SHIPPING SERVICES
VT Shipping bunker vessel
CEPSA, Chemoil, Exxon and Shell. Other companies with plans to build
storage tanks include PetroBunker and Petroport, who entered the market in 2008. Panama has extended the date for all
tankers operating with a single hull and navigating in Panamanian waters to December 2012 as per International Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution (MARPOL) Regulations 20 & 21. After that date, all tankers navigating in Panamanian waters will be required to have a double hull. OW Bunker came into the market in November 2010 with the M/T OW Otilia, one of the largest bunker barges operating in Panama with a capacity of 8,000 tonnes. VT Shipping entered the market in
October 2009 and operates two double- hull barges on long-term charters, the 4,198 tonnes Venray, and the 2,900 tonnes Vaals (Clean MDO/Black HFO). Compañia Maritima de Panama S.A.
(CMP) –
www.cmpgb.com – has nearly 15 years of experience in the Panamanian bunkering market, having received the first operation permit issued by the AMP for this activity. The company is active in international oil trading as it deploys oil tankers to its customers in the Caribbean as well as Central and South America. ‘Our work force of 300 people is our
most valuable asset,’ says Nicolas Vukleja, CMP commercial manager. ‘Our Quality/ISM system ensures continuous improvement that is focused on our customer’s requirements.’ In addition to the OHSAS:18001:2004
Certification, CMP vessels have $1bn incident aggregated oil pollution liability coverage with reputed IGA member the Britannia Steam Ship Insurance for any one ship for any one incident as per Civil Liability Convention 1969. The Company underwriters are Vitalicio Seguros for H&M insurance, ‘which brings peace of mind to our charterers as well as to the marine industry,’ says Vukelja. As single hull tankers will be illegal by the end of 2012, the company has undertaken a programme of single hull replacement
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since 2005, investing more than $50m on conversions and new buildings. All CMP vessels in the fleet are classed
under IACS members, i.e. Lloyds Register, Germanischer Lloyds and Bureau Veritas, but aligned with the most stringent requirements in the petroleum industry. The vessels are enrolled under the SIRE- OCIMF programme that is currently being approved by the oil majors: Shell, Exxon Mobil and Chevron. Likewise, CMP is part of the TMSA-OCIMF programme as an appointed operator under the ISM Code /ISPS Code.
‘The market has become very competitive, although results for 2010 have been very good thanks to bunker suppliers.’
Hugo Torrijos Dajer ISS director
‘We have a proven and reliable chain
of custody for our product that trusted by our customers, with no claims against quality and quantity,’ states Vukelja. The company has received a ‘Flawless Performance’ award every year since 2004 from the oil majors, testifying that it is free of operational pollution and provides a safe working environment with zero serious incidents. ‘In the unlikely case that we have to face those undesirable events, we have appropriate tested contingency response plans in place. Our barges fully comply with Marpol’s latest regulations with Panama’s international obligations,’ he explains. CMP’s eight barges ranging from 20,000bbl to 50,000bbl are strategically located at both major Panamanian ports ‘with more being in process of acquisition since we see that the future lies in this important marine market,’ says Vukelja.
Interoceanic Supply Services Corp (ISS) entered Panama’s market in December 2007. The company has five barges, situated on each side of the waterway. The vessels are currently the fastest in the country, delivering 600/tonnes per hour as compared to the average bunkering speed of 300 tonnes per hour across the rest of Panama’s fleet. ‘The market offers good opportunities,’ says Hugo Torrijos Dajer, director at ISS, which is one of the few players to operate on the spot market, offering bunkers for various suppliers. The market has become very
competitive, although the results for the period 2010 have been ‘very good thanks to the entrance of bunker suppliers, which allowed us to get more customers,’ says Dajer. The company is undertaking a conversion of its barge fleet from single hull to double hull to comply with the 2012 deadline for all tankers navigating in Panamanians waters by the AMP. ‘Since we cannot sell single hull barges, it is more convenient to transform them,’ he explains.
Chandlery Panama’s chandler market is very
competitive, with reduced margins of profits as a number of chandlers have diversified in to ship repair supplies. Chandlery, like shipping agencies, dates back before the opening of the Panama Canal. When vessels arrived at the port of Colon in the late 1880’s, the supply of provision and stores was performed by shipping agencies, which would provide fresh goods to ships before they continued their north or southbound routes. Today, only a few of the agencies still try to run a parallel chandlery service, but with the increasing demand, it has become a highly specialised business on its own. The traditional ship chandler business
of supplying and selling fresh provisions, bonded stores and deck plus engine stores to vessels in transit is increasingly being expanded to include the supply of materials to make small ship repairs on board - and the majority of the chandlers have adapted to the changes. Cruise vessels have offered
PANAMA MARITIME REVIEW 2011/12
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