Within the frames of supervision of an expanding number of new building Open Ro-Ro Pax vessels, INSB announce that between August 2016 to March 2017, four (4) new Ro-Ro Pax vessels out of sixteen (16) of same type that INSB Class supervises, were launched at the shipyard of Perama (Piraeus).

These vessels, "IOANNIS-SOFIA K",  "PARALOS", "VASILIKI K" and "CHRYSA" are open type, technologically advanced and of high requirements, up to 100 meters long and with a capacity of 150 vehicles and 600 passengers each.

The Technical Office PETYCHAKI undertook their shipbuilding studies and all other applicable plans.

Following their successful launching, inspection and certification, they engaged to connect Perama – Salamis Port.

RINA Hellas attended the 4th Mediterranean Yacht Show 2017 in the seaport town of Nafplio, first capital of the newly born Greek state.

The 4th Mediterranean Yacht Show, more and more successful every year, is organized by the Greek Yachting Association (GYA) under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and gathers motor and sailing pleasure vessels in view of the forthcoming summer cruise season.

RINA Piraeus Yachting Team attended the Yacht Show, in a friendly atmosphere among Exhibitors, Masters and Yacht Owners/Managers.

RINA fleet, under Greek or Cypriot management, consists of more than 300 vessels of all types (bulk carriers, oil tankers, RoRo Passenger ships, containerships) with a tonnage of about 6 million GT and a considerable number of yachts, mainly mega yachts. It is therefore a significant proportion of the total fleet of the Organization.

RINA services in Greece and Cyprus are provided through the Piraeus and Limassol Offices and from strategic positions, Corfu, Thessaloniki and Kos / Kalymnos, RINA provides through local representatives direct support to customers, primarily in the field of yachting. RINA Hellas Yachting Team currently operates almost 10\% of all RINA yachts globally and its goal is to increase even more the RINA Yachting fleet and to provide extended yachting services.

RINA Services S.p.A. is the RINA company active in classification, certification, inspection and testing services.

RINA is a multi-national Group which delivers verification, certification, conformity assessment, marine classification, environmental enhancement, product testing, site supervision & vendor inspection, training and engineering consultancy across a wide range of industries and services. RINA operates through a network of companies covering Energy, Marine, Infrastructure & Construction, Transport & Logistics, Food & Agriculture, Environment & Sustainability, Finance & Public Institutions and Business Governance. With an estimated turnover in 2016 of over 450 million Euros, about 3,700 employees and 170 offices in 65 countries worldwide, RINA is recognised as an authoritative member of key international organizations and an important contributor to the development of new legislative standards

MY Ouranos- RINA

RINA Piraeus Yachting Team

Rotterdam – the Greek Union of Masters and Mates embraces cooperation with Green Award

P.E.P.E.N., known internationally as Masters & Mates Union of Greek Merchant Marine, has demonstrated its solidarity with the Green Award foundation and its core values and joined the scheme as an incentive provider.

Green Award certifies ships and ship managers that demonstrate performance above and beyond the industry’s standards. Best practices and maintenance, human factor and emission reduction are amongst the required elements.

On 27 of April, onboard SS HELLAS LIBERTY at the Port of Piraeus, Green Award Chairman Capt Dimitrios Mattheou formally accepted Masters & Mates Union of Greek Merchant Marine to the Green Award scheme. Capt Manolis Tsikalakis, President of P.E.P.E.N., received a Green Award plaque.

The Masters & Mates Union is one of the oldest organizations of its kind, with over a hundred years of history, uniting over 5.000 members. In all these years, it has been dedicated to support of seafarers. Respect for human qualities and values, improvement of working conditions and protection of marine life and the environment are amongst the core values and objectives of the union. Actually, what we call Corporate Social Responsibility nowadays has been the union’s principle for many years. This is where values of both organisations meet.

Effective as of 27 of April, 2017, P.E.P.E.N. members (Masters, Chief Mates and Second Mates) who belong to companies and ships certified by Green Award Foundation are entitled to a 10\% discount on the Union's annual fees.

Captain Dimitrios Mattheou, Green Award Chairman, addressing the attendee said: “Having already celebrated 100 years (1916 – 2016) of successful activity, the Union has been and will be a major delegate of all Masters and Mates of Hellenic Citizenship, into any shipping-related treaty, either with state authorities or with international bodies.

Union’s presence and support, does not only rests with members’ interests and its presence into industry happenings, but goes deep into the community, through offers and solidarity actions and initiatives. The Hellenic Union of Ship Masters & Mates and Green Award scheme, share the same vision and focus their attention towards the safety and quality of seamen’s lives, the wellbeing of anyone involved into shipping services and the sustainability of the planet.”

 

About MASTERS & MATES UNION OF GREEK MERCHANT MARINE

One hundred years have elapsed since the founding of Masters & Mates Union of Greek Merchant Marine uniting over 5.000 members among which many Ship Owners prime movers of the Greek Shipping, and yet, the aims and objectives of its pioneers and founders still remain current and unchanged:

 "Solidarity for the Greek Master - Moral and social support for its members - Respect for human qualities and values ​​- Continuous training and education - Improvement of working conditions – Affection for the sea ​​- Protection and safeguarding of the marine life and the environment in general. "

 The aforementioned principles describe precisely the free, yet responsible and sensitive spirit of the Greek Master and reflect the timeless story of the Greek shipping.

About Green Award

The Green Award foundation was established in 1994. Green Award is a global, independent, non-for-profit quality assurance organization that works by certifying ship managers and vessels that go beyond the industry standards in terms of safety, quality and environmental performance. The scheme is open for sea-going oil and chemical tankers, bulk carriers, LNG and LPG carriers, container carriers and inland navigation barges.

The essential of Green Award is that it covers a wide range of aspects related to safety quality and the environment. Green Award brings together high quality ships, maritime service providers and ports that want to improve safety, attract quality ships and reduce environmental and safety risks. In fact Green Award acts as the platform for the industry cooperation. Green Award incentive providers (ports and maritime service providers) award ships the highest safety and quality standards of which are confirmed by the Green Award certificate with various benefits such as discounts on the port dues, products and services.

With over 80 incentive providers in North America, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia currently participating in the scheme, Green Award motivates ship owners and managers to invest in the improvements on board and ashore and serves as a reliable indicator of the ship’s highest standards and as a Corporate Social Responsibility and risk reduction tool for shipping companies and ports.

www.greenaward.org

The VesselsValue Analyst Team has put together April's Market Report which looks at how and why our Market Values have moved over the last month.

see attached

The annual report provides a review of DNV GL’s business and its financial and sustainability performance. For the first time, the report is fully digital and integrates reporting on UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Contraction and investments for the future
In terms of financial performance, 2016 was a challenging year for DNV GL because of the continued downturn in the maritime and upstream oil and gas markets. Despite this, DNV GL retained a strong position in these core markets while growing in the assurance, software and energy businesses. Through downsizing and efficiency programmes, the company has managed to reduce costs, and maintained investments in research and innovation of 5\% of revenues. 

DNV GL achieved revenues of NOK 20,834 million and operating margin of NOK 154 million.

The annual report reviews developments in the most important markets in 2016 and presents key results, risks, solutions and strategy. 

Integrated sustainability reporting
DNV GL reports according to the GRI Standards and the reporting is assured by a third party. DNV GL has been a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact since 2003, and is certified according to the ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 standards. DNV GL’s commitment to customers and society is driven by its purpose of safeguarding life, property and the environment. New in this year’s report is an emphasis on how DNV GL contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals through customer solutions, in its own operations and in partnership activities. 

Digitalization and decarbonization
Digitalization, efficiency and decarbonization are defining themes of the business environment for DNV GL’s customers and its own organization and this is widely covered in this year’s report.

Digital report for easy access and sharing
A dedicated website has been developed for the 2016 annual report with a thorough review of the year, including highlights, cases, illustrations and videos. It also includes a download centre, and an invitation to engage with DNV GL on the report content.  

View the DNV GL Annual Report 2016 online by visiting the new micro site. Also, you can go directly to the download centre to download the PDF version. 

Capesize Index

Support – 10,862, 9,468, 6,570
Resistance – 13,772, 15,301, 19,602,

The Capesize index continues to retreat from recent highs and is trading at US$ 11,414. We have now entered into a support zone between US$ 12,345 and US$ 9,468. A 42\% retreat in price would signal a bear market on any media outlet, however no lower highs keep us in a corrective phase, rather than a bearish trending market. The stochastic remains above 50, technically it remains in bullish territory. Volume as always in freight is declining on the downward move, significantly the open interest remains stable suggesting the market at this point is viewing this move as corrective, rather than bearish. Although we have broken the first of our supports, we are in a support zone, the stochastic above 50 and stable open interest would suggest this is a dangerous area to enter fresh market short.

Capesize Q3 17 Daily
Support – 14,385, 13,770, 13,083
Resistance– 15,492, 16,753, 16,600

The Q3 Capesize futures failed to make a fresh market high, and this would suggest we have entered into a corrective phase. US$ 14,385 is going to be a key level going forward. The lower high would suggest that the current support at US$ 14,385 should be broken. However corrective phases within a trend are usually a 3 wave process, labelled as A, B, C. The stochastic at 37 could soon be in oversold territory; technically at this point A should act as a resistance level if support is broken. If we start trading above, and closing above the A level (i.e. more than just a marginal overlap) then technical traders would view this as the end of the corrective phase, and resumption of the bull trend. Failure to close above point A would signal downside continuation

Capesize Cal 18 Daily
Support – 13,919 13,660, 13,459
Resistance – 15,163, 15,307, 16,535

The key to any technical analysis is the price action. Last week we noted the technical set up could be weakening due to the stochastic pullback being greater than the previous pullback, and this remains the case. Price action is the lead indicator on any chart. Last week’s move made a fresh market high, and this keeps the current move in a bull trend, and not a corrective phase. A corrective phase can only be considered once we have failed to make a fresh high, regardless of other indicators. We maintain caution due to the stochastic pullback, but at this point we have to regard the trend as bullish. Technical resistance can now be found at US$ 15,163 as this is the current market high. Failure to breach this level would suggest a corrective move is upon us. However a close above this level implies upside continuation. Caution on a close below the current low at US$ 13,927 as would also signal weakening momentum going forward.

Capesize Q3 v Cal 18 Daily
Support – 377, 238, (-47)
Resistance-1,270, 1,383, 1,637

The Capesize Q3 v Cal 18 spread is approaching support levels, and the stochastic is showing a bullish divergence. The bullish divergence on the support level should have market shorts looking to tighten risk, as there is now an increased probability of the technical support holding. The lower high does indicate a corrective phase, however unlike the Q3 corrective chart, we have now made a lower low than at point A. If support holds at these levels (US$ 377 – US$ 238) and we start trading back above point A (US$ 434) we could see a resumption of the bull trend. Likewise, if support is broken at point A and then acts as a resistance we should see downside continuation.

 

Source: Freight Investor Services (FIS)

VANOS S.A., a major supplier of products and services for the marine and general industry, launches discounts for Green Award members to promote safety.

from left to right: Mr. Emmanuel Vassilopoulos, Vice President of VANOS S.A.; Mrs. Katerina Vanos, President of VANOS S.A.; Mr. Dimitrios Mattheou, Chairman of Green Award Foundation; Mr Jan Fransen, Executive Director of Green Award Foundation.

VANOS S.A., one of the top leading suppliers of nautical charts and publications and a renowned supplier of products and services for the maritime industry, announced its next step towards assisting the industry with improvement of quality. The company has become a Green Award incentive provider. Established almost a century ago, VANOS S.A. represents innovated products that protect and guarantee the safety of seafarers.

Green Award certification scheme makes it possible for the maritime industry stakeholders to easily identify and support ships that are extra safe, green and sustainable. The scheme is voluntary and unites ship managers/owners with charterers, ports, maritime organisations and suppliers devoted to the better future of the shipping industry. What all parties have in common is their striving for excellence.

On 26 of April, 2017, VANOS S.A. was officially welcomed by Capt Dimitrios Mattheou, Green Award Chairman, to the scheme. Mrs. Katerina Vanos, President of VANOS S.A. accepted a Green Award plaque on behalf of VANOS. For Green Award certificate holders this new cooperation means a 15\% discount in EURO currency pricelist (€) on provisions and general supplies, a 34\% discount in EURO currency pricelist (€) on paper nautical charts and publications, and up to 32\% discount in USD ($) and GBP (£) currency pricelist on selected e-charts services and digital products.

Welcoming VANOS to Green Award, Green Award Chairman said: “VANOS Company involvement with shipping activities, through supplies and services, goes back to 80 years of successful and guaranteed outcome. From charts and publications’ provision to several marine and industrial products and to provisions and bonded stores, VANOS has been established among the leaders in the market, a position that has been achieved due to Company’s continuous efforts and investment in research, training, experienced and qualified personnel, leading to quality services.

Certified by Quality Management Systems ISO 9001 and Food Safety Management Systems ISO 22000, the time has come for VANOS SA to join forces with GREEN AWARD, rendering its services towards environmental sustainability, preservation of the living and working environment and the health of all involved in the shipping business.”

Mrs. Katerina Vanos commented: “Honored by officially being welcomed into the Green Award community and sincerely thanking Capt. Dimitrios Mattheou, we shall continue our involvement in the industry with the same commitment, respect and dignity towards the environment and all stakeholders in the maritime industry, as it is our tradition.

What we all embrace in VANOS S.A. is that for us, your business is not just business, it’s personal, it’s family business.”

 

About VANOS S.A.

VANOS S.A has been established as a family owned marine organization in Greece, based in Piraeus one of the most important ports of the Mediterranean and globally accepted. Our traditional business model since 1929 and for over 80 years is based on the accomplishment as being a leading house of importers and distributors for marine and industrial trade, counting being one of the largest International Chart Agents & Digital Distributors Worldwide. Based on the decision of the company to diversify our properties; we established our privately owned ISO Certified 18.000 sq.m. warehouse installations with over 80,000 item codes available upon request. The synthesis of over 80 years of experience, more than 100 proficient employees, cutting edge technology & manufacturing equipment, serve and supply clients’ requisitions expeditiously and accurately, operating its own dedicated fleet of high specification trucks. The third generation of the Vanos family remains committed on continuing to provide excellent services and quality products.

About Green Award

The Green Award foundation was established in 1994. Green Award is a global, independent, non-for-profit quality assurance organization that works by certifying ship managers and vessels that go beyond the industry standards in terms of safety, quality and environmental performance. The scheme is open for sea-going oil and chemical tankers, bulk carriers, LNG and LPG carriers, container carriers and inland navigation barges.

The essential of Green Award is that it covers a wide range of aspects related to safety quality and the environment. Green Award brings together high quality ships, maritime service providers and ports that want to improve safety, attract quality ships and reduce environmental and safety risks. In fact Green Award acts as the platform for the industry cooperation. Green Award incentive providers (ports and maritime service providers) award ships the highest safety and quality standards of which are confirmed by the Green Award certificate with various benefits such as discounts on the port dues, products and services.

With over 80 incentive providers in North America, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia currently participating in the scheme, Green Award motivates ship owners and managers to invest in the improvements on board and ashore and serves as a reliable indicator of the ship’s highest standards and as a Corporate Social Responsibility and risk reduction tool for shipping companies and ports.

www.greenaward.org

The EU confirms that all tax discounts for shipping are currently subject to comprehensive reevaluation. Countries could be forced to change old taxation schemes if they do not meet the latest requirements from 2004, the Commission tells ShippingWatch.

The EU has launched a critical review of the tax discounts which European countries have in place to support the shipping industry.The Commission is especially looking into tonnage tax schemes implemented before 2004 when the current guidelines for state subsidies to the maritime sector were passed. This also applies to Denmark's tonnage tax which was introduced in 2001/2002.

If the review reveals that an old taxation scheme does not meet guideline requirements, the countries could then be forced to change the scheme, states the Commission."A key objective of the Commission's enforcement actions in relation to tonnage tax schemes in various Member States is to ensure equal treatment and non-discrimination across the EU, in order to limit competition distortions," one spokesperson tells ShippingWatch."Furthermore, some of the longstanding schemes, which have come into force before the 2004 Maritime Guidelines entered into force have never been aligned to those new rules and therefore may require adaptation to comply with the legal framework," the Commission states.The Danish Shipowners' Association does not expect, however, that the Danish tonnage tax scheme will have to be adjusted. Director Jacob K. Clasen points out that the EU regulations allow for countries to adapt schemes nationally as long as they do not distort competition."We are not familiar with carriers from other countries finding problems with the Danish rules and therefore we do not expect that the Commission will demand major changes to the Danish regulations," he tells ShippingWatch.Denmark waiting for an answerThe EU review of tax schemes, which ShippingWatch reported last week, could lead to more a restrictive interpretation of the guidelines in place, according to several sources.

 

It also arrives at a time at which the Danish government is still waiting for approval for its expansion of the tonnage tax passed by a parliamentary majority in December 2015.The expansion entails that, going forward, the scheme would also apply to offshore vessels. But after one year of waiting, Denmark's Minister for Industry, Business, and Financial Affairs Brian Mikkelsen has still not received a verdict from the European competition authorities."I'm both irritated and very disappointed that we haven't received the EU Commission's approval yet. There is a risk that this won't happen but we're still fighting for it and no decision has been made yet," he told ShippingWatch in April.Denmark seeks to expand seafarer taxThe Danish government recently received the recommendations from the maritime growth team, which it appointed last year. Unsurpringsly, taxes took the spotlight at the presentation two weeks ago.

 

Topping the industry's list was an expansion of the seafarer tax which allows carriers registered in the Danish International Ship Register (DIS) to pay net wages to their staff. This means that the carriers have lower wage expenses because employees are exempt from paying tax on their wages.The industry wants this scheme, like the tonnage tax, to be expanded to also cover offshore vessels. This requires approval from the EU and therefore the industry is now anxiously awaiting the EU's decision about the tonnage tax, which is considered a litmus test.If the EU rejects the expansion, this could very well prove a lethal blow for a corresponding expansion of DIS. On the other hand, approval for the tonnage tax could pave the way for an expanded seafarer tax.Fitter scheme not a great fitIn its recommendations, the growth team also points to a need for a "fitter scheme", which would ensure tax exemption for Danish fitters.The industry association Danish Maritime has fought for years for technicians who travel abroad for work to have their wages paid net just like other employees of the carriers in DIS.According to the Danish minister for trade, the initial reports from the Commission indicate that it could be difficult to implement a fitter scheme.However, the minister is willing to try, while Danish Maritime and the association's lawyers consider it do-able.

http://shippingwatch.com/secure/carriers/article9546140.ece

ABS signs agreement with DSME to support safety in the development of a conceptual FLNG design.

(Houston) ABS, a leading provider of classification and technical services to the marine and offshore industries, signed an agreement with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co. (DSME) to support safety and apply class guidance to a conceptual Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) unit.  

“We are pleased to sign this agreement and work with DSME to support new innovations and technology advancements in the offshore industry,” says ABS Executive Vice President of Global Offshore Ken Richardson. “As gas continues to play an increasingly important role in the global energy mix and industry looks to develop new resources, ABS remains committed to its mission of advancing safety.”

The project is planned to commence at the end of May and have a duration of twelve months. ABS will review the conceptual design to the applicable class requirements and provide industry-leading guidance to support safety during development.

“By partnering with ABS, we are able to apply their best-in-class standards and leverage their extensive experience in the offshore sector,” says DSME COO of Offshore Business Unit, Mr. Jang-Jin Kim. “Successful construction of the world’s first FLNG, ‘SATU’, in 2016, is further proof of DSME’s technological excellence. Working with ABS as our advisor, we will be able to develop an effective design with robust safety and enhance the LNG value chain.”

Recognizing the changing landscape and increased industry focus on gas, ABS launched its Global Gas Solutions team in 2013 to support industry in developing gas-related projects. A pioneer in classification for the safe transport and handling of gas, ABS classed the world’s first LPG carrier conversion, the first LNG carrier conversion, the Methane Pioneer, in 1959, as well as the first newbuild LNG carrier, Methane Princess, in 1964, and has extensive experience with the full scope of gas-related assets, including many of the most advanced gas carriers in service. ABS is the industry leader in classification of liquefied gas carriers. 

 

About ABS

Founded in 1862, ABS is a leading international classification organization devoted to promoting the security of life and property and preserving the natural environment through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine and offshore assets.

At the Gastech 2017 conference in Tokyo, DNV GL presented Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) with an approval in principle (AIP) certificate for a new double side-hull LPG carrier design – LPG SAFE (Structural Advances for the Environment).

General arrangement profile view of the LNG Safe design concept. Image care of HMD

The result of a development project conducted by HMD working closely together with DNV GL, the AIP certificate confirms that the design complies with the new DNV GL rules for the classification of ships. The innovative LPG SAFE design is the first 38K LPG carrier design to provide the safety benefit of a double side-hull, while offering the same cargo carrying capacity and the same construction cost as a conventional design.

“We have been able to maintain the same cargo capacity as the single side-hull design by optimising the structural configuration of the no. 1 and no. 3 cargo tanks design, in combination with finite element (FE) analysis and using the DNV GL rules to optimize the scantlings, weight and hull strength,” says Dug Ki Min, Vice President, HMD Seoul. “Furthermore, the new design with its simple hull shape and double hull construction could offer our employees an improved working environment during production of the vessel, resulting in higher quality deliveries.”

LPG carriers are designed to carry liquefied gases such as propane or butane in bulk. The ships are normally equipped with cargo tanks inside the hold, with Type A independent cargo tanks arranged inside the hold, supported on insulation-bearing blocks which typically consist of wooden chocks installed on the inner bottom structure. The double side-hull design of LPG SAFE offers a significant increase in protection for these tanks, especially in the event of a collision.

“It has been a great pleasure for us to work with HMD throughout their design and analysis process and our verification and review of this concept,” says Hwa Lyong Lee, Regional Business Development Manager, DNV GL – Maritime. “The LPG SAFE design has shown a measurable improvement in safety, while retaining capacity, strength and cost, and we are very honoured that HMD selected us to work with them to realize this extremely interesting and exciting concept.”

 

About Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD)

Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Ltd (HMD), founded in 1975, has been acknowledged as one of the leading and most versatile shipbuilders of medium-sized conventional and specialized vessels. Since 1996, HMD has delivered more than 900 vessels including product/chemical tankers, bulk carriers, LPG carriers, LEG carriers, pure car and truck carriers, container ships, con-ro/ro-ro vessels, asphalt carriers, sulphur carriers, platform supply vessels, drillships, cable layers, pipe layers, FPSOs, etc. HMD has built 28 LPG carriers of the 38K class over last years and 12 more are on order and under construction. For more information visit www.hmd.co.kr/english/

About DNV GL

Driven by our purpose of safeguarding life, property and the environment, DNV GL enables organizations to advance the safety and sustainability of their business. We provide classification, technical assurance, software and independent expert advisory services to the maritime, oil & gas and energy industries. We also provide certification services to customers across a wide range of industries. Operating in more than 100 countries, our professionals are dedicated to helping our customers make the world safer, smarter and greener.

About DNV GL – Maritime

DNV GL is the world’s leading classification society and a recognized advisor for the maritime industry. We enhance safety, quality, energy efficiency and environmental performance of the global shipping industry – across all vessel types and offshore structures. We invest heavily in research and development to find solutions, together with the industry, that address strategic, operational or regulatory challenges. For more information visit www.dnvgl.com/maritime

DNV-GL