Alumni Newsletter

In This Issue:

Replacing Mooring Lines in

Equatorial Guinea A Boskalis
Project

Alumni Interview: Where Are They

Now? Jason Chee, Class of 2009

Whats with the Car?

MEL Alumni Event Athens,

Greece

Changes to the MEL Programme

Extra Info

Issue 1, July 2015

Dear MEL Alumni,

The MEL Office would like to hereby introduce you to the first edition of the
MEL Alumni newsletter. We constantly strive to make the MEL Alumni
Community a more active platform where MEL Alumni can stay up to date
with MEL and with one another, and moreover engage in social and
professional activities. Aside from appointing MEL Alumni Class Presidents
and MEL Alumni Region Managers, we hope that with the MEL Alumni
newsletter we can continue to strengthen and foster new and existing
relations between MEL Alumni all over the world.
The MEL Alumni newsletter has been created for and by MEL Alumni and we
hope that by introducing and continuing the newsletter, we have found
another way for MEL Alumni to stay connected to each other. We therefore
would like to ask for your personal help, as a treasured Alumni, to help us
achieve this goal.
The MEL Alumni newsletter is best when written by you, the Alumni
Community. By sending in any personal or professional articles, interviews or
experiences accompanied by any pictures you would like to share with the
rest of the Community, we hope to make the newsletter a beacon of
information for MEL Alumni worldwide.
You can send any information you would like to share with the MEL Office or
the MEL Alumni Community directly to us (alumni@maritimeeconomics.com)
or to your MEL Alumni Class President or MEL Region Manager.
In this very first issue of the MEL Alumni newsletter, you can read all about a
project by one of our Alumni in Equatorial Guinea, we have a personal
interview with an Alumnus from the MEL Class of 2009 and one of our very
own Alumni has written a topic piece. In this first issue we are also able to
share with you the first ever MEL Alumni event that took place this June in
Athens, Greece. The MEL Office would also like to take this opportunity to
share with you the changes that have been made to the MEL Programme,
thanks to your feedback and input.
We hope you are as proud of MEL as we are of you. Our community of MEL
Alumni is very important to us and we would like to take this opportunity to
thank you for your engagement with us, whether through volunteering or
simply keeping in touch.
We hope you enjoy this issue of our newsletter and would be very pleased to
receive any feedback from you.
With kind regards,
The MEL Office

Replacing Mooring Lines in Equatorial Guinea A Boskalis Project

By Daniel van Der Beek
Daniel van der Beek works at the Dockwise part of Boskalis Offshore Energy division as a project manager. This is a summary of a recent
project he managed in Equatorial Guinea, West Africa.

ZAFIRO PRODUCER PROJECT

The oil field is located in the 500,000-acre Block B, 68 km (42 miles) WNW of
Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea, adjacent to the international border with
Nigeria. Water depths range from less than 300 ft. to greater than 5,000 ft. The
Zafiro-1 discovery well was drilled in February 1995, testing at 10,400 barrels
per day (b/d). Three subsequent wells showed the reservoir to be relatively
shallow (around 5,000 ft.), and low pressure, with a bottom-hole shut-in pressure
of 2,800 psig. The Zafiro Producer is a converted 268,191 dwt VLCC (very large
crude carrier). The tanker was built in 1973, with an overall length of 331.5 m, a
breadth of 56 m and a depth of 26.4 m. It has a draught of 20.5 m fully loaded,
or 8.3 m ballasted. Early reservoir evaluation indicated that a 40,000 b/d rate
could be expected from the planned eight wells, requiring the installation of an
80,000 b/d process plant, a 40 MMSCFD gas flare capacity and storage for 1.7
MMBBL of oil. The FPSO was installed in 1996 and later the storage capacity
was taken over by the Serpentina changing the Zafiro Producer into a FPU
(Floating Production Unit). Mobil Equatorial Guinea Incorporated, an affiliate of
ExxonMobil, entered into a contract with Boskalis for the Zafiro Producer
Mooring Replacement Project Phase 2.
MOORING REPLACEMENT
Boskalis subcontracted InterMoor Incorporated for a part of the work for the Phase 2 replacement of the Zafiro Producer
mooring lines. The Zafiro Producer is installed in 180 m (590 ft.) water depth approximately 74 km (40 nautical miles) west of
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. The mooring system for the Zafiro Producer FPU consists of 12 catenary mooring lines (ML),
clustered in four groups of three. The FPU was installed in 1996 with various mooring components replaced in 2000 and
additional components replaced in 2013.
This 2015 campaign concluded a partial mooring replacement for ML 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11
and 12 as well as a complete mooring replacement for ML 3. The project scope of the
Phase 2 mooring replacement consisted of the following:
Installation of two new anchors utilizing a reaction anchor for tensioning;
Inspection of specified mooring components;
Change out of most, if not all, components for a full replacement of two of the mooring
lines;
Change out of specified components for a partial replacement of seven of the mooring
lines;
Removal of samples for forensic analysis.
During operations, the hindrance to the Zafiro Producer had to be kept to a minimum as
production still continued. The tropical weather conditions were another challenge for the
project team. However, as recognized by all parties, the main challenge during the project
was to align all different people from various backgrounds into one single project team.
Already early on, during the preparation and engineering phase, the Boskalis and
InterMoor project teams worked together as one integrated team which later on increased
in size with personnel from other subcontractors. Despite the above mentioned
challenges, the integrated Boskalis/InterMoor team managed to successfully complete the
mooring operations.
SAFETY
Safety is the first priority during the execution of a project. The
Boskalis NINA (No Injuries No Accidents) programme was
implemented in all facets of the project and adopted by the client
and all subcontractors (InterMoor, Olympic, IKM and Vryhof). All
personnel involved in the operations were trained and inducted
in the NINA program resulting in a high level of safety awareness
and commitment. The project was carried out without incidents
or accidents.
CONCLUSION
All risks were well mitigated and all objectives related to the
implementation of the NINA program were realized. Thanks to
the flexibility of all parties involved the project was successfully
executed, with all mooring components replaced in time and to
the clients full satisfaction.

Alumni Interview: Where Are They Now?

Jason Chee Class of 2009

Interview by Daniel van Der Beek

Jason Chee, a graduate from the 2009 MEL class, is currently

heading the family business of Divetech Marine.
Established in 1990, Divetech Marine Services Pte Ltd, based in
Jasons home nation Singapore, is a trusted name in the
commercial diving arena; specialising in all forms of underwater
works and maintenance in the Singapore area. Employing
advanced technologies, Divetech Marine has a reputation for
providing quality workmanship and world class services to ship
owners worldwide. Coupled with robust policies and processes in
place, Divetech goes beyond customer satisfaction. Developing
long-term partnerships with the customers is their main driver.

Jason, could you explain what the vision of the company is?
We aim to be the market leader in underwater services and to achieve full customer satisfaction through providing effective and
innovative solutions.
How do you do that?
While anchoring ourselves for growth into new markets, Divetech continues to commit herself to building a safe and people
focused organization.
Very nice words, but how does that equate in practice?
We provide a full spectrum of commercial diving services, underwater repairs and other forms of underwater maintenance
works notably in the Singapore area, at anchorage, terminals, wharves, and out of port limits.
How many assets do you currently control?
With the addition of our two new diving vessels earlier this year, we now have 6 fully equipped and versatile vessels.
How did the economic downturn affect your company?
We have actually done quite well. Times were difficult, it was harder to find committed customers, but due to our long-term
customer approach we have been able to perform quite well. The rates were somewhat lower, but our utilization was above
expectation. We have even been able to invest in new assets.
Good you mention it, is that not a great risk to take in such
uncertain times?
Our strategy is based on the long-term and not on sudden shocks in
the market. We have enough experience in knowing that recovery
comes after downturn, and we wanted to make sure that we would be
able to meet demand in the recovering market.
In terms of clients, what kind of customers do you aim at?
Our company is accredited with the big class societies. Because of that
we can serve both the small family yacht and the big multinationals. Our
portfolio includes major container liners such as MOL, Maersk, K Line,
but also oil and gas players like Chevron, Seadrill and Transocean.
Last but not least Jason, could you tell us a bit about your MEL time
and how it still serves you?
Ah, man, MEL was a great experience. I had such difficulties getting used to the poor weather in Rotterdam and also the food.
That is a lot different from here in Singapore. We live by food here; it is the most important aspect of daily life. In the
Netherlands it was almost the least. People have to eat so they stuff themselves with some sandwiches, ha-ha. I still remember
that I went to a restaurant at 8pm and the kitchen was already closed.
And the MEL programme?
That kept us really busy. It was nice to have the lectures from people from the industry. For me, the most important part was
that we learned how to use the acquired knowledge in a competitive business environment. Apart from that, it is nice to keep
close contact with some of the former class mates.
Thank you for your time.
No problem, any time.

Whats with the Car?

by Rajat Varma
The Greeks are cursing it, the Indians admire it, the
Americans fell in love with it, the Japanese refined it, and the
Arabs enlarged it! Whats with the car?
No other human invention has captured our imagination the
way the car has! Its not just a utility gadget, it has also
become a status symbol and therein lies the seed of the
problem. Status, being a perception, moves away from reality
into the realm of fantasy and, in the world of fantasy,
economics tends to take a back seat. Cultures deeply
grounded in practical reality tend to view the car for its utility
features. Thus, regular folks in such cultures focus more on
professional development which subsequently brings about
the upliftment of the society as a whole. New and expensive
models of cars are viewed and admired as one would admire
art. The make of the car is relatively less important as
compared to its utility value and features.
Cultures which tend to view the car as a status symbol tend
to have a completely opposite view. The make, the look, the
celebs who are seen driving it are far more important.
Recently, in India, elections took place in Delhi and a new
party on the block won 67 of the 70 seats; something unheard
of in factious Indian politics.

The leader of the party drives a Wagon R. The sales of the

Wagon R shot up after the elections and the pride that can be
seen on the faces of the people who own a Wagon R has to
be seen to be believed.
Coming to the Greek economic crisis and the car, the
connection is more psychological than financial. A sizeable
number of folks borrowed at low interest rates on offer to buy
their dream car. So BMWs got sold by the truckloads!
Unfortunately, in this dreamscape, few took a reality check
and when the time came to pay up they were forced to put
their businesses, which were their livelihood, under the
hammer. As most of these people were regular Joes, their
plight was much more visible on the streets than say the
financial mess of Greek Financial institutions. The perception
of helplessness, anxiety, and anger got manifested more
because of the car than the financial mess. The humble four
wheels with a steering wheel had alarm bells ringing all over
the world.
The moral of the story? A car is a car, designed to take you
from place A to B, safely!

MEL Alumni Event Athens, Greece

by Christos Varias

On the 26th of June, a new era of MEL events began. After

the initiative of the MEL Office to appoint one MEL Alumnus
from each country as the Region Manager of that particular
country, the first formal Alumni party was able to become a
reality in Athens, Greece. In an amazing bar/restaurant by
the seaside more than 20 MEL Alumni from various years
gathered for some great food and drinks, conversation and
for reminiscing. Alumni from China, the US, and Greece,
from the early days of MEL to fresh graduates, attended
this special event and exchanged thoughts and
expectations about the maritime industry making everyone
feel like they were back in the old but wonderful times at
MEL.

The first ever alumni event was a great success and it was a great opportunity for the old and new generation of MEL Alumni to
meet each other. At the end of the evening everyone expressed the same feeling: such events have to be continued!

Changes to the MEL Programme

by Rene Slater
For some of you it was over a decade ago that you were a MEL student, for others it was only last year. Just in case you are
interested to learn what we do with the evaluation forms that we keep bugging you to fill in, we are pleased to say that we have
been able to embody a large number of your valuable suggestions and feedback. The proof that this feedback was invaluable is
that the current students really are enthusiastic about the changes you have suggested!
To give you an idea of the main improvements that have been made to the programme, thanks to your feedback, we have
compiled the below summary:
English: Applicants must achieve a minimum score on an English test. Additionally, during the first week of MEL all students
must take an English test and those that do not achieve a satisfactory score are obliged to take the English Tutoring Classes
that MEL provides every Saturday morning for 3 months.
Math: Students are sent information regarding math and statistics prior to the start of the MEL programme, providing them with
the opportunity to prepare before the start of the Statistics course. Additionally, during the first week of MEL all students must
also take a math test and those that do not achieve a satisfactory score are obliged to take the Math Tutoring Classes
consisting of 10 hours during the second week of MEL.
Block system: The MEL Programme now has blocks of 3 weeks so that every 3 weeks there are smaller exams (instead of
very large exams only 3 times a year, as was previously the case).
Hamburg trip: For the trip to Hamburg an Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) seminar has been added, along with a visit
to the Maritime Museum and a visit to Hamburg Sd.
Membership: All students are enrolled by MEL as members of the Young Harbour Association.
The Courses:
Students are now able to choose one of two minors. Students that wish to go more in depth into the Port Management
subjects can choose to do so in the minor, whereas students that are more interested in learning even more about Maritime
Logistics, can opt for this subject.
The Statistics course now has mini tests and examples in class.
The Research Methodology course has been spread out over the year to help with finding a thesis topic, writing a skeleton
for the thesis and choosing the correct methodology.
The Shipping and Transport Finance course is now structured in such a way that students are given an introductory
course to Finance after which the following lectures go into more detail.
The Port Management and Sustainability courses have a lot less lecturers than previously was the case.
Additional improvements:
We have rearranged the order of some of the courses so that the beginning of the programme does not solely consist of
quantitative subjects.
Students can choose their own groups after the Christmas break as long as they are not identical to previous groups and
have at least 2 nationalities. Additionally there are no exams directly after the Christmas break, enabling students to really
have some time off.
We have introduced the Alumni Lecture Series and students can choose which Company Visits and which Alumni and
Distinguished Lecture Series they wish to attend.

Extra Info
For more information about the MEL Alumni Community and to see the latest news and upcoming events please visit the MEL
Alumni website.
If you do not yet have an account at the MEL Alumni Community, please also go to the MEL Alumni website to register and get
connected to other MEL Alumni.
If you have any further questions about the newsletter or the MEL Alumni Community, please send an email to
alumni@maritimeeconomics.com.