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  FLASHLIGHT - August2002            Edition No: 11

"Marine Surveying is a tough job. It demands a high level of fitness and stamina. It requires keen observation, scrupulous honesty, an eye for detail, an open mind and ears, a closed mouth and common sense" (John Guy)


CONTENTS (for full stories, select a headline)

 

At the Bow

Flashlight is a free monthly emailed newsletter for Marine Surveyors. It is circulated to anybody who wishes to receive a copy, eg, Marine Surveyors, P&I Clubs, their correspondents, Underwriters, Professional Institutes, Admiralty Lawyers, etc. Please pass it on to any of your contacts who you feel might be interested in receiving it. If you do not wish to be included in the circulation list, please contact the Editor at the email address below. Past editions can be viewed on http://msnews.blogspot.com Letters, opinions and articles on our profession are welcomed for including in the newsletter.

Ola Olsson, Karlshamn Petroleum Survey, Karlshamn. Sweden
Lehman, Lee & Xu, Lawyers, Shanghai.
Carol Charlton, International Coatings, UK
Ng Kim Yock, Katco, Thailand
Ferdi Stolzenberg, MTI Network, Hong Kong
Tom McLean, Vancouver

Upcoming Conference

The '2002 SCMS Third Asian Marine Surveying and Loss Prevention Forum' will be held at the Nan Hai Hotel, Shekou, PRC, on Mon/Tues 28/29 October this year. Shekou is just across the border from Hong Kong, accessible by means of a 50 min catamaran ferry trip. There is also a direct bus service from Hong Kong International Airport to the Nan Hai Hotel. The cost will be $535 including 2 nights accommodation, or US$390 without accommodation. Delegates will need to obtain a China visa before travelling to Shekou which may also be arranged in a day in Hong Kong.

Exhibition facilities will also be available for those who wish to market their services.

China has the largest merchant shipping fleets and increase in annual GDP, having just entered the WTO. With deregulation, many new independent survey firms have opened up, with some expatriate companies setting up representative offices. This is an excellent opportunity to market your services and find out more about the largest economy in the world.

Prestigious companies who have already submitted papers and confirmed their
participation are :
Galatea Underwriting, Ince & Co, the NKK Research Institute, RB Offshore Marine
Consultants and Smit Salvage amongst others.

Asia Conferences Ltd., the organiser for this year's event, is a brand new maritime conference and exhibition group set up by professionals who have been working in, and with, the maritime industry for many years.

For more information contact
Ms Astor Tang, Conference Co-ordinator
Asia Conferences Limited
504 Cosmos Building
8-11 Lan Kwai Fong
Central, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2537 4807
Fax: +852 2869 5674
Email: marine@asiaconference.biz

[Top]

Spindrift

Certificate fraud

Following an eight month investigation, USCG officials claim that they have smashed to massive fraudulent seafarer certification operations in Miami. Fake documents from Panama, Honduras and Colombia were seized in raids on two addresses which also found fake STCW certificates, employment and medical examination papers. Two shipping agents operating on the Miami River have been arrested and face a series of charges.

Bulker delay

Governments have been urged to speed up the implementation of the bulk carrier safety measures recommended by the fresh inquiry into the loss of the 'Derbyshire'. Legislators state that there have been dangerous delays in the enforcement of proposals.

Stowaway crackdown

Britain, Belgium and France are cooperating in a bid to prevent stowaways from using the ports of Zeebrugge and Ostend. Shipping companies have expressed concern about security after the planned closure early next year of the refugee centre at Sangatte, near Calais, France.

[Top]

BRM call

The Swedish Club has urged that Shipowners should ensure that more Masters and officers receive training in bridge resource management (BRM). Martin Hernqvist, Loss Prevention Manager, said that BRM training helps to improve communication skills and reduce the risk of accidents arising from such problems as poor delegation and failure to spot dangerous deviation from usual procedures.

Ransom paid

Greek insurers are reported to have paid a US$400,000 ransom to free 23 Filipino crew of a bulk carrier that had been seized by pirates off the coast of Somalia in July. The seafarers were forcibly removed from the vessel 'Panayia Tinou' after they entered Somalia waters to seek shelter in stormy conditions.

Tanker deaths

Two engineer officers died and a fitter was badly burned when a steam pipe burst on the Liberian tanker 'Crude Ocean' off the cost of Venezuela in July.

Master jailed

A PRC Master has been jailed for four months by a court in Hong Kong after magistrates heard that he had offered a US$100 bribe to a Port State Control Inspector who had begun detention procedures after serious defects were found on the vessel.

Owners fined

The Owners of the Maltese flagged bulk carrier 'Florealis' were fined US$138,000 in July for discharging engine room waste off Isreal's Red Sea coast last September. More than $50,000 of the fine will go towards clean up costs.

(Above courtesy of the shipping 'Telegraph' published by NUMAST)

[Top]

Contributions

Plethora of Surveyors?

All too often we hear the complaint from Owners that there are too many surveyors inspecting their ships. It therefore might be useful to look at exactly which surveyors may be on board a ship and for what reason. So let's list the principal surveyors and their activities on board an average cargo vessel:

Owners' Surveyor Attends on board to represent Owners' interests at various times, including during incidents, eg, H&M damage, cargo damage, grounding, etc.

Class Surveyor Inspects various parts of the vessel for statutory certificates and H&M damage.

Hull & Machinery Surveyor Inspects vessel on behalf of H&M Underwriters, carrying out condition surveys and damage investigations.

P&I Surveyor Carries out condition surveys and various types of investigations with respect to a Club's risk. Generally an independent surveyor appointed by the Club.

Charterer's Surveyor Inspects vessel on behalf of Charterers, carrying out condition surveys and damage investigations.

Cargo Underwriters' Surveyor Inspects cargo on behalf of Underwriters.

Draft/bunker surveyor Carries out draft survey before and after loading to assess the weight of cargo loaded on board.

Pre-purchase Surveyor Inspects the vessel on behalf of prospective buyers.

Port State Control Inspector Inspects vessel on behalf of Port State to ascertain condition of the vessel and ensure that it meets the requirements of international conventions.

Flag State Inspector Carry out flag state inspections. May attend on behalf of flag state to investigate incidents.

[Top]

Whilst it might not be the same person each time, the Class surveyor will be the most commonly found on board a vessel, particularly around annual survey time. For those vessels who are under a continuous survey regime, it will be up to the Master and Chief Engineer to arrange things such that the surveyor need attend on board only at infrequent intervals. If they aren't well organised, a different surveyor may attend on different occasions in different ports during the five year survey cycle.

H&M and P&I entry surveys are normally carried out within six months of the vessel being accepted by the Underwriter or Club. They may only return to the vessel in the event of an accident, H&M for H&M reasons only, the P&I Surveyor being called on to investigate most types of incident.

The Charterers' Surveyor will attend on board to ensure that their principals interests are being protected at various stages of a charter. They will also be present in the event of any incident. Likewise for the Cargo Underwriters' Surveyor with respect to the cargo on board.

The Draft Surveyor will be called upon to attend before and after loading cargo at the Owners' or Charterer's request to ascertain how much cargo has been loaded while the Pre-purchase Surveyor will attend on board on behalf of prospective buyers to ascertain the condition of the vessel.

Of the nine Surveyors listed three are normally requested to attend on board by the Owners, ie, Owners' Surveyor, Class Surveyor and Draft Surveyor. Owners pay Class to ensure that their vessel remains in Class, whilst they must make the vessel available for initial inspection under P&I Club rules, the P&I Club covering most other risks, apart from H&M cover. Whilst Charterers have a right under a Charterparty to have their Surveyor attend on board, Owners, or their own Surveyors, often make it very difficult for the Charterers Surveyor to attend on board. The same often applies to Cargo Underwriters' Surveyors.

[Top]

It is generally only during annual refit or when there has been a significant incident that a selection of the above Surveyors will be required to attend on board around the same time. If the Superintendent is well organised he should be able to have the various Surveyors attend on board on different days to reduce the load. Some of the more unscrupulous Superintendents will do this deliberately so that the Class and P&I Surveyors are kept apart. If there has been a collision between two vessels it is likely that there will be a selection of the above Surveyors representing each vessel such that there are enough Surveyors around to have a basketball game!

Five of the eight Surveyors mentioned above are on board to ensure that the vessel meets international convention standards and is operated safely. Consequently, some of the inspection work and data recorded will be duplicated from time to time. As each of these Surveyors is expected to report independently and in different ways to Principals, the Owner cannot expect any one to rely on the survey report of another. All too often we hear "But the Class Surveyor tested this yesterday and it worked perfectly." when we find the emergency fire pump inoperable.

Until such time as the system is changed, and as mentioned in last month's edition there clearly is a need for change, Owners being stuck with the current number of surveyors attending on board. One would think that Owners, and particularly Masters/Chief Engineers, would do as much as possible to make the surveyors job easier so that they spend the shortest time possible on board by having all relevant information ready. How many times have you been on board a ship and asked for the Principal Particulars, Trading Certificates, Class records and Capacity plan, only to find all of the above in total disarray,
causing additional inconvenience?

[Top]

The Pre-purchase Surveyor is always welcome by the Owner, but not necessarily by the crew as they might be about to lose their jobs. With a number of interested buyers there could be hoards of Surveyors crawling over the vessel. I personally have only ever been on one ship where arrangements for a survey could be considered perfect, on a Japanese tanker where all twelve Pre-purchase surveyors were provided with a bundle of all necessary documents which included the last drydock report with various clearances. Groups of two surveyors were accompanied by a crew member around the vessel, each group being scheduled such that they did not get in each other's way. This made the situation as painless as possible for everybody concerned.

All in all the current situation can mean that there is a bunch, group, plethora, hoard of marine surveyors on board a ship at any one time. By the way, what do you call a group of marine surveyors? Printable answers on a postcard please!

Mike Wall

[Top]

Scuttlebut

Debtors success story

The more observant readers of this publication will recall the debate concerning bad debtors in our May and June editions. The suggestion was that we should compile a database of bad debtors with marine surveyors able to obtain information as to whether a client was in the database. We're pleased to report that we've just had something of a success in this vane. One of our readers had an eight month outstanding debt from a very large client. He informed us that he was having no success in getting them to pay, with them complaining of lack of cash flow. We approached the client on his behalf, with his permission, and indicated that we would have no choice but to publicise the fact that the
company was a bad debtor in FLASHLIGHT (which is transmitted to 3,000 marine surveyors and their clients around the world) if the invoice was not paid forthwith. The client tried to browbeat the surveyor by stating that if he did so, there would be little chance of him being paid. We suggested that they had more to lose than the surveyor as he would still be in business whilst their company would probably go under as a consequence of the bad publicity, or at the very least, all surveyors acting on their behalf asking to be paid up front.

The invoice was paid on the same day.

Who said that there was no such thing as bad publicity?

If you would like us to publicise a bad debtor, please contact the Editor at the email address below.

Fairplay Solutions

With a dearth of literature available to marine surveyors on their activities and responsibilities, it is good to report that 'Fairplay Solutions' is still alive and kicking. This publication monthly publishes incidents and accidents reported by marine surveyors with background, causes, consequences and ways of preventing reoccurrences. Well worth a read if you get chance as we can all learn from the case histories and articles.

[Top]

Insurance News

China's legal burden

THE London P&I Club says that increasing levels of global investment and bilateral trade involving China are likely to increase demands on the legal system there. And it continues to see examples of shipping practices that can lead to claims.

In the latest issue of its StopLoss Bulletin, the club reports that it is not always possible to verify bulk cargo weights recorded on discharge by government surveyors in China. The club was recently alerted to a case where a draft survey showed the vessel to have arrived with a cargo weight in excess of the bill of lading figure. The surveyor reportedly refused to sign the draft survey, and a shortage claim was later received, based on unverified readings from a weighbridge. Members faced with difficulties of this nature are advised to lodge an immediate protest to the appropriate parties, reporting the outcome of the draft surveys.

(Courtesy of Maritime Advocate on Line)

[Top]

Epistles

I have recently volunteered to take over the Editorship of NewsLINK due to the enforced retirement from the post of John Knott as a result of ill health.

I have set up a separate e-mail address for NewsLINK - scmsnewslink@btinternet.com - and would be most grateful if you could include this in your circulation list for Flashlight. I will be pleased to include selected items from Flashlight in NewsLINK and will of course request your agreement and acknowledge the source. Due to the nature of NewsLINK and
associated printing costs etc., it may be necessary to summarise or edit articles to reduce space.

I firmly believe that if NewsLINK is to be successful and serve any useful purpose to the membership, then it must include relevant material and events from around the globe, wherever members are in practice, and in order to achieve this it will be necessary for members to actively participate by the submission of articles and items of interest etc.

Congratulations to all concerned with the establishment of the Hong Kong Division and good luck with the Asia Forum in due course, thanks & regards,

Euan D.Davidson.

I would like to compliment you and any other who might have contributed to it, for the comprehensive yet precise information published in the 'Spindrift' section of July 2002 issue of FLASHLIGHT.

Regarding your contribution on Auditing Systems, I fully endorse it and would like to refer you to a contribution of mine made on 8 September 2001 to the Correspondents / Surveyors Forum in the regular users pages of www.ukpandi.com, as you know the UK P&I Club / Thomas Miller P&I Ltd website. The contribution deals with the then tabled topic 'Charter for Surveyors - YES or NOT'. On its last paragraphs appear comments related to your 'Auditing Systems' contribution to FLASHLIGHT issue No.10.

On reading my above mentioned contribution, it may well be that you agree with my suggestion of setting up a fully independent IMO Corps of Surveyors to carry out statutory survey work on a worldwide basis on behalf of Flag States, particularly on behalf of those having no Maritime Administration / Shipping Inspectorates bodies as such. Then IACS members and other Class Societies would be forced to go back to their origins, that is to survey steelworks and machinery.

I can hardly believe how the Italian RINA has recently made the announcement that after the ERIKA disaster to date they have dropped a total of approximately 1.5 million GT of its classed fleet and now the society ranks top in USCG and Paris MOU records regarding Class Societies having low or nil detention rates of their inspected Classed or statutory surveyed ships.

In other words RINA has stated that until relatively recently it has been profiting from the fees paid by some 1.5 million substandard tonnage and it apparently has got over with it, i.e. so far I know RINA has received no
criticism after having made such announcement (1.5 million GT equals to approx. 40 Panamax sized dry-bulkers). Maybe this can serve as a case study for the successors to Enron's auditors regarding how to re-direct business back into an honourable track after having been caught on a major one.

Javier Saavedra, MNI
El Ferrol, Spain

[Top]

People

This section of our newsletter is intended for those looking for jobs and those
looking for people. It is also hoped to include information of movements of
people in our business.

When you are next travelling overseas on a job, why not contact Seafacs and let your clients know where you are to increase your chances of obtaining more work:

SIR ­ Seafacs Information & Research
PO Box 317, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL8 6DP telephone: 01707 334192
fax: 01707 324615
email: seafacs@sir.co.uk
web: www.sir.co.uk

[Top]

Web Sites

If your (marine surveying) company has a web site, let us know and we will try
to mention it. Below are some web pages we believe might be useful to marine surveyors.

Within your newsletter you mention web sites, I have a web site that you may
want to draw readers attention to, it is;

www.carrollmarine.co.uk

The web site contains a number of shipping related bulletins that have been prepared by myself. I would welcome any comments on the bulletins, especially CM003 that deals with towing equipment.

Best regards

John Carroll, Carroll Marine Ltd
E-mail: carrollmarine@aol.com
Web site: www.carrollmarine.co.uk

www.lrfairplay.com

Your readers might like to know that we offer a free-access website database on our homepage at www.lrfairplay.com Scroll down the home page until you see the heading 'Free Access' appear on the left hand side. Clicking on the words 'shipping sites' takes you to a search function. You can then search either by company name or by category (there is a 'consultants and surveyors' category, for example) or by country. Or by a combination - so you could search for consultants/surveyors in Australia beginning with the letter 'D', for example.

That pulls up a list; if you then click on the word 'free' in the right hand column you are linked through to the relevant website.

If your readers know of any companies with sites that we do not list (or that we have an out-of-date address for) we would like to have details to update the database.

[Top]

Conference Reports

None to report this month.

[Top]

Future Events

NAMS 35th National Conference West, 22-24 September 2002, Radisson Hotel,
Fisherman's Wharf, 250 Beach Street, San Francisco, CA, USA
Contact: Bill Hansen. wchansen@earthlink.com
or Evie Hobbs at office@nams-cms.org
As further information is made available, it will be posted on NAMS' web site
www.nams-cms.org
[Top]

SIBCON 2002, 26-28 September 2002, Shangri-La, Singapore.
SIBCON 2002 offers international and domestic delegates a review of key regional and international market developments, and a focused look at key issues faced in the international bunkering industry.
Contact: v.subra@ibcasia.com.sg
[Top]

The Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors, Inc®. will hold it's Annual Conference & Educational Training Symposia, in London, England at the Palace Strand Hotel, 9-12 October 2002.
Information and a registration kit: Executive Director, Mary Stahler at 800-344-9077, 01+904-384-1494.
Email inquiries can be sent to SAMSHQ@aol.com.
Or web page: http://www.marinesurvey.org/calendar.html
[Top]

23-24 September 2002, National Association of Marine Surveyors, Inc., 34th Annual National Marine Conference West 2002 at the Radisson Hotel Fisherman's Wharf, 250 Beach Street, San Francisco, CA. 94133.
As further information is made available, it will be posted on NAMS' web site
www.nams-cms.org

Email inquiries can be sent to Evie Hobbs at office@nams-cms.org
[Top]

SNAME 2002 Annual Meeting. 25-28 September 2002,
The Westin Copley Place,10 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02116-5798
www.sname.org/AM2002/am2002_annualmeeting2.htm
[Top]

22-24 October 2002. UK Corrosion 2002, Thistle Park Hotel, Cardiff, Wales
Institute of Corrosion. E-mail: Admin@icorr.demon.co.uk
[Top]

18 & 19 November 2002, MARE Forum Houston 2002, 'A Global Forum on the Maritime Transportation of Energy: Identifying the Priority Issues. Renaissance Houston Hotel Houston, Texas, USA.
To view the conference website and programme, please click on the following link:
http://www.mareforum.com/energy_maritime_transportation.htm
http://www.mareforum.com/energy_maritime_transportation_programme.htm
or email Catherine Kalamidas - Senior Conference Manager
Mare Forum - P.O. Box 30027 - 3001 DA Rotterdam - The Netherlands
Tel: +31.10.2057455 - Fax: +31.10.2055655 - info@mareforum.com
[Top]

December 4 to 6, 2002, International WorkBoat Show, New Orleans USA. The world's largest trade show and conference focused on the construction and operation of commercial vessels 120 meters or less in length.

Marine professionals from 50 or so countries attend the International WorkBoat Show each year.
Website at www.workboatshow.com for the latest exhibitor list, travel information, and conference schedule. Register online to receive written confirmation of registration.

To plan a visit to the show or for more information, please contact Meg Handlin,
Marketing Manager, at mhandlin@divcom.com.
[Top]

NAMS 41st National Conference East, 13-15 April 2003, Tremont Hotel, 100 East
Chestnut Street, Chicago, Illinois.
Contact: Greg Davis. email information at www.daviscoltd.com

[Top]

From the Poop Deck

My wife commented on this the other day and I pointed out that I'm still wearing the same size of belt as when I was 18 years old. Only difference is that I'm wearing it 8 inches lower!

*******

Secrets for a good marriage

1. It is important to find a woman that cooks and cleans.

2. It is important to find a woman that makes good money.

3. It is important to find a woman that likes to have sex.

4. It is important that these three women never meet.

[Top]

Disclaimer: Articles and reports reflect the views of the individuals who
prepared them, and, unless indicated expressly in the text, do not necessarily
represent the views of the editor. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure
that the information in this publication is accurate, the editor makes no
representation or warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy,
completeness or correctness of such information. The editor accepts no
responsibility whatsoever for any loss, damage or other liability arising from
any use of this publication or the information which it contains. The contents
of the publication are the responsibility of the editor alone.

News, views, enquiries, suggestions, articles and letters for inclusion in
future editions of FLASHLIGHT may be sent to:

Mike Wall
Tel:  +852 2259 3150
Fax: +852 2259 3151
Email: KiwiMarineHK@compuserve.com

  
     
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