ABS has strong year, makes appointments

APRIL 30, 2014 — Classification society ABS held its Annual Meeting in New York yesterday. reporting a strong year and electing industry leaders to key positions.

Chairman and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki said, “ABS had another strong performance year and achieved several milestones during 2013 as the global economy began to strengthen.”

In 2013 the ABS-classed fleet expanded to 205.6 million gross tons (gt), a growth rate of more than 6 percent year-on-year. ABS became only the second classification society to surpass the 200 million gt mark. ABS also maintained a leading position in the global orderbook closing out the year with 38.8 million gt contracted to class with ABS, 22 percent of all vessels on order.

ABS saw continued success in key sectors of the marine industry. Market share for new construction of containerships continued to grow with 22 percent of ultra large containerships and 61 percent of panamax containerships on order set for ABS class. ABS continued its strong performance in the LNG carrier sector with 27 percent share of the orderbook. Oil tankers continue to comprise the largest tonnage within the ABS fleet, growing more than 5 percent year-on-year to 73.8 million gt, with orders for a further 139 vessels aggregating 6.2 million gt.

Indicating a sound foundation for the future, nearly 50 percent of all vessels in ABS class are five years of age or younger and nearly 70 percent of the vessels have ten years or less of operational activity.

ABS continued to lead in mobile offshore drilling units (MODU) and floating production installations. In the jack-up market, ABS maintained its majority share with 109 out of 121 of new orders delivered to ABS class. There were 72 new orders for drillships, with 54 awarded to ABS class.

ABS continued its strong performance in in the floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel market sector, and closed out 2013 with 42 percent of the existing FPSOs and 39 percent of newbuilds.

In the area of Port State Control, ABS maintained its position as a top performer with the United States Coast Guard and Paris and Tokyo MOUs in their annual reports on class-related detentions. In July, the Paris MOU identified ABS as the best performing Recognized Organization for the rolling three-year period 2010-2012.
 
“Through sound technology investment, a focus on best-in-class service and a commitment to the mission of ABS, the organization was able to continue its growth across all market segments,” said Mr. Wiernicki. “Key investments in our people and technical capabilities place ABS in a position to further cement our position as a global leader.”

APPOINTMENTS

At the 151st Annual Meeting of the Members of ABS and at the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors the day before, industry leaders were elected and appointed to serve on several bodies that contribute to the operation of the classification society as it fulfills its mission of promoting the security of life and property and preserving the natural environment.

“ABS is proud to announce such a strong group of marine and offshore industry leaders that will help guide the direction of one of the world’s leading classification societies,” said ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki.

During the Annual Meeting of ABS Members, the following individuals were elected to the ABS Advisory Council until they no longer hold office:

John A. Ryder, SPHR, ABS
RADM James A. Watson IV, USCG (Ret.)

The following individual was elected for a three-year term ending April 2017:

Saleh A. Al-Shamekh, President (Oil & Gas), Bahri (formerly known as NSCSA, The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia)

The ABS Chairman appointed for a one-year term ending April 2015 to the Classification Committee:

Greggory B. Mendenhall, Esq., Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

The ABS Chairman appointed to the Marine Technical Committee for a three-year term ending April 2017:

Mun Keun Ha, Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
Jong-Seung Lee, Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
Sung-Geun Lee, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd.
Tomoaki Takahira, Japan Marine United Corporation
Shaj U. Thayil, APL Co. Pte Ltd.

The ABS Chairman appointed to the Offshore Technical Committee for a three-year term ending April 2017:

Gustavo Adolfo Villela de Castro, Petroleo Brasileiro S/A – PETROBRAS
Mattias Elgström, GVA Consultants AB
Jong-Ku Kim, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd.
Terry L. Loftis, Transocean (North America)
Captain John Mauger, United States Coast Guard
David Petruska, BP

At the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors, the Board elected to ABS membership until he no longer holds office:

John A. Ryder, SPHR, ABS Vice President, Human Resources and Administration

At the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors, the Board elected to ABS membership for a five-year term expiring April 2019:

Masafumi Abo, President, Abo Shoten, Ltd.
Kamarudin Ahmad, Director/Founder, PT Bahtera Niaga Internasional
Tarik Bin Mohamed Bin Sultan Al-Junaidi, Acting CEO, Oman Shipping S.A.O.C.
Rajaish Bajpaee, Chief Executive Officer, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (Hong Kong) Ltd. Partnership
J. Russell Bruner, President and CEO, Maersk Line Limited
Mark Cameron, Chief Operating Officer, Ardmore Shipping Limited
Cao Shu-Jie, Vice President, China Oilfield Service Limited
Anthony Chiarello, President and CEO, TOTE, Moorestown
Peter Cremers, Chief Executive Officer, Anglo-Eastern Group
William F. Dougherty, Partner, Burke & Parsons
Fred Finger, Vice President and General Manager, Fidelio Limited Partnership/American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier, LLC, (ARC)
Dr. Ottmar Gast, Chairman of the Executive Board, Hamburg-Sued
Peter Gianopulos, CEO and Owner, American Ship Repair
RADM Phillip Greene Jr., USN (Ret.), President and CEO, TOTE Services
Arun Kumar Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director, The Shipping Corporation of India Ltd.
Anthony Gurnee, Chief Operating Officer, Ardmore Executive Limited
Svein Moxnes Harfjeld, CEO, DHT Management
Toru Higashi, President, Kitanihon Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.,
Kaname Ichima, Managing Director and General Manager – International Business Division, Astomos Energy Corporation,
Shingo Inui, Representative Director, President, Inui Steampship Co., Ltd.
Hisashi Kadota, President, Shin Kurushima Dockyard Co., Ltd.
Janus Kao, President, Ta-Ho Maritime Corporation
Stephen N. Konzel, III, Vice President of Operations and Engineering, Donjon Marine Co., Inc.
Satish Kumar, Managing Director, Dockendale Ship Management (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Lawrence Kwai, Board of Director and Vice President, Ocean Line Group Investment & Development Corp.
Lee Kim Foong Simon, President, Keppel AmFELS, LLC
Steve Lee, Chairman, China Steel Express Corporation, Kaohsiung
Li Hua, Executive Director, Sinotrans Shipping Ltd.
Li Ming-Dong, Chairman, Yangfan Group Co., Ltd.
Antonio C. Lino Costa, Retired ABS Vice President, Global Marketing
Lu Jun-Chen, Deputy General Manager, Shandong Shipping Corporation
John A. Miklus, President, American Institute of Marine Underwriters
Spiros Milonas, Founder, Chairman and President, Ionian Management Inc.
Hiroshi Minami, President, Oshima Shipbuilding Co. Ltd.
Hiroyuki Mori, President, Naikai Zosen Corporation
Nova Y. Mugijanto, Managing Director, PT Pelayaran Pan Maritime Wira Pawitra
Trygve P. Munthe, President, DHT Management
Henrik Nyman, Managing Director, Ellingsen Ship Management
Kazuyuki Oki, President, Cido Shipping (Japan) Co., Ltd.
Park Jin-Yong, President, Samsung Heavy Industries (Ningbo) Co., Ltd.
Lenny Pendexter, Retired ABS Senior Vice President and Chief Surveyor
Philippos Philis, Chairman and CEO, Lemissoler Navigation Co. Ltd.
Adamantios Polemis, Owner, Polembros Shipping Ltd./New Shipping Ltd.
Dr. Adri R. Postema, General Manager, Shell Trading and Shipping Company
Madzri Ab Rahman, Chief Operating Officer, M3nergy Berhad
 Robin F. Reeves, CEO, Marine Assets Corporation
 Paddy Rodgers, CEO, Euronav (UK) Agencies
 John G. Samonas, Director, John Samonas & Sons Limited
 Dimitri-Frank Saracakis, Chief Executive, Ionic Shipping Group
 Captain Charles Jan Scharffetter, Senior Director, Oldendorff Carriers GbmH & Co. KG
 John W. Schlosser, President, Terminals, Kinder Morgan
 Masahiro Sonda, General Manager, Shipbuilding & Ocean Development Division, General Manager, Commercial Aviation & Transportation Systems, Head of Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Su Wen-Wei, Administrative Vice General Manager, China Shipping Industry (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd.
Daniel G. Sundell, General Manager, Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG
Johnson Williang Sutjipto, Commissary, Wintermar Offhsore Marine Tbk
Tan Leong Peng, Acting Head of Engineering, Keppel FELS Limited
Keiji Tanaka, President, Fukuoka Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
Keith Teo, General Manager (Marketing), Keppel FELS Limited
Todd J. Thayse, Vice President and General Manager, Bay Shipbuilding Company
Tommy Thomassen, Vice President, Maersk Tankers
Zanis Veniamis, Owner, Golden Union Shipping Co. S.A.
Wong Fook Seng, Executive Director, PE and Planning, Keppel FELS Limited
Xiang Hui-Ming, General Manager, CSSC Guangzhou Huangpu Shipbuilding Company Limited
Chang-Keun Yoo, President and CEO, Hyundai Merchant Marine Co., Ltd.
Young-Ho Yoon, Executive Vice President and Shipyard General Manager, Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
Rahman bin Yusof, Chief Operations Officer, Icon Offshore Berhad
Zhao Jin-Jie, Chairman, Fujian Shipbuilding Industry Group Corporation