Maersk Line has decided to hand over the management of six vessels to Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM).
“Currently managed in-house by Maersk, the six vessels ranging in size from 2,500 to 11,000 teu will be managed over the next five years from BSM’s Ship Management Centre in Hamburg, Germany,” Schulte said in a statement. “BSM will be responsible for all aspects of management including crewing, technical operations, safety performance, environmental performance, and energy efficiency.”
BSM’s CEO, Captain Norbert Aschmann, said in the statement, “We are proud to have been awarded this contract by Maersk in line with its aim to continuously improve management of its fleet. This is a significant vote of confidence in BSM and reflects our commitment to safety, operational efficiency and transparency, and emphasis on the achievement of key performance indicators agreed with our business partners.”
BSM has more than 25 years of experience in managing container vessels, with more than 180 ranging in size from 13,500 teu.
Container shipping lines continue to suffer from a weak freight market and overcapacity. They are looking for ways to reduce costs in order to combat the weak market and remain profitable. By managing ships both in house and by using third-party management companies, owners can benchmark their own operations against those of a contractor.
Maersk Line has reduced its unit costs to USD2,246/feu up to 30 June from USD2,584 in the full year 2014, USD2,731 in 2013, and USD3,054 in 2012, APM said in its second-quarter 2015 interim report.
This post was sourced from IHS Maritime 360: View the original article here.
