Months away from home, stuck on a ship where you could have disembarked if only you were allowed to, food and medication running out and no direct contact with your family all that time. Covid-19 has trapped hundreds of thousands of crew members at sea for many months. They are accustomed to an extended stay away from home, but not this long. According to the most recent estimations, around four hundred thousand crew members are stuck on ships they are not allowed off. This is a massive number in a sector which employs around 1.8 million people. It has however become daily reality, also for Marianne Klat, Senior Crew Manager at Wagenborg in Delfzijl.
Technical innovations make it possible to optimise trips by choosing the best route for example and sailing at the most efficient speed. It will also be possible to use the fleet as a whole even more efficiently, for example through smart planning programs in the office. This not only renders shipping more sustainable but also increases the international competitive position. Wagenborg is therefore working hard on the options for digitisation and smart shipping. We’re talking to Eldert Heijkoop (Manager Operations Chartering) and Maurice Stokhof de Jong (Contract Manager Projects & New build) on more efficient voyages, remote maintenance, smart navigation and planning software, as well as significant fuel savings.
“I always like to see a customer in the sun”, laughs Wagenborg chartering director Koos Zumkehr when suddenly the sun shines through the clouds into the Delfzijl head office. Here, we talk with ADM senior chartering manager Jagjit Bibra-Hertle about the cooperation between ADM and Wagenborg.
Wagenborg has been cooperating with Transchart to transport gas piping around Europe. At the moment, this “occasional” joint venture is again going full steam ahead for a project near the Scottish town of Dumfries. Implementation of the project is being supervised for Wagenborg by Max Tack and Thijs van der Wenden. Thijs is going to tell us a bit about the project.
For decades, wind has been of particular significance for Wagenborg. Wind was used to sail all different corners of the world. But as the world changed, so did our relationship with the wind. In current times we no longer depend on the wind to transport our cargo. Instead, we now offer logistical solutions to those who do still depend on wind, for instance, to generate sustainable energy.
For many years Wagenborg Foxdrill has been a trustworthy partner of the Italian offshore firm Saipem. Having worked together on a variety of drilling asset related projects in all corners of the world, a solid relationship has been formed between both companies. This partnerships continues after an enquiry from Saipem’s Offshore Drilling team early 2019: the Saipem 12000, a 6th Generation ultradeepwater drill ship, was due for a Special Periodic Survey and required specialised support. We talk to project manager Bart Oude Ophuis about this project.
On 1 January 2020, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) will implement the new fuel sulphur regulation. Sulphur 2020 is arguably the most impactful environmental regulation to date in ocean transportation and has far-reaching technical, commercial and operational consequences. It’s widely acknowledged that the regulations have significant consequences for both ship owners and their customers.
The MV Alamosborg was sailing the Atlantic Ocean on her way to Casablanca Morocco. All of a sudden, the main engine of the vessel broke down. Despite maintenance, online monitoring by Wartislä and a recent survey, bad luck prevented the vessel to continue her voyage. This is the story of the Alamosborg and how the people of Wagenborg combine strengths to deal with unforeseen setbacks.
