Page 44: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (October 1994)

Project Management System

The Esso Parentis repair was carried out under Lisnave's new Project

Management System, an extensive program designed to enhance Lisnave's competitive advantages even beyond the Total Quality Management system it implemented in 1991. The goal: working closely with the customer for lower costs and better delivery times. The Project Manage- ment Team comprises a project manager, whose job it is to keep to or improve upon the quoted delivery date, minimize costs and keep the owner informed; assistants for day and night shifts; trade managers for special- ized areas; foremen; and work preparers. In the new system, the client enjoys complete control and feedback on costs.

Another aspect of the Project Management System examines each unit of work performed for ways to improve efficiency, including the implemen- tation of new methods and technologies, providing for steadily increasing efficiency over the long term.

Restructuring

A more literal restructuring is also taking place at Lisnave: an agree- ment between the company, the Portuguese government and a group of banks will result in an extensive restructuring of the company's opera- tions. The main repair yard in Lisbon, or the Margueira yard, will be deactivated and its activities transferred to a yard of equivalent capacity in Setubal.

The state, which now owns the land upon which the Margueira yard is built, will compensate Lisnave with approximately $255 million, funds which will be applied to the financial restructuring of Lisnave. The

Mitrena yard in Setubal will be bought by Lisnave, and the facilities there will be enhanced with one or two more 872.7 x 151 ft. (266 x 46 m) drydocks and equipment for the repair of offshore equipment. Workshops, repair jetties and lifting equipment will be upgraded. On the financial end,

Lisnave capital will be increased by $117.6 million, the banks participating in the restructuring will take $42 million in shares to be sold to the public, and the shareholders will take $36 million (which subscription is granted by the Mello Group). By the time the Margueira yard is fully closed down in early 1996, the Mitrena yard in Setubal is expected to be operational with one new dock and the ability to repair 180 vessels a year — to effect a smooth transition with no interruption in service.

For more information on Lisnave

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Texaco's Star Westminster, another ship which has been served by Lisnave's shiprepair facilities.

Lisnave Reports Upbeat Quarter;

Discusses Future Plans

The 48,621-gtCrystal Harmony, built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and owned by Nippon Yusen Kaisha, both of Japan, in Lisnave's drydock No. 12. Lisnave has been the site of an increasing number of cruise ship drydockings.

Lisnave, Portugal is a large shiprepair organization with three yards in

Portugal. From the facilities at the heart of the Port of Lisbon at Lisnave's

North Yard in Rocha and South Yard in Margueira, to the extensive capabilities of the Mitrena Yard, Setubal, Lisnave reports its full range of repair and ancillary services are being used more widely by operators as more and more ships call the Port of Lisbon.

Increased Vessel Repairs

One of the most interesting repairs of the quarter was carried out on the 22,697-dwt motor tanker Esso Parentis, owned by Esso Francaise. The vessel arrived in Lisbon with its hull in a "hog" condition, which causes the vessel to arch up or "hog" amidships.

Before the vessel was allowed to enter the drydock for a damage assessment, it was cleaned and gasfreed. After drydocking, it was decided with the owner's representatives and its classification society, Bureau

Veritas, that a midship section — 29.5 ft. (9 m) in length and involving 200 tons of steel — would have to be renewed. While this section was prefabricated in the shop, the vessel was cut into two parts and separated to allow the preparation of the aft and forward sections for the introduction of the new midsection.

The vessel arrived in the river Tagus on March 4, 1994 and was drydocked after cleaning on March 17, 1994. Repairs were carried out in 44 days. The vessel sailed to the owner's and the classification society's satisfaction on April 30, 1994.

Lisnave yards have recently repaired tankers such as thei?. Hal Dean, owned by Chevron; Star Wilmington, owned by Texaco; and dozens more.

Lisnave has also been active in repairing passenger vessels, and has been host to vessels owned by, among others, Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Holland

America Line, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, and Diamond Cruises.

Ship Repair & Conversion '94

Olympio 2, London, November 8-9

Ship Repair & Conversion '94 — the third event in the series — promises to be a successful meeting for the international shiprepair, conver- sion and maintenance industry.

Worldwide shipyard representation, one of the main features of the previous events, will be even stronger in 1994.

More than 80 shipyards took part last year, and more are expected this year.

Plans are underway for National Pavilions from Finland, Singapore, Sweden and Turkey, pavilions where sh i pyards wi 11 be joined by equip- ment and service suppliers covering every as- pect of shiprepair and maintenance expertise.

With the worldwide shiprepair industry poised to benefit from a substantial upturn in business, the '94 exhibition is expected to be a showcase of shipyard capability and product/services devel- opments. Factors pointing to a significant im- provement in the shiprepair market include: • The average age of the world's merchant fleet is more than 16 years and increasing. The forecasted expansion of world trade is expected to lead to demands that existing tonnage is repaired, not scrapped; • Shipping forecasts point to an increase in freight rates in virtually all sectors, giving op- erator's higher returns on repair investment; • Tough rules beginning to be enforced by the classification societies will lead to more shipown- ers investing in higher value contracts when considering repair operations; • Stronger focus on environmental and safety issues will mean more owners improving stan- dards on existing ships; • Escalating costs and long delivery times for newbuildings points to growth in the conversion industry.

For more information on Ship Repair & Con- version '94, contact John Gwynn-Jones, Sec- retariat: BML Business Meetings Ltd., 2 Station

Rd„ Rickmansworth, Herts WD3 1QP, England, tel: +44 923 776363; fax: +44 923 777206. 30 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News