LOC’s involvement with the Yamal project will extend until 2018. WEATHER CHALLENGES EXTREME


Some of the recent challenges faced by MWS were outlined by the respondents to HLPFI’s questionnaire. Steven Weiss from Aspen Insurance gave an example concerning the weather. “We were moving a transformer inland in Mexico and due to several back-to-back storms, waited over ten days and the site entry for the ground to dry out and stabilise.


“Other recent projects involve a long overland transit in Russia and several surrounding states. The challenge is making sure that the transit is safe both security-wise and with the routing of the cargoes. Alternative ways to deliver cargo to the ‘Far North’ are being discussed. Can the opening of the Northwest Passage allow a water route that ends close to the oil sands? Or closer to other mineral rich areas in the region?” he asked.


DENSE TRAFFIC Captain Nathan Mills of Newman Giles Paines & Co Limited said that shipping cargo in areas of dense marine traffic can be fraught with challenges. “Cargo underwriters need to look at any external risk that may be present. Weather is always difficult to predict and can change in an instant. Wind turbine components may seem simple to transport, but small damages, such as blade damage, can be very expensive to repair or even replace,” he explained.


Bob Volante explained that on a recent project, CSL Global experienced a significant number of challenges with the client continually questioning the survey recommendations and decisions. “Despite a continuing pressure to review and/or withdraw recommendations, we continued to maintain our fully


34 | The Report • March 2017 • Issue 79


explained decisions and because of this it is our opinion that no incident occurred in respect of the critical item transportations that we were involved with. This is mainly due to CSL’s intervention whenever it was required.”


They made every effort to ensure that all inputs from the client, and other interested and formally contracted third parties, were reviewed and taken into consideration to ensure that the integrity of the warranty survey programme was not compromised as a result of unjustified influence or pressure from any party, they said.


YAMAL LNG PROJECT LOC London is currently acting as the marine warranty surveyor for the Yamal LNG project, providing independent third-party design review and approval of marine operations including load-out, seafastening, transportation, shipping and offloading of cargo dedicated to the transportation of modules and modularised buildings.


The project is located in Sabetta, in the Ob River estuary, which is ice-bound for nine months of the year, northeast of the Yamal Peninsula in Russia. It is the first LNG development venture to be established in the Arctic.


The Yamal LNG facilities are being built in modules in different areas of the world and then transported to the site for installation or assembly. The modular construction process has been chosen to cope with the extreme climate conditions at Sabetta.


LOC’s involvement in Yamal LNG project will continue until 2018.


More recently, with the reduction in global oil prices, a wide range of experienced maritime talent from a broad range of sources has become more available. Warranty survey skills still need to be developed and new blood (not just from a maritime background), new skills and education continue to be a longer- term challenge for the industry.


As for sub-contracting surveyors, Honing said that by being a Lloyd’s agent in the Netherlands, his company is involved in setting up a new network for project- related surveys and qualified Lloyd’s surveyors. This will create a worldwide network of qualified surveyors. “We now already use the network because we know exactly which company is qualified in our network,” he stressed.


Volante and Covello said that there is a wide global network of known, qualified, established and proven warranty survey practitioners that, when required, can be formally appointed to support the requirements of a large or complex warranty survey programme.


Planning is an essential part of any project cargo move and should involve the surveyors at the outset. Weiss said: “One of the key success factors in any MWS project is coordination and communication. As an underwriter doing project cargo, I make it a priority. The meeting facilitates the project by connecting the responsible parties to each other in person. I consider it a must-have.”


Honing agreed, saying: “The advantage of pre-project meetings with a surveyor already present is that some transport issues can be discussed and prepared during construction phase, which will save costs in the end.”


Volante and Covello said that the attendance of warranty surveyors at pre-project ‘kick-off ’ meetings is highly recommended. The role of the project cargo warranty survey has evolved significantly over the past five years and is no


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