Shipping in Greece

Transcription

Shipping in Greece

Aegean News
T H E
Q U A R T E R L Y
M A G A Z I N E
O F
A E G E A N
AUTUMN 2013
Aegean
in Singapore
Money Back
with
Epistrofi
International
Bunker
Industry
Association
Insights and
Issues
Plus
Flows & Currents
Travel with Aegean
Shipping in
Greece
A National Strength
Επιστροφή
σε ευρώ με κάθε σας
συναλλαγή
Ενημερωθείτε αναλυτικά για το πρόγραμμα Επιστροφή στο
www.epistrofi-eurobank.gr.
editorial
When 10,000 weary Greeks, returning from a march
against the Persian empire in 401 BC, saw the Euxeinos
Pontos, or Black Sea, they shouted in joy: Thálatta!
Thálatta! (Greek: Θάλαττα! θάλαττα!) "The Sea! The
Sea!." Ever since then, perhaps, the sea has been at the
heart of the Greek soul.
Today, as global leaders in shipping, Greeks continue
to celebrate the wonders of the sea and to extract gain from its very nature.
To a great extent, shipping is a silent force that serves us day in and day out,
non-stop, 365 days a year. And in many ways it produces one of the greatest
multiplier effects in the global economy. In addition to transporting manufactured goods from suppliers to markets, ships deliver energy in the form of oil,
gas and coal, chemicals and scores of other raw materials, animals and foodstuffs, medical supplies and endless other goods that meet our everyday needs.
Aegean
Core Activities
Retail
àAEGEAN OIL has established a gas station network throughout Greece, and is
one of the fastest growing companies
in the retail market. AEGEAN’S gasoline
market share in Greece is 8%.
Shipping
à AEGEAN SHIPPING manages a fleet of
tankers, ranging from 3,500DWT to
100,000 DWT, that transfers and delivers
oil to our clients throughout the world. All
ships meet ISM standards.
Ships also transport people—as passengers going about their daily business or
as tourists, landing at destinations or, in the case of cruise ships, being their
own destinations.
Designers, engineers, fitters and firemen are all part of the global shipping
industry, which needs the products and services of innumerable economic sectors, creating and endless loop of demand and supply.
In addition, ships provide the platform for fishing, a global industry that
feeds millions every day. Each of these activities generates economic activity,
creating jobs the world over, either at shipyards, ports, logistics and transport
firms, serving tourists, or in serving the security needs of each country in the
form of navies, coast guards, or special forces.
In Greece, shipping remains a healthy and vibrant part of the economy,
supporting numerous jobs at sea and on shore, generating a wide variety of
demand and adding tax revenue to State coffers.
In some ways, since ancient times, Thálatta! Thálatta! never lost its meaning and deep resonance in Greece and the sea, and shipping, is set to be a key
component of Greece’s emergence from crisis and a strong catalyst for growth.
Bunkering
àIn Piraeus, Patras, Gibraltar, Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp, Fujairah, Jamaica, Singapore, Trinidad & Tobago,
Portland UK, Vancouver, Montreal, Mexico, Tangiers, Tema in Ghana, Las Palmas
and Tenerife, Panama, and Hong Kong,
AEGEAN MARINE PETROLEUM is a leader
in providing the best bunkering services
available. AEGEAN MARINE PETROLEUM
is the market leader in bunkering.
Agency Services
à Ships from around the world rely on AEGEAN AGENCY services at Piraeus, Gibraltar,
and Jamaica, from loading and discharging, to spare parts and supplies.
Lubricants
à AEGEAN OIL produces and markets high
RAYMOND MATERA
Publisher
performance lubricants for vehicles and
industrial use, under the AEGEAN brand.
AEGEAN MARINE PETROLEUM trades and
supplies lubricants for the marine market
under the ALFA brand.
AUTUMN 2013 AEGEAN NEWS 1
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AEGEAN
MARINE
PETROLEUM
contents
13
Dennis Ho, General Manager of Aegean
Bunkering (Singapore) Pte Ltd, talks to
Aegean News
CODE: 5169
Autumn 2013
Aegean News is published
quarterly by AEGEAN
PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR
Raymond Matera
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Alexandra Loli
DESIGN
Snack
PRINTING AND BINDING
Korifi Publications SA
OWNER
Aegean
10 Akti Konydli
185 45, Piraeus, Greece
Tel: +30 210 458 6000
Fax: +30 210 458 6241
E-Mail: [email protected]
Websites: www.aegeanoil.gr,
www.ampni.com
Comments and suggestions
are welcome.
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is available, subject to availability, to
any interested person or organization.
Please Recycle
18
An overview of Greek shipping today and the
modern Greek merchant navy
4 AEGEAN UPDATE
9
RETAIL
Money Back—With "Epistrofi"
10HELLENIC ENVIRONMETAL
CENTER
EU Legislation Revision Provides Opportunity for
Efficient Marine Environment Protection
12AEGEAN PORTS OF CALL
Singapore
13
IN PORT
Aegean in Singapore
14
FLOWS AND CURRENTS
Trends and News in the Oil and Energy Fields
16 STATIONS OF THE MONTH
• Helen Gasdoga, Litochoro, Pieria
• Theocli Pitropaki, Ierapetra, Crete
24
Captain Peter Hall, Chief Executive
of the International Bunker Industry
Association, speaks with Aegean News
18
SHIPPING
Shipping in Greece—A National Strength
24
INTERVIEW
The International Bunker Industry Association—
Insights and Issues with Captain Peter Hall
26MARITIME TRADITION
The Aegean Sea and the Origins of Shipping—
Chapter II: The Roman Era
27 TRAVEL WITH ΑEGEAN
Plastiras Lake
28CHILDREN AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Conserving Global Fish Stocks
30 AEGEAN COLLECTION
Step Out in Style
A E G E A N
UPDA T E
Celebration of Gibraltar National Day
Gibraltar
National Day
P. Kamarados, A. Poulovassilis, G. Melissanidis, E. Syrros, and I. Kalafatis
Aegean Certified
Against Four Standards by LRQA
After several months of close work with Lloyd’s Register, Aegean Shipping Management S.A.
has been certified by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) against four international
management system standards.
During a ceremony held at Aegean’s premises yesterday September 18th, Mr George
Melissanidis received the certifications against ISO 9001:2008 for Quality Management,
ISO14001:2004 for Environmental Management, OHSAS 18001:2007 for Occupational
Health & Safety Management System and ISO50001:2011 for Energy Management, demonstrating the commitment of the company to best practice for quality, pollution prevention,
health & safety proactiveness and efficient energy use & conservation throughout their fleet.
“The certification of Aegean Shipping Management S.A. against four standards highlights
the company’s confidence in Management Systems as well as the strong commitment of
Aegean’s top management for continuous improvement.” said John Kalafatis, LRQA Business
Centre Manager for East Mediterranean & Black Sea Area (EMBS).
George Melissanidis of Aegean Shipping Management said at the presentation ceremony: “We
are very proud of our achievement, and the dedication of our people, for us to be certified
with four ISO standards, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 & ISO 50001 by LRQA. With
the ISO 50001 certification, Aegean Shipping Management joins an elite group of companies. Aegean Shipping Management advanced closer to its goal of achieving greater customer satisfaction, more rigorously protecting the environment, better serving its employees,
and contributing to more energy savings and emissions control. It is also a strong indicator of
our direction: to excel in our day-to-day operations, both on land and at sea.”
“Since its establishment in 1996, Aegean Shipping Management SA has carved out a dynamic role for itself in the highly competitive and international oil shipping market, said Mr.
Melissanidis.”
4 AEGEAN NEWS AUTUMN 2013
On September 10, 2013, Gibraltar
enjoyed its’ 21st Annual National Day
celebrations led by the Chief Minister
Mr. Fabian Picardo, the Gibraltar
Mayor Anthony Lima and members of
political parties, as well as members
of Parliament from the UK. The highlight of this year’s speeches was a
video from the British Prime Minister,
David Cameron, where he wished the
Gibraltarians a Happy National Day
and expressed the support of the
British Government for Gibraltar.
Gibraltarians massively attended the
rally, which took place at Casemates,
like every year, as this year more than
ever the current political issues with
Spain have accentuated the wishes of
the locals to express their rights to
British Sovereignty.
Gibraltarians celebrated with family
members and friends after listening
to the speeches and watching the
release of hundreds of red and white
balloons into the sky as a sign of solidarity. The streets were painted red
and white and all the local restaurants
and bars were full until well into the
evening when the stage at Casemates
was once again occupied, this time by
local music bands, which played well
into the night.
The celebrations ended with an
array of color in the sky from a
long-lasting, fireworks display at the
Detached Mole.
Captain Nigel Campbell (South African Maritime Safety
Authority), J.J Metey (Aegean Marine Petroleum) and
Kostas Argiros from Port Elizabeth
View of the delegation attending the lectures
The Gala dinner
Eastern Cape Ports and Maritime Conference
South Africa is one of the top 15
shipping countries in the world in
terms of tonnage transported to and
from its ports.
Port Elizabeth's harbor, within the
Nelson Mandela Bay, is the fifth
largest in South Africa, playing an important role in the movement of clean
cargo, automotive parts and vehicles.
The magnificent Port of Ngqura, now
South Africa's premier trans-shipment hub, lies at 20 km.
The port area of Port Elizabeth is
more than 180 years old. Following
the arrival of British settlers in 1820
the harbor area became extremely
busy, with mohair, wool and ostrich
feathers as the most common cargo
shipped from the port. According to
the Department of Transport, 80%
of the country's trade is carried out
by sea and it has therefore become
necessary to prioritize the shipping
industry.
The Eastern Cape authorities, namely the South African Port authority,
Transnet, the Province of Eastern
Cape, Samsa, Coega port, and Nelson
Mandela Municipality, organized
the first ever Eastern Cape Ports and
Maritime Conference, led by eminent
bodies like the Economic Development of the Province of Eastern Cape,
the Eastern Cape Development Corporation, the South African Maritime
Safety Authority (Samsa), Transnet
(National Ports Authority), Coega
Port Development Corporation, and
the Municipality of Nelson Mandela
Bay. The conference took place at Port
Elizabeth, on May 29-13, 2013. The
target was to provide an opportunity
to expose South Africans, Africans
and the rest of the world to the mas-
Aegean Employee’s Children
Participate in the World
Championship with the National Team
Continuing success for the Peristeri Dolphins swimming
team and their newly elected president (as of June 2,
2013), Aegean’s own Christos Vassilopoulos. The team
ranked 1st in the National Swimming Technique Championship, earning the 4th title in its history. The excellent and
high quality preparation of the team resulted in six athletes
Celia, Argyris and Christos Vasilopoulos
being invited to join the national team, including Mr. Vasilopoulos’ two children, Argyris (24) and Celia (18), to represent Greece at this year’s World
Confederation of Underwater Activities (C.M.A.S. games) for men’s and women's swimming
technique in Kazan Russia in early August.
sive potential within the South African maritime sector.
Nelson Mandela Bay is a natural bay
within close range to the shipping
route sailing around the Horn of Africa offering a different alternative to
the Suez Canal. The Nelson Mandela
Bay is poised to offer a good range of
services to the shipping community
soon.
Aegean Marine Petroleum was honored with an invitation from the local
authorities to participate in this first
constructive and successful 3-day
conference, which along with presentations, discussions and debates,
opened the way for a bright future for
Nelson Mandela Bay.
Aegean Marine Petroleum warmly
thanks the local authorities for their
invitation to participate in this conference.
New Employees
The following employees have joined the
Aegean work force.
AEGEAN BUNKERING SERVICES
Dimitra Persa Kolaza
Paraskevi Venizelou
Georgios Moutousidis
HELLENIC ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER
Katerina Malliou
A E G E A N
UPDA T E
Seminar participants
In-House Training Courses
On July 24-26, Alpha Marine Consulting ltd, conducted the following in-house training courses for Aegean Bunkering Services Inc.:
• Risk Assessment and Incident Investigation Analysis The trainees were informed about the
requirements of the ISM / ISPS codes and TMSA related to risk identification techniques,
technical systems, management principles and risk evaluation, and the necessary steps to
carry out the assessment.
• Vetting Inspection Course and Shipboard Safety Officer At this stage the seminar provided
the trainees with the means to efficiently prepare for vetting inspections and demonstrate a
strong commitment to safety and environmental excellence.
• Maritime Labor Convention 2006 This course covered background and scope of the Maritime Labor Convention, minimum requirements for seafarers to work on a ship, conditions
of employment, accommodation and recreational facilities, food and catering, health
protection, medical care, welfare and social security, complaint handling, compliance and
enforcement.
Aegean employees Konstantinos Besiropoulos (Master); Lambros Tsatsos (C/E), Nikolaos Ieronymakis (Master); Dimitrios Papoutsoglou (Master); Georgios Kokotsakis (Master); Konstantinos Veletakos (Master); Athanasios Kreouzis (C/Off); Nikolaos Spyridis (Master); Angelos
Kostopoulos (Master); Stavros Lekodimitris (Master, Office Representative); Ioannis Moschos
(3/Off); Georgios Tsanakis (Master); Nikolaos Papadakis (C/E); Theodosios Papadopoulos
(Master); Kamil Saouach (Master); Konstantinos Stournaras (Master); Dimitrios Karaboulis
(Office Representative); and Marina Ritsou (Office Representative) attended the seminars.
Logging On
Customers and associates
may log on at:
www.aegeanoil.com
Customers and associates of Aegean
Marine Petroleum may log on at:
www.ampni.com
Aegean Oil SA trainees and employees of self-operated service station at Aegean’s main facilities
Aegean Service
Station Staff
Training
Aegean held a two-day training seminar as part of the company’s continuing staff education program. The seminar took place on September 11 and
12 in the training/ presentation room
of the Aegean Piraeus main facilities.
The topic of the seminar was Work
Safety In Service Stations and Sales
Techniques. A total of 35 employees
working in Aegean self-operated stations in Attica attended the seminar.
Each of the trainees was awarded with
a certificate after the completion of
the seminar.
In his opening remarks, the deputy
CEO of Aegean Oil, Antonis Papadakis,
presented a general overview of the
company and the retail market trends,
noting that with this seminar a new
training cycle begins. In addition to
safety issues, which are always the
first corporate priority, Aegean also
focuses on improvement of customer
service.
Aegean quality control laboratory at Aspropyrgos
Aegean Collaborates with Lloyd’s for Sample Analysis
BY DIMITRIS PANAGOPOULOS | HEAD OF QUALITY CONTROL LABORATORIES
The effort for continuous evolution of
the Aegean quality control laboratory
in Aspropyrgos, both in terms of investment in the latest technology analyzers, and training of existing staff,
proved once again successful.
Aiming at being more outward oriented, Aegean signed a cooperation
agreement with FOBAS for conducting shipping fuel analyses for Hellenic
Lloyd's SA.
These analyses will be performed according to ISO 17025, which is a standard laboratory testing and calibration
accreditation.
The confidence of our customers
rewards us and confirms once more
the high quality of analyses carried
out at the quality control laboratory at
Aspropyrgos.
Obtaining the accreditation certificate ISO 17025 gives chemical measurements 95% confidence, which
will satisfy even the most demanding
end users.
Reliable measurements, in conjunction
with the organization and structure
level of the facilities, establishes the
quality control laboratory among the
leading laboratories in fuel analysis.
A E G E A N
UPDA T E
Aegean Part of Strategic Planning and Development
of Trinidad’s Maritime Industry
BY CHRISTOS LEIVADAS | MANAGING DIRECTOR AEGEAN BUNKERING TRINIDAD
On August 29 Aegean participated in the
conference on Strategic Planning and Development of the Marine Industry Trinidad from
2013 to 2018 in the Courtyard Marriott
Hotel at the Port of Spain.
The event took place under the auspices of a
number of ministries and agencies (Department of Energy, Department of Commerce,
Industry and Investment, and Ministry of
Maritime Affairs) and was the most important forum that has been organized in recent
years. In fact, this was the first organized effort to present a strategic development plan
of the local commercial shipping industry.
Merchant Marine, as well as all relevant activities, is an important component of the economic identity of the country and local authorities expect that it will play an even more
important role for Trinidad from now on.
Aegean was actively involved in the discussion. As has been noted to both the responsible ministries and local partners, there is
no doubt that despite the progress of recent
years, there should also be an improvement
in services that are offered in areas such
as ship repair, various supportive services,
and staff education. Otherwise, Trinidad is
in danger of missing the opportunity to use
Aegean Launches New Application
Aegean has launched a new App that is an ideal business companion,
providing easy access to find indicative bunker prices for all ports where
Aegean acts as a physical supplier, along with the contact details of each
Aegean global sales office.
The App is designed for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch and is optimized
for iPhone 5.
its natural advantage. Trinidad’s natural and
comparative advantage, over other nearby
island countries, is none other than the very
geographical position and the two main commercial ports, Port of Spain and Point Lisas.
The government and both local and international companies operating locally must take
advantage of these great assets and lead
Trinidad’s economy into the future.
The expansion of the Panama Canal will
undoubtedly attract more business opportunities and their importance should not be
underestimated. Shipbuilding and repair,
bunkering and other supportive services
such as shipping agents and spare parts and
food supplies are just some.
Aegean agreed on the major issues raised
during discussion. The bureaucracy, the legal
difficulties that foreign investors face, the
lack of trained staff and the local work culture
were some of the main topics of discussion.
The development strategy of the Maritime
Industry of Trinidad is an active process that
requires participation, recommendations,
and actions by private companies in the area, as well as government agencies. Aegean
made it clear that it will assist in this effort.
The government seems determined to
achieve its objectives, to accomplish the
vision and not to miss this opportunity that
Trinidad has been given.
RE TAIL
Money Back—With "Epistrofi"
Antigonos Papadopoulos of Eurobank Cards speaks with Aegean News about the Epistrofi
program—which drivers may benefit from at Aegean stations.
Antigonos Papadopoulos, Eurobank
Please tell us about the Epistrofi program.
Epistrofi is the loyalty program that
Eurobank has created for all its customers who hold credit and debit
cards. It is designed to bring added
value to both consumers and merchants. More than 5,000 merchant
locations participate in the program,
covering a huge variety of retailers,
to include all consumers’ needs. Merchants enroll in the program by offering a percentage (%) on every transaction that takes place with a Eurobank
card. Customers can choose among
the merchants for their purchases,
where they earn/collect real Euros for
every transaction they perform with
their cards (based on the percentage
of the merchant) and the can redeem
them, at any of the merchants that
belong to the loyalty network, on their
next transaction.
What makes this program different from
other, similar programs for consumers?
Based on the features of the program
and the feedback from customer surveys, the main differentiation factors
are:
• Consumers collect real Euros every
time they use their card.
• There are no limitations and restrictions for redeeming the collected
Euros. Customers can pay less, or
nothing, by redeeming their Euros
at the point of sale.
• T he program is customer-centric
and not product oriented as it works
on both credit and debit Eurobank
cards. So you can collect Euros with
one card and redeem with another.
How has the response been in the market to date?
The market reacted extremely well
to the program, especially after 2010,
when we re-launched the program
and we emphasized strengthening
the merchant network and creating
strong customer awareness. Now,
merchants are approaching us and
requesting to enter the program and
not vice versa, while cardholders are
contacting our call center transferring
their proposals for merchants that
they would like to see in the program.
In terms of spending, what we see
from our partners is that although
their total sales volumes are under
pressure, the incoming traffic of Eurobank cardholders is increasing.
How do companies such as Aegean
create win-win relationships with Eurobank with the Epistrofi program?
Eurobank has a very big customer
base of cardholders who are active
and are asking for benefits when using their cards. The channels that Eurobank uses to communicate with the
customers are multiple and modern.
Apart from the standard methods,
such as monthly statements, newsletters and branch merchandising,
a dedicated site and a mobile application for smartphones have been
developed. So the communication
is online and the call-to-action message can be immediate; this is very
important, especially when we do
promotional campaigns, apart from
the standard ongoing offers. All these
tools are designed to meet the needs
of the merchant partners and customers. Therefore, companies such as
Aegean can capitalize on these communication tools to increase their
incoming traffic at their stations, and
build up strong and loyal relations
with customers.
More important, how do consumers
benefit—and how is economic activity
catalyzed?
Consumers benefit because they gain
value by using their cards. As mentioned, consumer behavior is changing and now they are seeking reasons,
by the bank and the retailers, to
choose to use their products (bank)
and buy their goods (retailer).
H EC
EU Legislation Revision Provides Opportunity for
Efficient Marine Environment
Protection
BY MARIA STAMATOGIANNI | LEGAL COUNSEL HEC
Discharging of waste generated during the operation of ships,
and cargo residues, account for 20% of marine pollution across
the globe. Expanding and improving reception facilities, and
strengthening the legislative framework can contribute significantly
to reducing environmental effects.
T
he dangers posed by modern
maritime transport to the marine environment have been
clear since the 1970s. That is why the
International Maritime Organization
(IMO) devised the International
Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships and the Additional
Protocol of 1978, together known as
MARPOL 73/78, in order to take pre-
ventive measures for the effective protection of the seas around the globe.
In full compliance with the MARPOL Convention, the Directive
2000/59/EC was prepared, which
serves as the key tool of European
policy in the battle to preserve the environmental balance in the seas today.
Member States were required to comply by the end of 2002. In Greece the
Directive was adopted by Joint Ministerial Decision No. 3418/07/2002
under the supervision of the General
Secretariat of Ports and Port Policy.
For more than ten years the Directive
has contributed significantly to the
control of harmful pollutants, which
would have probably ended up in the
open sea without the strict controls
and fees introduced by the Directive.
Empowering the protection provided by the MARPOL Convention,
the Directive provided for three axes
to achieve its objectives, imposing
serious sanctions in the form of heavy
fines in case of improper compliance
by member states:
a) I n any EU port each operator
must first develop and maintain α
specific and renewable Ship Waste
Management Plan, so that users are
provided with appropriate and adequate reception facilities without
delaying other ship operations.
b) The directive calls for a "retributive" fee system to motivate users
to deliver their waste to the port
of arrival. This system imposes
mandatory prepaid fees. As long as
the ship delivers its waste, part of
the fee is refunded or offset against
other charges.
c) F inally, ports are to organize a
network for monitoring shipping
routes and exchanging information
between ports and between ship
and ports of call.
The Directive applies to Member
States regardless of the nationality
of ships and to date its application is
considered to be relatively successful,
as indeed the volume of traditional
residues in port reception facilities of
Member States has increased, while
thanks to its modern and ever-evolving waste management methods, environmental risks from the process of
residues are now minimal.
However, the European Commission Services together with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EM-
For 20 years Aegean, through
the Hellenic Environmental
Center SA, has been a
pioneer in the collection and
processing of petroleum waste
and cargo residues
SA) assessed that although increased
awareness of all those involved in
shipping (shipping companies, charterers, agents, and managers) is evident, there is still much room for
improvement in order to achieve
a system that ensures that all ships
calling at EU ports will deliver waste
and cargo residues to legitimate and
appropriate reception facilities. Additionally, some Member States tend
to adopt their own interpretations
(depending on the level of operational preparedness and environmental
consciousness), in the process of
incorporating the Directive. The ultimate result is the heterogeneity of
the regulatory framework across the
EU, as well as extensive diversification
in the logistical infrastructure of port
reception facilities, which operate at
different ports. Often ships request
clarifications and guidance on the
interpretation of the Directive, while
many call for simplification of procedures and harmonization with the
relevant IMO guidelines. Another
proposal concerns the development
of a single computerized system at a
European level.
The Directive revision process focuses on three findings, which need to
be addressed:
1. Inadequacy of existing reception
facilities or high cost of access to
them
2. Disincentives for disposal of waste
at sea that do not seem particularly
strong, since when it comes to conscious users the chance of finding
violations is low and the penalties
are not dissuasive
3. Harmonization of administrative
organization and coordination of
the various systems handling Member States facilities
These processes are under the auspices of the Committee on Transport
and Tourism (rather than the more
competent Environment Committee),
which may be more prone to succumb
under the pressure of the transport
sector’s interests to mitigate the reception facilities liabilities or charges,
hence putting aside environmental
priorities. Nevertheless, we hope that
the universal demand and effort to
save environmental resources and
to achieve sustainable development
and reinforcement of environmental
services will prevent “discounts” on
measures to protect the marine and
coastal ecosystems.
For 20 years Aegean, through the
Hellenic Environmental Center SA,
has been a pioneer in the collection
and processing of petroleum waste
and cargo residues generated during
the operation of ships and has been
continuously engaged in all relevant
international and EU initiatives (Euroshore, IAPH, HELMEPA), and of
course has been actively and closely
monitoring the procedures for revising the legislative framework.
Aegean Ports of Call
Aegean operates in many ports throughout the world, supplying customers
with products and services. Aegean News highlights developments and news
from some of the Aegean Ports of Call—the series continues with Singapore.
Singapore
Singapore Maritime Week 2013
There was something for everyone at the launch of the Singapore
Maritime Week (SMW) 2013, with Minister of State for Finance
and Transport, Josephine Teo, as the guest of honor. This year,
SMW featured 25 events, including several programs reaching out
to the local community, as well as conferences, and business and
networking events for the maritime community.
ANF 2013-2015
Singapore has been assigned the chair to the Aids to Navigation
Fund (ANF) Committee from 2013 to 2015. The ANF was established in 2007 to fund the renewal and maintenance of aids
to navigation in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS),
and ensure safety of navigation and environmental protection
in the area.
Leading Oxford Expert Visits Singapore
Oxford professor, Paul Taylor, visited the National University of
Singapore from March 25 to April 2, 2013 under the Maritime
Technology Professorship (MTP) program, which aims to enhance
research and development (R&D) in marine and offshore engineering research in Singapore.
World Maritime University
This past March, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
hosted a group of over 20 international maritime officials, who
were pursuing their Masters in a program in Shipping and Port
Management at the World Maritime University (WMU). The program was designed in a way so that the students, who came from
14 different countries, including Algeria, Iraq, Madagascar, Myanmar, and Turkey, could learn about port operations and management in Singapore. This program also gave them the opportunity
to exchange insights on the development of the shipping industry.
IN
P ORT
Aegean in Singapore
Dennis Ho, General Manager of Aegean Bunkering (Singapore) Pte Ltd, provides an overview of
the Port of Singapore, a key Aegean location and one of the most advanced ports in the world.
Please give us an overview of the port
of Singapore today?
Singapore continues to be a leader
in the maritime industry. In 2012,
Singapore attracted 2.25 billion gross
tonnages of vessels making it the
global leader in vessel arrival. Container throughput was almost 32
million TEUS, an increase of almost
6% compared with the previous year,
and lies 2nd only to Shanghai. Together with Singapore’s status as a major
oil trading hub, bunkering activity
continue to see healthy sustainable
growth, delivering close to 43mil tons
of bunker fuel. Combined, the maritime industry contributes 7% to Singapore’s overall GDP. It goes without
saying that the maritime industry will
continue to be a cornerstone of the
Singapore economy.
How is the development program proceeding?
Singapore is not resting on its laurels
and is continuing to develop the port
in various segments. It was recently
announced a “hub port” will be built
in the western part of the island. This
new container port promises to be
bigger and more efficient than the
current four terminals at the southern
coast of the island. An underground
oil storage facility that can store about
9 million barrels of crude and petroleum products will be nearing completion soon.
For the bunkering industry, the
Maritime Port Authority (MPA)
continues to be a global leader in
setting the standards for other ports
to follow. In the latest initiative, the
new LNG terminal is equipped with
berths for the bunkering of LNG fuel.
MPA is coming up with a framework
for LNG bunkering procedures. Also,
as announced recently at a Bunkering
Forum, MPA will eventually make
mass flow meter a mandatory method
of measuring bunker fuel quantity.
As Singapore advances as a stronger
economy in Southeast Asia, what effect
will this have on shipping and the port?
As an open economy, Singapore is not
immune from the current slowdown
in the shipping market. However,
building on its past success and ongoing development, Singapore is poised
to take advantage of an eventual recovery of the shipping sector. In the
meantime, the Singapore government
has provided funding towards upgrading the skills of individuals in the
maritime sector.
Aegean has been well established in
Singapore for some time now. How is
Aegean performing?
After seven years in Singapore, Aegean Singapore is synonymous with a
smooth, efficient bunker operation.
In the current challenging shipping
environment, we continue to serve
our customers with the same high
level of service that is expected of us.
We are also participating actively in
various initiatives of the local bunker
Dennis Ho
industry like review of SS600, the
Singapore bunkering procedure, and
also in the steering committee of the
biennial bunkering conference here in
Singapore.
As the global economy shifts eastward
to Asia, how do you see Singapore's
position in the next decade?
Singapore is considered by many
western countries to be the gateway to
the rest of Asia. With Asian countries
looking to dominate the world economy in the next lap, Singapore will ride
on this wave. Even as the Arctic route
will eventually take away some vessel
traffic from the traditional route, the
impact is expected to be minimal as
infrastructural over on the Arctic
route is not well established.
FLOWS AND CURRENTS
Natural Gas:
Market
Observatory
and Statistics
Natural gas resources are spread
throughout the globe, making gas
an important component of the
world's energy. While EU reserves
are running low, the objective
remains simple: Supply European
consumers with affordable and reliable natural gas.
In 2013 the European Commission
produced a report highlighting the
latest trends, which include the persisting variations in global gas prices, the unseasonably cold weather
that heavily impact gas consumption, the decreased production
from Norway and North Africa
that contributes to an increase in
physical flows from Russia, and the
role of trading hubs as an instrument for exchange of natural gas in
Continental Europe.
No matter what the latest trends
are, officials agree that the creation
of an efficient and capable internal European market would be the
best response in anticipation of the
years to come and in terms of security of supply and global warming.
The Largest Ship in the World
The Maersk 'Triple-E' container ship justifiably calls itself the biggest vessel in
the world at a 400 meters long, 59 meters wide and 73 meters high. It travels the
trade route between Asia and Europe, transporting products manufactured in
China, Malaysia and Korea, and exports from the West. The ship is not only big
but also fuel-efficient. It has been designed to sail at an average of only 16 knots
with “super slow steaming,” which actually saves the company around 900,000
Euro in fuel on a typical journey between Shanghai and Rotterdam. The Maersk
'Triple-E' also emits fewer pollutants and the slow speed also reduces carbon
dioxide emissions. Moreover, instead of burning the expected 214 tons a day,
the ship will burn 150 tons, which Maersk executives insist is a step in the right
direction. Over the next two years, the company is overseeing the construction
of another 19 similar vessels, forming a class of ship it calls “Triple-E” dedicated
to the Asia-Europe route.
Greece Proceeds
to Hydrocarbon Exploration
Yiannis Maniatis, Minister of Environment,
Energy and Climate Change has announced
that at least two contracts for hydrocarbon
exploration will be brought before Parliament for ratification in the near future; one
in the Patras Gulf and one in Ioannina. The
Parliament will then have to learn, investigate and ratify the first state contracts
with private contractors relating to how
Greece’s mineral assets are developed.
Following the signing of the contracts, the
respective contractor will be ordered by the state to proceed to exploration. The ministry is
optimistic that we shall see developments within 2014.
Global Maritime Trade Continues
to Grow
Between 2000 and 2008 global trade has been growing at an average rate of 12% per
year due to globalization, technology and the emergence of new, strong commercial players.
Although the financial crisis impacted this growing trend, trade levels have picked up again.
Historically representing 75% – 90% of global trade volume, maritime shipping is the cornerstone of global trade and the preferred means of transport. The growth of seaborne trade is
expected to continue steadily at an annual pace of 3-4% through 2020.
China has become a major player as a manufacturing center and has stimulated an increase in
container traffic between the United States and Asia, with a large portion of that traffic transited the Panama Canal. Given this tremendous growth in global shipping volumes, congestion at
the Panama Canal will be a possibility, despite its recent expansion. Possible solutions could
be a second canal to serve excess demand as well as alternative trade routes.
Consequently, an increasing share of the trade between Asia and the US East Coast has
shifted to larger ships making longer voyages west from Asia, through the Malacca Strait and
the Suez Canal. The emergence of new alternative, although sometime dangerous, routes will
result in an increase in trade between the U.S. and Asia. U.S. exports to Asia, such as coal,
LNG, and crude oil, are also expected to grow.
Largest Volcano On Earth
Found Deep in the Pacific
Four miles below the Pacific Ocean’s surface, the world's largest volcano has
been asleep until recently a team of scientists discovered it. The newly revealed
Tamu Massif volcano, located about 1,000 miles east of Japan, is about the size
of New Mexico. Not very tall but extremely wide, Tamu Massif, a truly massive
volcano, outclasses by about 60 times the previous record holder, land volcano
Mauna Loa, in Hawaii, and can be compared with Olympus Mons on the planet
Mars, the largest known volcano in the solar system.
This mega-volcano formed about 145 million years ago and took a few million
years to take shape between the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The volcano
is part of a larger underwater feature known as the Shatsky Rise and although
it has been inactive for millions of years, it will give geophysicists valuable info
on how much magma can be stored in the Earth's crust and pour out onto our
planet’s surface.
Maritime
Transport
Reducing
Emissions
The European Commission is taking the
first steps toward cutting greenhouse
gas emissions from the shipping industry by proposing legislation which will
include the following measures:
Focus on emissions from large ships
An EU-wide legal framework for collecting and publishing verified annual data
on CO2 emissions from all ships over
5,000 gross tons will direct ship owners to monitor and report the verified
amount of CO2 emitted by their large
ships and provide data to determine the
ships' energy efficiency.
Work towards a global system
The Commission aims at setting global
energy efficiency standards for existing
ships, as proposed by the United States
and supported by other members of the
International Maritime Organization.
Minimize administrative burden
The commission's proposal aims to
minimize the administrative burden on
companies by basing the rules on existing documents and equipment carried
on board ships. Companies will be able
to select their preferred monitoring
methodology.
Reduce emissions and costs
The EU-wide system of monitoring will
reduce CO2 emissions by up to 2%,
according to the commission's impact
assessment. The system would also
reduce net costs to owners and assess
the performance of individual ships,
their associated operational costs, and
potential resale value.
STATIONS OF THE MONTH
Whatever People Want
Helen Gasdoga, Litochoro, Pieria
Litochoro, a hilly town of Pieria, has a population of about 7,000 inhabitants. At a distance
of about 92 kilometers from Thessaloniki, Litochoro lies at an altitude of 300 meters at the
eastern foothills of Mount Olympus, which makes it a popular destination for those wishing
to conquer the peak of the mythical mountain.
T
ravelers will find Mrs. Gasdoga’s gas station at the foot of
Mount Olympus. Her husband
and partner, Mr. Stogiannos, talks to
Aegean News about their business.
How long have you been in the fuel
business Mr. Stogiannos?
I have been working with fuel since
1976.
How did your involvement with fuel
come about?
I was interested in the sector and I felt
that I can make a descent living. Later
my wife got involved as well.
Can you tell us a few words about the
gas station you operate with your wife?
We have three stations in the region in
total; all in an area of about 30 square
kilometers. This particular gas station
that I operate with my wife is, you
can say, the central one and is fully
equipped and fully organized. We employ three people in total.
How did you choose Aegean as a supplier? When did your collaboration start?
Our cooperation with Aegean started
in 2002 with one of our gas stations
and then we changed suppliers for the
other two stations as well. Now we
only buy fuel from Aegean.
Mrs. Gasdoga’s gas service station
What is your impression of your cooperation with the Aegean? Are you satisfied? Have you ever had a complaint?
I am very happy with my collaboration with the Aegean. From the
beginning there were never any complaints.
Many people drive by on their way to
Mt. Olympus and Pieria.
In general how is the situation today?
How is business?
Thank God, our business, despite the
economic crisis, is going well. Compared with other stations in the area,
we have more work. Through winter
till early summer we mainly work
with the local population and then
work picks up all the way through autumn with more tourists in the area.
What are your expectations for the future?
We have the set-up for an automatic
car wash, which we do not really operate at the moment. I would like to turn
that into a self-service car wash. We
have also started the installation for
LPG and we will be ready shortly. In
general, whatever people want, we try
to provide it and be the best at it.
What is your relationship with your
customers like?
I feel it is very good. They seem to
prefer us!
Mrs. Pitropaki’s service station
Big Difference for the Better
Theocli Pitropaki, Ierapetra, Crete
Ierapetra, the only urban center in southern Crete and the fourth largest city of the island, exports
agricultural products to Europe and therefore represents an important commercial center and
the main economic center of the prefecture of Lasithi. Located 100 kilometers from Heraklion,
Ierapetra attracts many tourists because of it’s award-winning beaches and exciting nightlife.
M
rs. Pitropaki’s gas station is
located at the entrance of
the town of Ierapetra.
How many years have you owned this
gas station Mrs. Pitropaki?
This gas station has been in operation
since 1970. It was my father's at first and
then, about ten years ago, I took over.
When and how did your cooperation
with Aegean start?
We have been working with Aegean
for about two years. We decided to
come to Aegean to have a more stable
cooperation with our supplier than
we were experiencing in the past.
Aegean offered us better, more competitive prices, so we decided to make
the change.
Do you employ any staff at your gas
station? Would you like to tell me a few
words about the services you offer?
No, we do not have any staff. It is just
me and my husband. As for our services, we provide fuel and lubricants.
Do you see a big difference in your work
during the summer months?
We generally work throughout the
year. The area is popular with tourists,
but it is also rural, so we do not see a
big difference between the summer
and winter season.
How is your communication with Aegean? Are you happy with your cooperation so far? How does your relationship with the supplier reflect on your
relationship with your customers?
Our communication with Aegean is
great. And that means that we have
good relations with our customers.
There are generally no complaints.
How is the situation today and what is
the response of consumers?
Business has been a bit low for some
time now. But clearly we have seen a
big difference for the better compared
with two years ago; meaning before
we started working with Aegean.
Would you like to share with us your
plans for the future?
We have very recently performed a
complete renovation. So, the gas station
has already changed radically from the
under-ground reservoirs all the way to
the above-ground facilities.
SH I PPI NG
Shipping
in Greece—
A National Strength
Greeks took up shipping as their main form of occupation at the
dawn of their nation. Since then, shipping has played a major role
in shaping Greece’s history and remains a key component of Greek
economic activity today.
History
The Greeks have been a maritime nation since the times of ancient Greece, as the
mountainous landscape of the mainland with its limited farming area and the extended coastline of Greece led people to shipping. The geographical position of Greece, at
the crossroads of ancient sea-lanes in the eastern Mediterranean, its multiplicity of
islands and its proximity to other advanced civilizations helped shape the maritime
nature of the Greek nation at an early stage. Ancient Greeks dominated the maritime
trade in their region, gradually expanding it along the shores of the Mediterranean
Sea and the Black Sea, and establishing colonies.
The Greeks carried out a large part of the sea trade of the Roman Empire, while they
also continued to be involved, and play a major role, in shipping during the era of the
Byzantine Empire.
In the times of the Ottoman Empire, the involvement of the Greeks in international
maritime commerce was also prominent and Greek ships could be readily found,
especially in the ports of the eastern Mediterranean. They expanded their shipping
activities and trade towards Western Europe in the 16th Century, taking advantage
of the rapidly increasing need for grain. The restrictions imposed by the Ottomans
to regulate the grain trade did not prevent the Greeks from engaging in illegal trade
with considerable profit.
In the nineteenth century shipowners from the island of Chios were well positioned
to take advantage of the commercial opportunities across Europe after the Napoleonic Wars.
Many changes and upheavals affected the markets: the Russian Revolution, the
collapse of the Ottoman Empire and restrictions in Egypt that closed markets to foreigners. The Greek grain merchants in London and Odessa lost access to traditional
suppliers and markets and, rather than quit, they seized the opportunity to invest in
merchant fleets.
The Second World War saw Greek shipping companies operating in the Allied areas
with their fleets under the control of the British Merchant Marine.
After the end of the war Greek-run fleets were able to re-establish themselves under
their national flag. The changing dynamics saw them more closely aligned to Greece,
and the establishment of a Greek Merchant Marine service.
SH I PPI NG
G
reece’s geographical position at
the crossroads of three continents helps explain the intrinsic and constant Greek talent in shipping over the centuries. Commercial
shipping has played a key role in the
economic and social development of
Greece, a traditional maritime nation,
in increasing the country’s prestige at
an international level, and enhancing
regional social cohesion. The shipping
industry has been the forerunner of the
internationalization of other economic
sectors of the country which, along
with its global nature, maintains close
ties with the Greek economy.
The Modern Greek Merchant Navy
Today, shipping represents one of the
country's most important industries.
According to Lloyd’s Register, as of
July 2013, the Greek fleet currently
amounts to 157.0191 mGT, with
42,0258 flying the Greek flag (Tables
1 & 3), and holds the second place
worldwide in tonnage following Japan
(Table 4). Greece has a very “young”
fleet: 67% of the vessels comprising
the Greek fleet are less than 10 years
old and 44% of them are less than 5
years old (Table 2).
Earnings from shipping
amounted to €15.4 billion
in 2010, while between
2000 and 2010 Greek
shipping contributed a total
of €140 billion
In terms of the contribution of
shipping to the national economy,
Greek shipping accounts for 6% of
GDP, employs about 160,000 people (4% of the country’s workforce),
and represents 1/3 of the country's
trade deficit. Earnings from shipping
amounted to €15.4 billion in 2010,
while between 2000 and 2010 Greek
shipping contributed a total of €140
billion (half of the country's public
debt in 2009 and 3.5 times the funds
received from the European Union
during the 2000-2013 period).
Greeks remain at the helm of global
shipping industry. The inclusion of 14
Greek shipowners in the world’s top
100 compiled by Lloyd’s List for 2012
confirms that the Greek shipping
industry remains at the helm of the
global market.
Main ship types in the Greek fleet (Table 1)
Ship Types
Count of Ship
Type Profile Main
Count of Ship Type
Profile Main %
Sum of Gross
Tonnage
Sum of Gross
Tonnage %
Bulk carrier
1,720
37.89%
70,667,561
45.01%
Container ship
299
6.59%
13,015,958
8.29%
Gas ship
115
2.53%
2,274,335
1.45%
Other ship types
651
14.34%
2,742,889
1.75%
Passenger ships
398
8.77%
1,543,279
0.98%
Tanker
1,356
29.87%
66,775,114
42.53%
Grand Total
4,539
100.00%
157,019,136
100.00%
Count of Ship
Type Profile Main
Count of Ship Type
Profile Main %
Sum of Gross
Tonnage
Sum of Gross
Tonnage %
1,485
32.72%
69,518,049
44.27%
Ages of ships in the Greek fleet (Table 2)
Age
0-5
According to
Lloyd’s Register,
as of July 2013,
the Greek fleet
currently amounts
to 157.0191 mGT
and holds the
second place
worldwide
in tonnage
following Japan
6-10
794
17.49%
35,610,915
22.68%
11-15
703
15.49%
28,436,195
18.11%
16 - 20
479
10.55%
14,884,509
9.48%
21 - 25
261
5.75%
4,401,635
2.80%
26+
817
18.00%
4,167,833
2.65%
4,539
100.00%
157,019,136
100.00%
Number
mGT
mDWT
mTEU
mCuM
Avg Of Current
Age
1362
42.025881
74.71064
0.17699
0.896933
20.34043074
Grand Total
The Greek flag worldwide (Table 3)
Flag
Greece
Positioning of the Greek fleet in the top 15 global list (Table 4)
Number
mGT
mDWT
mTEU
mCuM
Avg Of Current
Age
Japan
9142
157.341718
238.259567
1.342069
16.281443
13.37713301
Greece
4539
157.019136
274.427181
1.240253
3.243977
14.56271572
People's Republic Of China
5790
99.078124
160.550834
1.269959
2.033542
14.96591825
Germany
4380
97.295734
130.928739
5.675602
1.753439
11.79545282
Singapore
3810
63.359383
100.39326
1.315447
0.52943
12.39387577
Korea, South
3793
57.088392
90.166448
0.550241
7.02131
23.74635293
United States Of America
7546
47.054551
50.858459
0.470467
1.526316
26.78870704
Hong Kong, China
1556
37.426312
59.978449
0.48863
0.864764
13.9151671
Norway
2989
33.86425
41.420456
0.234657
7.153128
20.43230735
Chinese Taipei
1804
29.253371
46.486396
0.633878
0.036302
19.95579268
United Kingdom
1878
27.636341
35.51296
0.578154
6.422136
18.97302094
Italy
1926
24.143943
30.033992
0.152394
1.000418
20.97473174
India
1916
20.596319
34.60761
0.052552
1.814365
18.55293145
Turkey
2227
18.553012
29.815655
0.158382
0.1638
21.38500973
Denmark
1104
18.305877
23.526983
0.840959
1.222405
17.72735507
Country of Economic Benefit
Data source / analysis: Fairplay, Lloyd’s Register
Η πόλη Algeciras
SH I PPI NG
According to recent reports, Greek
shipowners have spent $3.8 billion
on the acquisition of vessels this year.
Taking advantage of the major opportunities that are emerging in shipping
as a result of the decline in ship prices,
Greek companies have acquired 211
vessels.
Τhe Ports of Greece
The Ionian, the Aegean and the Libyan
Sea surround the Greek territory. The
Greek coastline measures at 16.000
kilometers, 7500 of which surround
the 2000 islands and islets of the Greek
archipelago. This fact alone gives
Greece a unique geomorphological
advantage and allows for Greek ports
to act as gateways of trade between
Europe and Asia.
Piraeus and Greek Maritime
Industry
Piraeus (Greek: Πειραιάς, Ancient
Greek: Πειραιεύς), a port city in the
region of Attica, Greece, lies along the
east coast of the Saronic Gulf, located
12 km southwest of Athens city center. The municipality of Piraeus and
several other suburban municipalities
within the regional unit of Piraeus
form the greater Piraeus area, with a
total population of 448,997.
Piraeus has a long recorded history,
dating to ancient Greece. Today the port
of Piraeus is the chief port in Greece,
the largest passenger port in Europe and
the third largest in the world, servicing
about 20 million passengers annually.
Industry reports place Piraeus among
the top ten ports in container traffic in
Europe and the top container port in the
Eastern Mediterranean.
In addition to being the largest marine–based shipping center of Greece,
Piraeus serves also as the commercial
hub of Greek shipping, with most
of Greece's shipowners basing their
commercial operations there, largely
centered on Akti Miaouli Street.
Maritime Education
Merchant shipping, a major national
strength for Greece, has been recognized at both a European and global
level. To keep Greek shipping dominant in the 21st Century merchant
marine officers need to be fully trained.
The Merchant Marine Academies provide modern education of maritime
theory and the use of new technologies,
Ministry of Marine and
Aegean Sea
Because of the central importance of
merchant shipping for the national
economy, the State has established the
Today the port of Piraeus
is the chief port in Greece,
the largest passenger
port in Europe and the
third largest in the world,
servicing about 20 million
passengers annually
opening prospects for a promising career for merchant marine officers.
Merchant Marine Officers train in
the Merchant Marine Academies in a
number of cities. The studies comprise
six semesters of theoretical training
and two semesters of practical maritime education and offer high-level
specialized knowledge with the system of alternate education (Sandwich
Courses), pursuant to which education is alternated between classes and
on-board training. Merchant Marine
Academies place particular emphasis
on learning English, as this skill is
essential for a successful career in the
world of internationalized shipping.
The studies include theoretical courses, practical training in workshops,
and training using simulators.
Ministry of Marine and Aegean Sea.
The functions performed by the
Ministry by its central offices in Piraeus and its agencies in 210 ports
throughout Greece and 24 consular
port authorities in major ports around
the world, include the organization,
improvement, protection and development of shipping through:
• The connection with the national
economy
• The support for marine tourism
• The provision of services for maritime transport
• The protection of human life and
property at sea
• The provision of search and rescue
missions
• The protection of the marine environment
• The safety of navigation
• The protection of ships and ports
from unlawful acts
• The exercising of the maritime policy of the country
The Ministry also:
• Organizes and supervises maritime
education, regulates and resolves
issues of maritime labor issues, and
supervises the organization and
administration of organizations and
insurance institutions
• O versees the administration, organization, and operation of the
country’s ports, the organization
and administration of the pilotage
service and the implementation of
the country’s port policy
• Organizes and oversees the policing
of ships, of the sea area of the ports
and of the sea borders in accordance
with the relevant internal and international legislation
The Ministry takes actions based
on national, European, and international maritime law, fundamentally
aimed at resolving problems faced by
ships and Greek Merchant Marine officers both at home and abroad.
Union of Greek Ship Owners
Hydra shipowner Gikas Koulouras
first established the Union of Greek
Shipowners in 1916 in Piraeus. He
then went on to serve as Director for
many years, while Leonidas Empirikos
was the association’s first president.
During the rise of Greek merchant
shipping, the President of the Union
was Antonios Chandris. Current
President, Theodore Veniamis, was
reelected in 2012 for three more years.
The Union represents Greek shipowners in their relations with the
State and seafarers' organizations, and
ensures the protection and promotion
of its members’ interests. Apart from
this main organization, in which owners of sea-going vessels take part,
there is also the Association of Passenger Shipping Companies (formerly
Shipowners Association of Passenger
Ships), which was founded in 1921
and represents the sector of passenger
ships, local and international, as well
as cruise ships.
I N T ER VI EW
International Bunker
Industry Association
Insights and Issues
Captain Peter Hall, Chief Executive of the International Bunker Industry Association, speaks with Aegean
News about one of the leading associations in the maritime industry.
Please tell us how IBIA—The International Bunker Industry
Association—came to be.
The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) has
its first formal meeting in February 1993 with 23 participants representing 6 countries. The association has come
a long way since then as we now have nearly 600 organizations and individual members representing 69 countries!
Our members represent all aspects of the marine fuel
chain from the ground to the ships engine. That means we
have members who are oil producers, tanker owners, refiners, traders, brokers, charterers, ship owners, storage, surveyors, equipment manufacturers, port authorities, credit
reporting, lawyers, P and I clubs, classification societies,
marine consultants, the list goes on.
The diversity of the association, however, is its strength
and provides a platform from which IBIA can speak with
credibility in such forums as the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) providing legislators with practical
information upon which future legislation can be based.
IBIA has in the past been part of the working group on
the Marpol annex VI and continues to take an active participation as an non-Governmental Agency at each of the
IMO sessions particularly, MEPC, MSC and BLG.
IBIA also participates in the International Standards Organization (ISO), which enables input into the ISO 8217,
8216 and ISO 13739.
There are regional forums tackling the local issues,
which can feed into technical committees.
What are the aims and objectives of IBIA?
• To provide an International forum for Bunker industry
Issues.
• To represent the industry in discussions and negotiations
with national and international policy makers, legislators
and other group bodies.
• To review, clarify, improve, develop and endorse where
appropriate, industry methods, practices and documentation.
• To increase professional understanding and competence
of all who work in the industry.
•T
o provide services and facilities for members and others
as the board may deem appropriate from time to time.
With the global economy at a challenging and uncertain
stage, how do you see the way forward for the bunkering
industry, which relies on a healthy and vibrant shipping
sector?
Over the last 50 years the major trade routes have shifted
both in volume and location. Bunkering either needs to
migrate with this movement or deliver efficient, cost effective points along the emergent trade routes.
We are seeing a change in the “center of gravity” moving
towards the east.
Areas of growth are seen as Africa, The Middle East
and Asia.
Whilst Singapore remains dominant in bunker supply,
China, Hong Kong and other Asian countries are likely to
continue to grow in the region.
The biggest change I believe, will be to see an increase
in sales in China, Korea and Hong Kong – Not surprising
that IBIA has chosen Hong Kong to be this year’s annual
conference location in November, a natural location for
suppliers and shippers to meet.
In big picture terms analysts are forecasting trade will
continue to grow about 3% pa, and with it Bunker demand
will grow about 1.5% pa - not as fast as trade, as economic
measures (slow steaming) will continue to be common.
Growth, however, is not likely to be equal across the
globe the gains being seen in Asia, Africa and Middle East
with the Mediterranean, Europe and South America remaining flat and North America is likely to shrink.
In selling and finance the traditional “retailers” have
been reducing their exposure to the marine fuel market.
With shippers facing low earnings, restricted credit and
higher costs cash flow is a key issue. There needs to be
some radical thinking within the finance industry to keep
shipping on the move.
Is fuel availability an issue with the sulphur cap in place?
The sulphur cap regulations are certainly changing the balance between high sulphur residual fuels and low sulphur
distillates, especially in Europe and North Americas. Eventually environmental pressures will gain traction in the east
and signs of this have started with Hong Kong announcing
the implementation of 0.5 sulphur cap in 2015. Availability
would appear to be able to meet the short term demands,
There needs to be some radical thinking
within the finance industry to keep shipping
on the move
certainly for the next few years, however, as more areas
declare sulphur caps. Then more pressure is exerted on
supply. A key component in the supply chain are the locations of available distillate, which are not consistent with
demand locations (ECA’s) - therefore transportation will
add further cost into the system.
The key question being asked is “what will be the case in
2020 when international sulphur cap is proposed to come
in force.“ A great deal depends upon how ship operators
will respond to the environmental measures and cost efficiency! Will they take up “Scubbers” or alternative fuels?
And in what quantities?
Do you believe there is an opportunity to gain more interaction and engagement from the industry players, let’s say
through the Working Technical Groups, so the bunker industry as a whole would have more leverage?
The emergence of so many issues really does require an
expanded working group network. The groups also need
to have a local flavor, that’s why I am encouraging the
formation of regional forums, which pull all the players
Captain Peter Hall
together in that region. The regions would have a mechanism to feed into the national and international debates.
This would also create a mechanism for disseminating best
practice and innovation, which I am equally keen to foster.
Each year you host an annual IBIA Dinner in London. How
does this event add to the advancement of the bunkering
industry?
Not many associations can claim to have a dinner in London that attracts over 1000 guests from all over the Shipping and Oil world.
IBIA’s annual dinner takes place at the beginning of the
Institute of Petroleum’s week commonly known as “ IP
week” with networking opportunities second to non and
demand currently outstrips supply. We opened our booking system a few weeks ago for February 2014 and demand
is as strong as ever. We have been very grateful that for the
last two years Aegean have been the main sponsors.
MARITIME TRADITION
The Aegean Sea and the Origins of Shipping
CHAPTER II
The Roman Era
Archaeological findings, myths, and the writings of historians, suggest that we can trace the
origins of the shipbuilding art to ancient Greece and the Aegean Archipelagos.
The Romans Conquer Greece
Roman period (30 BC - 306 BC)
The Roman risk for Greece first appeared in 229 BC when the Romans
settled on the coast of Illyria. At that
time the Greeks were divided and
worn out by civil wars. This situation
favored the Romans, who gradually
from the 2nd century BC onwards,
began to slowly conquer various parts
of the Greek territory. As a consequence, Greek cities lost their lead
in the Mediterranean. Nevertheless,
seaborne trade continued to fuel the
Greek economy. Greek shipmen remained experts in maritime art and
became the trainers and crews of the
strong navy of the Roman Empire.
Greek shipbuilders constructed oversized heavy ships, under the rule of
Rome. Romans placed military siege
engines and structures on these ships
for their military operations on land.
The Rise of Rome
Rome was built in 753 BC. This small
Etruscan city quickly developed into
the first town in Italy, dominated the
Mediterranean Sea, and concurred
Mesopotamia and Europe as far as
Britain. Rome owed its rapid growth
and strength not only to its large
military ground forces, but also to its
powerful navy.
Roman Ships Capturing Part of the Carthaginian Fleet
The Roman Navy
Rome’s navy suffered many shortcomings in the beginning. The experienced Carthaginians and the Greeks,
especially the Cretans, easily defeated
them. Later, however, the Romans
paid more attention and reinforced
their fleet, which helped Rome’s aspirations to become a world empire.
Merchant ships of the Roman period are divided into smaller vessels
with a capacity for up to 3,000 amphorae, and the larger Myriofora ships,
as Greeks called them, capable of
carrying 10,000 jars. The much largest
carriers, which according to records
of the time carried by average 50,000
tons of wheat per year from Alexan-
dria to Rome, comprise a third special
category. The Romans used for the
first time a second piece of cloth in the
bow to achieve higher speed. During
Roman times we also see for the first
time merchant ships without oars.
For the creation of a large commercial and military fleet the Romans
used the great naval tradition of ancient Greek and Hellenistic times.
The Romans, and the later conquerors of the Mediterranean Sea, namely
the Arabs, the Venetians, and the Ottomans all learned from, continued
and improved upon the ancient
Greek maritime expertise, as they
gathered technical knowledge and
seamanship experience.
TRAVEL WITH AEGEAN
Plastiras Lake
Near the city of Karditsa lies Plastiras Lake, also called
Tavropos Reservoir. The lake and its name commemorate
the Greek general and politician, Nikolaos Plastiras, who first
conceived the idea of building a reservoir in the area.
Must See
Plastiras Lake
The Vision
In 1925 general Nikolaos Plastiras was visiting his hometown in the area of
Karditsa. During this time a major flood of the river Tavropos devastated the
entire area. General Plastiras presented his idea—to build a resevoir—to the
Minister of Agriculture and asked him to study the case. Although politicians
initially opposed Plastiras’ proposal, after the Second World War Plastiras
became Prime Minister and resurfaced the subject. The newly formed Public
Power Corporation adopted the project as part of its effort to electrify the
country and held an international contest in 1953. French company Omniun
Lyonnais won and started building the dam in 1955 and completed it in 1960.
Plastiras Lake Today
Today the lake holds up to 400 million cubic meters of fresh water, used for
irrigation and as a power source of a hydroelectric plant and as the main
water source for the city of Karditsa. Due to its altitude and beautiful landscape, the reservoir acts as a popular tourist resort all four seasons.
Plastiras Lake Depending on the time of the
year visitors shouldn’t miss the lakeside bike
ride under the oaks, swimming in the lake, or
enjoying a boat ride.
Botanical Garden Open year-round, this is
an area of 10 acres with unique collections
from the flora of the wider region.
Anthohori Waterfall The Anthochoriti
River that flows through the village will
charm nature lovers. Hikers should follow
the specially designed path, surrounded
by lush vegetation and abundant water, to
the entrance of the gorge and the newly
renovated water mill.
Plastiras Museum Thessalia Dedicated to
the life and work of the general, or “Black
Horseman” as they used to call him, the
Plastiras Museum is located in Morfovouni
village. Visitors will have the chance to
discover numerous documents, photographs
and personal objects from well-known and
lesser-known aspects of the life of Nicholas
Plastiras.
Gaki’s Cave Discover the hideout of Thimios
Gakis, located in the village of Karitsa. At a
total length of 190m, much of which has not
yet been explored, visitors will require an
experienced guide for this adventure.
Fanari Fortress 14km from Karditsa stands
the only Byzantine castle saved in western
Thessaly. Originally built to control the
passage from Epirus to Thessaly, the castle
was used as barracks by the Turks during the
occupation and for the same reason by the
Greek army after the revolution.
Aegean stations
CHILDREN AND THE ENVIRONMENT
I Protect the Environment-I Safeguard my Future
By staying informed about what is happening in the world and by passing the information on
to others, we are taking a significant step toward the protection of our planet.
I BECOME INFORMED - I INFORM OTHERS - I ACT
Conserving
Global Fish Stocks
What is overfishing?
What causes overfishing?
There are many ways to explain overfishing:
• Commercial and non-commercial fishing that results in a depleted fishery. If fishermen catch
too many adult fish, then not enough stay behind to breed and replenish the population.
• Catching too many fish. Fishing so much that the fish cannot sustain their population.
There are gradually fewer and fewer fish, until finally there are none to catch for either
sport or food.
Whatever the definition, the result comes down to this:
Catching too many fish leads to an overall degradation to the system. Overfishing is a
non-sustainable use of the oceans and we need to do what we can to conserve fish stocks
on a global level.
All around the world there are two to three times
as many fishing fleets as we need to catch fish and
other marine species for our food. There are, perhaps, simply too many people fishing in the oceans!
In addition, fishermen often use fishing methods that hurt the oceans and have a large, negative
impact on marine ecosystems. These methods and
practices, which are quite common, do not target
specific fish and cause tremendous destruction on
non-target species and the bottoms of the oceans.
What can WE do to help?
Why is overfishing
a problem?
To understand how big the problem is just look at
the facts:
• 52% of fish stocks is fully exploited
• 20% is moderately exploited
• 17% is overexploited
• 7% is depleted
• 1% is recovering from depletion
Worldwide, about 90% of the stocks of large
predatory fish stocks is already gone. In the real
world this results in two serious problems:
1. We are losing species as well as entire ecosystems. As a result the oceans are under stress and
at risk of collapse and we are at risk of losing a
valuable food source.
2. It’s not only fish that are affected by fishing. We
also hurt marine mammals, sharks, sea birds, and
non-commercially viable fish species, as they are
overexploited, killed as bycatch, and discarded in
the process. This amounts to almost 80% of the
catch for certain fisheries.
Scientists agree that at current exploitation rates
many important fish stocks will be extinct within
25 years.
We can still turn this around if we act now and act strongly by following some basic
ground rules:
Safe catch limits
We need to stop being shortsighted, reassess and determine a limit of fish that we
can catch. Scientists can help us here. There is no room for politics and economic
incentives. This is what got us in trouble in the first place.
Controls on bycatch
We also need to determine which methods and practices we are going to outlaw. This
way we will prevent the unintentional killing and disposal of ocean creatures.
Protection of habitats
Make it a priority to protect the parts of an ecosystem where fish spawn and nurse
young fish, unique unexplored habitats, and corals.
Monitoring and enforcement
It is not enough to inform fishermen what they cannot do. We have to enforce a monitoring system to make sure they do not do what they are not allowed to do. Fishermen
need to learn that if they do not enforce the law, it is going to cost them.
What can I do to help?
We all, as individuals, can make also a difference.
Be informed
Check out the Internet for articles on overfishing and the benefits of conserving the
fish stocks around the world and your area.
Know what you eat
If you eat fish, make sure you know what you eat.
Spread the word
Let your friends know why you refrain from eating certain fish. Tell them about the
problems we're facing.
Tell your elected officials
Write to your elected officials and tell them you are concerned about overfishing and
destructive fishing methods.
Contact your local media
Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper to get a wide audience.
Use your blog or website
Write about the state of our oceans and how overfishing is affecting all of us.
Spread the word in school
Write a research paper on overfishing or the wider issue of the state of our oceans.
AEGEAN
COLLECTION
Step out in style
with the Aegean Collection
Aegean and renowned designer Robbi di Kappa have
teamed up to design a brand new look for today! The
Aegean sport line, with its nautical influence, is perfect
for stepping out in style, in the city, by the sea, or on
country walks—for him and for her.
Bundle up or travel light in polos and t-shirts.
At home, relax in luxurious bathrobes.
And stash your gear in versatile and stylish Aegean bags.
Discover the new Aegean look at the Aegean Shop or
online at www.aegeaneshop.com
Aegean Shop
at the Aegean Headquarters—
10 Akti Kondyli, 18545, Piraeus, Greece
Aegean
Energy for the Future
Aegean is Greece's most dynamic energy, petroleum, and shipping group. The company has a network of retail gas
stations throughout Greece, is active in marine fuels and lubricants, and operates a fleet of tankers and barges internationally and domestically to transport petroleum and bunkers for its global base of clients.
RETAIL MARKET
Through its fast-growing network of gas stations, Aegean supplies drivers in Greece with gasoline and automotive
lubricants. Aegean’s modern, well-maintained gas station network has won the trust of drivers due to the high quality
products and services it offers at competitive prices. In addition, Aegean directly supplies large industrial clients with
petroleum products of all grades, owing to the consistency and service of its transactions.
BUNKER FLEET
NYSE listed Aegean Marine Petroleum Inc., with an exclusively double hull fleet—of which nine ships are newbuildings—is the natural supplier of marine fuels at 12 of the most significant ports in the world. Furthermore, with its
22 newbuildings program in progress and the continuous opening of new stations, it is one of
the most dynamically developing divisions Of the Aegean Group.
BUNKERING
Aegean provides one of the most efficient and responsive bunkering services to
clients worldwide. Its ships never stop sailing and its services are available 24
hours a day, 365 days a year.
Aegean operates bunkering stations in Piraeus and Patras, and in Gibraltar,
Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp, Fujairah, Jamaica, Singapore, Trinidad &
Tobago, Portland UK, Vancouver and Montreal, Mexico, Tangiers, Tema in
Ghana, Las Palmas and Tenerife, Panama, ang Hong Kong. All its products
are ISO 8217 certified. The Company, which is a member of IBIA and is ISO
9001 certified, is well positioned on the FOBAS White List.
SHIPPING
Aegean's fleet of ships is at the heart of its superior service worldwide. Its vessels operate in full compliance with EU and international standards, are all certified
with the code of safe management ISM and SOLAS and are in complete compliance
with MARPOL regulations.
Aegean continually adds to its fleet of ships, which includes large vessels as well as smaller
capacity vessels. Its fleet transports oil cargoes worldwide on behalf of major oil companies, commercial clients, and Aegean customers.
LUBRICANTS
Aegean produces and markets high performance lubricants for vehicles and
industrial use under the Aegean brand and, for the marine market, under the
ALFA brand. ALFA marine lubricants are certified and approved by the largest
marine engine manufacturers in the world.
The resources of our company and our follow–up service create our successful relationships and allow Aegean to supply lubricants in more than 550
ports worldwide.
ENVIRONMENT-HEC
The Hellenic Environmental Center collects, transports and processes oil residues from ships and land units (industrial, shipyards), while it also manages all
liquid residues produced by ships.
In order to carry out its work HEC has the most state-of-the-art equipment, consisting
of floating separators, a fleet of pollutant-collecting tankers, and well-equipped tank trucks.
HEC acts to protect the marine environment and at the same time contributes significantly to the
saving of energy with the recycling procedures it uses to transform the reclaimed pollutants into energy resources.
TRADING
Aegean is dynamically active in the trading of crude oil and petroleum products worldwide. The Trading Department
is comprised of dedicated and professional individuals who combine high level expertise and a great many years of
experience in the oil industry. Petroleum products are supplied to a broad spectrum of customers who comprise the
company's portfolio. Aegean has acquired its credibility from the high quality of the services it provides to suppliers
and ship owners, a fact that supports the company’s ambitions for the achievement of long-range goals in the energy
sector worldwide.
Aegean’s websites
www.aegeanoil.com
www.ampni.com

Shipping in Greece

Transcription

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