Dirk Fry represents Columbia Shipmanagement Ltd. and the International Ship Managers Association (ISMA). He discusses the importance of quality in container shipping operations. Quality means different things but customers have become intolerant of poor service and standards, as shown by the Prestige accident. All entities involved in shipping, including ship managers, shipowners, ports, and charterers must focus on quality to successfully meet demands for performance, safety, cost efficiency, and environmental standards. The future lies in continuous improvement, training, and taking responsibility to meet high quality standards that customers require.

1. DIRK FRY
COMMENTS
ON
CONTAINER SHIPPING
SEATRADE MIDDLE EAST MARITIME

2. TODAY, I AM REPRESENTING:
COLUMBIA SHIPMANAGEMENT LTD. - (MANAGING DIRECTOR)
INTERNATIONAL SHIP MANAGERS ASSOCIATION (ISMA) - (PRESIDENT)

3. BOTH COLUMBIA AND ISMA HAVE “QUALITY” AS THE CORNERSTONE OF THEIR OPERATING
PHILOSOPHY AND SYSTEMS …………….

4. “QUALITY” CAN MEAN MANY THINGS TO MANY PEOPLE. HOWEVER, AS THE “PRESTIGE”
ACCIDENT SHOWS, SHIPPING AND NON-SHIPPING ENTITIES ARE INCREASINGLY
INTOLERANT OF POOR SERVICE AND STANDARDS – AND THEY ARE CORRECT!
SHIPPING GENERALLY IS UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT.

5. MY COMMENTS ARE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE
OF A SHIPMANAGER WORKING FOR (OR WITH):
 SHIPOWNERS
 CHARTERERS
 LINER OPERATORS
 PORTS, AGENTS, ETC.

6. ………. I BELIEVE THAT ANY COUNTRY, COMPANY, PORT, ETC. MUST THINK IN A SIMILAR WAY
IF THEY WANT TO SERVICE SUCCESSFULLY CONTAINERSHIP REQUIREMENTS …….

7. ………. PARTICULARLY FOR LINER SHIPPING OPERATIONS, WHO ARE PARTICULARLY
DEMANDING IN TERMS OF PERFORMANCE, SAFETY AND COST EFFICIENCY.

8.  TODAY, 90% OF ALL TRADE IS BY SEA.
 OPERATING COSTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OF GREAT IN IMPORTANCE TO
OWNERS. IN TODAY’S MARKET OPERATING COSTS HAVE EVEN GROWN IN
IMPORTANCE BUT OPERATING COSTS CAN ONLY BE REDUCED TO THE
DETRIMENT OF PUNCTUAL, RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT SERVICES.
 NEEDS CHANGE ALL THE TIME. SHIPS ARE GETTING BIGGER AND MORE
SOPHISTICATED – QA – DRIVEN PROCEDURES AND SYSTEMS MUST MEET THE
CHALLENGE.
 ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS HAS BECOME A FOCUS POINT.
 SECURITY IS NOW A MAJOR ISSUE.
 MAJOR PORTS FACE MANY CHALLENGES, THERE IS ALSO A NEED TO PROMOTE
REGIONAL HUB PORTS.
 ALL ASPECTS OF SHIPPING NEED TO BE, AND BE SEEN TO BE, MODERN AND
INNOVATIVE. IF NOT, HOW WILL WE ATTRACT TOMORROW’S EMPLOYEES?

9. TO SUMMARISE:
 THERE IS NO POINT HAVING BETTER PORT FACILITIES, IF THE SHIPS SERVING
THOSE PORTS ARE OF POOR QUALITY.
 THERE IS NO POINT BUILDING BIGGER OR FASTER OR MORE ECONOMIC
SHIPS IF THE CREWS SERVING ON THOSE SHIPS ARE NOT PROPERLY EXPERIENCED
AND QUALIFIED.
THIS NECESSITATES CONTINUOUS TRAINING. IT CAN BE A REFRESHER COURSE, IT
CAN BE CALLED MANDATORY TRAINING OR IT CAN TAKE THE FORM OF UPGRADING
OF SKILLS. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS THE HUMAN ELEMENT OF SHIPPING WHICH
IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND THEREFORE NEEDS THE MOST ATTENTION.
 THERE IS NO POINT HAVING FIRST CLASS SHIPS IF PORT OPERATIONS ARE
INEFFICIENT: CYPRUS, FOR EXAMPLE, INVESTED CONSIDERABLE AMOUNTS OF MONEY IN
UPGRADING AND MODERNIZING ITS PORTS BUT LOST THE POSSIBILITY TO BE A MAJOR
FEEDER PORT BECAUSE OF HIGH COSTS AND POOR EFFICIENCY.
 EVERYONE CONCERNED MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OR WE WILL BE PUNISHED BY
OUR CUSTOMERS, LEGISLATORS, ETC. WHO WILL FORCE CHANGE UPON US.

10. THE FUTURE

11. COLUMBIA SHIPMANAGEMENT LTD
INTERNATIONAL SHIP MANAGERS’
ASSOCIATION
DUBAI
THE FUTURE

12. At Columbia Shipmanagement, back in the early 1990s,
being a young Company operating in a young section of
industry, we were faced with the same question.
THE FUTURE

13. At Columbia Shipmanagement, back in the early 1990s, the
options were many and varying. Almost every option was
leading to a different direction or to a different destination.

14. At Columbia Shipmanagement, back in the early 1990s, we
have chosen one direction and one destination.
We have joined the quest for quality.

15. Back in the early 1990s, a few ship management companies,
Columbia Shipmanagement being amongst them, felt the
need for the creation of an industry association with the
purpose of creating and implementing a code of ship
management which would have the intention of raising ship
operating standards.

16. For ISMA, the choice was again a one-direction, one-
destination solution.
ISMA has joined the quest for quality.

17. I can tell you from the personal experience of my own
company, that the investment made in creating a first class
quality management system based on the ISMA Code has
certainly improved our commercial success, by improving
performance, reputation, our insurance record and overall
office and shipboard efficiency. We are convinced that there
are long term operational and commercial benefits to be
gained by operating ships to a high standard.

18. I believe that in Dubai the direction of the future has already
been chosen.
Dubai has joined the quest for quality.

19. At Dubai, whether a ship owner, a ship manager, a port, a
shipping agent, a liner operator or any sector of shipping,
the quest for quality and the quest to make shipping more
efficient, more environmentally friendly and safer for
everyone should continue.
Only those of us who operate to a high standard have any
long term future in shipping.