October 28 - DNV is establishing a working group tasked with developing a competence standard for marine warranty surveying companies.
During his closing remarks at the recent Heavy Europe event in Hamburg, Peter Mackenbach, senior principal surveyor, DNV Maritime Services said that the initiative was a direct result of concerns expressed by oil majors, heavy lift shipping lines and other companies with which DNV works.
Mackenbach said that many clients had been in contact with the company, which provides services for managing risk, to express their belief that some warranty surveyors are not sufficiently qualified to conduct surveys of heavy and over-dimensional cargoes and the specialist heavy lift fleets which carry them.
"There have been expressions of concern that some surveyors have insufficient knowledge, understanding and experience of heavy project cargoes and aren't up to the task in hand," said Mackenbach.
"Establishing a competence standard for marine warranty surveying companies will enable the genuine operators to benchmark their services and show their clients that those services benefit from third party endorsement.
"DNV has considerable experience in helping to develop and implement quality standards and is one of the world's leading classification and accreditation bodies."
Mackenbach said that in addition to DNV specialists, the working group will include representatives from insurance companies, major oil companies, warranty survey organisations as well as heavy lift shipping companies. DNV is currently investigating which industry organisation is best positioned to hold ownership of such a competence standard.
The November/December edition of HLPFI will include our first review of marine warranty surveying. To participate in the editorial debate, or advertise your services against the feature please contact Ian Matheson - ian@heavyliftpfi.com
