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New co-operative
In December 2011, representatives of shipping companies from all over Northern Germany and the Netherlands founded European Minibulk e.G. It is a German co-operative with a European direction. This means that associates from other European countries can also join as members.
The purpose of the co-operative is the bundling of the shipping activities for coasters provided by the members.
The co-operative addresses shipping companies, ship funds, issuing houses, freightage brokers, banks, natural persons and other interested groups.
The objectives of the co-operative include the safeguarding of the relevant markets, efficiency increases for the work of the associated shipping lines, the increase of their costs/return ratios and the associated company results.
This co-operative is a traditional co-operative as it is known in other industrial sectors. For example, the bundling of demand can improve the terms and conditions for procurement. In addition, a coordinated marketing of the ships is also an important activity. In this case, the relationship to the existing trusted broker of the respective shipping lines can be maintained.
The legal form of a co-operative was chosen because it maintains the interests and independence of the associated companies while at the same time it bundles the company interests where the objectives of the associates are uniform and where the bundling achieves advantages for the associates....
Haren, 10/01/2012
Arkon capacity at 120 boxships, MPPs and bulkers
Torsten Westphal identified a niche in the market and went for it.The founder and managing shareholder of Haren-based Arkon Shipping says he saw a growing demand for chartering services as owners in Haren acquired more ships.
Previously employed in Leer by Hartmann and Briese, Westphal kicked off in 1995 with 10 vessels and two partners in the form of Haren-based Reederei Jungerhans and Reederei Wessels, who at the time had substantial newbuilding programmes.
Today, Arkon is responsible for around 120 vessels via its main Haren office and branch in Hamburg. Some 32 people work for Arkon and daughter company Arkon Shipping & Projects.
Its activities can be seperated into three distinct areas.
It serves 50 coastal mini-bulkers of between 3,000 dwt and 5,000 dwt, an activity not so different from the shortsea shipping of the former Hanseatic League alliance, says Westphal.
These mini-bulkers, which he describes as a “big backbone of Arkon”, carry around 3.5 million tonnes of cargoes each year, including industrial commodities and grain.
Secondly, the company is exclusive chartering broker for 40 modern feeder containerships ranging from 500 teu to 1,500 teu — many built in Germany by Hegemann — and also primarily involved in the European shortsea business.
Thirdly, it is responsible for chartering more than 20 multipurpose (MPP)/heavylift vessels of 8,000 dwt to 12,000 dwt, with crane capacity of up to 500 tonnes, and trading worldwide.
Westphal, 52, says he has prioritised the need for well-educated employees and since starting the company has supported more than 20 trainees to become shipbrokers through the German dual-school system.
Also, Arkon has invested in developing new software specifically for shortsea shipping, which enables at the press of a button daily results for individual ships.
Bremen-born Westphal says his fleet grew to include 60 ships from partners Jungerhans and Wessels. He says “business is all about personal relationships” and since being accepted in Haren Arkon now represents eight shipowners, some outside the town. Those in Haren also include Reederei Bernd Sibum and Reederei Held.
Westphal’s regular pitch is that more ships in the fleet mean better positioning and stronger results.
The big charterers like ThyssenKrupp and Tata generate millions of tonnes of cargoes per year and demand reliable shipping partners with their own vessels in sufficient numbers.
Westphal says that to remain impartial he has no intention of purchasing ships himself. “I am a broker serving the shipowners,” he said.
Arkon is, however, a shareholder in many vessels but Westphal says that is purely to demonstrate the company’s belief in those ships and their owners. In several cases, the sums involved are “very limited”.
The company also acts as sale-and-purchase (S&P) broker when its clients are renewing their fleets. Between 40 and 50 sales have been handled for its exclusive owners, many prior to the credit crunch.
Westphal says that with a young workforce, Arkon’s “future is in front of us; we are well prepared”.
Meanwhile, the founder also finds time to be vice-president of the Bonn-based Shortsea Shipping Inland Waterway Promotion Centre, a public/private partnership that lobbies politicians to implement structural changes in the sector.
The current crisis in shortsea shipping, exacerbated by the political problems in North Africa and financial upheaval in European countries like Greece, is an opportunity to make those changes, he says.
A key issue raised with Brussels is delays or bottlenecks at ports that Westphal believes should be open 24 hours a day and at least six days per week. Also, the port-dues system needs updating so that coastal ships working short-sea routes are not put at a disadvantage to trucks and ro-ros.
By Geoff Garfield Leer and Haren
Source: Tradewinds - 25th August 2011
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"E-Ship "1 to Operate Worldwide
Enercon and Arkon Shipping Cooperate to Optimise Third Party Cargo Service Arkon Shipping and Wessels Reederei have agreed with Enercon GmbH from Aurich to enter into a cooperation for the worldwide operation of the innovative windmill transport vessel "E-Ship 1". Enercon's intention is mainly to operate its newbuilding for supplying their worldwide wind farms under construction. Now a cooperation is under way with Arkon Shipping so as to optimise the ship's third party cargo service. "The "E-Ship 1" opens a new chapter in cargo shipping, and we are going to be part of it," says Torsten Westphal, managing partner of Arkon Shipping GmbH during signing of the cooperation contract on board of the "E-Ship 1" in Emden. The ship which is 130 m long and fitted with an intermediate deck can carry 10,000 tons of cargo, and also has a stern ramp for rolling cargo up to 59 tons. The weather deck included, the "E-Ship 1" has a 5,699-sqm cargo area. An operating speed of up to 18 knots is reached by four wind rotors, assisted by a diesel-electric propulsion system transferring an output of 7,000 kW to the propulsion shaft via two synchronous electric motors. In terms of eco friendliness and emissions the "E-Ship 1" sets new standards in cargo shipping: the absence of NOx/SOx emissions when the ship is in port, a waste management system, a system for utilising waste heat and a ballast water preparation plant ensure that the ship's environmental data are exemplary. Another partner in this cooperation is Reederei Wessels who are in charge of the technical management and the ship operation management. The traditional, family-owned company from Haren/Ems, with Gerd Wessels at the helm, is a partner who knows the shipping industry inside out from many years of experience.
Source: THB - 1th February 2011
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"Hercules J" in service for Unifeeder
First feeder built in China in accordance with drawings by SSW Schichau Seebeck Shipyard headed for Finland.
The first container freighter built in China in accordance with drawings by SSW Schichau Seebeck Werft, type "SSW Super 1000", was commissioned by shipping company Jüngerhans. At the end of 2009 Jiangdong Changjiang Shipyard in Wuhu delivered the "Hercules J" to the Haren-based shipping company managed by Herm and Stefan Jüngerhans. As late as a couple of days ago the ship entered into a medium-term time charter with Unifeeder, starting in Europe. The 1,000-TEU feeder having the highest ice class 1A will for the time being be operating between Rotterdam, Zeebrugge and the Finish ports of Helsinki/Kotka. The 10,585‑gt ship having a length of 151.72 m, a breadth of 23.40 m and a draught of 8.50 m can carry 1,036 TEU. It features a carrying capacity of 745 14-t TEU. A 8,100-kW engine by MaK provides the power for the ship to operate at 18.5 knots.The shipping company Jüngerhans is likely to obtain another newbuilding of this type from Jiangdong Shipyard in mid-2010, the "Phönix J". The delivery dates of another four sister ships that were initially intended to enter into service for the Haren-based operator Wessels could be postponed to September 2010 ("Wes Carina"), December 2010 ("Wes Amelie"), January 2011 ("Wes Gesa") and April 2011 ("Wes Janine").Moreover six type "SSW Super 1000" units will be built in Wuhu for the shipping company Nordic Hamburg Shipping NHS GmbH & Co., which was founded by Dr. Rowil Ponta and Richard Grube. The first two units will be named "Nordic Hamburg" and "Nordic Bremen". Another two ships each will be operated by Conmar GmbH (Jork) and BRISE Bereederung (Hamburg). Brise accomplished to have the delivery postponed to the second half of 2011.
Source: THB - Wednesday, 17th February 2010
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Jüngerhans fleet is growing up to 46 units
Heavy Freighter from Portugal
The shipping company Jüngerhans from the maritime town of Haren has added the "Delphinus J" to their fleet, hence increasing its number to now 46 ships.
The newbuilding constructed at the Portuguese yard Estaleiros Navais de Viana de Castelo (ENVC) is a heavy freighter having a carrying capacity of 10,000 tons. It is equipped with two deck cranes having a combined lifting capacity of 500 tons. The "Delphinus J" is the last ship out of a series of four, and the 31st newbuilding ENVC built for Jüngerhans. ENVC entered into the construction of ship series as late as in 1996 with the 200-TEU container feeder "Herm J". As for all other heavy freighters in the Jüngerhans fleet, ARKON Shipping & Projects (Hamburg) chartered out the latest newbuilding for a long term to Industrial Maritime Carriers, a member of the Intermarine Group from Houston/Texas. It will enter into service under the charter name "Industrial Echo".
Source: THB, 15 January 2010
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"MAIDEN VOYAGE OF MV "INDUSTRIAL EDGE" (EX MV "CASTOR J")
Just after the christening ceremony the vessel shifted from Hamburg Cruise Terminal to SWT Terminal in Hamburg and loaded some project and heavy lift cargoes for South America. After Hamburg the vessel called Antwerp and Rotterdam for further completion cargoes.ARKON SHIPPING & PROJECTS Hamburg, as Commercial Agents for Industrial Maritime Carriers, LLC (Intermarine), thanks all clients for this successful maiden voyage.
MAR 2009 MV BELLATRIX J (TO BE RENAMED MV INDUSTRIAL EGRET) DELIVERED INTO INTERMARINE'S SERVICES
The Industrial Egret (ex Bellatrix J), the second in a series of four newbuldings to enter the Intermarine fleet in the next twelve months was delivered to Intermarine in Portugal in mid February. The vessel arrived in Santos, Brazil March 6, where it loaded Wind Energy Components for Houston. Santos was the first port of call on the vessel’s maiden voyage. Nominated as the E-Class series, these 10,000 DWT vessels feature dual 250 metric ton cranes that may be combined for 500 ton lifts. With an overall length of 139 meters and beam of 20 meters, the ships have a similar hull design as the seven Century and six Diamond class vessels operated by Intermarine services, but with increased cargo carrying capacity. The remaining two vessels in the series called Industrial Edge and Industrial Echo will be delivered in intervals of about three months thereafter. Intermarine has found this versatile, midsize project/heavy-lift carrier ideal for the customized voyage construction that the companyspecializes in. Over the past eight years, this class ship has become the workhorse of the Intermarine fleet.Intermarine provides regular and reliable project transportation in the Americas and Asia as well as customized services worldwide.
ARKON SHIPPING & PROJECTS is the Commercial Agent in Europe for all services of Industrial Maritime Carriers, LLC (Intermarine Group).
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Policy Document on the Current Crisis of the Maritime Industry
As at mid-March, the AXS Alphaliner industry service reports 484 container ships laid up without business. The report says this corresponds to almost 12% of the world container ship fleet. That number is rapidly increasing. One month ago, about 300 vessels were without business compared to just 70 in October 2008. The fear is that until the end of the year laid-up tonnage will be rising to 20% world-wide.More facts:
About 90% of world trade is transacted by sea transport. In order for that world trade to be transacted, the supplier, the recipient and also the goods carrier need to be sure that the deliveries will be paid for..................................................
