WSS Earns Global ABS Approval for Safety Services
Wilhelmsen Ships Services (WSS) late last month obtained global approval for its safety services from ABS (American Bureau of Shipping). The approval comes after a two year process involving the entire safety services team and covers all safety services worldwide.
“Along with Radio Holland, we are now the only maritime service provider in the world with global approval from ABS, and indeed, the only service provider within the safety sector. We are immensely proud of this,” said John Sanford, Technical Sales Manager Safety for the Americas.
According to Mats Hestman, International Service Manager Safety, the approval presented several interesting challenges related to documenting WSS qualifications and systemization. “The ABS project has strengthened our organisation as it required us to establish a central record for competence mapping and training needs which would be accessible worldwide for both our own safety and training managers and class society contacts. This new system will now benefit us in our efforts to continuously improve our safety education and technical expertise.”
WSS runs 98 safety service offices globally and carries out 21,000 safety services annually. It also operates 42 Liferaft Exchange (LRE) stations supporting over 1,000 key ports. In addition to ABS, WSS holds global approvals from IACS, DNV, Lloyds, RMRS, RINA, Korean Register, ABS GL and Z17. Andrew Sheriff, Business Director Safety said: