The contract is with TNKC (Manila) Corporation, and covers 80% of their fleet of more than 30 vessels. The liferafts are being supplied to the Philippines-based company under the Liferaft Rental Exchange, a system of exchanging service-due liferafts on the dockside. The scheme enables vessels to avoid the delays of servicing, and has grown rapidly in popularity across the globe. The agreement with TNKC adds to the growth of the programme which has seen many major ship operators preferring to take up the flexible option of this exchange scheme.
”We are delighted that TNKC has chosen our Liferaft Rental Exchange,” commented Ramon de la Merced, Wilhelmsen Ships Service’s Account Manager in Manila. ”TNKC was seeking a solution to large scale liferaft servicing and the Wilhelmsen Ships Service offer came along at just the right time for them. We are providing full and mutual support to the customer on an ongoing basis.”
Demonstrating the customer’s clear satisfaction, Ramon went on to remark, ”It took one month of negotiations to sign the initial agreement of 18 liferafts for four vessels, and just one day to agree a contract for the further 25 liferafts for 5 vessels!”
The Liferaft Rental Exchange takes service-due liferafts off vessels and immediately replaces them with serviced ones. By avoiding a delay period where a vessel would have to wait for a liferaft to be serviced, the system both saves money and increases the operational efficiency of each single vessel. The system ensures that each vessel is always prepared for annual inspection and meets safety legislation.
A further supply is due to be made by Wilhelmsen Ships Service to TNKC later in the year. TNKC (Manila) Corporation, formerly VOM Group, specialises in dry bulkers, general cargo, tween deckers, container and reefer vessels.
Service due date alerts will be handled by Wilhelmsen Ships Service who can exchange liferafts at their port depots around the world. The company currently has 25 liferaft service stations globally.
Further information from:
Ramon N. de la Merced, Account Manager, Philippines, Wilhelmsen Ships Service,
Manila, Philippines. Telelphone:+632 7500260 (office) + 63917 5155824 (mobile)
ramon.n.de-la-merced@wilhelmsen.com
Solveig Saether, Market Communication Manager, Wilhelmsen Ships Service,
Telephone +47 67 58 45 78 (office), +47 90 63 49 77 (mobile) solveig.d.saether@wilhelmsen.com