Month: November 2009

Hutton’s MD Honoured In Business Awards

Elaborate Communications

Alex Taylor, Managing Director of the UK’s leading ship supplier, Hutton’s, has been voted Young Businessperson of the Year during an influential regional awards ceremony last night.

The 30-year-old business man was awarded the accolade during “The Business” Awards, run by the Mail News and Media group at a glittering ceremony in Hull. Guests heard how Alex has helped to triple the turnover at Hutton’s in just four years and achieved a 300% boost in profits last year. “Alex Taylor has made Hutton’s a winner and is looking forward to even greater achievements in the post-recession era,” they were told.

And Hutton’s, which traces its history back more than 180 years, received further praise as a finalist in the Business Of The Year category, being described as a business which is “riding on the crest of a wave”.

After receiving his award Alex said: “I am delighted to see Hutton’s being recognised for its successes and for the dedication of its staff. We work hard to meet the needs of our many clients throughout the shipping industry and to source the products they need.”

Under his watchful eye, Hutton’s, which has offices throughout the UK and a headquarters building in Hull, East Yorkshire, has charted a course of continued growth, rising to a predicted annual turnover for this year of £7million. The company continues to develop despite the current recessionary trend and this year achieved record sales figures.

In addition, this year Hutton’s has made a number of strategic purchases and expansions to consolidate its coverage of UK ports. It recently purchased Milford Haven-based Pan Europe Ship Supply enabling it to service LNG tankers at this key terminal, and has just opened a new office in Great Yarmouth to facilitate its supply to the offshore industry there.

Alex Taylor took the helm of Hutton’s from his father Alan Taylor in 2006, having worked for the company for eight years. Chairman Alan said: “I am pleased that Alex is getting some recognition for the dedication he shows to the company. Hutton’s is in safe hands and the future looks secure with Alex. I am very proud of his efforts.”

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Intermanager Applauds Full City Release

Elaborate Communications

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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Owners and charterers should liase on vessel routeing – AtoBviaC

Sean Moloney

Nov 26th
Shipowners and charterers should liaise more closely with their shipboard teams when calculating vessel voyage distances as they could face increased operating costs associated with extra ‘unplanned’ days steaming or inadvertently entering expensive and time consuming Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECA).

 

According to Captain Trevor Hall,  Director of AtoBviaC, shipowners are not fully aware of what tools are available to them to make more effective time and money-saving vessel routeing decisions.

 

“While the route between two ports, appearing as a straight line on a chart, may look ideal, it may not necessarily be the realistic route for a ship to take when you consider issues such as traffic separation schemes, SECA areas and other navigational factors,” he says.

 

AtoBviaC, which is the leading publisher of marine distance tables for the global shipping industry, was formed in 2003 by a group of Master Mariners and software developers whose unique combination of expertise – totalling more than 360 years marine experience between them – combined to produce these accurate and widely-used marine software applications.

 

Captain Hall adds: “To avoid protracted demurrage and deviation claims it would be best if ship operators and charterers could establish an acceptable routeing for the ship. This may ultimately include the input of weather routeing but an initial appreciation of the routeing options can be provided by using the flexibility of our distance tables.”

 

Other distance tables are available but they do not necessarily reflect distances which can be achieved by a vessel in the present marine environment.  Capt Hall stresses: “Operating costs are the main priority owners and charterers should consider when routeing their ships, but they should ensure they are getting it right because they have good information in the first place.”

—ends—

 

For Further Information Please Contact:

Elaborate Communications

 

Sean Moloney / Debra Munford

                          Tel: +44 (0) 1296 682356

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AtoBviaC Charts New Course With Elaborate

Elaborate Communications

Elaborate Communications is delighted to announce it has been commissioned to provide Public Relations representation for AtoBviaC, the leading producer of marine distance tables for the global shipping industry.

AtoBviaC was formed in 2003 by a group of Master Mariners and software developers whose unique combination of expertise – totalling more than 360 years marine experience between them – combines to produce these accurate and widely-used marine software applications.

The company was originally founded to update the BP Shipping Marine Distance Tables and has since recalculated a great many distances to take account of new routeing and environmental considerations and to include a large number of new ports and terminals not included in the old version of the tables. Carried out on a thoroughly professional and consistent basis, these new distances, continually expanded and developed, are now available to the whole of the marine industry.

AtoBviaC has permission to use the trade marks “BP” and the Helios of BP plc to indicate BP’s development of the published BP Shipping Marine Distance Tables.

Bill Morris, Director of AtoBviaC plc, said: “The Distances from the BP Shipping Tables underpin many commercial and operational activities. There is a need for the industry to know what these distances are, to have confidence in their computation and to have immediate access to the calculation of new distances and routeings whenever they are required. We believe Elaborate Communications can assist us to highlight these vital tools to our potential clients and the marine industry as a whole.”

Sean Moloney, Managing Director of Elaborate Communications, said: “AtoBviaC Plc is an established company with a wealth of experience and with an international client base which includes many of the world’s major owners, charterers and brokers. We look forward to working closely with them to increase awareness of their expertise throughout the wider shipping industry.”

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Intermanager Goes From Strength To Strength

Elaborate Communications

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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New Hutton’s Website Goes Live

Elaborate Communications

Hutton’s, the UK’s leading ship supplier, is delighted to announce that it’s new website is now live and available for customers – www.huttons-chandlers.com

New features include the ability to browse the popular Hutton’s catalogue online. Customers can now view and turn pages from the comprehensive catalogue at the click of a mouse.

The new website has many exciting new features including video and audio links, as well as news and information about the latest products from Hutton’s.

Managing Director Alex Taylor says: “We have listened to feedback from customers and are confident that the new and improved website will more fully meet their needs. At Hutton’s we have a long history of service to the maritime industry and we are also ensuring we have a great future by keeping ahead of the game, up to date and being adaptable to our customer’s needs.”

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MEP hosts Brussels Ship-Supply Summit

Sean Moloney

Yesterday Graham Watson MEP (Liberal Democrat, South West England and Gibraltar) met Stefan Ericson the President of OCEAN, Jens Olsen the President of ISSA, and other representatives of the shipping supply industry to discuss challenges facing EU Shipping.

During a one hour debate hosted by the MEP discussion focused on customs practices and security issues, particularly in the fight against crime; there was a presentation of the new OCEAN logo and launch of the new website.

“Over 750 companies employing a quarter of a million people are involved in supplying ships” the MEP said.

“It is important that their voice is heard by policy makers.”

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