Survey Reveals News

Maritime industry professionals remain confident about the year ahead despite wider uncertainty, according to new data published by the British Ports Association. Ports themselves are more likely to be worried about the economy over the next 12 months, however.Less than a third (29%) of ports feel confident about the economy in the next year, but 51% of the wider maritime industry feels confident. 83% of ports were planning investments into new business services, property or infrastructure in the next three months.Brexit: The survey reveals that half of ports do not feel that Brexit will affect them (either negatively or positively) in the next year, whilst a third feel it will impact them negatively. This can be attributed to the structure of the industry (i.e.

The level of satisfaction regarding container carriers among exporters, importers, and freight forwarders reduces marginally, according to the third annual shipper satisfaction survey of Drewry and the European Shippers’ Council (ESC).The joint ESC and Drewry survey reveals that the 249 shippers and forwarders who took part in the survey rated the service of container shipping lines with a score of 3.1 on average (which is 0.1 lower than last year) on a scale of 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied).Customer satisfaction was reported least favourable for clarity of prices and surcharges, transit times, and reliability of booking/cargo…

Confidence in the ability of sound risk management to contribute to commercial success in the shipping industry has fallen in the last 12 months, according to the latest annual Shipping Risk Survey from Moore Stephens.Respondents to the survey rated the extent to which enterprise and business risk management is contributing to the success of their organisation at an average 5.9 out of a possible score of 10.0, compared to 6.8 in the 2017 survey.Brokers returned the highest rating, followed by ship managers. For the first time in the four-year life of the survey, Europe was behind Asia in terms of geographical sentiment, but it was the Middle East which once again returned the highest figure (6.8).Overall…

The service provided by container shipping lines has deteriorated since 2016 and is now seen by exporters, importers and freight forwarders as more problematic, according to the second annual shipper satisfaction survey of Drewry and the European Shippers’ Council (ESC). The joint ESC and Drewry survey reveals that the 400 shippers and forwarders who took part rated the service of container shipping lines with a score of 3.2 on average on a scale of 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied). There were different levels of satisfaction for 16 different carrier activities reviewed in the survey. Satisfaction with documentation accuracy scored 3.4…

Vessel operating costs are expected to rise in both 2017 and 2018, according to Moore Stephens' survey. Repairs & maintenance and spares are the cost categories which are likely to increase most significantly in each of the two years. The survey is based on responses from key players in the international shipping industry, predominantly shipowners and managers in Europe and Asia. Those responses revealed that vessel operating costs are likely to rise by 2.1% in 2017 and by 2.4% in 2018. The cost of repairs & maintenance is expected to increase by 2.0% in both 2017 and 2018, while expenditure on spares is predicted to rise by 2.0% in 2017 and by 1.9% in 2018. Drydocking expenditure, meanwhile, is expected to increase by 1.7% and 1.8% in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

Vessel operating costs are expected to rise in both 2017 and 2018, according to the latest survey by international account and shipping consultant Moore Stephens. Repairs and maintenance and spares are the cost categories which are likely to increase most significantly in each of the two years. The survey is based on responses from key players in the international shipping industry, predominantly shipowners and managers in Europe and Asia. Those responses revealed that vessel operating costs are likely to rise by 2.1 percent in 2017 and by 2.4 percent in 2018.

Falling oil prices, heightened geopolitical tensions and sluggish, uncertain growth in the global economy are directly impacting the maritime industry, causing Norwegian shipowners to be less optimistic than last year regarding both turnover and profitability, as the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association Outlook report for 2015 shows. “We have seen a marked negative shift in just a short time. 2015 will be a challenging year for Norwegian maritime companies, but we must be prepared for 2016 to be even more challenging,” stated Sturla Henriksen, CEO of the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association. Shipowners are far less optimistic than last year, anticipating growth in turnover of only 2.3 percent in 2015, up to NOK 268 billion, compared to 6 percent anticipated growth last year.

International specialist recruiter, Faststream, report their findings from a survey of over 2,000 shore and sea staff. Faststream, puts into sharp focus a gap that exists between perception and reality across the industry, finding that not surprisingly, seafarers seeking a shore career tend to focus on the traditional and more accessible roles such as superintendent, fleet manager and harbour master. They perceive the “more remote” professions of law or insurance to be out of reach, despite a large proportion of their shore based colleagues stating the importance of having a seafarer in the office. The report, based on a survey of over 2,000 shore and sea staff, also reveals the gap between perceived and achievable starting salaries for mariners coming ashore after 10-15 years at sea.

A crew communications survey carried out by Astrium Services reveals that a growing number of seafarers see on board Wi-Fi connectivity as essential in order to use their own smartphones, tablets and laptops aboard ships. Social media, especially Facebook was highlighted as one of the most popular web destinations for crews whilst it was also revealed that many seafarers are prepared to pay for connectivity. The Crew Communications 2012 Survey, which was commissioned by Astrium Services to fill the market gap in up-to-date data on crew communications requirements and supported by consultants Stark Moore McMillan, questioned 960 Filipino seafarers during Q3 & Q4 2012. 12% of those surveyed were officers and 88% were general crew.

The latest Maritime Employment Report from international specialist recruiter, Faststream, places a sharp focus on the gap that exists between perception and reality across the industry. Not surprisingly, seafarers seeking a shore career tend to focus on the traditional and more accessible  roles such as superintendent, fleet manager and harbour master. They perceive the more remote professions of law or insurance to be out of reach despite a large proportion of their shore based colleagues stating the importance of having a seafarer in the office.

Wakefield Research nationwide survey reveals generational divide over relaxation habits. The 2012 Princess Cruises Relaxation Report, commissioned in celebration of National Relaxation Day on Aug. 15, revealed that Boomers and their adult children's generation of Millennials have very different vacation habits, from social media vices to work-life balance, with the latter finding it more difficult to, or simply refusing to, truly disconnect while on holiday. The national survey found that Boomers (approximately 48-66 years of age) take their vacation time seriously, with more than one in three finding it impossible to go an entire vacation without doing anything work-related.

The survey by international legal research centre Seafarers’ Rights International (SRI) of 3,480 seafarers in the 12 months to the end of February 2012 was conducted in eight languages, with responses returned from 18 countries and 68 different nationalities of seafarers. Of the seafarers surveyed, 8% had faced criminal charges; 4% had been witnesses in criminal prosecutions, while 33% knew of colleagues who had faced criminal charges. Almost 24% of masters in the survey had faced criminal charges. Questions in the survey specifically asked about the experiences of seafarers who had faced criminal charges. 44% of seafarers reported that they were bodily searched.

The latest Shipping Confidence Survey by Moore Stephens has revealed a significant drop in overall confidence levels in the market, and an increased expectation that rates in the tanker, dry bulk and container ship sectors will fall in the next twelve months. On a scale of 1 to 10, the average confidence level reported by respondents was 5.6, compared to 6.8 in the previous survey in June 2008. Confidence levels fell across all sectors and regions and the greater divergence between respondents suggests greater uncertainty across market participants. Ship managers and owners were the most confident at 6.0 and 5.8 respectively, although these were markedly down on the corresponding figures in June.

Recruitment is the LNG sector’s principal challenge according to a survey of Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators (SIGGTO) members undertaken by international shipping recruiter Faststream. Fifty-eight percent of the respondents to the survey agreed that recruitment was a big challenge. “Vacancy levels in the shore-based LNG sector are at a record high and we forecast them to continue growing.

The latest Shipping Confidence Survey by Moore Stephens has revealed that overall confidence in the market for the next twelve months remains unaffected by the global credit crunch. But two-thirds of shipping interests expect finance costs to rise - a ten per cent increase on levels reported in the last survey, in March 2008 – while there has also been a fall in the number of owners who expect to make a major business investment in the next twelve months. On a scale of 1 to 10, the overall confidence shown in the market by those who responded to the survey was unchanged at 6.8, with owners and managers expressing the highest levels of confidence at 7.0 (marginally down on the previous survey) against the 6.3 recorded by charterers.

95% of insurers who responded to a recent risk management survey conducted by leading insurance accountant and consultant Moore Stephens said they identified regulatory risk as the single biggest challenge facing them over the next two years - ahead of operational and financial risk. And 93% of responses from brokers placed regulatory risk at the top of the two-year agenda, ahead of strategic and financial risk. The Moore Stephens risk management survey showed that most firms were aware of the risk management requirements demanded by the regulators relative to their own businesses. Only 6% of respondents considered that they were not as informed as they should be about the requirements.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration completed a survey today revealing that the double-hulled tank barge DBL 152 struck a submerged platform on Nov. 10, while en route from Houston to Tampa, Fla. The platform gouged a 35-foot long by 6-foot wide hole in the barge's starboard bow, puncturing both hulls and damaging the number one cargo tank. The platform West Cameron 229A, owned by Targa Midstream Services Limited Partnership, was a non-producing platform used to support pipeline inspection and operation. It is normally above the surface of the water but was damaged and sank during Hurricane Rita. Following the storm the company located their platform and marked it with unlit buoys. Response crews began lightering the fuel from the double-hulled tank barge DBL 152. At 4 p.m.