High Uptakes on Ships Agency in Japan and Asia: WSS

As it prepares for Sea Japan, Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) has reported strong growth in the number of owners in Japan and North East Asia signing up for its’ Ships Agency Re-Defined (SARD) offer.

“Since launching SARD globally at the end of 2010,” we have seen high levels of uptake from the North East Asian shipping community, with growth levels of around 15 percent throughout 2011,” said Neal De Roche, Area Director WSS North East Asia. “Japanese vessel operators and owners are extremely positive about the fact that SARD provides a ‘one point of contact’ system. In fact, SARD can save up to three hours per port call for our Japanese customers. This is crucial to guarantee efficient operations and fast turnaround.”
 
Launched in 2010, SARD allows customers to deal with all of their ships agency requirements from one central point, with improved communications between the agency and the operator, resulting in efficiency savings, predictable pricing and a single bank account for all payments, facilitating easy access to online job and tracking information.

General Manager WSS Japan, Junichi Saito, is confident that take-up of SARD will continue throughout 2012.

“SARD is different from any other ships agency offer in the market right now, because it offers global, world-class services at a local level,” said Saito. “Our team works in the same time zone and speaks the same language as our customers, and Japanese owners can take advantage of the scheme globally, not just in the home islands.”

Sea Japan will take place from 18-20 April at the Tokyo Big Sight Exhibition Centre. WSS Japan will be exhibiting at the show, alongside Wilhelmsen Technical Services (WTS).