DNV North America Committee provides valuable feedback on classification services.
The DNV North America Committee, which is made up of senior maritime executives, generally at the CEO/President level, meets annually for lively discussions and debates on top level policy issues and to provide DNV valuable feedback on our classification services. Indeed, at the recent NAC meeting on 19 March, the Committee meeting took place on board the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Brilliance of the Seas while the ship was docked in the port of Miami. Harri Kulovaara, Senior Vice President of Royal Caribbean and NAC Vice Chairman, kindly arranged for the first class meeting facilities and a tour of the ship following the meeting.
The agenda focused on four major issues: risk management, personnel competence and manning, the International Ship and Port Security Code, and engine room fire safety, including the need for DNV to approve the latest fire-extinguishing agents, which have proved to be considerably more effective than approved fire extinguishing agents.
The exchange of ideas and discussions followed presentations made by Miklos Konkoly-Thege, which focused on our quality goals and performance and the Maritime North and South America Year in Review and the Role of Class, presented by Blaine Collins. Both Captain Graham Westgarth, President, Teekay Marine Services and Committee Chairman and Paal Johansen, District Manager Gulf and Caribbean, addressed seafarer competence. Captain Westgarth described the Teekay competence management program for seafarers, Project Seafarer Competence for Operational Excellence (SCOPE), while Paal Johansen presented DNV SeaSkill.
Teekay is presently on track to be the first company to have its competence management system certified by DNV SeaSkill. Captain Graham Westgarth also presented the Teekay corporate risk-management program, and Jens Lassen, Vice President of Royal Caribbean discussed the Royal Caribbean project to manage its brand quality. Jens Lassen also presented the steps Royal Caribbean has taken to minimise the possibility of engine room fires and, in those cases they do occur, to minimise any potential damage. Admiral Thomas Gilmour, US Coast Guard, updated the committee on how the U.S. Coast Guard will implement the ISPS Code in July 2004.
The secretary of the DNV North America Committee is Blaine Collins, DNV New Jersey.