BIMCO has launched a new vetting system designed to gather information on the quality of the facilities and service at dry bulk terminals, the ultimate aim being driving improvement at terminals around the world.
To gather the information, seafarers will be asked to complete a quick survey each time they leave a terminal – this can be submitted online or saved offline to send later.
The data to be collected will cover information on the quality of loading/unloading facilities, mooring and berthing arrangements, information exchange between the terminal and the ship, quality and availability of equipment and along with other relevant services.
Terminals will be given a star rating providing a quick overview of its performance based on the five categories mentioned above.
BIMCO said it would also publish detailed reports which ships can use as guidance for planning future use of terminals around the world. For example, shipping companies will be able to find out if there is a trend for ship damage or surges at particular terminals.
According to Lars Robert Pedersen, Deputy Secretary General at BIMCO , the vetting scheme is aimed at providing shipping companies with valuable information about dry bulk terminals that they can use for better planning and efficiency.
“Even better, sharing the feedback of the equipment and services of terminals will highlight which ones are performing the best – or the least – which we expect to help drive improvement where the need is clear. The more data we receive the better results we will get – so we’re calling on shipping companies to spend 5 minutes taking the survey when they leave terminals – so they can benefit from the resulting data,” added Pedersen.
Image: Port of Antwerp