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Articles Latest News from Wilhelmsen Ships Service
Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
Wilhelmsen Ships Service predicts upswing in demand for immersion suit servicing
Wilhelmsen Ships Service, a leading provider of immersion suit servicing, is predicting a sharp upswing in the demand for servicing this year as a result of regulatory changes made in 2006.
IMO regulations with regard to immersion suits are rigorous, with crew required to perform onboard monthly tests. More significantly, however, the regulations also require that every three years each suit be subjected to an air-pressure test to check the integrity of the seams and closures, and it is recommended by the IMO that this take place at a shore-based facility with staff trained and equipped to carry out any necessary repairs. The change in IMO regulations that came into force in 2006 caused a spike in the sales of immersion suits, and as a result these new suits are now due for their first service.
Wilhelmsen Ships Service has prepared accordingly and now offers one of the most comprehensive immersion suit servicing operations available via its global network of over 50 locations capable of offering immersion suit service.
The network provides a range of fast and efficient service options that help minimise time spent in port for vessels of all types. The core service is that of inspection as required by the IMO regulations. If a suit fails to meet the necessary requirements then it can be repaired or, if necessary, replaced. In major ports service centres can also offer customers the option of holding additional complete sets of suits, thereby enabling a ship on a tight schedule to simply exchange its onboard suits for fully-serviced replacements, which can then be processed ashore in the normal fashion. The third option is of straightforward loans or temporary replacements.
Owners and operators are urged to check their immersion suit servicing schedules at their earliest convenience, and contact their local Wilhelmsen Ships Service representative for details and costs of the service options.
Wilhelmsen Ships Service took home Seatrade Asia's top agent award
At a ceremony held at the Pudong Shangri-La in Shanghai on 25 June and attended by 600 guests from the maritime industry, Wilhelmsen Ships Service was named winner of Seatrade Asia’s 2009 award for best ship agent.
The Ship Agent Award is given each year to the ship agent who exemplifies the industry specific criteria upon which it is based: customer service and efficiency and new services offered. The other nominees for the award included GAC, Samsara and Jardine Shipping Services.
Receiving the award on behalf of Wilhelmsen Ships Service’s Asian organisation was Neal de Roche, Area Director North East Asia. Mr de Roche commented that the award is a strong testimonial to the quality of the company’s ships agent services.
Raising the bar
In recent months Wilhelmsen Ships Service has made dramatic progress in raising the level of customer service. This has been done by focussing on what matters most to the customers we serve and through standardising our procedures and adopting best practice across our network. All service processes are defined in the company’s Global Integrated Management System. Wilhelmsen Ships Service has raised its level of service delivery through extensive training and competence development through the use of interactive e-learning modules, in-house courses and peer review programmes.
The result of this is finely tuned offers covering Husbandry, Owners Protective and Full Agency services, which our customers find attractive and which are delivered to a high standard. Importantly, these services contribute to an effective and efficient turnaround in port and a more streamlined management process for our customers.
Wilhelmsen Ships Service’s commitment to improved customer service and innovation makes it the proud winner of the prestigious Seatrade Asia 2009 ship agent award.
