“SSSA CHINA EXPEDITION TRIP – PRESS CONFERENCE”

Sarawak and Sabah Shipowner Association (SSSA) successfully organized an expedition trip to visit Shanghai International Marinetec, Shipyards & Manufacturers in China from 25th November, 2011 until 02 December, 2011.

As Technical Advisor of Sarawak and Sabah Shipowner Association (SSSA) and Advisor of this expedition trip, our Director Mr. Wong Tuong Keng was attending the press conference on 5th December, 2011 in Sibu, Malaysia.

For more detail, please click on the below newspaper cutting for your further review :-

“GL-Leaflet for Inclining test and Lightweight Survey”

Please be informed that, there has been a update on the requirements for inclining experiment test and lightweight survey from GL. Please click here for more information.

Reference: http://www.gl-group.com/pdf/Leaflet_for_Inclining_Test.pdf

45.5oM LANDING CRAFT – OFFICIAL SEA TRIAL

A proven design from Lloyd’s Register (LR) of 45.50M Landing Craft from United Ship Design, Malaysia.

The vessel was successfully carried out its officially sea trial dated 16th September, in Miri High Sea, Malaysia. The Official Sea Trial was found satisfactory by both Owner, LR Attending Surveyor, and Builder. The vessel will be operated in U.A.E.

For more photo review, please click here.

A 40 TONS BOLLARD PULL TWIN SCREW TUG

Completed in August, 2011. The 35M Twin Screw Tug already undergo its official sea trial and found satisfaction on the vessel’s overall performance. It can reach 11 knots during the seal trial.

Besides, it can reach 40 tonnes bollard tons. Please not hesitate to contact us if you have any further inquiries.

For more information, please click here.

“MPA – PORT MARINE CIRCULAR NO.02 OF 2011”

Please note the following:

New recommendations to the rules for vessels navigating through the strait of Malacca and Singapore have been made. (please refer to MPA – Port Marine Circular No.2 of 2011 and MSC 88/26/Add.1 Annex 12)

Effective 1st July 2011 onward, “Three all-round green lights in a vertical line” of Navigation Light to be installed for all vessels above 300GT and 50M in length or more, which will be exhibited by vessels as night signal to indicate its intention to cross the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) and precautionary areas in the Singapore Strait not restricted to Singapore Flag. It enables other vessels in the appropriate lanes to take actions if required and hence enhance navigational safety.

Your all kind attention will be much appreciated.

“GAWAI PUBLIC HOLIDAYS”

Please be informed that our office will be closed for Gawai Holidays from 31st May 2011 to 5th June 2011. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Business will resume as usual on Monday, 6th June 2011.

Thank you for your continual support.
In case of urgent matters, please drop us an email to ewik.wong@usdesign.com.my/ usdesign@usdesign.com.my

We will reply you as soon as possible on our return.

Thank You.

“Minister wants speedy removal of shipwrecks”

SIBU: Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) has been urged to expedite the removal of shipwrecks as they pose dangers to navigational safety.

Minister of Environment and Public Health, Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, who made the call, noted that there were shipwrecks in both Rajang and Igan rivers.

Wong, who is also Second Finance Minister, suggested dredging the river beds at Kerto and Sungai Sadit (Kwong Hua area) be given priority attention in order for ships to navigate easily through them.

“I know that Sarawak Rivers Board has plans and had also set aside budget to remove these shipwrecks. They (shipwrecks) have to be removed as they are navigational hazards.

“As such, I would like to urge them (SRB) to expedite the removal of some of the shipwrecks, particularly those that pose dangers to navigational safety,” he said at the 28th Installation of Sarawak and Sabah Shipowners Association (SSSA) cum Chinese New Year celebration here on Saturday.

He pointed out that the siltation at Kerto and Sungai Sadit areas had made navigational activity difficult.

He told those present that he had informed Natural Resources and Environment Minister Dato Sri Douglas Uggah that for the RM30 million included in the Tenth Malaysia Plan (10MP) for the dredging of Rajang River,  top priority be given to Kerto and Sungai Sadit (Kwong Hua area).

Wong suggested that a joint dialogue session be organised between the Marine Department and ship owners associations both at state and federal levels to work out solutions to facilitate the growth of the shipping industry.

“I believe in consultation, not confrontation. This is a country of harmonious relationship between all races.

“Government officers as facilitators can help provide a more conducive environment and promote the growth of the shipping industry,” he noted.

Organising chairman Yong Ing Hui, in his speech, pointed out that there was a heavy reliance on water transportation in East Malaysia.

Among those present were chairman of Malaysia Shipowners’ Association Dato Nordin Mat Yusoff and president of SSSA Ting Heng Kiong.

## information from http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=85942     by Peter Boon. Posted on January 10, 2011, Monday

“黄顺舸：90%来自外国 砂航海业严缺船员”

（本报诗巫9日讯）砂州第二财长兼环境与公共卫生部长拿督斯里黄顺舸建议与河川局、海事局等单位或机构展开对话，共同探讨东马船东公会面对的困境。

他昨晚出席“东马船东公会第二十八届（2011至2012年度）理事就职暨新春联欢会”时表示，在全国4千500艘注册船只中，东马占其中的3千500艘。东马船东公会会员大约拥有1千400艘船只，占全国注册船只总数的40%。
“我知道船只航运业有很多悬而未决的问题，包括本地人力资源不足。”
他解释，东马有3千500艘注册船只，聘用的海员几乎90%来自外国。
他表示，若船员人数达至2万人，可想而知，聘用的外国海员占多少及成本有多高。
本地船员逐渐老化
他说，由于年轻人不愿从事航海业，本地海员逐渐老化。他认为，应该鼓励年轻人加入航海业。
“诗巫开办航海学院，提供专科训练，由于录取的条件严格且学费昂高，故学生人数不多。公会可与海事局、砂海事学院探讨主办系列航运课程，借此增加本地航运业的人力资源。”
他表示，提供人力资源是一个非常需要的措施，若要增加人力资源就必须有奖励，即参考外国提供海员应有的福利，如免缴税务、所得税及服务税等。
另外，他认为，延迟签发船只注册证书亦是该会面对的困境之一，必须准时更新注册执照。
砂仅1人签发更新执照
他说，砂州有很多船只，但州内只有1名官员授权签发更新执照，给船东带来诸多不便。
他希望政府考虑提供燃油津贴予东马船东公会，让他们与渔船、快艇一样，享有同等福利。
“另一个问题就是缺乏公共码头。在诗巫，我们正策划在陈立广路建码头，惟它不适合停泊大型船只。我们计划在南兰路上段兴建较大型的码头。”
他说，目前已策划兴建陈立广路的码头，惟南兰路上段的码头则需一些时间筹建。
他表示，其它课题包括砂州水域河床日益浅窄，大量淤泥沉淀及船骸未捞起。
他表示，2011年联邦政府已同意拨出3千万令吉作为疏通拉让江河床。依据东马船东公会主席陈亨强所言，彼等希望疏通的重要地点为哥乐淘、光华与罗马安。

江中沉船藏危机
由于拉让江、伊干河中的沉船残骸隐藏危机，他指责河川管理局在处理沉船残骸问题上，存有很大的问题。
此外，他希望尚未加入东马船东公会的船东、船只积极地参与，使该会的组织更强大、更有代表性，为同业反映处境，争取更多会员权益。
“我们一定要对话，不要对抗，以寻求解决方案，而且交通部长拿督江作汉非常愿意帮助大家。”
他说，诗巫补选输了，联邦政府原本有意停止诗巫机场的工程，经过江作汉的大力争取，现在新机场正在扩建中。
他说，很多事情必须通过协商，他将与江作汉安排有关政府部门，尤其是联邦海事局、州海事局及河川局等展开对话，共同探讨解决方案。
首长同意与巫华社对话
他提及，首长丕显斯里泰益玛目已答应与诗巫华社对话。目前身在吉隆坡的首长回来砂州后，将安排有关时间。之前首长已与古晋华社展开对话。
他重申，多元种族的国家不能走极端、不能反抗，人民应该坐下好好商议。
“船运业在诗巫非常重要，特别是对诗巫市场的经济起着很大的催化作用。”
他说，人力、土地、资源是经济活动的3大要素，在多元种族的国度，更重要是社会安定、政治安定等，以稳定基础发展国家经济。

****************************************

诺汀玛：关注砂沙航运
马船东公会助解决问题
（本报诗巫9日讯）马来西亚船东公会主席拿督诺汀玛尤索夫披露，透过有关执行委员的倡议，该会不时关心沙巴与砂拉越会员的需求，而大部份问题已获得解决。
他昨晚出席“东马船东公会第二十八届（2011至2012年度）理事就职暨新春联欢会”时指出，他受邀出席晚会并担任上宾，有助于提高两会的联系，共同发展健康、可行的国家航运业，促进与保护成员的利益。
“我期待大家共同合作，包括关心所面对的一切课题，让我们携手合作，勇敢面对航运业的发展，特别是未来与现今的挑战。”
他阐述，马来西亚船东公会（MASA）成立至今逾30年，为拓展与维护东马会员的权益，该会分别在砂、沙挑选1名执行委员，作为马来西亚船东公会在2州的代表。
也是国内、亚太区船东代表的他透露，马来西亚船东公会将与东马船东公会合作，并鼓励东马船东公会善用马来西亚船东公会作为平台，为会员争取应有的利益。
“东马船东公会扮演的角色，主要为集合沙、砂小船东加入成为公会会员，壮大公会阵容，着手关注平日面对的本地课题。至于国内或国际课题，将交由马来西亚船东公会负责。”
他指出，近期由大马海事局与马来西亚船东公会联办，刚结束不久的全国各地巡回展览，为良好例子，证实彼等极力向民间推广航运业的利益。
他说，相关活动包括去年12月在沙巴亚庇、砂拉越美里，针对马来西亚船东公会，即东马船东公会会员主办的展览会。该活动提供的资讯，包括2004年压载水管理、2006年海事劳工公约等。
不仅如此，该会也与其它海事相关机构，如马来西亚海事工业协会及马来西亚海事学院等保持密切合作关系。

■筹备会主席杨荣辉赠送纪念品予主宾黄顺舸。

## information from http://www.eunited.com.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=42221:90-&catid=36:2009-10-23-07-10-16&Itemid=65

“NK CLASS – IMPLEMENTATION OF BRIDGE NAVIGATIONAL WATCH ALARM SYSTEM (BNWAS)(Excluding Japanese-flagged ships)”

The requirement of BNWAS as required by SOLAS Chapter V/19 at MSC86 is coming into force from 1 July 2011 based on the date of keel laid.

For more details, kindly refer to the following references:

1. For the technical Information from NK Class: You may refer to the @ TEC-0838.
(info from: http://www.classnk.or.jp/hp/tech_info/tech_main_e.asp?techno=838)

2. “Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm System (BNWAS) Issue” which was published on date 23 July 2010.

“Work Boat Malaysia // Growing from strength to strength” by NAZERY KHALID

Shipbuilding in Malaysia

The shipbuilding industry is a crucial industry that provides the backbone for the development of merchant shipping in Malaysia. It is one of the core sectors in the marine transportation sector in the country and provides a platform on which skills in various activities such as naval architecture, engineering, metallurgy, machining, corrosion control, welding and fabrication are developed. The shipbuilding industry also has extensive linkages with many other industries such as steel, glass, logistics, storage, bulk-breaking of goods, and services such as port services, financing, insurance and consultancy.

The shipbuilding industry in Malaysia has been accorded a strategic industry status by the government. This is not surprising given its importance in generating tremendous economic multiplier effects and potential to contribute to the nation’s growth. To boost the industry’s development, the Malaysian government, in the Third Industrial Master Plan (IMP3) 2006-2020, an industrial development blueprint, has outlined several strategic thrusts for the industry, namely:

– enhancing domestic capabilities in the building of smaller vessels, ship repairing and maintenance activities;
– intensifying the upgrading of skills and engineering capabilities;
– strengthening the infrastructure and supporting facilities;
– strengthening the institutional supports;
– expanding activities in the fabrication of offshore structures.

The importance accorded to the shipbuilding industry stands testimony to the government’s intent to spur the growth of the shipyards and increase their competitiveness towards enhancing Malaysia’s stature as a shipbuilding nation of international significance.

The shipyards scenario

There are around 70 shipyards in Malaysia, and they are mainly engaged in the following activities:

– construction of ocean-going vessels, tug boats, patrol vessels, supply vessels, fishing vessels, tugs, landing craft, passenger ferries and boats, small tankers and leisure craft;
– construction of offshore structures for the oil and gas industries;
– ship repairing, maintenance, upgrading, overhauling and refurbishing of vessels;
– conversion of ships;
– heavy engineering; and
– fabrication of offshore structures, steel structures and cranes.

Most yards in Malaysia do not have the means of building big ocean-going vessels due to their limited capacity and technical know-how. They tend to build small to mid-sized vessels for shallow water use. These include fishing boats, passenger boats, tugs, barges, feeder vessels, small tankers, maintenance vessels, support vessels, drilling vessels, diving support vessels, anchor handling tug supply vessels, towing tugs, accommodation barges, cement barges, dumb barges, and various boats made of steel, aluminum, inflatable materials, fiberglass and wood.

The state of Sarawak in Borneo has the most number of shipyards in Malaysia, albeit mostly small consisting of small yards. The coast of Sibu and Miri in Sarawak boast over 40 yards of various sizes and they can build a variety of boats including passenger boats, tugs, OSVs, landing crafts, fishing boats, barges and coasters up to 5,000DWT.

In Peninsular Malaysia the number of shipyards is small, but they are bigger compared with their Sarawakian counterparts. Yards in Peninsular Malaysia also tend to focus on the offshore jobs and repair and in constructing bigger vessels.

On the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, especially in the state of Terengganu, shipbuilding can be divided into traditional boat making (wood-based) and modern boats. The latter category includes tugs and barges for the oil and gas industry; patrol boats for the state governments; and luxury boats.

Malaysian Marine Heavy Engineering, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MISC, the national shipping line, is the nation’s biggest shipyard. Focusing on servicing the oil and gas sector and related industries, it can accommodate the drydocking of vessels of up to 450,000DWT and has a shiplift system capable of handling ships up to 50,000DWT.It is also capable of designing, fabricating, installing and commissioning such as FPSO and FSO vessels.

Boustead Naval Shipyard is the nation’s largest naval shipyard which is contracted by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) to build patrol vessels.

Other reputable Malaysian yards such as Coastal Contracts, Kencana Petroleum and Boustead Naval Shipyard are capable of providing high-end products and services for the oil and gas sector and building high-tech vessels such as patrol vessels and offshore supply vessels. However, local orders for larger and more sophisticated vessels are still placed with foreign shipyards which have the capacity and are technically more adept at building such vessels.

Workboat building in Malaysia

There has been a steady increase in the demand among international buyers for a variety of workboats built by Malaysian yards. This can be largely attributed to their quality and competitive pricing.

While many yards are still operating with a labour-intensive, low-tech approach, some yards have certainly come a long way from their days of ‘building small vessels for the local market’. More of them are building for foreign clients, and some big names at that, and are capable of delivering vessels of good finishing, performance and quality at very competitive prices.

While many of them primarily serve the domestic market, a growing number is capable of producing workboats of enough quality and competitively priced vessels to cater to foreign buyers, mainly within the ASEAN region. While still lacking the finesse and sophistication of established international yards, the workboats produced in the smaller local yards may be small and simple yet sturdy and reliable. They are now capable of churning out custom-built vessels which are bigger, more sophisticated, much better finished and naturally more costly.

Malaysian yards can give other regional yards a good run for their money on account of competitive pricing and ability to deliver rugged, durable and easy-to-fix workboats.

Malaysian-made vessels are now sought after by clients not only in the ASEAN region but also as far away as the Arabian Gulf, West Africa, Australia, the Pacific Islands, South America and even North America. The success of yards such as Nautica Nova and MLC can be attributed to their commitment in delivering quality products and servicing market niche. Other up and coming yards with ambition to expand their markets to serve foreign clientele should take note of this approach which has served leading local yards so well.

There are efforts to develop the shipbuilding industry in Malaysia in a systematic manner, but these are seen at the state instead of the national level. In Sarawak, the state government has designated an area in Tanjung Manis to be developed into a shipbuilding and ship repairing cluster. This is a step in the right direction for the state as it is expected that the shipbuilding cluster would enhance Sarawak’s prowess in workboat building and repairing.

Tanjung Manis offers natural deep water that can facilitate the construction of large ships of over 20,000 metres. The area has attracted several shipyards around the area to relocate, thanks to the infrastructures and incentives provide and offered by the Sarawak government.

In recent years, there has been a spate of activities at local yards to cater to the booming exploration and production activities in Malaysian deepwaters. With demand for hydrocarbon energy at high levels and with the discovery of prolific offshore sites in the waters off the states of Sabah and Sarawak, there has been a high demand for OSV of various categories. This has been a boon to Malaysian yards capable of building multi-purpose tugs, DP vessels, AHTS, multi-purpose support vessels, self propelled barges, offshore utility vessels and platform supply vessels.

Growing capacity, improving technology

Of late, several Malaysian yards have expanded their capacity to meet growing demand for Malaysian made workboats. This underlines the room for growth in the industry, despite the adverse effects of the downturn. There are also examples of Malaysian shipyards venturing abroad and have done well to expand their operations away from home.

For example, MLC Shipbuilding has expanded its shipyard in Shanghai that specialises in building OSVs. Some Malaysian yards have also bid for projects abroad, and this underlines their growing capability, capacity and confidence to tackle more ambitious jobs and compete internationally. For example, Nautica Nova, which builds all types of vessels and provides maintenance and ship repairing services to government vessels, counts Royal Cambodian Navy and Bangladesh Coast Guard as its clients.

Although it is well established that many local yards are still labour-intensive and have low utilisation of technologies, there are several yards that employ high-tech operations. Some use modern methods in shipbuilding such as plasma steel cutting in a sheltered workshop that enables vessels to be assembled on slipways instead of having to build the ship from hull or keel upwards. This saves time, cost and enhances productivity and efficiency.

Some yards have introduced innovative approaches and solutions to improve their performance, products and services. For example, TAS has introduced Ship Construct, a cutting-edge software solutions for vessel design and vessel construction. It has a full line of marine CAD/CAM software to assist its engineers and technicians in the design and construction of vessels to large ships.

More and more, local yards are adding a bit of variety to the kind of vessels that they build and the range of services they offer. For example, MMHE, which was known as a builder of offshore platforms, delivered the first locally-made FPSO to MISC in 2007 to be deployed in Kikeh offshore field off the coast of Sarawak. The vessel features the largest external turret ever built for an FPSO, which underscores MMHE”s technical prowess as Malaysia’s top shipyard.

Some local yards have diversified their activities by ventured beyond shipbuilding and ship repairing to be involved in owning and operating vessels. Amid the boom in the demand for OSV, several yards have taken it to themselves to capitalize on the good times in the segment and charter out OSV that they themselves built. Testimony to this opportunistic tendency by several local shipbuilders, several yards have been reported to venture into rig fabrication for the oil and gas industry to take advantage of the current purple patch in the offshore oil and gas sector.

There have been instances of established international shipbuilders setting up operations in Malaysia in recent years. This is a testimony to the attraction of the incentives provided by the government to attract investment in the industry and the potential that Malaysia has to emerge as a shipbuilding center in the region.

Aker, whose yard in Bergen, Norway is the largest in Europe, has a presence in Malaysian in the form of Aker Solutions (M), an international oil and gas engineering services company which opened a hi-tech manufacturing centre at the Port Klang Free Trade Zone.

Vantech Dockyard, in partnership with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering and Handong Shipbuilding, will build Malaysia’s first fully automated shipyard in Tanjung Agas Oil and Gas Maritime Industrial Park in the Iskandar Development Region in the state of Johor. The yard, expected to come on stream in 2013, will handle LNG tankers weighing over 100,000 DWT and will also have the facilities to repair 100 ships a year. These developments are poised to bring and generate significant amount of FDI and contracts.

Another foreign company which has invested in Malaysian shipbuilding industry is Nordic Maritime, a Singapore-based shipowner and ship management company providing a complete range of offshore marine services.  It has entered into a shipbuilding contract with a NGV Tech to build four units of accommodation/construction barges. These barges can accommodate up to 300 workers and are equipped with DP II features and can be deployed far out at sea.

OSV, ‘Emma’. Photo: Nordic Maritime

Malaysia is also slowly but surely carving a niche for itself in naval shipbuilding. The leading naval shipyard, Boustead Naval Ship Yard based in Lumut, Perak has delivered high quality patrol vessels for RMN, and are set to deliver more such vessels. In addition, RMN has also commissioned UK firm BAE Systems to build two Jebat-class frigates. BAE Systems, through its naval shipyard in Glasgow, Scotland, will collaborate with Malaysia’s Labuan Shipyard and Engineering as the lead local facility on the project.

Such development augurs well for the creation of substantial employment opportunities in the Malaysian shipbuilding industry and facilitates technology transfer. RMN’s purchase of the frigates will significantly contribute to the development of local shipbuilding capabilities and provide a boost for the Malaysian defence industry. Already, several local firms have benefited from RMN’s modernisation exercise and from the previous frigate purchase by acquiring experience in naval shipbuilding. In addition, RMN will also implement several modernisation programmes including investments in new information and communication technologies, radar and surveillance equipment. The entry into service of RMN’s Scorpene submarines will also require operational backing and expertise in various areas that will generate business opportunities for local shipyards and enhance their capabilities to handle sophisticated naval assets.

Royal Malaysian Navy submarine ‘Tunku Abdul Rahman’ is a Scorpene-class vessel. Photo: Mak Hon Keong

Towards realising Malaysia’s workboat building potential

To be sure, Malaysian yards face many challenges to truly realise their potential on workboat building. They include lack of capital, low productivity due to labour-intensive and low-tech approach, lack of economies of scale due to small domestic market, and high cost of imported materials. In addition, competition is growing from regional shipyards which enjoy larger economies of scale and can deliver the kinds of vessels that Malaysian yards are known for at very competitive costs and in good time.

Despite these, the future of Malaysian shipbuilding industry is indeed bright, given that the demand for their products and services are growing, along with their capacity, quality and competitiveness. Malaysian yards involved in certain niche segments such as offshore oil and gas workboats and structures, passenger crafts and leisure boats have the brightest prospect. As they improve their capacity and productivity, and upgrade the skills of their manpower, they will be able to generate more business from home and abroad.

With the government keen to see the local yards growing by way of providing incentives and promoting them, there is every reason to be bullish about the prospect of Malaysian shipbuilding industry attaining greater heights in the years ahead. Given the strong drive of the government to enhance the growth of Malaysian shipyards, they are sure to further make a name for themselves as builders of workboats of high quality at competitive prices.

information from: http://www.bairdmaritime.com/ & FOCUS ON MALAYSIA – August 2010 WORK BOAT WORLD (Page 48 & Page 49 )

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