Safety
The ability to provide safe fleet operation is the foundation of the success of any shipping company. As one of the industry leaders, Sovcomflot is committed to the principles of sustainable development, giving priority to the safety of navigation, environmental protection and maintaining high quality service. Recognizing its responsibility to the international community, Sovcomflot declares: Safety Comes First. Key performance indicators of the technical fleet managers of the fleet group of companies confirm that fact.
Sovcomflot works with world-class charterers who care about their reputation and select carriers carefully. In order to meet their expectations, companies must exceed standard requirements. SCF offices and fleet undergo regular external inspections. The best proof of the carrier’s high level of reliability and qualification is the willingness of key customers to sign long-term contracts.
These days SCF ships work under time charter agreements with most major global oil & gas companies. In 2013 the average number of observations made during inspections of SCF vessels by oil companies was four. The tanker fleet’s safety indicator is 1.9 times lower than the industry-wide average (according to Intertanko), and the number of observations related to navigation safety is more than two times lower.
Sovcomflot’s good safety practice is based on augmenting Russian maritime traditions. It is particularly important now, in light of an unstable market, growing pressure from charterers and stricter regulatory requirements. Respect for knowledge and experience accumulated over decades is becoming an undisputed competitive advantage. The SCF Group training centres in St. Petersburg and Novorossiysk where SCF crews are regularly trained have become a unique resource for the professional development of marine personnel.
In 2013, Statoil, one of the leading oil companies with which SCF Group has developed a strong partnership, once again confirmed that the principle of Safety Comes First is significant beyond its abbreviation to “SCF”. The Group was awarded a special prize in the Working Safely With Suppliers (WSWS) programme, which acknowledges carriers with good safety practices. SCF Group was recognized for “professionalism and reliability, commitment to the high standards of fleet management, a proactive approach to crew training and good results in the TMSA programme.” Statoil also called SCF "a safe, reliable and effective partner in the Peregrino project".In 2013 the group of companies implemented a unified safety management system (SMS). The unification process began in 2009 with policies and basic practices. At subsequent stages the companies adapted their organizational structure according to the unified standards. As a result, SCF Novoship Technical Management was established, a new company founded on the basis of the Department of Maritime Safety and Quality of JSC Novoship. Six months later, Shell named the company in first place in its rating of fleet operators, and in third place in the general list of leading fleet managers.
In 2016 SCF Group has consolidated its technical management subsidiaries within a new structure centrally governed by SCF Management Services (Dubai) Ltd, headquartered in United Arab Emirates, with branch offices located in St. Petersburg, Novorossiysk, Vladivostok, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and Limassol.
In the field of maritime safety and quality, PAO Sovcomflot specialists conduct research on the features of Arctic shipping, engage in the support of innovative projects, and participate in the development of industry regulations. SCF representatives participated in the development of Polar Code provisions as part of a working group of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation. In order to improve the safety and efficiency of vessels operating in the Arctic, SCF leads seminars together with the FSUE Atomflot. In addition, our specialists regularly participate in meetings of the Maritime Safety Committee of the National Chamber of the Shipping Union.