No.15 | May 2012
Transcription
No.15 | May 2012
ISSUE NO. 15 | MAY 2012 Scan QR-Code with your mobile and download the Fleet News at www.laeisz.de CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP MV POWHATAN AT HANSAPORT NEWBUILDINGS PROGRESSING FINANCE DEPARTMENT Coal for Hamburg See page 2 Chartermarket on the rise See page 3 Money makes the world go round See page 8 EDITORIAL CONGRATULATIONS MR. PRESIDENT On the 18th of March 2012 the 11th President of Germany has been elected and we at F. Laeisz send our heartfelt wishes to Berlin. That President Gauck is from Rostock is not the only matter we share. His father, also named Joachim has been sailing as officer on our vessels until 25.5.1946. In his book “Winter in summer, spring in autumn” he describes the marriage of his parents as follows: “My mother seems to have shanghaied him when coming ashore. In the family the story goes that young Olga Warremann met the 31 year old at the offices of Laeisz after he returned from Kamerun and asked him: “Did you get my letter?” My Father did not, so she continued: “Then you are not aware that we are getting married tomorrow?” My father did not have to think twice.” DEAR FRIENDS OF F. LAEISZ Well into the fourth year of the crisis still little seems to happen on the surface but the undercurrent is strong. The good news is that the Industry appears to adopt what is best for its own good: strive for mutual survival. Liner companies finally lift the boxrates, tonnage providers stretch cost consciousness to the limit and banks remain considerably patient. We at Laeisz are confident that our strategy will pay off: mixed sizes, mixed types of vessels and a varied group of great customers. Yours truly, N. H. Schües BOOK REVIEWS Published by Marine Money, Inc., 2011 Matt McCleery THE SHIPPING MAN More book reviews on page 8 ISSUE NO. 15 | MAY 2012 | PAGE 2 CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP MV POWHATAN FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THE RIVER ELBE Our Panamax bulkcarrier MV POWHATAN called in January - almost 17 years after its delivery from the shipyard Sumitomo Heavy Industries - loaded with 63 340 tons of hard coal from Russia, which she loaded in the Latvian port of Ventspils, at Hansaport, Hamburg. STOWAWAY GIVES VESSEL MV PIRO SEAL OF APPROVAL! An injured New Zealand fur seal was spotted on the rudder of our MV PIRO during her call at Port Kembla in January. The animal’s peculiar choice of refuge sparked the interest of many locally concerned about its fate as it appeared to be recovering from a shark bite. The National Parks and Wildlife Service opted against removing it from the rudder saying: ‘‘We ask people to keep in mind that shark attacks are a natural occurrence and, yes, they may inflict wounds on an animal but if you start interfering with natural processes, you are going to interrupt the balance of things.’’ exhausted fur seals, even though this one’s choice of location may have been a tad unconventional. The seal is believed to have climbed onto the rudder when the ship was lower in the water. It seems the seal is otherwise healthy and the wound on its back was not weeping. Resting out of water is common behaviour for sick, injured or We are pleased that the seal instinctively knew the vessel was a safe and suitable haven in its time of need. ISSUE NO. 15 | MAY 2012 | PAGE 3 CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP FROM THE CRADLE TO THE GRAVE Selling our 2600 TEU ship MV PALERMO for recycling in January this year did not pass by without emotions. Beached after some twenty years of reliable service she looks like a stranded wale. That most of her parts, her steel and equipment shall now be recycled to be used for new products gives some relief, and that taking vessels out of the water is good for the ailing market goes without saying. MV PALERMO beaching at Alang FOUR CARCARRIERS JOINING THE LAEISZ FLEET IN 2012 RESCUE OPERATION MV ASTERIX The second series of four carcarriers (PCTCs) are scheduled to join the Laeisz Fleet this year, two vessels during the first half, two vessels during the second half of 2012. We are happy to see these vessels being delivered into a market with a commercially positive momentum and good medium term outlook as the eight carcarriers in the fleet will form a key element of our fleet. Our MV POLAR was on her way from Australia to Korea when its crew received an emergency call from the MV ASTERIX, an Indonesian flagged ship in distress. Immediately the MV POLAR changed her course and rushed to the site. On arrival the MV ASTERIX already listed heavily and sank within minutes. The swift rescue operations done jointly with another vessel saved all 17 crewmembers of MV ASTERIX. The moral obligations between seafarers in emergency situations have always and will always play an important role in our life at sea. ISSUE NO. 15 | MAY 2012 | PAGE 4 CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP Picture Credits: Alfred- Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung HAPPY BIRTHDAY RV POLARSTERN THIS YEAR THE ALFRED WEGENER INSTITUTE CELEBRATES THE 30TH BIRTHDAY OF RV POLARSTERN, 30 YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE ICE – A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT BY ANY STANDARDS. “We are proud about this ship and about the results of its research. RV POLARSTERN has substantially contributed to Germany’s leading role in maritime research” said Prof. Dr. Karin Lochte, Director of the Institute. And her colleague Dr. Heike Wolke added: “We are happy to have Reederei F. Laeisz as a professional manager for both the RV POLARSTERN and the Neumayer-Station. It is because of that competent shipowner that RV POLARSTERN is still fulfilling all expectations.” We wish RV POLARSTERN, its crew and scientists many more happy returns. Top: RV POLARSTERN discharging construction material... Right: ...for the new Neumayer-Station CONGRATULATIONS ALFRED WEGENER Congratulations to Alfred Wegener. He was the man who relocated the continents, he discovered what moves the world – and people laugh ed at him. In January 1912 – 100 years ago – Alfred Wegener held his famous lecture in Frankfurt. The 31 year old proclaimed a scientific revolution – his audience named him a dreamer, the British ‘Geological Magazine’ called him “blind and deaf”. Only in the 1960’s, or fifty years later and long after he passed away, the world recognized: His theory of continental displacement is correct. ISSUE NO. 15 | MAY 2012 | PAGE 5 NEVER GIVE UP CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP RIVER CRUISE VESSEL MV ISAR ONE YEAR AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE AND THE TSUNAMI From the letter of our Representative in Japan, Mikuni Komatsu, one year after: “Several days after the Tsunami, what surprised us was the reaction of the local people of Tohoku (North East area where actually all of them encountered some of the damages). Some of them lost their wives or husbands and also children and their houses were completely destroyed by earthquake and swept away by Tsunami, nevertheless, they were never desperate nor giving up a hope for the future. Whenever they were offered some food or any kind of help, they showed sincere gratitude and appreciation and they have never claimed nor accused anybody. By such behavior, we were given an encouragement by those people who were terribly damaged. Then they have taken the steps slowly and steadily for the recovery always with a hope and a dream with the spirit of “Never Give Up”. They also helped and supported each other beyond normal business sense. A president of a rival company offered a production machinery to the president of damaged factory etc. We were very touched and encouraged by sincere good will of those people in the damaged area. Yes, it was those people of Tohoku encountered by earthquake and Tsunami who have given a hope and encouragement to the rest of Japanese people. They have inspired and encouraged average Japanese with the spirit of “Never Give Up” by their diligent deed for human bondage called “Kizuna” although it is true that they also have been offered warm-hearted help domestically and internationally.” Since 1995 the HAMBURGISCHE SEEHANDLUNG successfully initiates investments in the business segments of shipping. At present, the HAMBURGISCHE SEEHANDLUNG offers an investment in the booming tourism sector of river cruise vessels. The closed-end fund “FLUSSFAHRT ISAR” invests in a river cruise vessel travelling through Europe. The HAMBURG ISCHE SEEHANDLUNG expects a return of approximately 205% within 12 to 13 years. Minimum investment sum is 10,000 Euros. There are already six river cruise vessels in the fleet of the HAMBURGISCHE SEEHANDLUNG that all perform on return assumption or even better. STRONG FOR F. LAEISZ NEW MARKETING CAMPAIGN FOR HSH NORDBANK Here’s the new ad campaign for the HSH Nordbank. This campaign is created for Daily Newspapers in northern Germany and for the accompanying handout for the conference “Marine Money Istanbul”. The photo shows the model of the MV PAGANELLA. The slogan “Strong for Entrepreneurs” underlines the new focus of HSH Nordbank, i.e. to be the quality banking partner for medium sized family owned companies. Having been closely linked to HSH since its founding in 1937 (Hamburgische Landesbank), we at F. Laeisz look forward to years of good cooperation. We are proud to have been asked by HSH Nordbank to support their campaign. ISSUE NO. 15 | MAY 2012 | PAGE 6 CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP ANNIVERSARIES 2012 | CONGRATULATIONS! BIRTHDAYS 2012 | CONGRATULATIONS! ASHORE ASHORE 10 years Barbara Gebert 60 years Monika Steinfurth, Marina Schäning, Barbara Obermayer, Doris Medow 25 years Hans-Wilhelm Propp, Regina Metzke, Katja Zosel, Dorothea Fischer 65 years Jürgen Fischer, Winfried Staker, Renate Stein, Sigrid Rutenbeck 30 years Gudrun Menkhaus, Brigitte Kuntze 40 years Heinz Mengel, Jutta Mischinger 45 years Gertrud Hagemann, Christian Kammin ON BOARD ON BOARD 10 years Willfried Hering, Alexander Vogt, Frank Niehusen, Frederik de Bruin, Tim Farysch, Felix Kentges, Moritz Langhinrichs, Arne Niehusen, Markus Plehn, Alfred Resch, Björn Brandt, Mario Rogge, Alex Fischer, Maik Pahl 50 years Igor Hering, Stefan Schwarze, Paulo Diego Lavagno, Ronald Schirner, Michael Winkler, Jens Baasch, Andreas Köhn, Kai Siemens, Holger Becker, Lutz Peine, Jörg Reppenhagen, Torsten Kruszona, Reiner Loidl 25 years Franciszek Pytlik, Jens Grafe, Petra Dinse, Rudolf Freitag 60 years 30 years Bärbel Czyborra, Jörg Preußner 40 years Hans-Peter Boldt, Andreas Deckner, Detlef Beth, Egon Last, Wolfgang Starke, Dieter Reinhardt 45 years Kurt Lewerenz, Bernd Wehder, Jens Krohn, Burkhard Clasen, Heinz-Uwe Nierhoff, Siegfried Bräuer Uwe Kretzschmar, Stefan Beer, Karl-Heinz Wrobbel, Rainer Schaller, Siegfried Pohl, Günter Krohn, Klaus Fiedler, Günter Fritz, Manfred Scholz, Hans-Ulrich Minzlaff, Norbert Schütt, Peter Schacht, Frank Krüger, Michael Hinz, Axel Bull, Klaus-Rüdiger Chudoba, Reinhard Kunde, Ulrich Horn, Horst Wolfrum, Hartmut Guse, Heinz Krüger, Waldemar Murawski, Hermann Rademacher, Hans-Joachim Muthwill, Reinhard Wippich, Günter Pagels 65 years Björn Schreiber, Kurt Lewerenz, Manfred Stolze, Hans-Werner Genkel, Hartmut Huth, Reinhard Woitschach, Arno Kaiser, Gerd Peters, Uwe Pahl, Horst Hänchen, Helmut Muhle, Günter Röseler, Wolfgang Mannack, Manfred Witt 45 YEARS ASHORE Gertrud Hagemann 45 YEARS ON BOARD Christian Kammin Kurt Lewerenz Bernd Wehder Jens Krohn Burkhard Clasen Heinz-Uwe Nierhoff Siegfried Bräuer ISSUE NO. 15 | MAY 2012 | PAGE 7 CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP COMPANY HISTORY REMINISCENCES OF AN OLD HAMBURG CITIZEN – PART 5 At last, in May, long after the whole of Germany was at peace, Hamburg was freed from the hated enemy too, and we could move back into our old house in town. My elder brothers were demobilized and returned to civilian life: the eldest went into book trade and later founded the still well-known and esteemed bookshop A.B. Laeisz. The other became a watchmaker. My younger brother and I were sent to the St. Nicolai School. However, the younger generation had so run wild under the wartime conditions that it was difficult to get on with them at all. Full of energy and high spirits, I was out of doors as much as possible. Swimming and skating were my favorite sports and, on a few occasions, they proved to be fairly dangerous pastimes for me. When at last I left school, my teacher dismissed me, assuring me that I was a goodfor-nothing and would probably stay the way. I left school at Easter 1815, fourteen and a half year old, and wanted to go to sea, but, as the number of shipping companies had diminished during the war, it was difficult to find a ship for me, eventually, I managed to find a job on board Blankenese schooner ELIZABETH. I was on the high seas for only a short time on board that ship as we had to turn back due to damage, and that was the end of my seafaring career. My parents insisted on my learning a trade, so I was ap- prenticed to a book-binder named Cornelius, where I had a rather bad time as the work did not suit my lively imagination, all the more so, as I remained the younger apprentice for many years and did not have the opportunity to learn much of the actual trade during that time. The only time of the year I could really be of any use was around Christmas when business flourished and I had to work late into the night. The only reward I received was a few biscuits on Christmas Day, for the rest of the year we had such meager fare, that Mrs. Cornelius often complained that not even bread crusts were left over – a sure proof of our hunger and need of food in our teenage years. Added to that, we were badly treated by our master, and even worse by our mistress. I was not on good terms with them at all and I enjoyed playing tricks on them. What especially fascinated me was the attic, where tasty hams and sausages were dried and cured. By using a ladder which we fixed round the gable, we could climb through the garret window and have a jolly good feast. Once our mistress came up into the attic before I had a chance to hide in an empty chest and, knowing how timid she was, I started to growl. Terrified and screaming, she ran downstairs and I could then escape over the roof and down the back of the house in time to join in search for the alleged burglars. The name Ferdinand was much too fine for an apprentice, so they called me Heinrich. As I had to run quite a few errands, I quite often used the opportunity to go for a swim – my favorite sport – without asking permission, of course. In the summer of 1818, I once caught sight of an eleven-year-old boy who was nearly drowning in the water near Hamburg ferry. Still half-clothed, I jumped in after him and man- aged to get hold of him but he clung on to me so desperately that we both nearly went under. Luckily, I could get free my right arm and so swam with my burden to the shore. The following day, the boy’s father came into our shop to express his thanks and unluckily met with my master. Then, on being asked if I had been swimming the day before, I impudently denied it and had my ears boxed instead of receiving a medal for live-saving. Because of my frivolous pranks, I probably would have been dismissed after a very short time if I had not been useful in other ways to the business, mainly by noticing that the book-keeping was being done in a slovenly way. So I made my own list of the goods delivered. Then, in January the bills were due to be sent out, I declared most of them to be wrong and proved, with the aid of my list, that we should collect 600 Marks more. However, the reward promised me was soon forgotten. When my apprenticeship came to an end I did not receive any token of thanks. I had saved enough money from tips during my four years as an apprentice to pay the fees of becoming a journeyman. The rest I used to finance my travels as a journeyman bookbinder, and I set out in the spring of 1819 with 50 Marks in my pocket. I went mainly on foot of course, to Bremen, Hannover and then to Kassel, where I first found work. My first week’s wages was 18 “Groschen”. Here I had the depressing experience of realizing that the apprentice knew more about the handicraft than I, so I considered myself lucky to have the opportunity of perfecting my knowledge. To be continued in Fleet News no. 16 PUNTA ARENAS Punta Arenas, south Patagonia, often is starting point for RV POLARSTERN’s expeditions into the Antarctic. Not only N.W. Schües shall remember his visit to the vessel in March this year: Full of expectations he arrived jointly with scientists and crew when a biblical rain hit the area. A river of not only water but sand, trees and trash ran through the city and locked our people into their hotels. N.W. Schües and his group had to be saved by a swim-tank when electricity and communication failed. What an experience on the other side of the world! Left: Christian und Nikolaus W. Schües, Top: Main road in Punta Arenas ISSUE NO. 15 | MAY 2012 | PAGE 8 CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER BOOK REVIEWS MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO AROUND Author Matt McCleery Title THE SHIPPING MAN Published by Marine Money, Inc., 2011 ISBN978-0-9837163-0-3 The finance department of Reederei F. Laeisz GmbH has to fulfill different duties such as accounting, controlling/reporting and cashmanagement and is thus divided into different teams. When restless New York City hedge fund manager Robert Fairchild watches the Baltic Dry Cargo Index plunge 97%, registering an all time high and a 25-year low within the span of just six months, he gets excited. It is time to buy a ship, he decides. One of these teams takes care of the punctual payment of all invoices of the vessels in our management as well as of the office and not least the monthly payment of the salaries for all employees of the company. Overall Reederei F. Laeisz receives about 50.000 invoices yearly which have to be paid timely. Almost all payments are being made by electronic payment transactions. Mrs. Dorothea Fischer and Mrs. Erika Foth take care of the transfer of the electronic payment data to the banks by using an electronic payment system. Before a remittance can be released the necessary coverage on the bank accounts has to be checked. Thereby our cash-management team, headed by Frank Hilmer and Willi Gäbel has to dispose daily more than one hundred bank accounts. This is however always the last step in a multi stage cash-management planning-system which is installed in our company. Even if electronic payment transactions are the most common method of payment cash is still necessary in daily business. Therefore Mrs. Dagmar Tempel and Mrs. Dana Lorenz are responsible for the proper running of a cash-box containing different currencies and which is especially used by our superintendents and other colleagues travelling abroad. Mrs. Sylvia Koch and Mrs. Doris Medow are well known to the masters of our vessels. If the vessel needs money for the cash-box on board to provide salary-advance payments to the crewmember or to pay smaller invoices they have to inform the cash-management team in due time. It is always a challenge for the team to get clean USDbanknotes in all necessary ports around the world and to organize a safe transport of the money to the vessel. Immediately fantasizing about naming a vessel after his wife, carrying a string of worry beads and being able to introduce himself as a “shipowner” at his upcoming college reunion, Fairchild immediately embarks on an odyssey into the most exclusive, glamorous and high stakes business in the world. From pirates off the coast of Somalia and on Wall Street to Greek and Norwegian shipping magnates, the education of Robert Fairchild is an expensive one. In the end, he loses his hedge fund, but he gains a life – as a Shipping Man. Part fast paced financial thriller, part ship finance text book, The Shipping Man is required reading for anyone with an interest in capital formation for shipping. Author Niels Jakobi, Holger von Neuhoff, Barbara Springer Title 25 JAHRE FS METEOR Published by Hauschild, 2011 ISBN978-3-89757-507-3 The German research vessel RV METEOR in 2011 celebrated its 25th anniversary with the company. Despite her age, the ship is due to its continuous modernization of one of the most powerful in Germany and worldwide. Almost every one of the many fascinating documentaries about marine research knows from television. The vessel is often present, as will be performed on her multidisciplinary expeditions to all oceans. Reason enough for the editors and 24 authors from various fields of marine science and maritime, once to look behind the scenes and the ship and its history (s) present. The contributions show the entire spectrum of modern scientific methods at sea. This ranges from standard units of marine research, which are already used for several hundred years to the modern sea floor drill rig and autonomous diving robots. Furthermore, an insight into the lab work and daily life on board of scientists and crew in all weather is mediated. This richly illustrated book is aimed at anyone interested in the sea, the maritime and marine science. PUBLISHED BY: From left to right: Doris Medow, Willi Gäbel, Dagmar Tempel, Sylvia Koch, Dana Lorenz, Erika Foth Reederei F. Laeisz G.m.b.H. Phone: +49 40 36808-229 · Fax: +49 40 36808-257 E-Mail: [email protected] · www.laeisz.de · Design & Layout: www.matrix-design.com