The second meeting of DNV's German National Committee took place recently at hotel Louis C. Jacob in Hamburg. The meeting included a presentation given by Chairman Nikolaus W. Schuees who spoke of the need for the shipping industry to keep up with technological developments
In his presentation, Chairman Nikolaus W. Schuees also emphasised that DNV's newly established German National Committee is a signal that the shipping industry wants to increase the level of competition amongst class. "It will lead to increased service levels and competitive fees but should not lead to a compromise on rules and safety aspects which will never be tolerated by the industry at all," Schuees said.
Chairman Schuees also referred to the technical developments that have, in such a relatively short expanse of time, revolutionised the industry, and spoke of the need for the shipping industry to keep up with technological developments, suggesting that this could also be supported through the common work and cooperation with DNV within its German National Committee.
But it was the role of class and the expectations of the industry towards the classification societies that formed the bulk of the meeting's agenda.
Proactive approach
"The industry looks upon class as a reliable and competent partner and requests clear statements about functionality of ships and equipment but also early exchange of information about anticipated risk areas based on experiences made," said Jon Rysst, head of DNV's maritime technology and production centre. He added, "The industry shall expect class societies to verify full compliance with own rules and to have a proactive approach to solve problems that occur both during construction and in operation."
This sentiment was echoed by DNV's CEO Miklos Konkoly-Thege, who acknowledged the help from Committee Members in advising the society on how to further enhance the services it is providing to the German shipping industry, which is fast becoming a significant market for DNV.
Mutual understanding
The meeting included presentations from a multitude of key personnel, covering the whole gamut of DNV projects, products and services. For instance, Ragnar Thunes, DNV project manager on the Joint Tanker Project (JTP) informed the delegates about the current status of both the Joint Tanker and Bulker projects, while DNV's maritime chief operating officer Tor E. Svensen explained in detail why the society felt it necessary to establish a Technical Committee on the German market, which will soon been set up to take part in the hearing processes of DNV's Rules development. "It will be there to give input to DNV on the need for new or revised technologies or services and to promote personal relationships and to enhance dialogue and understanding between the German shipping community and DNV," highlighted Svensen.
The German National Committee consists of 19 leading owners and chief executives from shipping companies and yards and had its inaugural meeting in February this year at DNV's head office at Hovik.