Innovative Hamburg shipmanagement concern Wappen Reederei has redesigned its accommodation blocks of the four newbuilding SCOT 8000 product/chemical tankers. By moving the free fall lifeboat on each vessel from its central position at the stern to the starboard side, the accommodation will be extended to house an extra three cabins on each ship. The extra cabins fitted on each of the newbuildings will be used by two cadets – one engineering and on deck.

Eight SCOT 8000 types are already in service with another four to come by the end of next year from the Romanian shipyard Damen Galatz. Of the eight in service, two are operating on the southern Africa coast on timecharter, another is timechartered to Chevron Texaco, while the others operate in the spot market often carrying vegetable oils. The SCOT 8000 design is a double hull, twin engine with full redundancy chemical and product tanker. They fly UK flag and are registered in London.

Managing director Jan- Erik Panitzki explained that the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has agreed an Alternative Compliance Scheme with Wappen, whereby the MCA takes care of the ISM and ISPS inspections on board the vessels, but leaves almost every other survey to class, which in Wappen’s case is GL. The MCA also vets the vessels’ Port State Control records. All the senior officers hail from the European Union and comprise Latvians, Poles, Germans, Croatians and Romanians, while a few Philippino juniors are also employed.

Crew retention has become the watchword of most shipping companies and like the technical management, Wappen handles the crewing in-house. The commercial management is undertaken by Poseidon Schiffahrt.

Panitzki said that the company is trying to encourage junior officer and ratings upgrades and will offer financial incentives, such as help with maritime academy fees. Several training establishments are used by Wappen, which also promotes on board and onshore computer-based training (CBT) courses mainly through Seagull.

Officers are also sent to equipment suppliers, such as MAN Diesel and Framo, for specialist training. For example, courses are run by Framo on the operation and maintenance of its deepwell pumps.

On the question of SECAs, especially in the Baltic and North Sea, for smaller vessels having only one fuel system, they could be problematic as there is no room to fit extra tanks and pumps etc. Panitzki said that his ships will just have to re-bunker with low sulphur fuel when arriving in Europe for example from South America. Similar to other tanker companies involved with the oil majors, Wappen has been audited by most of the majors and does not foresee a problem with TMSA.

This August, Wappen will take delivery of the Wappen von Dresden, which will be followed by Wappen von Nurnberg, Wappen von Augsburg and Wappen von Flensburg through next year. All the vessels, including those in service and the newbuildings, have been financed through the KG scheme using finance house Hansa Hamburg Shipping. As well as managing the tankers, Wappen also technically handles four 1,600 teu ice class containerships.

Quelle:
TANKEROperator August/September 2007