UMC Hosts Maritime Seminar
UMC International, providers of underwater maintenance, repair and support services for commercial shipping worldwide held their first seminar in Greece to assist ship managers and owners to manage their afloat maintenance more effectively.
On Thursday, 27th May at the Piraeus Marine Club more than 50 delegates gathered for an evening to learn more about the underwater world of cleaning and repairs.
Speaker, Jean-Paul Engels – UMC General Manager Continental Europe said, “My main aim was to explain the real cost benefits of planned maintenance, and from the response of the audience, this was really the hot topic.” He continued, “Fuel saving is the major reason for hull cleaning today, with fuel costs representing over half of a ship’s operating costs, and sometimes even higher for large tankers and fast containerships.”
He continued, “Because this kind of work is carried out below surface and out of sight, it is often difficult for the customer to feel in control of what’s happening – my job was to give some practical advice to empower the owner/operator as to how to maintain good contact with the dive site and ensure that a quality job was being undertaken.”
Nikos Daniel VP of Daniel Marine Inc. enthused, “This event was of real take-home value to the guests. Many important issues were discussed regarding how to manage our diving operations; practical guidance was not only given on legal responsibilities but also quality expectations and the mechanics of what happens on a dive site.”
Finally an insightful overview of innovative afloat design engineering concepts was given by UMC Marine Engineer, Steve Smith.
UMC International will be continuing to hold marine services seminars throughout their regions of interest.
May 2010