Month: March 2016

Consistent Underwriting Performance in a Challenging Year for the Swedish Club

Elaborate Communications

Singapore, 31 March 2016: The Swedish Club reported a consistent 2015 underwriting performance to its board today with financial stability and cost-efficient quality services being the cornerstones of its offerings to its members. It delivered a balanced underwriting result, despite higher claims activity and increased volatility, and demonstrated a resilience that is underpinned by diversification in its product lines, based on prudent management.

The year began with a series of major casualties, including total losses which were far beyond what could be expected in terms of probability. However, the Club closed the year with a combined ratio of 99%. Read more →

Cyber Security Roundtable Identifies Key Issues of Concern to Maritime Industry

Phil Page

KVH-hosted session points to wide range of human and technical issues responsible for a variety of vulnerabilities

MIDDLETOWN, RI – March 22, 2016 – KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI), hosted maritime industry leaders for a frank discussion about cyber security prior to the start of the CMA Shipping 2016 conference in Stamford, Connecticut, yesterday morning. During the roundtable, a range of concerns about the current level of vulnerability emerged. Among the key issues identified were complacency by ship operators, lack of training for crew, non-existent contingency plans for dealing with a cyber attack, and the need for a set of best practices for minimizing risks. Read more →

Hill Dickinson Named in UK’s Top 100 Most Popular Employers for School Leavers

Elaborate Communications

International law firm Hill Dickinson has been recognised as one of the UK’s 100 most popular employers for school leavers in the UK’s first and largest employer ranking product aimed at school and further education students.

The top 100 list reveals the most popular UK employers as voted for by 9,000 school and further education students in years 10-13.

Hill Dickinson recruits 10-12 legal apprentices annually across its Liverpool and Manchester offices. Apprentices join the firm as trainee paralegals on a two-year structured training programme, combining on-the-job training while studying towards the nationally recognised CILex Level 3 in Legal Services Diploma. Read more →

ICS Representing Shipowners at Important UN Meeting on Future of Oceans Governance

Elaborate Communications

At the United Nations in New York, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) is representing the interests of shipowners at the opening session of a UN Preparatory Committee starting work on a new legal instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The establishment of the new UN Preparatory Committee, under the auspices of the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, follows the decision of the United Nations General Assembly, in 2015, that UNCLOS should be expanded to include a new legally binding instrument on the conservation of marine life in areas beyond national jurisdiction.  This is particularly relevant to shipping because the new UN instrument could include area-based management tools such as Marine Protected Areas on the high seas.  ICS is keen to ensure that the interests of shipping will not be unwittingly affected by this new UN work stream.  Read more →

SSA President tells CMA of Technological Advances Shaping the Industry

Elaborate Communications

Esben Poulsson, President of the Singapore Shipping Association and Vice Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping, spoke at the CMA Shipping conference on the topic of ‘Defining the Successful Shipping Enterprise of the Future – What does the industry need to consider in order to be successful in the business tomorrow’.

Speaking alongside other industry leaders, Mr Poulsson chose to emphasis the word ‘tomorrow’ in his speech and how this word forces the industry to think about future advances, particularly in technology.

A universal theme across the shipping industry today is the need for efficiencies. Esben Poulsson stated: “It is clear that companies need to be more innovative in their approach and they need to embrace new technology to help drive costs down and optimise the performance of their sea-going assets.”

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Hill Dickinson expands private aviation offering with new appointment

Elaborate Communications

International law firm Hill Dickinson has expanded its offering in the private aviation sector with the appointment of Jonathan Russell to assist it in the further development of this key area alongside the firm’s existing aviation and superyacht teams.  Jonathan will be joining the firm as a senior associate and brings with him nine years’ experience in business jet and private aviation transactional work gained with city firm Holman Fenwick Willan, with a particular focus on the sale and purchase and financing of new and used private aircraft.

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Is benchmarking right for the tanker sector?

Elaborate Communications

Benchmarking may not be the most suitable measure for the tanker sector as the industry looks towards owners and charterers for assurance amidst the volatile times shipping has seen over the past few years.

Observing owners and charterers is a tell-tail sign of the industry’s performance and their profits give the industry a clear indication of the effectiveness of how they go about managing their assets, Denis Petropoulos, President of Braemar Group Asia, told delegates at The Connecticut Maritime Association’s Shipping 2016 conference.

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Cyber Security Roundtable Identifies Key Issues of Concern to Maritime Industry

Elaborate Communications

KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI), hosted maritime industry leaders for a frank discussion about cyber security prior to the start of the CMA Shipping 2016 conference in Stamford, Connecticut, yesterday morning. During the roundtable, a range of concerns about the current level of vulnerability emerged. Among the key issues identified were complacency by ship operators, lack of training for crew, non-existent contingency plans for dealing with a cyber attack, and the need for a set of best practices for minimizing risks.

Read more →

BSM and Optimum Announce New Joint Venture Company

Debra Massey

Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) and Optimum Ship Management (Optimum) today announced the launch of a new joint venture partnership, Hanseatic Cruise Services. Based in Singapore, Hanseatic Cruise Services will provide comprehensive, world class passenger vessel management services to third-party clients around the world.

As a leading maritime solutions provider, BSM is continuously working to expand and diversify its range of services. It believes that the cruise industry presents a significant opportunity for development, offering major growth potential. Read more →

Shipping Minister confirmed as special guest at Mersey Maritime Industry Awards

Catherine Varney

Robert Goodwill MP, Minister of State at the Department for Transport and the UK Shipping Minister, has been announced as the guest of honour at the 2016 Mersey Maritime Industry Awards (MMIAs).

The awards, which celebrate the excellence and diversity that exists across all sectors of the maritime community in the North West, are in their second year following a successful inaugural event in 2015. Read more →

Norsafe Aberdeen Grows Its Business

Phil Page

Since Norsafe Aberdeen opened for business last July, its UK offshore clients have benefited from having a service station in close proximity.

The new station provides maintenance support for its clients’ current ships and rigs as well as winning some important new business projects with major players in this sector.

One notable business win by the UK site last month was with Prosafe, the world’s leading owner and operator of semi-submersible accommodation vessels, who signed a 5 year service contract with Norsafe AS on 12th January 2016. Read more →

DNV GL, Gard and The Swedish Club work together to help reduce anchor losses

Debra Massey

Oslo, 8 March 2016. The root cause of many groundings and collisions, lost anchors are among the top five reasons for claims costs. A rising number of anchor losses reported over the last several years prompted DNV GL, Gard and The Swedish Club to investigate this issue. Based on an analysis of damage cases involving anchor and anchor chain losses, the project partners have issued a presentation identifying the most frequent technical and operational causes, and some steps crews and operators can take to address them. Read more →

V.Group extends its market leading position to the offshore sector with acquisition of Bibby Ship Management

Elaborate Communications

cliveV.Group has acquired Bibby Ship Management, part of the Bibby Line Group, which has an established track record for providing high quality, safe and reliable ship management and support services to blue-chip clients.

Bibby Ship Management services all types of vessels and has particular strengths in the management of offshore vessels. It also provides extensive crew management solutions, technical support services, marine travel, marine surveying, training and recruitment services. Read more →

Thome Group Unveils New Website

Phil Page

The Thome Group has unveiled a brand new website for 2016 to streamline communications with its clients across the global shipping industry and showcase its comprehensive range of maritime services.

Thome Group of Companies is a dynamic provider of integrated ship management services to the international shipping and offshore industries. From ship management to offshore structure management, port agency, vessel inspection and crew training. Thome offers a complete range of services and products under one roof. Read more →

ICS launches new Bridge Procedures Guide

Elaborate Communications

Procedures Guide - ICSThe International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has published a new edition of the ICS Bridge Procedures Guide, widely acknowledged as the principal shipping industry guidance on best practice for safe navigation, which is used by seafarers and training institutes worldwide.

The fifth edition has been comprehensively revised by an expert working group nominated by ICS’s member national shipowners’ associations, and replaces the previous edition published in 2007.

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