Page 54 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - ΣΕΠΤΕΜΒΡΙΟΣ 2022

SHIPYARD INDUSTRY / OPINIONS

CONSOLIDATION

WITHIN THE

SHIPBUILDING

INDUSTRY IS AN

ONGOING PROCESS

What are a shipping company’s main criteria when selecting a shipyard for
repairs or newbuildings?
The selection of the most appropriate shipyard by any shipowner is
always a complex and multidimensional process related to a variety of
determining factors, and even more so today that vessel designs are
becoming more sophisticated and vessel repair and retrofit technologies
more and more demanding to ensure that vessels will achieve optimal
efficiency in terms of environmental impact and operational integrity.
Each process, whether in vessel construction or repair, requires excel-
lent resources and project planning from all stakeholders to ensure
efficiency, a reliable timeframe, and superior quality.
A vessel’s trading area is one of the determining factors in selecting the
shipyard’s location, especially in low charter market conditions, when
relocating vessels at the owner’s expense would not be cost efficient.
Another critical factor is the reliability of the services provided by
a shipyard in terms of quality, safety standards, workforce expertise,
installation facilities, diversity of modifications offered, quality of hull
treatment or various repairs by approved service stations, response to
unforeseen factors, access allowed to owner’s ship superintendents,
and collaboration among involved parties.
A further critical factor is the yard’s reliability in terms of time. Bearing
in mind that vessels are obliged to comply fully with strict commercial
restrictions, any unforeseen delay on the part of the shipyard may have
by Georgios Z. Sahat, severe financial implications, including loss of revenues for the ship-
Technical Manager, Velos Tankers Ltd. owner and the frustration of the charterer due to any delay incurred.
Reliability regarding time means having the proper human resources
and fewer interruptions from similar works carried out at different ship-
yard facilities. Evidently, an additional crucial factor is the shipyard’s

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