High PR Article Submission Sites 2013 ~ Nanno Design Blog

High PR Article Submission Sites 2013 ~ Nanno Design Blog

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Maersk Line to inspire Danish export companies

Maersk Line to inspire Danish export companies

12 September 2013

Danish Ministry of Business and Growth has recently selected 30 leading Companies, in eight categories and designated them as “Export Canon” of the country. This decisive step has been taken by the Government to achieve higher export volume  and thereby ensure sustained growth of the country in future. It is a matter of great honour on the part of Mearsk Line that they have been selected to serve the interest of this leading 30 Danish Companies.

It is undoubtedly a great recognition to the Maersk Line shipping services by Denmark, as they have been playing a significant role for decades in the global export trade, with a present global market share of 14.5%.

Denmark is one of the developed economies of the world, with exports accounting for 56% of gross domestic product, valued at almost DKK 1 trillion (USD 175 billion) annually. Maersk Line has already covered 24% exports of this developed economy and contributed to a great extent for the expansion of Danish commerce & exports. Inclusion of Maersk Line in the above exclusive list as a “borne global” is a recognition to that contribution.

A launching ceremony of “Export Canon” was held on September 04, 2013 and in that function Chief Operating Officer Morten H. Engelstoft received the honour on behalf of Maersk Line. In his speech, Morten said “We are happy to honour Denmark’s centuries-old maritime heritage by empowering trade, not only in Northern Europe but in the whole world. We are indeed ‘born global’, and the vision and values instilled by our founder have proven a successful formula for creating opportunities across the globe.”

Morten H. Engelstoft (C.O.O) of Maersk Line received honour
at the launch of "Export Canon"

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Maersk Line Wins China Freight Industry Award

Maersk  Line Wins  China Freight Awards

News posted on 18 July 2013

Maersk (China) Shipping Co., Ltd. bagged 3 awards at the 10th China Freight Industry Awards ceremony held on 25th June 2013 at Shanghai. Maresk Line received awards in the category – ‘Best 10 Comprehensive Service Carrier’, ‘Best 3 Container Lines in Asia-Europe Trade’ and ‘Best 3 Container Lines in the Asia-South America Trade’. Matt Ma, Sales General Manager of Global Forwarder East China, received the award on behalf of the company.

The China Freight Industry Award Ceremony is a well-known award ceremony in China's freight industry hosted by China Shipping Gazette, a Chinese trade magazine focusing on the latest shipping, logistics and port developments. This annual event has grown as a benchmark for the appraisal of logistics providers in terms of several aspects of their business, including their management skills and service quality. 

Winners are voted by readers of one of the industry’s leading media outlets, the China Shipping Gazette and high-profile industry professionals. Over 300 companies attend the ceremony each year.

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Manning the World's Largest Ship

Manning the World’s Largest Ship

News posted on 15 July 2013

The first Triple-E has comamenced its maiden voyage in Busan, South Korea. At the helm, the crew of the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller whose members have been selected among Maersk Line’s finest.
  
A selection of highly qualified crew members, specifically chosen because of their background and experience, will man the largest ship in the world. The ship can accommodate 34, and in principle run with as few as 13, but in regular service approximately 22 persons will make out the crew.

Understanding of roles and responsibilities on the vessel is of utmost importance to ensure smooth sailing and safety.
On the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller, the Captains are Jes Meinertz and Niels Vestergaard Pedersen, and the Chief Engineers are Per Schilling Nielsen and Niels Peter Svarer.

All of them were present at the naming ceremony in Korea on 14 June. ”You are among the finest in your fields, and you should be honoured by being selected to take this vessel into service,” said Maersk Line CEO in his speech on that occasion. ”May you always have fair winds and following seas.”

Away from home

Working on a ship is different from a regular nine to five job, the most obvious being the long periods spent away from home. All four testify that the hardest is that you cannot be there for special occasions, good and bad. On the other hand, modern communication has reduced the feeling of solitude significantly. Although bandwidth is limited, crew members these days can use email, Skype or FaceTime to be in regular contact with friends and family back home.

On another level, however, it is a job like any other job, and sometimes you hardly notice that you’re at sea,” says Per. ”We had a trip two years ago where we sailed south of Africa and were at sea for 45 days. I was never bored. There was always something to do.” It’s like any other job,” adds Jes. “There are periods with interesting tasks and periods where it’s more routine.”

Breaking in a new ship

Taking a new ship to sea, however, is not routine. There are many surprises and things to get used to. The crew is involved in the sea trials, but will also use the first voyages to really get the hang of how the ship performs.

The Triple-E is designed for slow speeds and energy performance. But this doesn’t make it less interesting, insists Niels Peter.  “It is a huge satisfaction,” he says“ when you know the enormous costs involved which are pumped through the system, if you can cut a few percent off that” Niels adds that the Triple-E is quite different from previous vessels with its added weight and more box-like hull shape. “It will take some getting used to, and the captain will need to be aware of the capabilities of the vessel,” continues Niels.

They are fully confident, however, that sailing the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller will indeed be a special experience. The maiden voyage begins today. The crew is ready for the attention the vessel will receive in ports along the way, creating history with the latest record-breaking member of Maersk Line’s fleet.

(From left to right) Chief Engineer Niels Peter Svarer, Chief Engineer Per Schilling Nielsen, Peder Uggla, Ane Maersk Mc-Kinney Uggla, Captain Jes Meinertz and Captain Niels Vestergaard Pedersen

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How Ships are Classed

 How Ships are Classed

The world fleet of today includes various types/sizes of ships which are engaged in international trade. The design of these ships were not built according to the good wishes of the ship owner or the shipbuilding industry. Each ship is now built strictly in accordance with the standard guidelines, rules & regulation set by the internationally accepted organizations named as “Classification Societies”. These Societies approve drawing and design of the ship and closely supervise the construction of the ship, until and unless she is finally ready for commercial voyage. 

Ships designed and built in accordance with the standard rules & regulation of Classification Society, are given a Class Certificate and entered into the Register of the Society. The Certificate is issued for a particular period of time and needs to be renewed on the expiry of it’s validity. Ship can be engaged in the trade without any problem, so long Class status is found alright through survey.

Class Certificate is an important supporting document for the shipowner to prove that ship is sea-worthy and fit for commercial employment. This also helps shipowner to get ship as well cargo insured as per international trade requirements.

Classification Societies are privately owned Companies. There are numerous Societies – few of them are of international standard. The oldest and largest  society is “Lloyd’s Register” which started functioning since 1760. A few years later, shipowners established a similar organization to work as a competitor of Lloyds. In the year 1834, both the Societies were amalgamated to form an independent Society.

In 1968, the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) was formally founded, where members used to cooperate with each other for discharging their functions. The notable Classification Societies are as under :

Name	Symbol	Founded	Nationality
Lloyd’s Register	L    R	1760	British
Bureau Veritas	B    V	1828	French
American Bureau	A    B	1862	American
Germanischer Lloyd	G    L	1867	German
Det Norske veritas	N    V	1864	Norwegian
Nippon Kaiji Kyokai	N    K	1899	Japanese
Registro Italiano Navale	R    I	1861	Italian

The two letters (Symbol) is an abbreviated expression of the name of Classification Society. This symbolic letters are shown to the left and right of the ‘Plimsoll Mark’, on either side of the ‘Hull’ of the ship at about half length.

The rules and regulations made by the Societies, are continuously adapted to accommodate new architectural developments in shipbuilding industry. The drawings of ship has to be submitted to the Society for approval, before shipowner places order in the shipyard for construction. The Society test the steelworks and approve the materials to be used. They also supervise the construction during building of the ship and test the important parts of the ship, when they are ready i.e the double bottom tanks. When the ship is ready, she will undergo sea-trials to test the propulsion plant under various loads in order to measure  the corresponding speed, and examine fitness of the anchoring & steering equipment etc. If everything is found in order and flawless, then the ship gets her Class Certificate and is entered in the Register.

A ship, classed under Lloyd’s Register is expressed in following manner :

            +  100  A  I    LMC    UMS    IGS    RMC

+             : (Malthezer cross) is for new ships built under the supervision of Lloyd’s.

100         : For every ship fit for sea-voyage

A             : Accepted or built under the rules

I               :  (ONE) Anchoring and mooring equipment in compliance with the rules

LMC       : Lloyd’s Machinery Certificate

UMS      : Unattended Machinery Space

IGS         : Inert Gas System ( for tankers and gastankers )

RMC      : Refrigerating Machinery Certificate

A new building ship after induction into commercial operation, is required to undergo following ‘Surveys’ on regular basis to obtain fitness Certificate from Classification Societies.

a.       Annual Survey : This survey is held at 12 months interval to examine general status of the ship. The survey specially test the openings of the hull whether closed water-tight condition is maintained or not, and the place of freeboard marks & draught marks are in order. In addition, the Load Line survey is done to see whether the calculated freeboard matches with the issued Load Line certificate.

b.      Periodical Surveys : These are held at intervals of maximum 3 years, but 2 surveys must be held within a period of 5 years. To carry this survey, ship has to place in the dry-dock to inspect the condition of her hull under the waterline. For every large ship of less than 10 years old, it is necessary to have under water survey by marine drivers. If required, ship’s hull is to be replaced.

c.       Special Survey : These are held at maximum 5 years intervals. It is a comprehensive survey where ship’s hull / machinery, engine, and all other parts are thoroughly checked and repaired. Special Survey therefore requires long time to complete the job. That’s why it is preferred  that the survey be done on continuous basis without hampering the ship’s employment schedule too much.

Another important issue connected with ship design is to determine the ‘Tonnage’ of the ship. How to measure tonnage?  The actual Tonnage or weight of the ship is equal to her “DISPLACEMENT” which is expressed in 1000 kg or 1016 kg (English ton). Light Ship Weight of ship is equivalent to her minimum displacement i.e the weight of hull + engines + equipment + spares.

The maximum displacement is reached at the ‘SUMMER MARK’ in salt water (density 1025 kg/m3). The difference between the maximum and minimum displacement, is the “DEADWEIGHT” of the ship which consists of following:

·         Fuel oil, diesel oil, lubricating oil

·         Ballast water

·         Fresh water

·         Stores, spares etc

There are two types of ‘Tonnage Measurement’. Gross Tonnage is the total volume of all enclosed spaces of ship expressed in m3 and ‘Net Tonnage’ is the volume of cargo space of ship expressed in m3.

A ship needs reserve “BOUYANCY” to sail safely in the sea. During sea passage, ship may encounter high waves which will cause the ship to pitch and roll. In such situation, ship might be sunk. To safeguard ship from such risky situation, the part of the ship above waterline, is built closed watertight giving ship sufficient “Reserve Buoyancy”. A minimum freeboard gives the ship a minimum reserve buoyancy which ensures safe journey. Freeboard of ship means the distance between the top of the deckling of the freeboard deck and the waterline on which the ship floats. In principle, all sea going vessels have a minimum statutory Freeboard which is calculated as per regulations of the SOLAS Conference. The statutory freeboard is known as ‘summer freeboard’.

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Basic Documents needed in Liner Shipping

Basic documents needed in liner shipping

Export and import shipment through liner shipping has undergone tremendous improvements over the past few decades due to introduction of fully computer based online networking system, where port, custom, shipping line, ships agent, forwarders – all are working together under the same system. This modern system has simplified shipping documentation and guaranteed services to the customer with higher efficiency at faster speed. Since the pace of technological advancement is not same between the developed and developing countries, so we still find significant differences in documentation among those countries. However, we shall concentrate discussions on basic documents necessary for liner shipping. To effect export or import of any cargo, the following parties / institutions are involved :

a)      Importers

b)      Exporters

c)       Shipping line & their Agents

d)      Customs Authority

e)      Port Authority

f)       Freight Forwarders

g)      Stevedores or Cargo handling agents

h)      C&F Agent

If a  shipper wants to export some parcel to a foreign buyer through liner vessel, then what procedure he has to follow for arranging shipment and what type of documents he is required to submit to the shipping company?

Let us assume that a Bangladeshi Garments Factory ‘A’ located in Chittagong, wants to export consignment of 100 cbm Ready made garments (RMG) to a foreign buyer of French. How the owner of garments factory will proceed? The factory owner doesn’t have any knowledge about shipment procedure or direct link with any shipping line. There is nothing to be worried. The exporter will contact a local or an international freight forwarder for arranging shipment of said consignment. The freight forwarder is the right person who knows what to do. He has experience and professional knowledge to handle the matter in the most efficient way, so that the exporter does not suffer in anyway. That means the freight forwarder takes 100 per cent responsibility to arrange shipment of cargo  through contacting all relevant agency / institution involved in the system, on behalf of exporter/shipper. First of all, forwarder sends an e-mail message to a Shipping line highlighting type/quantity of cargo, port of loading & port of discharge, tentative shipment date etc and request shipping line to confirm booking/space. The shipping line thoroughly examines the offer. If it is found suitable, they confirm the booking and send an Export cargo shipping instruction form (ECSI) to forwarder to provide detail information of the consignment viz about the goods and their route to final destination, any transport requirements, custom information, information of cargo insurance, letter of authority from exporter, type of Bill of Lading shipper needs, and allocation of costs etc. On receipt of detail information regarding consignment, the shipping line enters all these information into their computer system and the system creates a draft B/L. This draft B/L is again sent to forwarder for final checking whether everything is in order. Meantime, shipping line releases no of containers required by forwarder for stuffing the cargo. The forwarder may take the containers to factory premise for loading or cargo may be brought to ICD for stuffing. Then all formalities of custom and port are done at container freight station (CFS). At the final stage, container is sealed and carried inside the port for loading on board the vessel under the supervision and instruction of shipping line. In the present assumed case, the exporter/forwarder wants to export their consignment of garments ex-Chittagong port to Marseilles port of French. The shipping line will arrange shipment of the consignment by feeder vessel calling at Chittagong port and transport same upto Singapore or Colombo port where the Mother vessel will arrive. Then said containers will be transshipped to the Mother vessel which is scheduled to call buyer’s destination port i.e Marseilles, France. At the loading point, forwarder receives system generated original sets of Bill of Ladings from shipping line on payment of freight & other costs as per mutually agreed terms. Then Forwarder on behalf of exporter (Garments factory owner), submits the original bills of lading to the bank of exporter alongwith other necessary documents as per instructions of Letter of Credit, in order to receive payment of invoice value of goods from buyer. In this way export of any consignment through liner shipping is done.

In order to ensure that export of a cargo is effected without any hassle from buyer’s side, it is absolutely necessary for exporter to guarantee following :

·         Cargo is packed correctly so that it arrives in good condition;

·         Cargo is labeled correctly to ensure that the goods are handled properly and arrive on time at the right place;

·         Cargo is documented correctly to meet government requirements of port of loading as well as rules & regulations of foreign government where cargo to be discharged.

·         Cargo is Insured against damage, loss, pilferage and delay.

  The Freight Forwarder plays a significant role to take care of above requirements of exporter. As such exporter has no option but to take the assistance of a forwarder for smooth and hassle free shipment. As regards packing, sometimes buyer specifies packing requirements for the cargo. In general, following guidelines are observed :

•  Pack in strong containers, adequately sealed and filled when possible.
• To provide proper bracing in the container, regardless of size, make sure the weight is evenly distributed.
• Goods should be palletized and when possible containerized.
• Packages and packing filler should be made of moisture-resistant material.
• To avoid pilferage, avoid writing contents or brand names on packages. Other safeguards include using straps, seals, and shrink wrapping.
• Observe any product-specific hazardous materials packing requirements.

Like packing, some specific labeling marks is also used in cartons & container to :

• Meet shipping regulations;
• Ensure proper handling;
• Conceal the identity of the contents;
• Help receivers identify shipments; and
• Insure compliance with environmental and safety standards.

Basic Shipping Documents required

The following documents are commonly used in exporting; but which of them are necessary in a particular transaction depends on the requirements of concerned countries and it varies from country to country.

a)      Bill of Lading : It is a very important document in shipping transaction. A bill of lading is a contract between owner of goods and the carrier. This original shipper’s order bill of lading can be bought, sold or traded while the goods are in transit. B/L is signed by the Master of the vessel or his agent on behalf of shipping line. It has undernoted attributes :

·         It is a contract of affreightment  between the carrier and the shipper/consignee.

·         It’s a receipt of cargo by the carrier.

·         It is a legitimate title of goods for the holder.

There are different kinds of B/L – Carrier B/L, House B/L, Charter party B/L, Ocean B/L or Combined Transport B/L etc.

a)      Commercial Invoice :  A commercial invoice is a bill for the goods from the seller to the buyer. These invoices are often used by governments to determine the true value of goods when assessing customs duties. Governments that use the commercial invoice to control imports will often specify its form, content, number of copies, language to be used, and other characteristics.

b)    Consular Invoice : It is a document that is required in some countries. It describes the shipment of goods and shows information such as the consignor, consignee, and value of the shipment. Certified by the consular official of the foreign country stationed here, it is used by the country's customs officials to verify the value, quantity, and nature of the shipment.

c)    Certificate of Origin : It is a document that is required in certain nations. It is a signed statement as to the origin of the export item. Certificate of origin are usually signed through a semiofficial organization, such as a local chamber of commerce. A certificate may still be required even if the commercial invoice contains the information.

d)    Inspection certificate : It is required by some purchasers and countries in order to attest to the specifications of the goods shipped. This is usually performed by a third party and often obtained from independent testing organizations.

e)      Dock receipt and Warehouse receipt : These receipts are used to transfer accountability when the export item is moved by the domestic carrier to the port of embarkation and left with the ship line for export.

f)     Destination control statement : It appears on the commercial invoice, and ocean or air waybill of lading to notify the carrier and all foreign parties that the item can be exported only to certain destinations.

g)      Shipper’s Export Declaration(SED) : This document is used by the custom authority of the exporting country in order to exercise control over exports. SEDs are prepared by the exporter or the exporter's agent and delivered to the exporting carrier. The exporting carrier will present the required number of copies to the customs at the port of export. Often, the SED is prepared as a substitute document of the Shipper's Letter of Instructions.

h)      Export incense : It is government document that authorizes the export of specific goods in specific quantities to a particular destination. This document is generally required for all countries to export any commodity.

i)        Export packing list : This packing list shows the type of package, such as a box, crate, drum, or carton. It also shows the individual net, legal, tare, and gross weights and measurements for each package. In addition, Package markings are shown along with the shipper's and buyer's references. The list is used by the shipper or forwarding agent to determine the total shipment weight and volume of cargo being shipped. Custom officials use the list to check the cargo.

j)     Insurance certificate : This is a very important document in export shipment. This is used to assure the consignee that insurance will cover the loss of or damage to the cargo during transit. Insurance protects exporter’s interest, as there are risk factors like bad weather,  rough handling of cargo by carriers, and other common hazards which may cause damage to cargo. If the terms of sale make the exporter responsible for insurance, the exporter  is to take a policy to insure the cargo. If the terms of sale make the foreign buyer responsible, then the buyer has to obtain an insurance policy. Shipments by sea are covered by marine cargo insurance.

k)      Letter of Credit / Sales contract : This is a basic commercial document through which an international deal of sale is established between a Seller(exporter) and a buyer(importer). Detail terms & conditions highlighting value of goods, cost of freight and insurance, time limit for shipment, specifications of goods etc will be incorporated in the Letter of credit.

l)        Pre-shipment inspection survey : A thorough inspection of goods is to be carried out by renown surveyor before shipment in order to satisfy the buyer that the goods are fit to export in all respect. In case of import, similar documents will be required to ensure any transaction.

Apart from above shipping documents, Shipping line has to submit/declare following documents to various agencies, whenever vessel calls a port for loading / discharging operations.

1.       Inward Entry Application : Application addressed to Custom authority with a request to permit entry of the vessel in the port.

2.       Berthing Application to Port Health Office :  Application addressed to Port Health Officer, with a request to come on board after berthing  in order to complete inward formalities.

3.       Application to Immigration Officer: To provide landing permission for the officers and crew of the vessel.

4.       Store list book : Store list to be prepared in prescribed form & submit same to custom who will scrutiny the list with ship’s pantry.

5.       Ship’s Arrival Report : The arrival report is prepared by the Master of the vessel with details of vessel, cargo on board, ship’s stores which is submitted to Customs & Mercantile Marine Department.

6.       Load Line Distance Declaration : This is signed by Master of the vessel and same is submitted to Custom authority.

7.       Dangerous Drug Declaration : Declaration is given by the Master to Custom, stating that the vessel has not carried any dangerous drug.

8.       Deck Cargo Declaration : The certificate is issued by the Master regarding deck cargo carried on deck for submission to Custom.

9.       Final Entry Declaration : Agents of the vessel is  to submit this application to the Custom, after entrance of the vessel to the port enclosing all necessary papers regarding export cargo to be discharged.

10.   NOC from Mercantile marine & Shipping Master Office : NOC to be obtained from these two governments offices to sail from the port for outward voyage.

11.   NOC from Income Tax Authority : Before sailing from the port, vessel to obtain NOC from Tax authority regarding payment of duty on the freight earned or expected to be earned from exports carried and projected imports.

12.   Custom & Port Clearance : Port clearance is an important document which must be on board the vessel before sailing and this clearance has to be shown to the next port of call.

13.   Statement of facts : This document is prepared by shipping agent showing details of performances of vessel with regard to  discharging and loading of containers on daily basis. This SOF is important for Trump/Chartered vessel to count actual working days/hours so as to compare same with Charter party terms for calculating demurrage / dispatch.

Above documents are all related to ship. There are some important documents, which are related to cargo. Some of them are shown below :

1.       Wavier Certificate : As per existing flag protection law applicable in some countries, foreign vessel is required to obtain wavier certificate from Shipping Department to load cargo, in order to safeguard the legitimate share of exporting country. As per internationally accepted UNCTAD Code of Conduct, the National line is entitled to carry 40% of the total sea borne Export/Import cargo originating from their country, through it’s own flag carriers. If national flag carrier of exporting country fail to provide ship to carry some consignment, then the Third country operator can lift the cargo through obtaining wavier certificate.

2.       Mate Receipt: This is an acknowledgement receipt issued by the Master of the vessel, whenever loading of cargo or container is completed on board the vessel.

3.       Cargo Manifest or Freight Menifest : This is a summary statement of detail description of all the cargo loaded in the vessel. A manifest containing both cargo and financial details is known as Freight Manifest.

4.       Export General Manifest (EGM) : The Export General Manifest is prepared with the details of cargo and other relevant cargo related information on the basis of Bill of Lading and no freight information is incorporated. The EGM is prepared in the prescribed form and submitted to custom & port authority.

5.       Import General Manifest(IGM) : IGM includes details of import cargo to be discharged from the ship and the information are taken from Bill of lading IGM shows B/L number, description of cargo / container, cubic measurement /weight, whether freight pre-paid or payable at destination, the names / addresses of the consignee, details of Dangerous or Hazardous cargo etc. The IGM is submitted to the port and custom authority.

6.       Heavy Cargo / Long length Cargo List : A heavy cargo or heavy lift cargo means a cargo whose weight exceeds more than 35 tons. A heavy cargo is always odd size both in height as well as length and needs special arrangement at port for discharging. For this reason, the Master or the Agent has to maintain the list of such heavy or long length cargo, so that the cargo can be handled both on board the ship and at port under special arrangement at the time of discharging.

7.       Dangerous Cargo Declaration : Shipper has to declare with proper documentation regarding dangerous cargo before shipment of export of such cargo and also import of such cargo while on board before discharging at port.

8.       Delivery Order : Delivery order is issued in exchange of an original Bill of Lading ,usually at the port  of destination. On the basis of delivery order issued by the shipping line/agent, port authority deliver the goods to its holder or to a named party written on the bill of lading under the title ’Consignee’. The concerned agent before issuing delivery order also check whether custom has out passed Bill of Entry.

9.       Landing Tally : At the time of discharging container, tally is jointly maintained by port and shipping agent. When a container is discharged, the tally clerk records the information like container prefix, container number, seal number, container size/type/height in code, tare weight etc. This tally sheet is an important supporting document for shipper, if any damage is caused to the cargo at the time of unloading operation.

10.   Out Turn Report :  OTR is the final report on the total quantity of cargo (piece wise) landed under a Bill of Lading.

Article gives an idea about the various types of documentation required in liner shipping business for exports and imports. Please share this knowledge with me and offer your valuable comments if any.

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