Silver Fern Shipping

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Supporting Partner
Donovan
on the new vessels are electronically
controlled as opposed to mechanical
systems. There’s a lot more comput-
erization based on those design fea-
tures instead of being all manual. The
result is a reduction in manpower with
increased efficiency and turnaround.
So there’s better utilization of your as-
sets”
Contrary to popular belief, oil tankers
are some of the safest vessels afloat,
primarily due to their design. Although
an incident is unlikely, there are safety
measures in place to prevent leakage.
Silver Fern Shipping’s tankers, for ex-
ample, are designed to safely contain
oil by use of a double hull construction.
The double hulled construction means
that even if an accident were to hap-
pen, it is highly unlikely that oil would
be spilled. By the end of 2017, the com-
pany will replace the oldest vessel cur-
rently in service. On top of all the oth-
er improvements, the new vessel will
have an eco-efficient hull and engine
which burns about a third less fuel. Of
course, this also translates to reduced
emissions.
A strong culture that looks
at the future
The two vessels are operated by
about 70-75 crew and office staff
members of various professions. Sil-
ver Fern Shipping offers a lot of op-
portunities for growth and person-
al development inside the company
which means that someone could pro-
gress from the lowest to the highest
ranks, provided that they are capable
and hardworking. The company has a
strong training program designed pre-
cisely to encourage such activity. Fur-
thermore, they provide training places
for New Zealand’s maritime schools.
At any given time, there are four to
five training on board the two vessels.
Such programs are focused on pro-
viding training and sea time to young
cadets so that they can hopefully pro-
gress further. In the future, they might
even return and work for Silver Fern
Shipping as full-time employees.
As for the future, the company is ex-
pected to continue to operate at the
same high standard. Warren looks
forward to introducing a second new
vessel in 2017. Silver Fern Shipping
continues to look into expanding the
company into new areas and opportu-
nities within New Zealand. Although
they are a local company, with the
global resources of ASP Ship Manage-
ment behind them they can market
and expand their reach much further
than before.