Page 64: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (October 2000)

Ship Repair & Conversion

Good Luck Chartering The "Rust Bucket of the Month"

Oil tankers greater than 3,000-gt that are more than 15 years old are targeted in France crackdown

The long arm of legislation — interna- tional, national and regional — will increasingly dictate the way in which ships are designed, outfitted and operat- ed. This trend will continue, and most assuredly legislation that add to the cost of building and operating vessels will quicken. Following the Erika disaster, the Paris MOU Port State Control Com- mittee has launched an initiative to carry out a targeted inspection campaign on all oil tankers greater than 3,000-gt and more than 15 years old, during the peri- od September 1 - November 30, 2000.

In addition to the normal port state inspection, specific items to be checked include the cargo deck area, ballast tanks, cargo tanks, pump rooms, inert gas system, PV valves and the engine room. The Port State Control Commit- tee has adopted special inspection guidelines for this purpose. Where pos- sible, owners and operators should invite a surveyor to assist during the ini-

It Can Take You Anywhere... (4) 56' LCM-6's I HPI

TS 8V-71 GM's w/steering kort nozzles. (4) New AW1500 2D Anchor Winches 6-71 GM, TDTC, Air, 75 ton 3000' 1-1/2" $225K/ea (16) Used Alum. Crewboats 29' - 32' * $15K - $35K ea. 25' Steel Pushboat

TS $55K

RASMUSSEN $28,500.00 I ea

EQUIPMENT COMPANY

Seattle, WA

Phone: 206-762-3700 www.rasmussenco.com

Email: [email protected]

Circle 300 on Reader Service Card

AUCTIONS

Machinery and Property -Plus-

Machinery for Sale

Businesses for Sale

Commercial Real Instate

RFPs and RFQs

Employment

Funding and Capital

F-mail Notification Services r.-maii ser> industry www.i-comindustry.com

Are you interested in getting in on the action- taking paying passengers on charter fishing parties, or on dive trips, or sight-seeing tours?

Houston Marine can make this possible in 9-15 days with three courses combined into one. We will train you to become a licensed captain. Our

OUPV 100/200 ton courses are USCG-approved.

Call today for course dates! 1-800-947-7737

HOUSTON MARINE TRAINING SERVICES

The Complete Training Source

U^wJvJ 5728 Jefferson Highway • New Orleans, Louisiana 70123

Fax: 504-729-4450 • www.houstonmarine.com

Circle 247 on Reader Service Card

Next time you think of steering steer to Jastram!

North American Shipbuilding chose Jastram steering when building this 260ft. anchor handling tug and supply vessel.

Jastram Hydraulic

Steering Systems are the ideal choice when designing a new vessel or planning a retrofit.

ENGINEERING LTD. 467 Mountain Highway

North Vancouver, B.C.

Canada V7J 2L3

Tel: (604) 986-0714

Fax: (604) 986-0334

Web: www.jastram.ca e-mail: [email protected] tial port state control survey, so that any problems may be solved at the earliest opportunity, thereby minimizing poten- tial delay, expense and any financial penalty that may be levied by the Paris

MOU. If ships are detained during this campaign, they could face follow-up inspections in other Paris MOU ports, together with 'naming and shaming' and in severe cases publication as 'Rustbuck- et of the Month.'

Eyes Onboard

Circle 249 on Reader Service Card 62 Circle 257 on Reader Service Card

Much as communications services — both in terms of speed, cost and quality — have vastly improved in the past decade, so to have onboard software systems designed to monitor and assist manage critical onboard systems and functions. In the coming years and decades, it can be assumed that a much larger onus will fall on automated sys- tems to ensure the safe and efficient operation of vessels of all sizes. While the "No Man" bridge still may be a few centuries away, the prevailing trend in the maritime realm is dependence on automation to help reduce crew costs and optimize onboard efficiencies.

For example, since 1996 when

Grimaldi Naples decided to install

SpecTec's AMOS for Windows systems on its fleet, the steadfastness of Grimal- di's management to achieve results and the performance of the AMOS system combined to cut costs by 15 percent over three years.

Engineer Giancarlo Coletta of

Grimaldi Naples knows the highs and lows of maritime software and comput- erization. He knows what works and what doesn't based on years of first- hand experience. "We were the first customer to use the Windows-based system; we were like the test pilots. This had its good and bad sides: We would have to cope with some of the early bugs, but we were also able to impact the development of the young product.

We could propose changes and improvements to suit the shipping world and, as a consequence, our organiza- tion," says Coletta. Grimaldi Naples had

AMOS for Windows installed on six vessels, in its office and on six new- buildings. Coletta noted that, perhaps most important for any maritime soft- ware system to work, the ship's crews were using the product and discovering each day new ways to make their jobs simpler and operations smoother and cheaper. "We have cut maintenance costs, but it is the renovation of our processes that is really dramatic. Pur- chasing and supply are quicker, more organized and less wasteful. Now, for example, we can organize our purchases to make larger bulk buys and thereby save money," says Coletta.

Circle 61 on Reader Service Card

Maritime Reporter/Engineering News