Synergy Media Specialists » Shipping & Logistics

MHO-Co navigates business using modern solutions

Benj — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 07:21:35 +0000

MHO-Co A/S, a Danish company based in Esbjerg, covers the demand for transportation to offshore wind farms in the greenest and most economically viable way. The firm aims to provide its clients not just with modern vessels, but also with safer and more reliable vessels.

“MHO-Co is building new ships with a modern design and fewer materials, resulting in lighter vessels,” said Mik Henriksen, founder and CEO of MHO-Co.

Working in the industry for roughly 25 years, Mik Henriksen has had plenty of experience with vessel management — both in the offshore wind industry and in other capacities, such as CTVs (crew transfer vessels) operations.

MHO Esbjerg is one of the two special designed catamarans by MHO and is the biggest CTV in the world. | © MHO-Co

With the help of MHO-Co’s inhouse experts, past experience from previous ferry businesses and collaboration with leading naval architects, the company’s vision to create more cost-efficient CTVs with an optimized design has turned into a reality.

“These CTVs consume approximately 20 percent less fuel compared to similar CTVs. This in itself is positive both environmentally, as well as financially. However, we also strive to be a leading body in the industry with our focus on innovative solutions to cutting carbon emissions and developing green, alternative technologies,” said Henriksen.

“Since the vessels are faster, the technicians would be able to spend less time on transfers; time which they can reallocate to doing actual work on wind farms.”

According to Henriksen, the new CTVs will have more days per year available to operate, which will give them a chance to provide their customers with a safer service even when the weather is not stable.

“Many CTVs are not designed for optimal transport of people who are not used to traveling by sea, thus making them more prone to sea sickness,” Henriksen said. “Our unique design gives a comfortable experience to everyone.”

“MHO-Co designs CTVs that are able to address these problems, which we also predict will be the standard type of marine vessels for the next 15 to 25 years,” he said.

www.mho-co.dk

Dania Ship Management builds on reputation and excellent services to clients

Benj — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 07:13:19 +0000

Industry newcomer Dania Ship Management has already been making waves in the ship management sector thanks to its excellent services and its strong partnership with V.Group, one of the largest ship management companies in the world.

With a total of 38 vessels under its operations since it was established in 2017, the Danish company is already considered an expert in the ship management industry both locally and internationally.

“Being part of (one of) the largest ship management groups gives us an edge when it comes to competing globally with other ship management companies as we work closely with all the segments of the group regarding safety, training, network, technical services, insurance and even catering and travels,” said Mikkjal Poulsen, managing director of Dania Ship Management. “We provide our customers with a comprehensive range of ship management and marine support services to ship owners, as well as the ability to blend those services together in unique combinations to meet specific customer needs.”

Mikkjal Poulsen, Managing Director of Dania Ship Management | © Dania Ship Management

Dania’s priority is to continually enhance its operating model with safety and quality placed front and center. Dania develops the underpinning systems, culture and processes, setting the standard for health, safety, environmental and quality systems, culture and performance.

Along with providing quality services, Dania Ship Management also focuses greatly on the welfare of its crew. “The attitude toward physical, mental and emotional health in the maritime sector is rapidly changing and it is now widely viewed as an essential component of successfully and safely operating a ship. Putting wellbeing at the heart of our services means that our crew are in the best possible position to carry out their duties, allowing us to focus on fully leveraging our operating model to deliver better results for customers,” said Poulsen.

The company is also taking a keen interest in the Japanese market and has recently been working closely with Japanese clients.

“We are really interested in having more partnerships in Japan as I’m confident that our flawless service delivery will resonate with Japanese owners. We are certain that the quality of the services we offer is on par with Japanese standards,” Poulsen said.

www.daniashipmanagement.com

PureteQ powers through sustainable shipping technologies

Benj — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 06:56:30 +0000

The shipping industry is perhaps the world’s most efficient and earliest form of transportation. Being one of the oldest modes of transport means that older technologies are often used.

That said, the Danish company PureteQ has conducted thorough research in developing its products, thus coming up with one of the most reliable and energy efficient scrubber systems in the world.

“A scrubber system is used by ships for the purification of exhaust gas in order to reduce negative impact on human health from using HFO (heavy fuel oil). Scrubbers may reduce operational costs by 30 to 40 percent,” explained Anders Skibdal, CEO of PureteQ.

PureteQ is also the first company to provide full remote accessibility. “We designed our control system to enable remote support to the ship’s crew in a cheap and efficient manner,” shared Skibdal.

Anders Skibdal, CEO of PureteQ | © PureteQ

Along with its optimization efforts, PureteQ also focused on looking for clients which shared their views and values. PureteQ has experienced that Japanese clients prefer custom-made systems with a small footprint as this reduce the installation cost. The clients also appreciate the additional safety features.

“The Japanese market was difficult to enter, but we took on the challenge and succeeded, improving our services in the process,” said Skibdal.

“Because of the positive connection with Japan, we decided to form a company there about a year ago, PureteQ Japan K.K., and we are performing pretty well there as of the moment.”

Currently, PureteQ is making further improvements on the quality of their products while doing business with larger shipowners and shipyards in Japan.

“We make sure to test everything. We must be very detail oriented when doing business with Japanese clients because the quality of the product is something they value very much,” Skibdal emphasized.

“The Japanese have the highest standards, and if your products are attractive in Japan, then they are attractive everywhere.”

www.pureteq.com

Uni-Tankers heads toward the right direction

Benj — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 06:36:22 +0000

When it comes to high- quality tankers, Uni-Tankers is one of the most reliable companies in providing such service with a large fleet.

As part of the family-owned USTC Group (United Ship- ping and Trading Company Ltd.) for approximately 25 years, Uni-Tankers owns 17 oil and chemical tankers, charters another 22 tankers, and has around 85 shore-based personnel employed in the company and close to 400 seafarers. “Our company offers professional services and solutions to both internal and external customers,” said Per Ekmann, CEO of Uni-Tankers.

As a subsidiary of USTC, Uni-Tankers has access to advanced shipping technologies and specializes in risk management, bunker supplies, door- to-door logistics, ship owning, and financing.

“Fifty percent of our services is focused on transporting chemicals all across the globe are focused on transporting oils, foodstuff, and biodiesel,” Ekmann said.

“We currently have offices in Middelfart and Aalborg, which are both located in Den- mark, as well as international offices in Turkey, France and the U.S.”

Per Ekmann, CEO of Uni-Tankers | © Uni-Tankers

Uni-Tankers’ MT Mona Swan at work. | © Uni-Tankers

When it comes to high- quality tankers, Uni-Tankers is one of the most reliable companies in providing such service with a large fleet.

As a subsidiary of USTC, Uni-Tankers has access to advanced shipping technologies and specializes in risk management, bunker supplies, door- to-door logistics, ship owning, and financing.

“Fifty percent of our services is focused on transporting chemicals all across the globe are focused on transporting oils, foodstuff, and biodiesel,” Ekmann said.

“We currently have offices in Middelfart and Aalborg, which are both located in Den- mark, as well as international offices in Turkey, France and the U.S.”

www.uni-tankers.dk

Large enough to handle, small enough to care

Benj — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 10:41:05 +0000

A dynamic company needs driven leadership. This year sees Peak Group AS celebrate 15 years of operations and Jan-Petter Slethaug, the firm’s managing director, is continuing to steer the company in the right direction.

Slethaug (also president of the Norwegian Shipbroker’s Association, established in 1919) has put together a strong team committed to delivering world-class solutions to customers.

“Since our reorganization in 2016, we are constantly improving our systems, growing our chartering team and increasing our fleet,” said Slethaug. “Having recently opened an office in Hamburg, Germany, we are in an even stronger position to better serve our clients as a significant player in the European short sea segment.”

The company owns seven vessels; combined with time-chartered and commercially managed vessels, Peak Group AS has a fleet of approximately 35 vessels.

Based in Bergen, Norway and certified ISO 9001, the Peak Group AS fleet makes approximately 3,500 port calls per year. The fleet consists of modern, fully boxed tonnage for general and project cargoes, and all major bulk commodities including International Maritime Organization-classified cargoes.

The Peak Group AS has multiple subsidiaries. Peak Project Carriers AS was established in 2014 and focuses on the chartering and operations of project cargo. Peak Logistics AS’ business, meanwhile, relates to self-discharging vessels, all equipped with excavators.

Peak Chartering AS focuses on modern multipurpose and bulk vessels whereas Fjeld Consultant AS is a major player in the project and heavy lift cargo markets.

Jan-Petter Slethaug, Managing Director of Peak Group AS | © Peak Group AS

The Peak Group is continuously developing and enlarging its fleet. | © Peak Group AS

The company is a proud member of the Norwegian Shipbroker’s Association. | © Peak Group AS

Clients in maritime sectors such as merchant, fishery, cruise, aquaculture and wind are serviced by Peak Marine Tech AS.

Gronberg Ship Management is Peak Group’s ship management company.

“We have a passion for this business and we run our companies in a responsible, ethical and healthy manner,” added Slethaug.

“As we grow our business, invest in our people and win new customers, we will remain a strong commercially driven industry leader. We are very much looking forward to the next 15 years and beyond,” he concluded.

chartering@peakgroup.no
www.peakgroup.no

OSM – it’s all about people

Benj — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 09:44:49 +0000

OSM Norway has seen great success in the country ever since it was established in 1989.

Norway gave the company an opportunity to expand its business when it started its operations in Arendal.

“Arendal is strong in maritime and shipping due to its maritime heritage and stable environment, which is why companies like us thrive there,” said Geir Sekkesaeter, managing director of OSM Norway.

With an initial focus to supply seafarers, OSM Norway eventually grew to become a company that provides full-service solutions to the global maritime and offshore industry.

Geir Sekkesaeter, Managing Director of OSM Norway | © OSM Norway

“We cooperate closely with a number of Japanese companies within the maritime and offshore segments. Our focus is to further expand our ship management services,” shared Sekkesaeter.

Looking forward, OSM Norway plans on expanding its operations due to its rapid business growth.

“OSM in Arendal has had significant growth for the past six months. By next year we will operate about 80 advanced vessels like shuttle tankers, shuttle carriers, VLCCs and smaller tankers, while our offshore operations will focus on accommodation units and FSOs,” stated Sekkesaeter.

Despite the company’s advancements, OSM Norway credits its success to its people and its client relationships.

“We have developed our products and practices to be efficient, transparent and digitized, but people are our top priority,” mentioned Sekkesaeter.

“In OSM we have a slogan: ‘It’s all about people.’ Trust is very important. You can have all the advanced IT and digitalization in the world but in the end, it’s a people business,” he concluded.

www.osm.no

Belships – Continued growth and strengthened ties to Japan

Benj — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 09:35:09 +0000

Belships has been around since 1918 and with its 100 years in business, it has become a familiar name in the Norwegian shipping sector. The company was publicly listed in 1937.

Lars Christian Skarsgard, Belships’ CEO, attributes its entrepreneurial background and long history to the success of the company today.

“Belships has been owning and chartering vessels from Japan since 40 years ago and experienced the evolution in design and efficiency.”

In 2018, the Norwegian dry bulk owner finalized its merger with Lighthouse Group, which enabled the company to grow into a fully integrated shipping company with both commercial and technical management inhouse. It has since extended an exceptional period of growth for the company, doubling the fleet and achieving more than five times its original value and market capitalization.

Lars Christian Skarsgard, CEO of Belships | © Belships

Currently, Belships has a fleet comprising 24 modern vessels. Skarsgard said they will continue the pivot toward eco-friendly operations, something the Japanese shipbuilding market has been focusing on since the 1980s.

“Belships has made quite a shift toward larger and more economical ships, the majority of them being built in Japan. This is important in order to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.”

In the future, Belships hopes to further strengthen its relationship with Japan. “Japan plays an important role in our business. We are taking delivery of five Japanese-built ships in 2020,” said Skarsgard.

“Japanese shipbuilding and financing is an integral part of our company now more than ever,” he concluded.

www.belships.com

K Line Offshore cruises toward the future

Benj — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 09:16:38 +0000

K Line Offshore, a subsidiary of the Japanese K Line group, has been a provider of support vessels to the oil and gas industry in both Norwegian and U.K. waters for 10 years.

“Our expertise lies in oil and gas exploration using support vessels with a very good performance,” said Petter Nordby, CEO of K Line Offshore.

A decline in global market oil prices and reduced activities by oil companies that began in 2014 has had a significant impact on the industry and associated companies, resulting in decreased profits.

As oil prices now move back to more stable levels, K Line Offshore is grabbing the opportunity to develop its operations. It aims to be back on track with full growth in 2020.

“There are higher demands for our vessels as the oil and gas markets continue to make progress, and we are confident that this trend will endure in the coming years,” shared Nordby.

K Line Offshore claims its manpower and its high-quality customer service are the reasons behind its success.

“Our competitive advantage comes from the solid team we have put together in Norway and our customer service focus, which (has) enabled us to establish strong ties with our clients,” said Nordby.

Looking confidently to ongoing growth in upcoming years, the company plans on upgrading its fleet and is leaning toward more environmentally friendly and energy-saving options.

“We will be considering new vessels and making our fleet fuel efficient and eco-friendly to match K Line’s values,” added Nordby.

“We are proud of what we have achieved (since arriving) as a newcomer in this market since 2010, and we have the ambition to continue to provide the best service to our esteemed clients,” he concluded.

www.klineoffshore.no

UECC leads the European “Ro-Ro” shipping industry

Benj — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 08:37:13 +0000

Operating within Europe and with a fleet of 17 pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs), UECC, or United European Car Carriers, is a company that has created a good reputation in the “Ro-Ro” roll-on roll-off shipping industry since it was established in 1990.

As the company celebrates 30 years in the industry, it also celebrates the milestones it has achieved throughout the years.

In 2010, UECC created its liner trading network covering the whole of Europe. The short-sea carrier also launched the delivery of the world’s first and biggest dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) PCTCs, the MV Auto Eco and the MV Auto Energy in 2016.

Recently in 2019, UECC ordered a series of three battery-hybrid LNG PCTC vessels from China Ship- Building Trading Co. and Jiangnan Shipyard (Group) Co., which will take the company beyond the International Maritime Organization’s 40 percent target of reducing carbon emissions by 2030.

As part of its long-term goals, UECC is focused on investing in more environmentally friendly solutions for its business operations.

Artist’s impression of UECC’s new Battery Hybrid LNG PCTC. The first in a series of three to be delivered to UECC in the middle of 2021. | © UECC

With all its achievements, UECC credits its success to the people behind the business. “The company’s competitive advantages lies in our professional, dedicated and extremely experienced staff members whom we consider as the most important asset and cornerstone of our company,” said Glenn Edvardsen, CEO of UECC.

“The most valuable part of our company is the people — the human capital — any plans to move the business forward has to start there,” he concluded.

www.uecc.com

Western Bulk sets sail with highly effective business model

Benj — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 08:26:39 +0000

Since its establishment in 1982, creating and maintaining an effective business model has been essential for dry bulk shipping company Western Bulk.

As the world’s third-largest operator of supramax vessels, operating between 140 to 170 cargo ships daily, Western Bulk is recognized for successfully becoming a leading asset-light shipping company. “Being asset-light, we are able to fully focus on our customers,” said Hans Aasnaes, CEO of Western Bulk.

Thanks to its effective and asset-light business model, the shipping company is able to form direct working relations with its larger customers, both locally and internationally. With headquarters in Oslo, Western Bulk has offices in Seattle, Santiago, Casablanca and Singapore, handling operations worldwide and covering all time zones.

“We have a unique system that helps us provide better service to our customers in different regions of the world and enables us to adapt to their needs and the changing markets,” Aasnaes stated.

Also separating Western Bulk from other shipping companies, along its business model, “We have been able to come up with high performing digital tools that enables us to better process and utilize information, improving decision-making in our operations,” Aasnaes shared.

The company’s CEO admits that there are plenty of challenges in the global shipping industry, but with its effective business model, Western Bulk can perform well within the industry.

“It was tough during the first half of 2019, but thanks to our flexible system and the great work of all our departments, we managed risks effectively.”

Based on Western Bulk’s performance throughout 2019, Aasnaes sees 2020 to be a good year for the entire company and is looking to Japan for even more cooperation and business opportunities.

“Japan is, and has always been, an important market for us with regards to high-quality tonnage sourcing and cargo. Our countries are similar in the sense that we both value hard work and respect — and this is what makes us great partners,” he observed.

“Our strong skills and effective business model along with good relationships with shipowners and cargo customers will help us move forward and grow in our future endeavors.”

www.westernbulk.com

Synergy Media Specialists » Shipping & Logistics

MHO-Co navigates business using modern solutions

MHO Esbjerg is one of the two special designed catamarans by MHO and is the biggest CTV in the world. | © MHO-Co

The Company

The Report

Dania Ship Management builds on reputation and excellent services to clients

Mikkjal Poulsen, Managing Director of Dania Ship Management | © Dania Ship Management

The Company

The Report

PureteQ powers through sustainable shipping technologies

Anders Skibdal, CEO of PureteQ | © PureteQ

The Company

The Report

Uni-Tankers heads toward the right direction

Per Ekmann, CEO of Uni-Tankers | © Uni-Tankers

Uni-Tankers’ MT Mona Swan at work. | © Uni-Tankers

The Company

The Report

Large enough to handle, small enough to care

Jan-Petter Slethaug, Managing Director of Peak Group AS | © Peak Group AS

The Peak Group is continuously developing and enlarging its fleet. | © Peak Group AS

The company is a proud member of the Norwegian Shipbroker’s Association. | © Peak Group AS

The Company

The Report

OSM – it’s all about people

Geir Sekkesaeter, Managing Director of OSM Norway | © OSM Norway

The Company

The Report

Belships – Continued growth and strengthened ties to Japan

Lars Christian Skarsgard, CEO of Belships | © Belships

The Company

The Report

K Line Offshore cruises toward the future

Petter Nordby, CEO of K Line Offshore | © K Line Offshore

The Company

The Report

UECC leads the European “Ro-Ro” shipping industry

Glenn Edvardsen, CEO of UECC | © UECC

Artist’s impression of UECC’s new Battery Hybrid LNG PCTC. The first in a series of three to be delivered to UECC in the middle of 2021. | © UECC

The Company

The Report

Western Bulk sets sail with highly effective business model

Hans Aasnaes, CEO of Western Bulk AS | © Western Bulk AS

The Company

The Report