MARINO PATROL news article, May - June 2012: PhilSafe sets sights on excellence May 25, 2012
AFTER officially setting the stage for the entry into the Philippine maritime industry of Athens-based shipowner and ship manager Enterprises Shipping & Trading S.A., Philsafe Marine Services, Inc. spared no time in buckling down to work as it hit the ground running.
On March 19, 2012, Philsafe Marine Services formally ushered its distinct crewing brand in the local seafaring industry with the inauguration and blessing of its offices at the 2nd and 3rd floors of Jemarson’s Building along Pilar Hidalgo Lim Street in Malate, Manila.
Top officials and staff of Philsafe Marine Services led by Engr. Ricardo ‘Ricky’ N. Galvez, Jr., President and General Manager, welcomed a handful of industry friends and guests in the simple but very significant office blessing ceremonies, a little over a week after the manning agency officially obtained its recruitment license and accreditation with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
Serving as special guest during the program was Mr. Harry Papadimitriou, Crew Operations Manager of Enterprises Shipping & Trading S.A., who flew all the way from Greece just to be a part of the momentous occasion for Philsafe
Marine Services.
Mr.Papadimitriou is instrumental in convincing Enterprises Shipping & Trading in agreeing to have its fleet of more than 90 vessels, currently being crewed by Eastern European seafarers, to be manned by Filipino seafarers beginning this year. Enterprises Shipping & Trading has in fact entrusted to Philsafe Marine Services a total of 35 vessels for the entire 2012 to be manned by full Filipino crew manpower complement.
In his short message during the program, Mr. Papadimitriou, acknowledged the crucial role of every member of the Philsafe Marine Services team as he quipped: “I consider most of you here as part of a team because success is teamwork. No one can do it by himself. I cannot do it by myself if I don’t have everybody here assisting me.”
“I just want to wish Philsafe Marine Services the best of luck. Enterprises Shipping & Trading came to the Philippines precisely to do good business in the local manning industry. We are here to treat Filipino seafarers the way they deserved to be treated – with care, respect, pride and dignity. Ours is a big family and all we want is business, cooperation, and mutually-beneficial relationship with Filipino seafarers for many years to come,” Mr. Papadimitriou pointed out matter-of-factly.
For his part, Engr. Galvez first expressed his gratitude to the Almighty for guiding Philsafe Marine Services through in overcoming the obstacles that it came across with as it entered the road of the local maritime industry. “While there were some uncertainties at first, the collective efforts of everyone in the team helped us to reach first base and now it’s official – we have arrived in the local maritime industry. Now we are onto the next level, which is to provide competent and qualified Filipino officers and ratings for the vessels of our newly-marketed principal, Enterprises Shipping & Trading S.A. as well as Universal Overseas Shipmanagement Pte. Ltd.,” the Philsafe Marine Services President and General Manager explained. “We are thankful for the trust of our foreign principals in having their vessels manned by Filipino seafarers and through the best efforts of everyone in the Philsafe team, I am confident that we can provide them what they expect from us,” Engr. Galvez assured.
Engr. Galvez also disclosed that Enterprises Shipping & Trading has been in existence since 1973 but not once in its long history that a Filipino seafarer has served onboard any of its more than 90 owned and managed vessels. “All its vessels were previously being manned by Eastern European crew and all that is about to change this year with its newfound partnership with Philsafe Marine Services,” he cited.
Universal Overseas Shipmanagement on the other hand is an affiliate company of Enterprises Shipping & Trading, to be based in Singapore, which shall henceforth handle its operations and presence in Asia including the company’s crewing operations in the Philippines.
“We have a formidable task on our hands right now but I can assure our Greek principals and partners that Philsafe Marine Services will give its very best to ensure that we deliver what is required of us,” Engr. Galvez guaranteed.
What makes the entry of Philsafe Marine Services more meaningful to the local maritime industry is the fact that aside from ushering new job opportunities for a good number of competent and qualified Filipino officers and ratings, the company has in fact opened up possible investment options for Enterprises Shipping & Trading to do business in the Philippines other than crew manning.
As such, it was only fitting that the POEA formally made Philsafe Marine Services as the newest manning agency in the local maritime industry in the first week of March 2012 with the granting of its recruitment license and accreditation.
Manila City Administrator Jay Marzan formally welcomed Philsafe Marine Services to the capital city and also to the local business community as it ushers its distinct crewing brand in the local manning industry and also among Filipino seafarers.
Administrator Marzan led the other special guests during the inauguration and blessing rites of the offices of Philsafe, that included a couple of recognized stakeholders of the local maritime industry including Capt. Gaudencio ‘Jess’ Morales, President of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association, Inc. (PMMAAAI), Capt. Rodolfo Estampador, President of the Conference of Manning Managers Association (COMMA), among several others.
A DEPENDABLE AND SOLID PARTNER
Philsafe Marine Services has all the right reasons to be confident in ushering its crewing brand and doing business in the local maritime industry. But none can match the fact that it is backed no less by a dependable, solid, and reputable foreign principal and partner in Enterprises Shipping & Trading S.A.
Enterprises Shipping & Trading is a leading provider of ship management services since 1973 including technical management, crew management, insurance arrangement and risk management, accounting, provisions, procurement, newbuilding consultancy, and vessel sale and purchase consultancy.
The company currently has a fleet of 90 vessels including 66 bulk carriers, 22 tankers, and two reefers, with 20 more newbuildings, currently under construction in various shipbuilding yards, to be phased in to its fleet within the next three years.
From merely managing a fleet of ocean-going reefers when it broke ground in the business in 1973, the specialty of Enterprises Shipping & Trading grew to include Bulk and container vessels for worldwide transportation, flawless management and operations of modern tankers, and even cruise ships at several points in time in its checkered history.
Through the experience, dedication, innovation, vision, best management practices, competent people, the company has earned a market reputation for excellence in the provision of ship management services. The numerous certifications, awards, and citations, and from prestigious organizations and certifying bodies can attest to the excellence of Enterprises Shipping & Trading.
Enterprises Shipping & Trading is also a niche tanker management company. All its tankers have delivered their cargoes of crude oil and other related products on time in the safest manner possible, while ensuring the protection of the marine environment as well as the safety and health of its seafarers, and the public too. All its tankers are also of modern double-hull tonnage, servicing the needs of oil majors and traders through long-term relationships either on spot or time charter markets.
Through the quality and professionalism of the teams ashore and onboard, continuous training, pre-emptive management and follow-up procedures, Enterprise Shipping & Trading continuously strives to attain high utilization rates for the managed fleet while minimizing risks normally associated with oil transport.
With a premier shipowning and ship managing company as a partner, Philsafe Marine Services is surely on course towards its goal of crewing excellence in the local maritime industry.
Mr. Harry Papadimitriou could not have put it in better terms when he told each and every member of the Philsafe Marine Services team immediately after the office inauguration and blessing: “Success begins today. So let’s all get moving.”
