorrow after a seafarer died at the hands of pirates.

The Chief Officer of the panamax crude oil tanker Cancale Star died and several crew members were injured when the Liberian-flagged vessel was attacked by pirates off the coast of Benin, West Africa. The Ukrainian officer was fatally injured as pirates attempted to board the ship and the crew fought back. The crew regained control of the vessel and captured one pirate who they handed over to authorities at the port of Cotonou, Benin.

InterManager’s members represent some 125,000 crew members onboard more than 3,700 ships. President Roberto Giorgi said: “InterManager expresses its sincere condolences to the family of the Chief Officer who lost his life performing his duty. We wholeheartedly condemn the actions of these pirates and call on the international community to join forces to tackle the increasingly violent piracy off the West African coastline.”

InterManager is backing a call from an InterManager member Tsakos Shipping and Trading SA, for the deployment of UN Naval forces and the introduction of safe transit corridors in Nigerian waters to prevent further losses of life.

Roberto Giorgi’s company, V.Ships, experienced Nigerian piracy at first hand one month ago when a crew managed bulk carrier was attacked by pirates with semiautomatic weapons and some crew members were injured. He said: “The issue of piracy is not only related to Somalia and the Gulf of Aden but affects many areas around the world and has done for many years. These attacks in West Africa are quite common and are often much more brutal than in Somalia.

Mr Giorgi called for stronger international legislation to defeat the escalating global threat of piracy. “We need stricter international rules which are applied and implemented equally and effectively throughout the world,” he said, calling on all government authorities to be more proactive in preventing piracy on its shores.”

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InterManager, the international trade association for the shipmanagement industry, has applauded the release of the two Chinese officers detained in Norway following the oil-spill incident involving the bulker Full City.

A Norwegian appeal court has ruled the ship’s Master Zong Aming and Chief Officer Qilanng Lu may have their passports returned on payment of a bail of NOK 1m ($178,000) each. This will enable the seafarers to return home to China to await a further court hearing in Norway next spring.

Roberto Giorgi, President of InterManager, said: “This is an important and very welcome decision. It is right that the two seafarers should be allowed to return home to await trial.”

InterManager, which led calls for the fair treatment of the Hebei Spirit officers earlier this year, has worked with the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) to campaign for the return of the passports, insisting seafarers should not be assumed guilty without a fair trial. Defence lawyers for the Full City officers have argued the two men’s alleged negligence did not warrant pre-trial detention and claimed the men have suffered stress while detained in Norway.

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InterManager, the international trade association for the shipmanagement industry, announced a growth in membership and dynamic plans for the future at its Annual General Meeting in London this week.

Worldwide InterManager membership now stands at 32 with 50 affiliated members. This growth includes four new shipmanagers, one new crew manager and four additional associate members. Between them, InterManager members are responsible for some 3,700 ships. However, InterManager has no plans to rest on its laurels and President Roberto Giorgi announced a push to increase membership further in 2010.

In a lengthy presentation to members he outlined the Association’s other 2009 successes, which include:
 The initial development of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) which the Association hopes will ultimately become the benchmarking standard throughout the industry
 Defending its members’ interests
 Addressing the important issues facing the shipmanagement sector – particularly crew shortages, the criminalisation of seafarers and piracy
 Improving the overall image of shipping and gaining a commitment of funding from the EU to address this issue
 Working with partner organisations for the improvement of the whole industry
 And maintaining a strong financial standing

Looking to the future, InterManager now aims to become a central point for information in shipmanagement through improved web communications and further liaison with other industry stakeholders.

And the Association vowed to address the issue of seafarer shortage and the factors affecting recruitment – particularly the criminalisation of seafarers which was brought fully into focus with the treatment of the Hebei Spirit officers, for whom InterManager led the industry-wide support.

“Shipmanagement has now become a respected sector of the industry,” Mr Giorgi advised members attending the AGM. “Our Association is accepted as the leader for this sector and we must now continue to develop our actions for the benefit of all our members and the industry as a whole.”

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