Be fully compliant with no hidden costs or ongoing charges

The Electronic Chart Display & Information Systems (ECDIS) compliance deadline is now less than seven months away so can you afford to bury your head in the sand any longer?

Or can you afford to take hours out of an already busy schedule to read through the regulations and make sure you’re compliant and not at risk of heavy fines or even worse detention?

The team at Martek Marine have put together a complete compliant package to help customers take all the risk and worry out of it, allowing you to continue focussing on running your business.

iECDIS is tailor made to your needs and includes everything from a project plan to installation and familiarisation training to ongoing technical support and customer service, we even offer a solution where there is nothing to pay upfront.

Built to a rugged, military-grade specification, iECDIS is designed to last. With no moving parts, it’s a robust piece of equipment that can cope in the harshest of conditions and able to withstand all that the offshore environment can throw at it. The system is easy to operate and offers multiple chart update options, including email, DVD, and CD-ROM and thanks to the system’s 'Intelligent iChart Innovation' there is no need to manually update charts.

It also takes care of route planning and route exporting/importing automatically offers expanding inputs for additional functionality and has preloaded charts, including rapid updates, so as well as saving you money it will also save you time.

The newly patented 4G mobile antennae will automatically update your charts every time you enter dock your charts will never be out of date, and you need never again worry about the resulting fines or punishments.

One of the biggest concerns among ECDIS customers today is affording to make the changes required – which is also the reason for many companies delaying their purchases until they have the money available. 

Many ECDIS suppliers are now offering attractive offers such as FREE ECDIS or FREE CHARTS which look like the best option to consider - saving you money! We urge you to be careful when reviewing systems such as this and ask as many questions as possible to find out more - Is there a long contract you have to sign? Are there any ongoing maintenance charges? What hidden costs are there? How much will this system cost me overall for the next 5 years? Some FREE ECDIS offers are fantastic and offer significant cost savings -  we advise you to make sure you find the right supplier that isn’t going to tie you down or end up costing you lots of money in the long term. 

Implementing ECDIS really couldn’t be easier, meaning you can approach the deadline safe in the knowledge that you are fully compliant and won’t need to pay anything else to remain so, in fact you will save money.

The iECDIS™ Compliance Package from Martek Marine is also available on a hire-purchase agreement, meaning you can get your new system installed as quickly as possible, with zero initial capital outlay. There are no hidden fees or catches, and no ongoing maintenance costs and it operates so efficiently, you will find that it saves you money.

Flexible payment solutions and the option for a hire-purchase agreement mean you can ensure your iECDIS™ is installed as soon as possible without waiting for your budget to allow for it.

If you’re not looking for a full compliance package but still want a solution you can trust we also offer free ECDIS, so what are you waiting for?

Visit www.martek-marine.com/iecdis-electronic-chart-display-and-information-system-ecdis for more information and receive a free iPlan ECDIS project implementation plan when you enquire using the online form.

After Sales Bowling Night Out

This months Fun Committee was organised by After Sales, and so a trip to Hollywood bowl for drinks and a game or two followed. Then it was on to Flaming Dragon all-you-can-eat oriental cuisine. 

The top bowlers who won a game each over the 2 games were Jami Beech, Steve Bedford, Karen Bedford and Lee Jeffries. Shot of the match coming from Steve Bedford with a right hand straight swinging under leg haymaker spin ball (yep, he invented it). Thanks to all for a great night!

UK Customer Satisfaction Awards 2014

Last Tuesday Nancy and Sam traveled to London to represent Martek at the Institute of Customer Services UK Customer Satisfaction Awards, an annual event celebrating the success of companies excelling at providing customer service.

As award finalists, the Martek representatives were invited to a pre-award show drinks reception where they met Joanne Causon, CEO of the ICS and chatted about the plans Martek have to excel in Customer Service.

After a delicious three course dinner, the awards commenced and Sam and Nancy waited to see whether Martek would take the trophy for the award for Employee Engagement Strategy.

Up against a few well known others such as Capita and Damart, the standard was high.

Martek did not take home the award this year, but did receive a mention as one of 20 new organisations this year to achieve ServiceMark for the first time in 2013. Well done Martek!!

Our aim is to make 2014 the year where Legendary Customer Experience is what we do at Martek, day in, day out.

5 top tips for landing a job with Martek Marine

Is Martek the right company for you?

Martek operates a work hard, play hard culture with employees reaping the rewards of a high performance and a NO EXCUSES culture with team building activities such as Doncaster Races and Thornbridge Outdoors. 

Martek are committed to their employees and customers alike, and have recently been awarded Investors in People Gold Award, and Institute of Customer Service ‘ServiceMark’ award. 

Stay alert

Martek are looking for new talent to join their team all the time as the company expands, with the latest career vacancies listed on our website and LinkedIn page. Martek is a great place to work, with various benefits, so keep checking back to the careers section of the website, as we’re always adding new opportunities. 

Find out which role is right for you

We have various departments within our UK and Singapore based offices requiring a variety of different skill sets. Whether your talents lie in finance or production, make sure you read the job description carefully to ensure you are qualified and committed to the role. 

Make your application WOW us

Ensure you understand the job role before applying. If you have any questions, you can email the hiring manager before submitting your CV and covering letter. Martek are looking for people to complement their culture, so think outside the box, and write a covering letter that will WOW us from the very beginning of your application. 

Research, research, research! 

Once you’ve nailed the application process, and have been invited for interview, make sure you know who Martek are, and what we stand for. That means educating yourself on Martek Marine products and the maritime industry, as well as keeping up to date with company news on Twitter and Facebook. 

Lastly - good luck! 

Martek to enter Team for Winter Olympics in Sochi City

Hot off The Press!!!!

Martek to enter Team for Winter Olympics in Sochi City

After the recent Curling Event at Ice Sheffield a new breed of Curlers have immerged.

"Too Much Weetabix" Jeffries

"Baby Faced Assassin" Ryan Bullock

Jami "Trigger" Beech

Amy "Halfway" Lambert

Steve "Angry Kid" Lapthorne

Man of the Match has to be Steven Bedford for his wonderful rendition of Bambi on Ice...

There was no surprises in the wining Team had to be Sales!!!!!

Martek get nominated for an Institute of Customer Service award!

We’re pleased to announce that Martek Marine have been shortlisted for an Institute of Customer Service award!

The UK Customer Satisfaction Awards recognises businesses that are committed to WOWing their customers at every contact, from the initial enquiry, to delivering the goods efficiently.

Martek held a raffle draw to determine who would represent the company at the Lancaster London Hotel in the capital, and the lucky winners came up as Executive Assistant Sam Sargent, and Nancy Greaves from the Marketing team. Give a good speech, ladies!

Hopefully we have impressed the judges enough to win the Objective HR Employee Engagement Strategy of the Year and we can head back to South Yorkshire ready to tackle the Institute of Customer Service Qualification!

‘Legendary Customer Service’ meet ‘ICS Qualifications’

Martek Marine have recently seen the launch of ‘The Legends’ project! The overall aim of the project? To create Legendary Customer Service for you, our customers.

Our aim is to provide you with a memorable experience at every point of contact with Martek and be the best in the industry at serving your needs.

The qualifications that we are undertaking with the Institute of Customer Service let us recognise that we are giving you legendary customer service. All our customer facing employees have just stated on the pathway towards these qualifications, , and we hope to complete this within the next quarter. These recognised awards will complement their day-to-day jobs and will also stay with them throughout their career.

We’ll report on our employees progress throughout this qualification, so keep watching this space!

Christmas at Martek

The office is covered in tinsel, festive jumpers are once again making an appearance, and we’ve just about recovered from the Christmas Party at the weekend. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

On Friday we supported ‘Save the Children’ as we took part in Christmas Jumper Day. The global charity work to make the world a better place for our children, as ‘No Child is Born to Die’. Their goals are to stop child hunger, protect their wellbeing and provide education for all. We hope we've helped them on their way. Keep up the good work @savethechildren!

Saturday was a time to glam up and dig out the party dresses as we headed to Ponds Forge’s Masquerade Ball. The tradition of the Masquerade Ball was to provide anonymity to a 17^th century Europe heavily influenced by the class divides in societies.

Following welcome drinks and a traditional Christmas dinner, The English Gentlemen took to the stage to blast out a few party hits. Here are a few photos from the night for you to enjoy! 

When is ECDIS mandatory?

As with the BNWAS regulations that preceded them, the regulations that have made ECDIS mandatory (IMO - Solas Chapter V Regulation 19.2) require a staggered compliance schedule based on vessel types.

Newbuild Vessels

Passenger Ships

Passenger Ships of 500 gross tonnage and upwards constructed on or after 1st July 2012.

Tankers

Tankers of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed on or after 1st July 2012.

Cargo Ships

Cargo ships other than tankers, of 10,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed on or after 1st July 2013.

Cargo ships, other than tankers, of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 10,000 gross tonnage constructed on or after 1st July 2014.

Existing Vessels

Passenger Ships

Passenger ships of 500 gross tonnage and upwards constructed before 1st July 2012, not later than the first survey on or after 1st July 2014.

Tankers

Tankers of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed before 1st July 2012, not later than the first survey on or after 1st July 2015.

Cargo Ships

Cargo ships, other than tankers, of 50,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed before 1st July 2013, not later than the first survey on or after 1st July 2016.

Cargo ships, other than tankers, of 20,000 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 50,000 gross tonnage constructed before 1st July2013, not later than the first survey on or after 1st July 2017.

Cargo ships, other than tankers, of 10,000 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 20,000 gross tonnage constructed before1st July 2013, not later than the first survey on or after 1st July 2018.

A simplified version of this information can be seen in the table below: 

Why manufacturers must offer ECDIS leasing

ECDIS, Electronic Chart and Display System, is the name given to the hardware driving shipping’s switch to electronic navigation. Essentially a simplified computer designed for use on a vessel’s bridge, the most basic function of an ECDIS is to display navigational charts on a screen showing the vessel’s position.

It’s the additional functions which really set ECDIS apart from paper charts though – a powerful system of tools, notifications and alerts which provide the navigator with essential, real time information and warnings of potential hazards far ahead of time.

ECDIS alerts the navigator if any sections of the route are considered unsafe based on the vessel’s requirements, this could be as simple as avoiding water shallower than the vessel’s draft or as complex as avoiding heavy seas for a vessel minimising the risk of liquefaction to a nickel ore cargo.

Chart overlays show information of interest on top of the chart itself, including weather and tide forecasts and piracy hotspots. This weather and tidal data feeds into the ECDIS’ automatic, optimised route planning, leading to fuel savings and reduced transit times. More advanced systems also support ice charts for arctic navigation and radar overlay, eliminating the need for two screens and making it easier to cross-reference the information from each piece of equipment.

As well as route planning and ongoing navigation, ECDIS has the potential to make huge efficiency gains within ship management, collecting data throughout the voyage and automatically sending it ashore, allowing for more accurate scheduling and easier maintenance and delivery logistics.

Most importantly though, ECDIS requires a fraction of the work of traditional charts to update, taking a huge burden off the navigator and allowing him or her to concentrate on safe route planning. Even the most basic systems can be updated regularly using a few CDs, while better devices automatically download and install updates and notices to mariners at port or even mid-voyage, meaning an immediate, significant saving on paper charts.

Research from DNV shows that the use of ECDIS may reduce grounding frequency by at least 30%. The third most frequent accident involving ships larger than 100GT, grounding is also the fourth highest contributor to marine fatalities at 12%.

Legally, the argument for ECDIS has been won. Electronic navigation is already required by law on new passenger vessels over 500 GT, new tankers over 3,000 GT and new cargo vessels larger than 10,000 GT. From June 2014 this will be extended to include new cargo ships above 3,000 GT and existing passenger ships built after July 2012 and larger than 500 GT. Two final waves will complete the legislation – existing tankers constructed after 2012 must navigate electronically no later than their first survey on or after July 1 2015, while existing cargo carriers bigger than 50,000 GT and constructed after July 1 2013 must meet the legislation no later than their first survey on or after 1 July 2016.

Despite the enthusiasm of the regulators though, ECDIS was not universally welcomed and lost trust among many users after early issues with the technology, including the lack of a legal requirement for different systems to use the same symbols to denote certain hazards. Meanwhile, opponents say it reduces important navigation skills and leads to decreased vigilance. Stories abound of navigators watching their screen intently as unmarked hazards sail past the bridge windows. After several years of hard work though, most of these issues have been cleared up and ECDIS equipment has emerged as reliable and meticulously thought-through, and opinion is starting to turn in its favour.

The biggest opposition to ECDIS though has always been over the timing of its implementation. Introduced after five years of rock-bottom freight rates and amid a raft of other expensive legislation, including emissions reduction and ballast water management, critics say that ECDIS is important but not urgent enough to justify such short, strict deadlines while owners and operators are struggling with tight margins and a crippling lack of accessible finance.

While legally required to implement ECDIS, there is a danger that companies will do as little as possible to meet the required legislation and wait until the last minute to implement the technology, which would be far more dangerous than continuing to use tried and tested paper charts. If companies use only the most basic functions of ECDIS and crew are not well-trained and comfortable with electronic navigation, there is a risk that we could see more groundings and collisions, all while the technology’s vast potential sits untapped.

This problem can be significantly eased by ECDIS manufacturers, who must make the responsible choice to offer leasing options on their equipment. Leasing is absolutely crucial to give operators and shipowners the opportunity to limit their risk and reap the benefits ECDIS can bring. Early adoption allows crew longer to get to grips with equipment and learn how to get the most from electronic navigation without the pressure of the IMO deadline.

Beyond the safety aspect, the advantages of leasing are numerous. There is no need for a large capital outlay, easing cash flow in difficult circumstances and leaving more money available for essential training.

While technology changes at such a rapid pace, it’s a real disadvantage to be stuck with equipment which isn’t up to date. Leasing allows operators to easily change supplier or system if they feel a better alternative is available and also makes it easier to trial different systems. This flexibility is not necessarily good for the manufacturer, but it is extremely important for the purchaser and the wider industry, because it encourages the innovations that will lead to ever improving safety records and the best possible use of ECDIS’ huge potential.

ECDIS does not have to be a cost - full training, getting the most out of the ECDIS you choose and integrating it with your onshore operation can all immediately lead to increased efficiency, reduced transit and waiting times, and could ultimately lead to savings which cover the cost of the equipment itself. For the good of the industry, manufacturers must make the first step by offering the option to lease a piece of equipment which, implemented in good time and used right, has the potential to prevent more collisions and groundings than perhaps any other single piece of equipment in modern shipping. 

ECDIS information offered to shipowners in new book

Information and advice on moving from traditional paper navigational charts to ECDIS platforms has been offered in a new book published by The Nautical Institute.

The second edition of 'From Paper Charts to ECDIS' has been published to offer full guidance on training, practice and equipment. It has been four years since the first edition was released, and the Nautical Institute’s Sea Going Correspondence Group (SGCG) believed that this second version was necessary due to the masses of experience that has been gained within the field in recent years.

Author Captain Harry Gale said: “As well as supporting its members through this fundamental change, The Nautical Institute wants to ensure that the best practice encapsulated in this second edition, incorporating experience at sea, reaches as wide an audience as possible throughout the industry. Bridge procedures have to be amended to accommodate the very different working practices needed for using ECDIS and failure to instigate the discipline of being alert and engaged when using ECDIS may lead to distraction, complacency and ultimately accidents.”

The Institute’s chief executive Philip Wake added that the industry had been starting to learn about the importance of ECDIS training back in 2009, but this move from paper to technology has been deemed difficult. Since then, a series of recommendations have now been listed by the Institute, which feature in this new book. It is hoped that the information available will be applicable to shipowners until at least 2018, by which time training on most vessels should be completely accurate.

The book's launch was part of the E-Navigation Revolution conference in London on November 20th and 21st. The wider conference looked at navigational safety issues that still remain a top priority within the industry. 

Martek gets funny for charity

Eight South Yorkshire professionals took to the stage last week to do their bit for local cancer charity, Western Park.

In support of Director Steve Coulson, who bravely tried his hand at stand-up comedy, the whole Martek gang headed to Sheffield City Hall for Funny Business. The event was first run last year very successfully, and was therefore repeated this year, but with the aim of raising even more for the good cause!!

After a hilariously funny first half, Steve battled his nerves and brought his script to stage shortly after the interval, with a roaring cheer from the Martek Groupies.

With a script involving his two year old daughter and new born son, we were expecting hilarious tales of sibling rivalry and parent bribery – we weren't disappointed!

After a comical 10 minutes, Steve’s time on stage drew to a close, with big cheers from the supportive audience.

Unfortunately, after seeing all 8 contestants, it was clear it was going to be a tight competition, but the Martek business man managed to grab 3^rd place, and in the process raised well over £1,000 for Weston Park Cancer Charity.

The whole night was a brilliant success for most – but a few shouldn't quit their day jobs just yet!! Tina Harrison from the charity announced the night was well on target to raising £30,000! 

Martek achieves ICS ServiceMark Accreditation

Martek Marine are pleased to announce that we have been awarded the Institute of Customer Service ServiceMark Accreditation.

To gain the recognition of a company committed to customer service, we invited in an assessor from the ICS to look at our core values, how we assist customers at every step of the enquiry process, and our aims for the future.

The assessor had the chance to gain the views of employees from all departments, including marketing, sales, operations and finance.

The award was presented to CEO Paul Luen at our quarterly company meeting this month.

Paul exclaimed “I am delighted to have received the ServiceMark award from the ICS. It is recognition of the work Martek’s employees put in every day to ensure all our customers receive the highest customer service from the moment of enquiry, right through to receiving their Martek product, and the service thereafter.”

If you have any comments regarding how we can further build on our ServiceMark customer service recognition, feel free to post a

comment below.

Martek grabs 3rd prize for 'Employer of the Year'

This week, Executive Assistants Sam Sargent and Erica Hadley were at the Grange City Hotel in London to represent Martek Marine as we were selected as a finalist for the 2013 Employer of the Year award, in the Office Show by Hays Recruiting Experts.

The black tie event was a great chance to meet people within the secretarial and PA field, as well as celebrate our achievements as a company.

The time came to present the awards, and we were thrilled to accept 3^rd place for employee of the year!

After the delicious three course meal, we had a chance to dance to disco classics, and mix our own songs on the decks. 

The award now takes pride of place in our Rotherham Headquarters. 

Martek Marine attend IMPA 2013

Last week was the annual International Marine and PurchasingAssociation Exhibition in London, and Martek were proud to attend once again.

Regional Sales managers Gary Rees and Ryan Bullock attended the event with Erica Hadley, Executive Assistant to the Sales Director.

Ryan commented “It was great to meet up with our customers at the IMPA conference once again. Seeing everyone at the UK’s leading maritime event brought a vibrant atmosphere to the event, and I can’t wait to be back again next year!”

The Martek stand had demonstrations of the recently launched potable water testing kits DRINKSAFE™ and DRINKSAFE™ Max, as well as portable gas detection, gas tubes, and calibration gas.

Erica Hadley said “It was great to catch up with old faces and meet new customers at this busy exhibition. We’ve made some great connections over the two days in London and we look forward to keeping in touch throughout the year.”

If you missed the Martek stand at the exhibition, take a look at our products on our website, and be sure to say ‘hi’ next year!

Martek welcomes new starters on board as the maritime company continues to expand

June has been a busy month at both our UK and Singapore offices, as we welcomed on board new starters in across all departments.

As Martek Marine to grow, Stephen Lapthorne has joined the team as our Finance Director. An accountant by profession, Steve has developed his career working in other successful privately-owned business around Yorkshire, as well as a 4 year period in an IT consultancy in New York.

Telesales Executive Deon Jacobs, has many years’ experience in sales and business development roles. He also has experience in event organising and management.

Our Asia Pacific team has also been expanding as Queenie Jeow and Stacey Gan joined the sales team. Queenie joins our team with 10 years of working in sales and purchasing. She will now be part of Martek’s ever expanding Fastcalgas Sales Coordinator team.

Stacy is looking forward to a new challenge at Martek, having previously worked in telemarketing and face to face sales, most recently within the energy industry. We’re excited to welcome the super-energetic Stacy to our Singapore office.

Jack Marsh is our youngest new recruit as he joins us as a Business Administration Apprentice. He will gain experience in all sectors of Martek from sales and service to finance and marketing. He is hoping his apprenticeship enables him to gain a sound knowledge of all areas within the business, as he exclaims he is “very excited to be joining a company as successful as Martek.”

And our newest recruit to the team is Regional Sales Manager, Gary Rees. Gary has over 12 years of experience with international sales in electro-optics industry.

We are now looking to bring on-board various roles throughout our South Yorkshire headquarters, including Regional Sales Manager, Fastcalgas Coordinator and Engineering Manager.

If you’re remarkable and want to be a part of the ever expanding Martek team, visit the careers page of the website to apply for any of the above vacancies and see what other roles we’re recruiting for. 

New drinking water tests from Martek reduce risk from potentially fatal pathogens

Martek Marine, leading manufacturer of maritime safety equipment, is introducing potable water testing kits to its product range, designed to meet the regulations on drinking water which come into force with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) in August 2013. The only standard kit guaranteed to meet all legislation and flag state requirements, Drinksafe has been designed to be the easiest kit on the market, providing effective testing for the presence of harmful bacteria and toxins, corrosion related contaminants and pH/Chlorine levels.



Martek’s Drinksafe is easy to use and requires no calibration, saving unnecessary spending on calibrations and saving crew from complicated and time consuming procedures. Drinksafe does not use glass ampoules or messy sample bags, and is robust enough for use on-board as well as light, waterproof and small enough for simple stowage when not in use.

Multi-language instructional videos explain the testing process, while simple-use diagrams remind exactly how the kit should be used. Drinksafe contains 2000 tests, more than any other on the market and enough to last a whole year for one vessel. This provides a comparative cost per test that is over 50% lower than the closest comparative test kit.

Drinksafe comes in a rugged all-in-one waterproof storage box which protects from damage and keeps components together in labeled, segmented areas.

Guidelines on the provision of drinking water at sea are currently provided by numerous different bodies including the World Health Organisation, the International Labour Organisation and national health organisations and maritime bodies. Though well-intentioned, the current guidelines are largely ineffective because they vary so widely and are therefore difficult to implement and enforce. The introduction of overarching regulation set out in the MLC and by the World Health Organisation (WHO) governing seafarers’ rights is expected to address this. MLC 2006 Standard A3.2 – Food and Catering, paragraph 7 states that “the competent authority shall require that frequent documented inspections be carried out on board ships, by or under the authority of the master, with respect to….supplies of drinking water”.

This is further strengthened by the WHO Guide to Ship Sanitation (2011) & Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality (2008) which lists the following “recommended parameters to be monitored:…E. coli or coliforms; Chlorine residual (daily); Microbial quality - bacterial plate count; pH (daily); Turbidity; Corrosion-related contaminants - iron & copper.”

Factors that can promote the growth of bacteria and toxins in a ship’s water supply include limited flow rate, tank or pipe corrosion, alkalinity or acidity and temperature. Often, these problems occur together, accelerating the growth of bacteria. Unfortunately, the growth of bacteria also worsens these issues, for example, some bacteria produce carbon dioxide, which reacts with the water to increase acidity, resulting in more corrosion.

Bacteria and pathogens that can grow in poorly maintained drinking water include E.coli, Norovirus, Salmonella and Legionella bacteria, which can lead to Legionnaires’ disease, a pneumonia-like illness which can be fatal. The importance of avoiding these bacteria is particularly heightened on a vessel which could be days from the nearest port and for which delays or route changes for medical assistance could cost thousands of dollars.

Drinksafe is used to take one sample directly from the water tank and another at the furthest point from the tank. This allows the main water source to be directly tested for bacteria and toxins, as well as the distribution system through which the water flows for everyday use for drinking, personal hygiene, and food preparation.

Water quality recordings are easy to make using the supplied test log book which can be used for Port State Control or flag state inspections.

Martek’s support services include a 24/7 helpline offering expert guidance and advice on water testing as well as an easy to use online ordering facility with a questionnaire to help determine the buyer’s exact requirements and same day account setup and dispatch from Martek’s global distribution network.

Martek Marine expands into Russian offshore market

Maritime safety and environmental systems manufacturer Martek Marine has achieved a breakthrough first sale in Russia to national oil & gas explorer Gazflot. In another first, Martek’s calibration gases will be utilised on a pair of jack-up rigs in Yushno Sakhalin rather than on merchant vessels. Gazflot has a fleet of nine vessels including jack-up rigs, icebreakers and research ships. The Russian energy major has also placed orders for six of Martek’s Navgard BNWAS and a record breaking six figure system expansion contract.

The sale follows the crucial Type Approval of Martek’s Navgard by the Russian Register and the appointment of Ian Bennett, an experienced Russian speaking oil and gas industry executive as Martek’s regional sales manager.

Ian Bennett said:

“We’ve already seen a huge take-up in our systems aboard merchant vessels needing to meet the requirements of SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 19, but we’re also now seeing increasing interest from the offshore market. Approved by all the major classification societies, Martek’s Navgard is the easiest, quickest and lowest cost system to install.”

Navgard, which comes with a two-year warranty, uses real-time data logging, providing essential evidence in the event of an incident. Unlike some competitors that use simple key switches, Navgard requires a master password to disable, also noting when the system is switched on and off so that checks can be made to ensure it is being used continuously. When MV Karin Schepers grounded in 2009, the accident report noted that a BNWAS was present but had been switched off by crew. IMO regulations require all ships to fit a BNWAS before July 2015.

Martek introduces market’s first compact BNWAS for smaller vessels

Martek Marine, UK-headquartered manufacturer of maritime safety systems, has announced the launch of a Lloyd’s Register MED-approved BNWAS designed specifically for smaller bridges to meet the next stage of BNWAS implementation starting in July of this year. BNWAS regulations state that existing cargo vessels between 500-3000GT must be compliant by July 2013 and vessels between 150-500GT by July 2014.

The Navgard Mini offers the same functionality as Martek’s Navgard system in a more compact all-in-one-box unit. Navgard Mini is the only system available which has all IMO-compliant alarms and reset switches in a single enclosure, making it very simple to retrofit on the smaller bridges of tugs, OSVs and lower-capacity passenger vessels – the system simply requires a power supply to deliver full compliance with SOLAS regulation.

Existing systems require a button to be pushed to confirm the crew’s presence on the bridge. IMO legislation dictates that BNWAS systems’ first stage alarm must sound between every three to 12 minutes. If the reset button is not pressed, the second stage will activate after 15 seconds. If the button is still not pushed, the third alarm will sound between every 90 to 180 seconds.

Although effective in theory, there have been several incidents, including the grounding of MV Karin Schepers in 2009, on vessels which have had BNWAS installed but switched off, as crew have simply found it too demanding to continue with other necessary work while being disturbed by such frequent alarms and the requirement to push a button so regularly.

Martek has addressed this issue in several ways. Firstly, with the inclusion of the market’s first passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor. This is built in to the device’s panel and detects movement on the bridge. No alarm sounds as long as movement is detected on the bridge, and crew can work undisturbed. Only when the system detects no movement for a set time, between the IMO’s mandated three and 12 minutes, will the alarms sound. Because the PIR sensor is part of the panel, no extra installation is required and no additional wiring is needed, reducing the cost, installation time and space needed.

The second important feature is the password deactivation, also built in to the panel. Where BNWAS models have traditionally been turned off by a simple key, the Navgard Mini can only be deactivated by password. This increases accountability by giving the vessel’s Master the sole responsibility for the device’s operation. The system, which comes with a two-year warranty, also uses real-time data logging, providing essential evidence in the event of an incident and recording when the system is switched on and off so that checks can be made to ensure it is being used continuously.

Martek has compiled a BNWAS buyer’s guide with key questions and points for consideration with a comparison table, which can be downloaded.

A Day at the Races

This month’s Fun Committee landed on the Sales Team’s shoulders to organise, so we ditched our usual weekends away from the gang and headed for a day out at Doncaster Races on the 1^st June.

The day was filled with us pretending to fit in with the crowd, awkwardly trying to figure out what the 7/1 odds meant, drinking prosecco and wolfing down the odd seafood platter.

The Martek team are amature gamblers at best, and most lived up to this on the day. However, Jami and Dave were feeling particularly lucky, and managed to finish with £200 and £430 profit!