The Group of companies with headquarters in the greater Philadelphia area and offices and representatives in 11 countries in Europe, the Middle and Far East and the Americas, is a global maritime consulting and management firm that is increasingly being called upon for its quality improvement expertise – particularly to the oil shipping industry – and as an expert on security for ports and individual as well as fleets of ships.
In November, HudsonAnalytix sponsored two one day seminars at Hamburg’s RadissonBLU Hotel for clients and other international shipping executives as[ds_preview] part of mandated training for personnel of shipping companies whose vessels travel to U.S. ports. The seminars reviewed changes and updates to OPA ’90 (U.S Oil Pollution Act of 1990) and ISPS (International Ship & Port Security) regulations.
Mr. Tim Knowles, international expert and author on Vetting and TMSA, led Hudson’s vetting training and seminar for the Owners and provided his unique insights from the perspective of the Oil Majors and charterers. He emphasized that today’s owners / operators need to gain a full understanding of where vetting fits into their business in order to be successful. HudsonAnalytix’s executive vice president in charge of strategic direction and operations, Ms. Cynthia Hudson, says in past years the company exclusively held these seminars on client company premises. »However, this option became totally ineffective as the number of our clients grew over the years. So, in addition to customized in-house client training, we now use venues where we are able to conduct the seminars for multiple clients in geographic regions where there are large concentrations of clients. Also, it has been gratifying to us the increasing numbers of non-client ship owners and their executives signing up for this training.«
The company now conducts annual seminars in Hong Kong, the United States, Athens, Rome, Rotterdam, Istanbul, Dubai and Hamburg. Next year London is expected to be added to the list of venues.
TMSA Compliance
The company is a world leader in Tanker Management Self Assessment (TMSA) system introduced by the Oil Company International Marine Forum (OCIMF) in 2004. This internationally recognized and sanctioned system of self-regulating, continuous improvement is designed to measure the effectiveness of a company’s safety management system, and its cornerstone is the prevention of maritime accidents and other environmentally sensitive incidents.
»HudsonSystems, led by Ian Hunter, President, and Tim Knowles, Executive Vice President, have been intimately involved with TMSA since its inception and were instrumental in the design of the OCIMF TMSA guidelines while in their prior roles heading vetting for one of the oil majors«, says Ms. Hudson.
»We developed and patented an online software system, TMSALogix, that not only helps ship operators properly manage their Safety Management System but also the vetting of their vessels and which can, in addition, can be integrated with the Planned Maintenance System and crewing software. The system was developed to work seamlessly with shipping companies’ existing management systems. It includes all TMSA expectations, ISM and ISO policies and procedures along with the checklists, forms and reports needed to meet those requirements.
»The information is provided with clear explanations to ensure that tasks are completed accurately and consistently. TMSALogix includes tools to streamline task management, evaluations and assessments, and to improve workflow processes, reporting and documentation.«
The system is equally effective for managing fleets as well as single vessels, includes role-based access, real-time data updates, and key performance indicators used in TMSA and SIRE audits, according to Ms. Hudson.
»By granting limited access to operational data within the system, major oil company, ISM, and ISO auditors are able to use the system for auditing and vetting individual ship compliance to the international standards embodied in TMSA. In addition to using the workflow and reports to identify and improve TMSA score conformance ratings and charter business, clients have found it effective for ISM compliance and vetting. TMSA is currently being adapted to the offshore industry and some major players in the Norwegian shipping transportation business have adopted or copied requirements from TMSA as Guidelines for their 3rd party dry cargo ships managers,« she adds.
Analytix becoming global maritime Go-to firm
The global maritime services and management consulting company that has served the maritime community for more than 20 years, has completed a reengineering of its operations to proactively meet the changing needs of vessels owners and the broad maritime community.
»Vessel owners and the maritime industry have been caught in a perfect storm of heightened international regulations, the demand for more transparency in the face of growing public concerns and a dearth of readily available and trained personnel,« says Mr. Per Christensen, CEO of HudsonAnalytix.
»One of the transforming actions that we have taken during this period has been to develop proprietary software that enables ship owners and operators to monitor and implement internationally mandated systems and operating procedures more easily. The other is that we have staffed our organization in anticipation of increased demand for our services and these two actions have been instrumental in sparking our company’s growth«, he says.
The company’s reach extends beyond ships and their owners and operators to organizations such as Germanischer Lloyd with which it has a formal association.
HudsonAnalytix comprises five separate divisions:
• HudsonMarine, which provides risk preparedness and management;
• HudsonTrident, a world leader in maritime security;
• HudsonSystems, the developer of its dynamic web-based software systems;
• HudsonTactix, which provides strategic guidance to reduce maritime clients’ financial, operational and environmental exposure in the event of incidents; and
• HudsonDynamix, which provides training and training solutions to its clients.
»Each of our divisions provides real time support and solutions to our clients globally. Together they answer the needs of the global maritime industry by providing an holistic suite of one-stop options which has been very well received by the industry«,says Mr. Christensen.
Marine
Hudson Marine guides vessel, port, and terminal owners in effectively managing the ongoing and ever increasing challenges of today’s technically complex and environmentally sensitive world. It does so in several ways, including providing guidance in all maritime regulatory processes; offering comprehensive OPA 90 services and expertise; preparing clients for port state control and ISM inspections; staff to provide audit surveys anywhere in the world to ensure ship owners meet the everyday emergency needs of ship operations, insurance and environmental interests.
The division also has responded to many petroleum incidents and performs Natural Resource Damage Assessments. The firm’s Spill Management Team includes marine experts, chemical engineers, industrial hygienists and toxicologists who are able to provide comprehensive, client-focused and environmentally sensitive solutions. For many years, company executives and staff have served as expert witness, providing testimony for clients in general maritime, legal and insurance situations.
Trident
The division is a global leader in maritime security and is staffed by experienced maritime, commercial and technical operators, surveyors, engineers, crisis managers, former government regulators, and military experts. »We emphasize training for security personnel and ship-based security teams to protect clients operating in or transiting through high-risk waters worldwide«, says Mr. Christensen.
Services include security services for companies, ranging from security assessments and plan development as well as training and ongoing audits; vessel security services, including cargo and petroleum tankers and MODUs; and port and facility services to ensure the safety of ports.
Systems
»One of the primary differentiators for our firm is the suite of proprietary software that has been developed by our software engineers at HudsonSystems«, says Mr. Christensen.
»Our comprehensive software solutions include TMSALogix, which helps ship owners and operators meet international TMSA guidelines; ThreatLogix, a comprehensive threat assessment tool that provides vessels, crew, insurers and financial institutions information for compliance with ISPS, SOLAS, and MTSA; PortLogix, an online risk assessment and threat monitoring solution providing ports and terminals with real-time access to safety and security threats at international ports; and web based tools to help clients manage and comply with EPA requirements«.
Tactix
»We provide our clients with strategic and hands-on support, including training when it comes to dealing with incidents,« says Mr. Christensen, »When they do occur, it becomes our job to manage the consequences and to assist in reducing the financial, operational and environmental implications of the incident. Since our inception, we have managed nearly 6,000 claims. We leverage our solid technical understanding and broad experience in managing P&I claims, H&M, Loss of Hire, Strike, Brokers’ and Agents’ Errors & Omissions and Cargo to bring efficient and fair conclusions to these cases«, he adds.
Dynamix
HudsonDynamix is the training arm of the company and covers all aspects of maritime operations. »In addition, HudsonDynamix will prepare and deliver customized training for individual or groups of clients anywhere in the worl«, says Mr. Christensen.
Training courses include modules on international regulatory requirements including maritime security and compliance, ISM training and ISPS tabletop exercises (TTX); vetting training and familiarization for management, seafarer, tanker operators and shore-based staff; risk assessment training covering TMSA and Technical and Commercial Maritime Operations; TMSA training outlining best practices for planning and monitoring; incident investigation and root cause analysis; response management in accordance with contingency and emergency preparedness, HAZWOPER, OPA’90 requirements and media relations; claims management training to assist with investigations, processing, Incident/Accident (Spill Response), financial management, claims management, litigation support and best practices for documentation.
»The bottom line is that, in anticipating the needs of the maritime industry, we have been proactive in positioning HudsonAnalytix to meet the growing needs of the industry and have developed products and web-based services that bring simplicity to a challenging and complex environment«, says Mr. Christensen.
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