English - Esvagt

02 / 2015
NEWS
THE WORLD'S
FIRST SOVS
SET SAIL
THE "ESVAGT FROUDE" AND
"ESVAGT FARADAY" MARK
ESVAGT'S DEDICATION TO
OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY
BRAVO ZULU, "ESVAGT AURORA"…! // SOVS OFF TO A GOOD START // "ESVAGT FROUDE" READY FOR SERVICE
"ESVAGT KAPPA" ON EXERCISE WITH THE DANISH NAVY FROGMAN CORPS // C TYPE VESSELS SAVE ON FUEL // ENTIRE NEW PREMISES READY
– SAFETY AND SUPPORT AT SEA
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INDHOLD
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Editorial
Bravo Zulu, "Esvagt Aurora"…!
"We've got you!"
SOVs off to a good start
Low fuel consumption on SOVs
"Esvagt Froude" ready for service
Who were William Froude and Michael Faraday?
"Esvagt Kappa" on exercise with the Danish Navy Frogman Corps
C type vessels save on fuel
New paint inhibits fouling
Whole new premises ready
Workshop gets a lift
Logistics centre taken into service
New contracts
"Esvagt Preventer" turns back time
"You feel appreciated!"
Crew pleased with upgrade
New fleet-wide dialogue network for ESVAGT sailors
Well-attended open vessel arrangement
New management system strengthens ownership
Can bead arranging be a sign of occupational injury?
Text Pressekompagniet
Photos (unless otherwise credited) ESVAGT
Layout AD Libitum – grafisk bureau
Edited by Ole Ditlev Nielsen and Lise Bjerning Terp
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ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
EDITORIAL
WHAT MAKES
ESVAGT UNIQUE
SØREN NØRGAARD THOMSEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR
The summer is almost upon us but the economic barometer in the offshore branch unfortunately shows low pressure. Compared to previous years, 2015 will be somewhat different. The
oil price is low and that has resulted in a lower level of activity compared to 2013 and 2014.
The industry is now focussing on reducing costs. This is also true for ESVAGT. We need to be
even more careful with every penny we spend. Luckily, this comes quite naturally to us and
we will soon adjust to the new market conditions.
Søren Nørgaard Thomsen,
Managing Director
Unfortunately, we had a Lost Time Incident (LTI) on the 6th of April 2015. A crew member
pulled his back during a service check when he bent down to go under the middle beam on
a Fast Rescue Boat. That ended our 759 days in a row without an LTI, which was still a notably
good record. Here at ESVAGT we have an honest and open incident reporting culture. We
detect issues as they arise, giving us the opportunity to share learnings with each other. This
is a vital factor in achieving the safety results that we continue to see.
2015 started with the delivery of two new Service Operation Vessels (SOV), the "Esvagt
Froude" and the "Esvagt Farada", that have been specially developed to service offshore wind
farms. Not only are they new vessel types for ESVAGT, they are actually the first of their type
– a world's first! Many new and revolutionary solutions have been built into these vessels. At
the same time, they are completely new for both for the customer (Siemens Wind Power) and
for us. One could therefore expect a number of teething problems - there have been a couple
but overall these new vessel types have come off to a really good start.. This is not least due
to the commitment shown by the crew, ensuring that we have been able to live up to our
customers' expectations from day 1.
That leads me quite naturally on to the "ESVAGT Standard", whose headlines are Safety,
­Quality, Craftsmanship & Dedication, Constant Constructive Dissatisfaction as well as
Customer Focus & Flexibility. The ESVAGT Standard has been defined by employees as what
makes ESVAGT unique. Customers that we have worked with for a long time take it for
granted that we always deliver according to our "ESVAGT Standard". We cannot ever take that
for granted – and we do not!
The initiation of the SOV vessels is a good illustration of what the "ESVAGT Standard" means:
With the new service concept, we extend our safety culture. We deliver high quality from
the very first day. Everyone who has been involved both on board the vessel and on land
has shown unsurpassed commitment and dedication. Through our Constant Constructive
­Dissatisfaction, we discovered some quite unique solutions that have resulted in an exceptionally fuel-economic vessel. Finally, the crew worked together with the customer in the
best possible way and demonstrated how effectively many assignments can be performed.
That is exactly what the "ESVAGT Standard" is; what makes ESVAGT unique; and that is essential for ensuring that we win new – and more – contracts. Thank you.
Søren Nørgaard Thomsen
ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
3
RESCUE MISSION
BRAVO ZULU,
"ESVAGT AURORA"…!
PROMPT ACTION FROM
ESVAGT'S STAND BY VESSEL
"ESVAGT AURORA" SAVED A
SCOTTISH ENGINEERS' LIVE
FROM THE BARENTS SEA
A 40-year old Scottish engineer from the
semi-submersible rig, the Scarabeo 8, working for ENI Norge in the Goliat sector can
thank his lucky stars – and ESVAGT – that he
is still alive.
Early in the morning of the 20th of February
2015, the engineer fell through a hole in
the gangway on the rig and landed 13
metres below in the cold, dark Barents Sea.
A colleague saw the incident and raised the
man-overboard alarm. The alarm summoned the "Esvagt Aurora", which was on
standby about a kilometre away from the
rig. The "Esvagt Aurora" received the report
at 4:11 a.m., launched its high-speed rescue
boat into the water at 4:13 a.m. and rescued
the man from the water at 4:17 a.m.
Three minutes later, he was brought on
board the "Esvagt Aurora" and received
initial treatment in the vessel's hospital. By
then his body temperature was very low. At
6:25 a.m., he was flown by helicopter to the
hospital in Hammerfest and was discharged
again two days later.
The report from the Norwegian petroleum
supervisory authority (Norsk Petroleums­
tilsyn) on the incident describes that even
a marginal change in circumstances could
have cost the engineer his life. ENI Norge
has expressed its thanks to the shipping
company and the crew of the "Esvagt Aurora" for an "extraordinary and remarkable
operation".
"We are proud to have made a difference,"
says Ole Ditlev Nielsen, Chief Commercial &
Safety Officer for ESVAGT.
A hole in the rig's walkway meant a free fall of 13 metres for a
Scottish engineer. Photo: Petroleumstilsynet
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ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
"We are especially proud of the crew on
board, who reacted entirely optimally
and achieved an outstanding result under
difficult conditions. This is the result of
procedures, best practise – and many, many
hours of training," he explains. "As part of
their training, the crew had inspected the
accessibility under the rig, which can be a
real challenge in the dark or in bad weather
conditions."
Since 1981, ESVAGT has assisted with 45
rescue operations and saved 128 people.
FACTS
Bravo Zulu is a naval signal, typically conveyed
by flaghoist or voice radio, meaning "Well
Done"
The incident was re-enacted the following day in daylight. Here, the FRB is on its way under
the rig.
RESCUE MISSION
"WE'VE GOT YOU!"
Kaj Emanuel Kristensen was boatmaster on the Fast Rescue
Boat that saved the 40-year-old man from the water. Valentin
Markussen was ordinary ship's assistant on the boat and Ivan
Nørskov was the experienced AB.
THIS IS HOW IT FELT FOR THEM:
KAJ:
"As soon as the alarm sounded, we hurried into our suits. All
we know is that there is a man in the moon pool. (The moon
pool is the name for the water directly beneath the rig, ed.) We
quickly sail to the rig, where we find him. He is holding onto a
lifebuoy and looks pale and completely stiff".
VALENTIN:
"Kaj manoeuvres the boat on to the starboard side. I crawl out
to the bow of the boat and grab hold of the collar of the man
in the water. Ivan and I pull the man up. He is extremely cold
because he is only wearing his boiler suit. Ivan holds the man
close into his body to warm him and to support him, and he
lies on Ivan during the journey back to the vessel". KAJ:
"The man is conscious and says "thank you" to which Ivan
replies "take it easy - we've got you". When we get back to the
vessel and raise the boat up, colleagues are ready with a spine
board. We put him onto the spine board and take him into the
hospital on board. Everything goes according to plan. Then
we go up to the master, who tells us that the helicopter has
been called for – so we get ready to meet it".
VALENTIN:
"The feeling afterwards is just fantastic. We have saved a life!
I was so happy. All the training that we have been through
really works. I will never complain about training! And I can
remember that the next time I signed in on board, I said to my
colleagues: Well lads, shall we go out and make a difference?
I am still immensely happy about the experience and when
I open the wallet that I received from the shipping company
and see the inscription and date, I feel a great sense of pride".
KAJ:
"We knew that he had been very lucky to survive and that
we had done a good job. It was lucky for him, for us, for the
customer – and for ESVAGT, which proved how important it is
that we are there and that we work in the way that we do.
The best part of it all was when we received a letter from him
a while after the rescue. He wrote that it was not just his life
that we had saved, it was also his wife and children's. I was very
touched to read that".
Kaj Emanuel Kristensen and Valentin Markussen.
ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
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SOV
SOVS OFF TO A GOOD
THE SOVS, THE "ESVAGT
FROUDE" AND THE "ESVAGT
FARADAY" ARE WELL
UNDERWAY WITH OFFSHORE
WIND FARM DUTIES.
ESVAGT's latest new builds, the SOVs
"­Esvagt Froude"and "Esvagt Faraday", are
not just new vessels, they are also a completely new concept in servicing offshore
wind farms and mark a new approach to
jobs within new markets.
The vessels will service offshore wind
farms and although these farms are not
yet operational, both the "Esvagt Froude"
and "Esvagt Faraday" are well underway
gaining their first working experiences.
The "Esvagt Froude" was due to work on
the Baltic II in the Baltic Sea for Siemens
Wind Power. However, as the farm was not
yet finished when the vessel was delivered,
the "Esvagt Froude" has been working on
another assignment at Westermost Rough;
a farm under construction off the coast of
Grimsby in the English sector.
"Many of the assignments at Westermost
Rough are similar to those we will be working on for Baltic II," says Ib Hansen, Head of
Commercial for ESVAGT:
"The farm is under construction and we
have been busy from day one. It has been
really good to practise transferring turbine
technicians from ship to WTG with both the
"Walk-to-Work" gangway system and the
Safe Transfer Boats we have on board, the
ESVAGT STB 7B and the ESVAGT STB 12A.
We have not yet had the opportunity to
test transfer methods in very harsh weather
"WITH BOTH VESSELS, WE HAVE HAD TO ACQUAINT OURSELVES WITH NEW VESSELS IN NEW MARKETS WITH
NEW CUSTOMERS ON BOARD – AND TO BEING ASSIGNED
TO DIFFERENT CHARTERS THAN THOSE ­ORIGINALLY
PLANNED. WE ARE THEREFORE PARTICULARLY PLEASED
THAT BOTH VESSELS ARE PERFORMING AS EXPECTED
AND THAT THE CUSTOMER HAS PRAISED THE CREW FOR
THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE".
Ib Hansen, Head of Commercial
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ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
SOV
START
but we have already gained good initial
experience in working in heavy winds," he
says.
PRAISE DUE TO THE CREW
The "Esvagt Faraday" should have started
working for the offshore wind farm,
Buten­diek off the coast of Sild but here
too the vessel was ready before the farm.
The "­ Esvagt Faraday" has therefore been assigned to the Borkum Riffgrund in the German sector of the North Sea where another
offshore wind farm is under construction.
This has also given valuable experience in
both transfers and cooperation with the
customer. With up to 40 technicians living
on board the vessel, ESVAGT has shown that
it can be a good host and have its customer
close by.
"Our crew needs to have a different mind-set
when the customer is on board with them.
They need to cooperate closely – as we do
here. The feedback from our customer has
been positive: They have praised us for both
our operational level and for their stay on
board. We are especially pleased that the
crew's skills, ­professionalism and dedication
to their work have been recognised," says
Ib Hansen.
FACTS
The "Esvagt Froude" has been chartered
in for Siemens Wind Power for five years
with an option for a further five years. The
"Esvagt Faraday" has been chartered for ten
years with an option for a further five years.
LOW FUEL
CONSUMPTION ON
SOVS
ENVIRONMENTAL OPTIMISATION OF SOVS ACHIEVES THE
DESIRED EFFECT.
Although both the "Esvagt Froude" and
the "Esvagt Faraday" have been painted
in the familiar orange-red ESVAGT colour, their design is entirely green. The
goal is low fuel consumption.
The vessels are equipped with Siemens
Blue Drive Plus system; an innovative
and fuel-saving DC direct current
system. With Siemens Blue Drive Plus
system, the rotation speed of the vessel's diesel return current/power varies
according to load instead of running
at a constant revolution speed, which
reduces fuel consumption.
"Our expectations of low fuel consumption have so far been met to the
full," says Kristian Ole Jakobsen, Chief
Operating Officer at ESVAGT.
Our environmental approach has been
extended beyond the direct current
system. The hull has been energy op-
timised to such a degree that we have
installed LED lights, propulsion units
with counter-rotating propellers, control of all thrusters and larger consumers with current converters, recycling of
waste heat from the diesel engines for
heating in the accommodation areas –
and more.
The feedback we have received from
the vessels tells us that these systems
are working optimally.
Another expected benefit in choosing the direct current system was the
reduction in noise and vibration in the
vessel – expectations that have been
fulfilled.
"The vessel is very comfortable and
the noise and vibration levels from
the vessel's diesel engine system are
significantly lower," says Kristian Ole
Jakobsen.
ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
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LEDER
"ESVAGT FROUDE"
READY FOR SERVICE
ESVAGT'S TWO NEW SOVS
ARE NOW IN OPERATION.
EXPERIENCED CREW
CHOSEN TO ESTABLISH
WORKING PROCEDURES ON A
COMPLETELY NEW VESSEL IN
A MARKET THAT IS ALMOST
AS NEW.
The vessel is a new one and for most of the
crew, this is the first time they have worked
together.
The boats on board are the newly developed Safe Transfer Boats, ESVAGT STB, and
much of the equipment on board is completely new in the ESVAGT context.
The offshore wind industry is becoming
more familiar but largely speaking, experience is something gained rather than
something you bring with you.
This means that the crew of the "Esvagt
Froude" have plenty to do.
"It is learning by doing in many ways," says
Vidar Nielsen, master.
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ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
These words ring very true. Apart from
the fact that the "Esvagt Froude" is a new
vessel, it has also performed different tasks
to the ones originally planned for it. The
"Esvagt Froude" was built to service the
"Baltic II" in the Baltic but because the park
was not ready when the vessel was deliv-
ered, the "Esvagt Froude" has debuted with
a three month charter for the "Westermost
Rough", which is a wind farm being built in
the English sector.
"It has been a busy start up with a number
of ad hoc duties and short term planning.
Assignments for wind farms still under
SOV
construction can be harder to predict than
for those already in service so we have had
plenty of chance to test a great deal during
those three months," says Vidar Nielsen.
MANY TRANSFERS
Over the three months, the "Esvagt Froude"
has had approximately 800 Crew Transfer
Vessel transfers and a large number of
transfers using the new "Walk-to-Work"
gangway system from Ampelmann.
"We have had ample opportunity to train
transfers and landings. We have transferred
about 1,000 people, so we have had plenty
to do," says Vidar Nielsen.
The work has proven that the "Esvagt
Froude" is optimal for this type of task.
"We can already say that the vessel is fantastic at doing the work it was designed for.
Our vision of the Walk-to-Work gangway
is perfect and everything functions and is
well organised. Dialogue between the crew
and the designers has been good and we
really feel that the technicians have listened
to our needs and created a fantastic
workplace. Good solutions can be seen
everywhere and I cannot see that anything
could be improved upon ahead of the tasks
that await us," says Vidar Nielsen.
SHARED CREW
On top of the many tasks involved with having a new ship, the crew and master have
the added detail that all this experience
learning will take place in front of a live
audience. The "Esvagt Froude" will always
have its customers on board.
"This is part of the job that we have been
excited about and look forward to," says
Vidar Nielsen:
"Up to now, all our experiences have been
positive. Experience so far has been that
close dialogue with the customer is advantageous for our daily work. Siemens has an
on-site manager with whom we work very
closely – and this cooperation has been
flexible and trusting from day one," he says.
Here too, the layout of the vessel gives a
major advantage. There are shared facilities
in the form of lounges and mess areas
and that bring the crew and technicians
together as one team:
"Relations are strengthened by being
together. We feel that we are part of a common crew with different activities, and that
relationship will only get stronger as time
goes by," says Vidar Nielsen.
WHO WERE WILLIAM FROUDE
AND MICHAEL FARADAY?
The names of the two ESVAGT vessels were
decided through an internal competition
amongst Siemens employees. Benjamin
Bartzen won with his "Esvagt Faraday" and
Rene Wigmans for his "Esvagt Froude".
ESVAGT's two SOVs have been named after
two of English industrial history's notable
personalities. Both men also had a connection with the Siemens brothers.
William Froude (1810-1879) was a British
engineer, naval architect and friend to
the Siemens brothers. Froude designed
the ship, the "CS Faraday", together with
William Siemens in the 1870's; a vessel that
laid around 50,000 sea miles of cables for
the Siemens brothers – including several
trans-Atlantic cables – over the following
50 years. William Froude's methods for
optimising ship hulls for the lowest possible
water resistance are still used today.
Froude is pronounced /fru:d/ with a long
"oo" like in "food".
Michael Faraday (1791-1867) was a
British physicist and chemist known for his
discoveries in electro magnetism. Building
on from discoveries on electro magnetism
made by the Dane, H. C. Ørsted, he created
an electric generator that generated power
using a magnet. Faraday's research meant
it seemed entirely natural that the specially
constructed cable vessels that William
Siemens designed together with William
Froude came to bear his name.
ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
9
"ESVAGT KAPPA"
ON EXERCISE WITH
THE DANISH NAVY
FROGMAN CORPS
THE ELITE SOLDIERS OF THE
DANISH NAVY FROGMAN
CORPS HAVE BEEN TRAINING
ON INSTALLATIONS IN THE
NORTH SEA. THE "ESVAGT
KAPPA" PLAYED ITS PART
WITH A FAST RESCUE BOAT
AND AS HOST.
It takes a great deal to impress a sailor but
Jan Ole Johansen, boatmaster and sailor on
board the "Esvagt Kappa", was impressed by
what he saw during the five days he worked
closely with the Danish Navy Frogman
Corps.
10 ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
The elite soldiers in the corps trained their
platform equipped only with a compass.
maritime skills during week 13 (at the end
Then they appeared from the water exactly
of March and beginning of April) in the
where they were supposed to. They also
North Sea on board the offshore instalused boarding hooks that they shot into
lations, the "Mærsk
the air with compressed air
Resolve" and DONG
and crawled up. They were just
"IT IS GREAT TO WORK
Energy's "Hejre" platreally tough guys," says Jan Ole
WITH CIVILIANS – THEY
form.
Johansen.
ARE SO UN-SQUARE!"
They practised tactical
PJ, diver master in the Danish
manoeuvres and
PROFESSIONAL TEAMWORK
Navy Frogman Corps
boarding, and for Jan
The Frogman Corps' five days
Ole Johansen it sometimes felt like he was
of training 250km out in the North Sea was
an extra on a James Bond film set:
made possible by the support and servicing
"They could do so many things; I was
of DONG Energy, Maersk Oil and ESVAGT.
really impressed. They were dropped off
The Frogman Corps subsequently praised
on a dark evening 500 metres from the
this cooperation:
Photos: The Danish Frogman Corps
"Much of the exercise took place in the sea
around the platform, which meant that
we needed a rescue boat that could be
launched to rescue frogmen at short notice
and with great precision in case of emergency. One of the challenges was therefore
to conjure an Emergency Response &
Rescue Vessel (ERRV) with a skilled crew
out of a hat in the middle of the North
Sea. Luckily, the "Esvagt Kappa" was there
throughout the entire operation," says PJ,
diving master in the Danish Navy Frogman
Corps.
Two frogmen were on board the "Esvagt
Kappa" for four days and the Frogman
Corps had plenty of praise for the crew of the
"Esvagt Kappa":
"They were working on another, primary job
but showed great flexibility and gave us excellent service, which was crucial support for the
training of the Frogmen. It was highly professional teamwork," compliments PJ, who also
praised both equipment and seamanship:
"ESVAGT"s vessels are excellent and you can
really sense that the boatmasters know how
to manoeuvre a FRB. We are pretty sure we
know the difference between a good boatmaster and a bad boatmaster – and the ones
on board the "Esvagt Kappa"s were highly
skilled at sailing," he says.
ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
11
SAVING FUEL
C TYPE VESSELS
SAVE ON FUEL
WITH AN EXTRA, SMALL
DIESEL GENERATOR, C TYPE
VESSELS CAN SAVE UP TO
25% ON FUEL CONSUMPTION.
ESVAGT's 16 C type vessels, which constitute
the largest group of vessels in the fleet, has
achieved good savings on fuel consumption
by adding an extra diesel generator.
Based on experienced gained on the first
ten C type vessels, the shipping company
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ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
­ ecided that new build number eleven
d
would have an extra, small diesel generator that could optimise the vessel's power
system by distributing the total power more
effectively, thereby reducing the fuel consumption per kWh.
"We have supplemented the five 455kW
­diesel generators, which are standard for
the vessel class, with a sixth generator that
is about half the size," says Kristian Ole
­Jakobsen, Chief Operating Officer at ESVAGT:
"When the navigator knows how to make
use of the possibilities the sixth diesel motor
can give, he can reduce the fuel consumption by between 10 and 15 percent," he says.
LEARNING TO USE IT
To achieve the up to 25% saving, you need
to know how to optimise the use of the extra
generator. ESVAGT has therefore installed a
fuel meter on the C type vessels that shows
the actual fuel consumption. The navigator
SAVING FUEL
NEW PAINT
INHIBITS
FOULING
can then regulate the speed and better use
the resources in the machines:
"Many would recognise the system from
their cars where a green or red lamp
indicates that it is time to change gear or
to accelerate more slowly. In the same way,
the fuel meter that we have installed on all
vessels allows personnel to see that it really
makes a difference if they open full throttle,"
says Kristian Ole Jakobsen.
The fuel meter has actually started a com­
petition amongst the crew:
"On the journeys back from the shipyard in
Singapore, the day and night teams competed to see who used least fuel on their
watch. It is a good way to remind ourselves
that we should run the vessel as we do our
own house. At home, we remember to turn
off the lights and turn down the heating
before we air the room. That mind set is a
good one to have at work too," says Kristian
Ole Jakobsen.
Running lighting, water and some thrust
from the sixth, smaller diesel generator
makes good sense on standby vessels where
the load is low, says Kristian Ole Jakobsen:
"Delivering the 200-250 kW needed from
one of the "large" diesel generators requires
a relatively high fuel consumption. By using
the smaller, sixth diesel generator, we can
save a good deal of fuel", says Kristian Ole
Jakobsen.
ESVAGT HAS ALSO
REDUCED FUEL
CONSUMPTION BY
CHANGING TO ANOTHER
TYPE OF PAINT ON VESSEL
HULLS.
ESVAGT's vessels often lay relatively
still in the same place for a long time.
This gives excellent growth opportunity for mussels and anything else that
likes to grow on the underside of a
vessel. Fouling is not only ugly, it also
increases water resistance and costs
fuel – and needs to be minimised as
much as possible. ESVAGT has therefore changed the type of paint used on
the underside of its vessels to a type
that effectively prevents growth.
"It was important for us to find a paint
that prevents fouling without having
a negative effect on the environment
in terms of toxins," says Kristian Ole
Jakobsen, Chief Operating Officer at
ESVAGT:
"We have found a type of paint that
does the job. Now when we pull the
vessels up, they have almost no fouling
on them at all. That also has a positive
impact on fuel consumption," he says.
Vessel with traditional paint – and fouling
New type of eco-friendly paint effectively inhibits fouling
ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
13
WHOLE NEW PREM
Barely a year after ESVAGT opened its newly built premises on Dokvej 4, the newly refitted and
optimised buildings that house logistics and the workshop are also complete. All land based
activities are now centred at one address.
4
3
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ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
MISES READY
2
1
5
6
TAKE A DRONE
FLIGHT IN ESVAGT'S
NEW PREMISES
FACTS
ESVAGT was established in 1981 at the address, Kølen 1. Administration was moved
out to D. Lauritzensvej 8 in 1983, to
1
Havnegade 62 in 1986 and again in 1993 to
2
Adgangsvejen 1, the old seamen’s home.
3
The new administration building was taken into service in August 2014.
new logistics centre offers storage for 600 pallet square metres.
join sea and land closer together.
6
5
4
The
New crew facilities
The 1,400 square metre workshop has specially
fitted rooms, including rooms for motor testing, suit service, gluing and welding.
ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
15
WORKSHOP AND LOGISTICS
WORKSHOP GETS
ESVAGT'S WORKSHOP IS BEING OPTIMISED TO IMPROVE OPERATIONS, LOGISTICS, THE
ENVIRONMENT AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT – AND TO PRIME IT FOR CONTINUED GROWTH.
Not many mechanics have a 180 degree sea
view from their workshop.
They do at ESVAGT. The new workshop on
Nordre Dokkaj 7 is nearing completion
and apart from offering a fantastic view,
the large new workshop has a wealth of
plusses.
"We are going from 500 square metres to
1,400 square metres; from several locations
around the town to one combined location.
It is an upgrade on all fronts and we are
really looking forward to taking it into ser-
The picture from the suit workshop was taken
during unpacking.
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ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
vice," says Søren Westphal, Service Manager
at ESVAGT.
The workshop offers all the facilities
imaginable for servicing boats and survival
suits, which are its primary functions.
For example, there is a separate room for
gluing and for welding, sound proofed
rooms for testing engines in water, suit
rooms with special ventilation and a ten
ton crane can be accessed throughout the
entire workshop. The workshop now also
facilitates the servicing of not just ESVAGT
FRB and ESVAGT STB boats but also the
large daughter crafts. ESVAGTs water mist
fire fighting system will also be installed in
the boat preparation room so that it can be
demonstrated to customers.
"We have created work processes that are
optimised for all the tasks that we perform.
We have room to work on several boats
at once and room to store a large number
of spare parts. That means that we can
optimise our work processes and offer
even better service to our vessels and our
seamen," says Søren Westphal.
LOGISTICS ARE A PLUS
By bringing all our activities to one address,
as ESVAGT is now doing, the workshop
will work better with the other parts of the
shipping company.
"We previously spent a great deal of time
on internal transportation, which we will no
longer do – transportation when holding
meetings at the office and when the office
needed to look at something in the warehouse. It is now easier for everyone and
that will give us good synergy," says Søren
Westphal:
"Having the same address and building
with the same style will also bring us closer
together. The workshop, logistics and
offices have been given the same visual
identity and right in the middle, there will
be a crew centre. All our vessels are also
right outside. The closeness and fellowship
that will be between sea, workshop, logistics and office in our everyday lives will be
a significant bonus. We will all feel – even
more than we do now - that we are part of
the same company," says Søren Westphal.
WORKSHOP AND LOGISTICS
A LIFT
LOGISTICS CENTRE
TAKEN INTO SERVICE
There is also much to be gained in logistics
now that there we have a suits workshop
with its own laundry. The suits can now be
serviced faster and easier.
ENVIRONMENT AND
WORKING ENVIRONMENT IN FOCUS
There are many environmental initiatives
that will make a difference. The large gate at
the gable end will function as an air lock so
that the heat in the workshop is not let out.
The ventilation works on a return system
that ensures optimal use of heat and the
building lives up to all the regulations for
isolation in new buildings. LED lighting has
been used everywhere and sensors ensure
that they are not lit unnecessarily. All this
will be topped off with solar panels on the
roof to generate sustainable power.
The working environment will also be optimised. Sound proofing has been installed
in the large halls in the workshop and the
ventilation has been balanced for comfort
throughout. Before being released, air flows
past the boat preparation room where
the boats are washed and readied. This
ensures that the boats are quickly dried and
warmed, optimising the working environment and safety as boats will not be cold
and wet to work on.
Ergonomics have been taken into consideration everywhere. All desks can be height
adjusted to ensure the optimal working
position when working with motors. Air
extraction has been optimised and, for
example, extraction has been built into the
tables used for gluing suits:
"There are no standards for workshops
that work with boats so we have chosen to
follow the standard for car workshops as we
work with chassis and motors. The standard
for car workshops is high and has strict
requirements for the working environment
– as do we," says Søren Westphal:
"It also means a great deal to have daylight
and a fantastic view. It reminds us why we
are here – we can see right out to the sea
where ESVAGT operates," he says.
ESVAGT HAS SIGNIFICANTLY UPGRADED ITS WAREHOUSE
AND LOGISTICS FACILITIES.
"We now have much more space and can
make our layout much better."
These is how Carsten Larsen, Supply
Chain Manager for ESVAGT, talks about
the approximately 600 loading metres
of warehouse and logistics facilities on
­Vestre Dokkaj 1 that the shipping company has acquired and recently fitted out.
The upgrade has doubled the amount of
room for pallets and that is space that is
dearly needed:
"ESVAGT has experienced enormous
growth and this could really be seen
in the warehouse. Every vessel has its
own housekeeping and the warehouse
is where we receive, store and dispatch
everything from spare parts to printer
cartridges and toilet paper. We needed
to expand to make room for everything,"
he says.
The new warehouse has a fireproofed
chemical room and is also environmentally noteworthy thanks to the airlocks
on the doors that prevent warm air being
lost when goods are being delivered into
the warehouse.
Along with the new storage facilities, there
is also a secured room of approximately half
a square metre for storing supplies of vessel
pyrotechnics. ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
17
NEW CONTRACTS
Photo: Tomas Østberg-Jacobsen
"ESVAGT SIGMA"
"ESVAGT CHAMPION"
"Esvagt Sigma" started on a new contract for Enquest on the 19th of
May. The contract, which runs for four years, is for providing standby
service for the drilling rig, the "Transocean Leader" in the northern
part of the English sector.
"Esvagt Champion" started its new contract on the 19th of May for
Enquest. Its task is to provide standby service for the drilling rig, the
"Stena Spey" in UK North Central for the next 12 to 18 months.
"ESVAGT CLAUDINE"
"ESVAGT CASSIOPEIA"
"Esvagt Claudine" started working for Total UK on the 12th of March
with standby service for the drilling rig, the "Prosper 5". It is the first
time Total UK has chosen an ESVAGT vessel for a set period of work.
The "Esvagt Claudine" is expected to remain with the "Prosper 5" until
the end of 2015.
"Esvagt Cassiopeia" has ended its work for Maraton UK and is moving
on to Apache UK, where we expect the standby job on the "WilPhonix"
to continue until October 2015.
18 ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
NEW CONTRACTS
"ESVAGT CELINA"
"ESVAGT CAPELLA"
"Esvagt Celina" continues its work with the drilling rig, the "Blackford
Dolphin" for Nexen and then has a contract with Chevron for an
extended drilling programme on up to 11 wells.
"Esvagt Capella" has extended its contract with Nexen for standby
services for the rig, the "Paragon MMS1" in the area northeast of Aberdeen. The contract is expected to continue until January 2016.
"ESVAGT CELESTE"
Edison Norge starts a new drilling programme for up to two wells
starting at the end of June and the "Esvagt Celeste" will be providing
standby service.
Premier Norge will be drilling up to two wells starting in July or
August with the drilling rig, the "Maersk Guardian". A contract has
been signed for an ESVAGT C-type vessel.
Wintershall has signed a contract for an ESVAGT C-type vessel for
1 plus 1 drilling jobs in the Danish sector from the end of July and
eight months on. The rig is the "Ensco 121".
ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
19
ESVAGT PREVENTER
"ESVAGT PREVENTER"
Before and after photos of the "Esvagt Preventer" in the Kieler canal, photographed by "shipspotter" Uwe Kuphaldt, KielerZwo
FACTS
ESVAGT has already upgraded the
"Esvagt Bravo", the "Esvagt Promotor",
the "Esvagt Echo" and now the "Esvagt Preventer". According to Kristian
Ole Jakobsen, Chief Operating Officer
at ESVAGT, the "Esvagt Preserver" is
the next vessel that will be upgraded
in the near future.
20 ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
ESVAGT PREVENTER
TURNS BACK TIME
VESSEL UPGRADES: PART
OF THE ORIGINAL ESVAGT
FLEET IS UNDERGOING
MODERNISATION.
"I had better take this one."
It is 13.30 one Monday afternoon and Svend
Åge Korup's telephone is ringing again. For
about the sixth time in the last half an hour.
We are in the office of the old manager's
premises at the top of the hill behind Søby
Dockyard on the Danish island of Ærø.
The "Esvagt Preventer" is at the quayside
and people are toing and froing in and out
of the vessel. Svend Åge Korup is ESVAGT's
technical inspector for the refitting of the
"Esvagt Preventer" and that makes him the
man where the buck stops:
"I normally have to recharge my telephone
at lunchtime," says Svend Åge Korup with a
smile.
The refitting of the "Esvagt Preventer" is
one part of the upgrade programme that
six of the eldest ESVAGT vessels are going
through. The refits will ensure that the fleet
is up-to-date and modern, and that it can
live up to the needs and expectations of its
customers. At the same time, the vessels
are being upgraded to make them modern
workplaces for the colleagues on board.
The upgrade of the "Esvagt Preventer" is the
most extensive of them all.
"The vessel is being turned inside out and
old vessels are like old houses; they are full
of surprises once you get going," says Svend
Åge Korup.
Technical inspector, Svend Åge Korup has lead the upgrade of the "Esvagt Preventer" at Søby shipyard.
THE YEARS FALL AWAY
"Turned inside out" is no exaggeration. The
vessel is a building site with between 20 and
25 men on the go for 12 hours a day in every
room and every cabin on every floor. They
hammer and pound away, and the years fall
away from the "Esvagt Preventer" one by
one.
All the cabins on the main deck are gone,
all dividing walls taken out and all corridors,
ceilings and floor coverings replaced. New
cables have been installed, new and larger
cabins and mess areas have been installed
– as has an extra toilet. The wheelhouse has
been given a new interior and more space
has been added. There is new ventilation in
Activity levels are high in all rooms and up to 25 men can be working together on the vessel at any one time.
every cabin and new radiators. There are new
control panels, completely renovated motors, a new fire warning system and updated
IT, radar and other electronics worthy of a
king. Anything that has not been replaced
has been cleaned, scrubbed, oiled or painted
to shine like a new penny.
The hull has even had new panels where
thickness readings have shown it necessary.
It has been tidied, made more roomy, sorted
and organised:
"We are installing a cupboard anywhere
there is a space 30 centimetres by 30 centimetres," says Svend Åge Korup.
R
The wheelhouse on the "Esvagt Preventer" has been extended to improve
the view aft.
ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
21
VESSEL UPGRADES
The vessel will be at least as good as the day
it was built. On comfort and safety standards,
it will even be a great deal better:
"We have changed everything but the hull
– and even that we have modified with a
new bilge keel that will improve comfort on
board. We have also added plenty of comfort
with, for example, a new fitness room, more
room in the mess area, an updated TV room
below deck and much more," says Svend Åge
Korup:
"We have also introduced a good number of
initiatives that will make the vessel a safer
workplace. We will be installing a reverse
osmosis system on the vessel so we can
produce our own drinking water. That will
avoid the risk inherent in bunkering water.
Extending the wheelhouse gives us a better
view aft, makes manoeuvring safer and we
have relocated elements on the deck to
make better use of space and lower risks,"
he says.
New cables have been installed throughout –
including the wheelhouse.
The pipes are welded into position next to the
new toilet in the corridor.
"YOU FEEL APPRECIATED!"
THE UPGRADE OF THE "ESVAGT BRAVO" IMPROVES MOOD AND JOB SATISFACTION.
Peter Vie is master on board ESVAGT's eldest
ship, the 52 year old "Esvagt Bravo". He is
delighted about the upgraded, modern
workplace that he now has on board the
"Esvagt Bravo".
22 ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
"It is a good vessel and has never had
any problems but it was a little dark and
old-fashioned. Now that everything seems
lighter, you can really see what a difference it
makes," he says.
Like most of the crew, Peter Vie is a former
fisherman and is used to working on small
vessels and in cramped conditions.
"We don't mind that – it's cosy - but it is also
important for a vessel looks good. It is our
home – and that is how we treat it too. That
also means that you want it to look nice,"
says the man who was allowed to paint his
own cabin some years ago to make it lighter.
According to Peter Vie, the biggest improvement has been the few square metres of
extension added to the suit room. This has
freed up space in other places and made it
possible to optimise the layout. The bilge
keel is also a stroke of genius: "It has made
the vessel a good 200 percent better".
All in all, the general renovation of the vessel
is a real bonus, he says:
"Being on a nice vessel is important for your
mood. You also feel appreciated, I think. We
have an owner who works hard to make sure
that we feel comfortable and that makes you
happy," says Peter Vie.
VESSEL UPGRADES
CREW PLEASED WITH UPGRADE
THE UPGRADE OF THE
"ESVAGT PREVENTER"
HAS IMPROVED WORKING
AND LIVING CONDITIONS
ON BOARD, SAY CREW
MEMBERS.
"This is our home half the time, so it is important to morale that you like being there."
Explains René Kjær, chief officer on board
the "Esvagt Preventer". He has every reason
to smile because the "Esvagt Preventer" has
just returned from a thorough refit that saw
everything from top to bottom stripped
back and renewed. This completely new
interior makes a difference.
"Many of the impractical things have been
tidied up. The set up in the cabins is better
and the mess room has been made bigger.
The smoking room, TV room and washrooms – everything has been improved. The
wheelhouse has been made lighter and the
sight and view have been improved, which
is really good," he says.
Jimmy B. Rasmussen, who has worked as
AB on board the "Esvagt Preventer" for the
last five years, agrees:
"Conditions for the crew both for working
and for free time are much better, he says:
"The vessel is much more corporate-like
now. It is light, it looks good and everything
is well arranged. The flow of work is much
better. We no longer need to drag supplies
from bow to stern, making things easier
and safer. Having an osmosis system on
board also means a great deal, as we can
now produce our own drinking and bathing
water. That makes us feel much better because we no longer need to keep an eye on
how much water we are using and it makes
us safer as we avoid having to bunker for
fresh water, he says.
UPGRADE – BECAUSE:
There are good reasons to upgrade the eldest section of the ESVAGT fleet – the group
3 vessels, says Kristian Ole Jakobsen, Chief
Operating Officer at ESVAGT:
"We are making a number of welfare and
technical improvements that will update the
vessels. These projects are extensive both in
terms of time and resources but most of the
group 3 ships are particularly seaworthy and
completely solid. We have had good results
with upgrade and life extensions on other
vessels and we expect these vessels will
perform without any problems for the next
ten years after the upgrade," he says.
René Kjær (left) and Jimmy B. Rasmussen are pleased
with the completely upgraded "Esvagt Preventer".
ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015 23
NEW FLEET-WIDE DIALOGUE
NETWORK FOR ESVAGT SAILORS
SOCIAL NETWORK TO
STRENGTHEN DIALOGUE
AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING
BETWEEN SAILORS ON
EVERY VESSEL.
A sailor on an ESVAGT vessel mislaid his suit
and wrote on "Yammer" to hear if any of his
colleagues had found it.
"Someone from our crew had seen it on
board the crewchange vessel, the "Esvagt
Beta" on the 27th," was the response.
Put simply, "Yammer" is a traditional
intranet whose platform is based on the
social media sites that are already familiar
to us, for example Facebook or Twitter.
"Yammer" is a Microsoft product that has
been developed for use in organisations.
It is especially suitable for companies
in which colleagues are geographically
24 ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
dispersed and in which not everyone sits in
of experience and knowledge that is good
front of a computer.
to share. "Yammer" is the ideal tool for this,"
ESVAGT has recently implemented "Yamhe says.
mer" in the entire fleet; as far as they know,
it is the first fleet in the world to have it.
EXTENDING COLLEGIALITY
"ESVAGT chose "Yammer" based on a needs
"Yammer" is similar to Facebook and you
analysis," Brian Schildt from the company,
can log on via pc, tablet or smart phone.
Collibre, which, in cooperation with KlinYou can post something on a group or
genberg Data, has assisted ESVAGT in the
company wall to which colleagues can
process:
comment. You can make new groups and
"There are over 800 sailors in ESVAGT who
share experiences with others with the
do not have a company email address
same job function.
and do not
"Creating communeed one in
nities with the same
"THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR IMPROVING
their daily
interests makes good
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAILORS
working life.
sense in a company
AND LAND AND BETWEEN SAILORS
At the same
like ESVAGT. These
THEMSELVES. THIS IS SOMETHING
time, these
groups can be internal
THAT "YAMMER" CAN CONTRIBUTE TO".
are people
vessel groups or
with a wealth
groups based on funcBrian Schildt, consultant
"EXCELLENT FOR QUICK
AND RELEVANT DIALOGUE"
ESVAGT has appointed five colleagues
from its vessels as "Yammer champions" who will spread the message to
seamen.
"Having ambassadors who can show
the way to their fellow colleagues is
important. They will contribute to creating the traffic and life that "Yammer"
needs to work," says Lise Bjerning Terp,
Management Assistant at ESVAGT:
""Yammer" needs to be anchored
amongst the seamen to work. It was
therefore important that we included
five colleagues from our vessels right
from the testing phase. They needed
to see the potential and want to be
part of spreading the message," she
says. The company's works committee
helped to select the "Yammer champions".
tion or work tasks. A colleague had issues
with a paint that would not harden and
sought advice on "Yammer". A number of
ESVAGT colleagues who attend navigation
school have also formed a group. "Yammer"
transfers the advantages there are with
social networks onto a company level," says
Brian Schildt.
""Yammer" will help increase dialogue and
experience sharing between people who
would otherwise have difficulty contacting
each other on a daily basis. It is user friendly
and is a significant facilitator of collegiality
and a useful tool in day-to-day work. For
example, the crewchange vessel overview
that was previously difficult to distribute to
every sailor is now available on "Yammer","
says Brian Schildt.
MORE CONVERSATION
Another ambition for "Yammer" is to establish a practical channel for open dialogue
and knowledge sharing.
"Crewchange vessels have been one of the
platforms for dispersing information to
colleagues because these are places where
One of those five is Jesper Holm,
Master on board the "Esvagt Dee". He
is enthusiastic about the new tool and
uses it often:
""Yammer" has given us much better
access to information and dialogue in
our everyday work," he says:
"It is much more dynamic and inter­
active than the newsletters we used to
have. This is live and fast. You can comment on things and initiate dialogue. It
has great potential," says Jesper Holm.
He is a keen advocate of "Yammer" and
hopes that more colleagues will see
what it can do:
"The possibilities for a good debate
with colleagues is one of the big
plusses. Seamen like to be told things
and like to discuss things about work
and "Yammer" is a fantastic platform
for this," he says.
everybody comes at one point or other
- but this kind of communication is only
one-way. "Yammer" provides something
else. The weekly "ESVAGT Weekly" from
the HSEQ department is now distributed
on "Yammer" and the function for asking
concrete questions about, for example, new
instructions, is already in use. We expect
that this will be a tool for dialogue that
HSEQ, Ship Management or other departments can use to share knowledge both
from vessel to vessel and between vessel
and land," says Brian Schildt.
Another good example of the advantages
with open dialogue is a debate about sizing
of the new work clothes. Several colleagues
found that the sizes they receive have varied from the ones that they have tried on:
"This could have been 40 problems for 40
individual vessels but by sharing through
"Yammer" it became one dialogue that lead
to the supplier being contacted to solve the
issue," says Brian Schildt.
ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015 25
OPEN VESSEL
WELL-ATTENDED OPEN
On Easter Monday, ESVAGT hosted an open
vessel arrangement where all employees
and their families were invited to visit the
new SOV vessel, the "Esvagt Faraday", which
was moored just outside the company
headquarters in Esbjerg.
The turnout was excellent. From early
morning, colleagues queued for guided
tours of the vessel that, along with its sister
vessel, the "Esvagt Froude", demonstrates
ESVAGT's engagement in the offshore wind
farm market.
Around 800 guests were shown round the
six-storey vessel throughout the day and
after the tour, they enjoyed an Easter lunch
in the form of grill sausages and Cocio
chocolate milk on the quayside.
26 ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015
OPEN VESSEL / MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
VESSEL ARRANGEMENT
NEW MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
STRENGTHENS OWNERSHIP
ESVAGT UNIFIES
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS TO
MEET FUTURE STANDARDS,
INCREASE CLARITY AND
STRENGTHEN OWNERSHIP.
Lissi Franzen, Senior Assistant Manager
in HSEQ, has been working on unifying,
simplifying and adapting an enormous
number of documents in the various
ESVAGT systems into one new, process
orientated management system since the
start of 2015.
The new ISO standards come into force
from autumn 2015 and ESVAGT's ambition
is to start implementing them in 2016. This
will require effort spent on structuring the
many standards and working on defining,
re-writing and tailoring so that documents
meet ISO standards, customer needs and
ESVAGT's own requirements, processes and
IT platforms. This work will take time, but is
essential.
"We want to enter all the standard requirements into one matrix from which we will
create a modern management system that
will control our processes, procedures and
instructions, and ensure a standardised
product," says Lissi Franzen:
"Reducing the amount of documentation
and removing any overlap we may have
had will improve clarity. Fewer documents
also generally makes it easier for the
employee to see which documents are
particularly relevant and important for a
given task.
"We started with 1,025 documents and are
currently down to 341. Our aim is to get
down to around 200," she explains.
To strengthen ownership in the management system, it is also important that colleagues both at sea and on land contribute
with input:
"We are very aware that management
systems demand engagement from all colleagues in order to function in our everyday
working life. Each colleague needs to be
able to find his or her place and job function in the system in order to feel a sense of
ownership," says Lissi Franzen.
ESVAGT NEWS 02/2015 27
– SAFETY AND SUPPORT AT SEA
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CAN BEAD ARRANGING BE
A SIGN OF OCCUPATIONAL
INJURY?
ESVAGT vessels have been the source of inspiration for artwork in
many shapes and forms. We have seen crochet versions of ESVAGT
vessels and cakes in the shape of ESVAGT vessels. The latest in this
artistic line is an ESVAGT vessel in iron-over beads:
"Started off sitting and playing with my daughter – ended up
building this! Can this be classed as an occupational injury?" asks
Chief Officer Martin Holck-Clausen from the "Esvagt Server".
Dokvej 4
DK-6700 Esbjerg
Phone: +45 78 730 730
[email protected]
www.esvagt.com