ISSUE NO. 13 | MAY 2011
DIGITAL FLEET NEWS!
CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP
7TH NATIONAL MARITIME CONFERENCE
NEW JONA INTRANET
QUALITY DEPARTMENT
Word given! Word kept? see page 2
Joint Online Navigation Application see page 4
A Department Presents Itself see page 7
Electronic version available as download at www.laeisz.de
“ ‘CAUSE THAT’S WHERE THE MONEY IS ...”
EDITORIAL DEAR FRIENDS OF F. LAEISZ The calm and thoughtful approach of German market participants, including banks has tremendously helped to get this far. But no matter how optimistic one looks at the situation we are – as an industry – still not back on track. At Laeisz we modestly invest, recently we have purchased all outstanding shares of our two 60.000 cbm gas carriers MV “Polar” and MV “Paci fic”. And that is what we like most: demand driven, service oriented margin business.
Yours sincerely, That was Willie Sutton‘s answer when asked why he robbed the banks. Well, it looks like that answer is not correct for many ship owners anymore and all market participants are now discussing alternatives. The year which was supposed to mark the end of the crisis started with two widely published casualties, both of which may have a strong effect on the KG market, namely Korea Lines and Beluga. We sincerely hope for those emission houses affected that they do find a satisfactory solution – and that not only because we always wish well for all market participants, – but also because we are still long-term believers of the KG market. Additional bad news are bad for all of us. After the container slump investors turned towards other tonnage, i.e. bulkers or specialized ships. Trust is the foremost basis for many KG investors and any further scrutiny will delay return. A solid individual track record is unable to overcome a general perception.
Alternative equity sources such as PE, IPO or bonds are not easy to be put in place by many German owners or – as the case may be – ship managers. Balance sheets, lack of reporting structures or simply fleet size and resulting lack of synergies are limiting factors. Whilst we closely consider the alternatives, one model is vastly undervalued in the present discussion: that of a solid family owned shipping company with own money saved during the good years and cautiously spent on newbuildings. Investors are well advised to invest in ships where owners hold a strong share, for argument’s sake say in excess of 30%. Growth will not be – and for us never has been – the prime target anymore, but return on equity. Then the investors and ship owners literally sit in one boat – no conflicts of inte rest are in the air. In such a framework the German KG is far from over. Volumes may not be as they were in the high times with some € 2.5 billion in 2008, but the German shipping model shall con tinue to be a valid alternative for liner companies to charter vessels from.
N. H. Schües
BOOK REVIEWS Published by Atelier Pabst, Kassel 2010
Rolf E. Pabst, Romantic Freighter Travel – A Journey on Board MV “Pohang Senator”
More book reviews on page 8
ISSUE NO. 13 | MAY 2011 | PAGE 2
CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP
F. LAEISZ PHILIPPINES INC. INAUGURATED
The first RFL Shipboard Welding Course in Manila (from left to right): Albert Militar, Gideon Mendoza, Richard Lanado, Jethro Marasigan, Roderic Lonod, James Nierra, Cristino Sumile, Leonico Tonito III, Rico Gasis, Gilbert Calonia, Allan Samala.
NOVEMBER 17, 2010 SAW THE OPENING OF OUR NEW OFFICE IN MANILA A number of representatives from the maritime business and our partners Mr Rolf Dunder and Captain Carlos Anacta from Lubeca Marine Services and German Marine Agencies had a small inauguration party together with Mr Jürgen Fischer and Mr Volker Ueckert from Rostock. A number of Laeisz seafarers attended as well. F. Laeisz Philippines Inc. is located in the heart of the Philippine capital in the building of our crewing agency German Marine Agencies.
Participants of the Bridge Team Management Course held in January 2011 (above from left): 2/O Allan Samala, 2/O Joseph Hipolito, C/O Nestorio Villaluz, Capt. Miranda (Instructor), 2/O Pio Inciso, 2/O Ernesto Bribon, 2/O John Paul Gabawa. The company is set up to specifically cater for the needs of our Filipino seafarers. It has become the operational base for the Filipino seamen of Reederei F. Laeisz. The office will take care of the personal development of our crew members by conducting trainings, coaching, conferences and other support (i.e. establishing a health care program for seafarers while on leave and for their families).
F. Laeisz Philippines supports German Marine in the recruitment process for our seafarers and conducts market analyses. It represents our company in a country, which is now supplying most seafarers for the merchant fleet world wide. The number of Filipino seafarers on F. Laeisz vessels is also increasing, so we want to be prepared for any future competition. The office is supervised by Mrs Cecile Samala, the recruitment manager of our local crewing agency. She works closely together with her husband, Allan, who now serves as Junior Superintendent and conducts internal audits on board our ships sailing in the Asia region. For this, Allan has been to Rostock in November 2010 for various trainings and general familiarisation with our company. Before this new assignment, he served as Second Mate on our vessels. Together Mr and Mrs Samala make a strong team with a huge variety of expertise in our business between them.
7TH NATIONAL MARITIME CONFERENCE
On the 27th of May 2011 all maritime eyes will turn to Wilhelmshaven where German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel shall open the conference. And everybody will ask how many ships actually sail under German flag? Thankfully most agree that simply counting ships is not the right answer. By now it is well understood that it matters more to employ sufficient German seamen – including those on foreign flagged vessels – not only to run the ship but also to have enough experienced staff to later come ashore – to owners but also as pilots, to maritime authorities and related industries such as insurance, consultancies and the like. We at Reederei F. Laeisz strongly support the German flag and fail to understand why not more ow ners follow, but this should not lead to differences between ship owners and politicians. We bring the ships – the government should ensure free and safe transit at sea. That is more important.
MV LOUDS ISLAND JOINS F. LAEISZ FLEET
We welcome F. Laeisz Philippines Ltd. Inc. „on board“ and wish them great success!
Allan Samala and Cecile Samala at the F. Laeisz office in Manila, Philippines.
As of 1st February 2011 the 2700 TEU container vessel MV Louds Island owned by Northern Shipping Funds / Soundview LLC is managed by Reederei F. Laeisz. The chartering is performed via Martini Chartering in Hamburg. The vessel was built in 2005 at TKMS Nordseewerke Emden, Germany, and is now one of twelve vessels in the 2500-2700 TEU range that is technically and commercially managed by F. Laeisz Group companies.
ISSUE NO. 13 | MAY 2011 | PAGE 3
CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP
FLEET NEWS PHOTO CONTEST NEW THEME: “PEOPLE AT WORK”
HAMBURGISCHE SEEHANDLUNG RECEIVES SUSTAINABILITY SEAL 2011 Ten years ago 148 issuing houses placed EUR 9.5 billion. Of those houses a mere 37 remain today, which are still active on the market. And if you look at the trade balance of these 37 houses, it soon becomes clear how far ahead the Hamburgische Seehandlung is with its remarkable attainment of objectives in the amount of 98%. On the occasion of the awarding of this year’s sustainability seal FondsMedia says: “The Seehandlung can demonstrate a first rate and far above-average investment security for ship investors”. And that’s how it should be in future.
Following on from your great response during the past two years, we are happy to announce once again a brand new Fleet News Photo Competi tion! As you know, participation is open to all sea and land based Reederei F. Laeisz staff as well as colleagues of our subsidiary companies, basically anybody who is a keen amateur photographer. For this exciting new contest we want to encourage all of you to send in your favourite pictures on the theme “People at Work”. The best three entries will be announced in the autumn edition. Do you want to be among the lucky winners to claim one of these valuable prizes? 1st prize: Pair of Binoculars „Steiner Navigator 7x50“ 2nd prize: Mont Blanc Pen “Masterpiece Classic” 3rd prize: Coffee table book „Ships“ (Peintre de la Marine) by Philip Plisson
Manila, Philippines, October 2009.
All you need to do is submit up to three photos created by yourself. Please make sure to men tion your name, address and e-mail address as well as photo title, location and date when it was taken. All published photos will credit your name and the position you are holding.
Please note that only digital entries can be accepted (JPEG). Files must not exceed 5 MB. Closing date is August 31, 2011. Please send your photos to
[email protected] or
[email protected]. We are looking forward to receiving many brilliant snapshots!
CREW OF MV POWHATAN RESCUES FISHERMAN On October 19, 2010 the following successful rescue operation was recorded by Captain Vladimir Novozhilov on board our MV “Powhatan”: 12.30 Detected canoe with signaling man 60 miles from shore. 12.36 E.O.S.P. Manoeuvering with course and speed proceeding to fishing boat. Sound MOB alarm. 12.39 LB1 ready for launching. Vessel manoeuvering to approach fishing boat. 12.50 Vessel stopped. Rescue team embarked in rescue boat, boat at the water. 12.51 Boat clear from ship. Proceeding to canoe. 13.40 Rescue team picked up one survivor. Backing to the ship. 14.40 Boat alongside. 14.45 Reset fore and aft hooks. 14.50 Crew disembarked to A deck, fisherman delivered to ship’s hospital. 15.00 Boat in position. Secured again. 15.24 B.O.S.P.
At first the fisherman was very exhausted and weak, but luckily not injured. After a couple of days of good care with light liquid food and plenty of sleep his condition gradually improved and he gained strength. On arrival at Weipa, Queensland, he was back to his normal healthy
condition. According to him, he had got lost from the mother ship, remained adrift at sea for 15 days without food and was about to start drinking sea water. Three or four ships had already passed the fishing boat without noticing his desperate attempts to get help.
ISSUE NO. 13 | MAY 2011 | PAGE 4
CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP
NEW JONA INTRANET IMPLEMENTED In 1994, Reederei F. Laeisz first started to run a Ship Reporting System that was based on existing reporting systems already utilized in the mid-eighties. In order to ensure a seamless transfer of information between ships at sea and relevant shore based functions, our vessels have to send computer based operational messages such as their current position, estimated time of arrival, arrival port and so on for documentation to Rostock. These messages are transferred in a compressed, encoded way and automatically processed. The introduction of an automated reporting system was the date of founding of the now well-established software application ROSA (Reporting – Organisation – Ship Data – Actual Information). This corresponding reception tool ashore that stores the constantly updated information from our vessels is well-known to you and has been useful to our operating and monitoring departments since 1994. So far, ROSA has been displaying the operational information on all PCs in our company based on data stored in a central database and proved very effective.
ROSA (Reporting – Organisation – Ship Data – Actual Information) In the course of time, additional information from operational departments continually grew in volume and expanded the system. Modules such “long-term schedule”, “vessel particular”,
NEW! JONA (Joint Online Navigation Application)
“crew”, “transports”, “insurance” and others originated there and were incorporated according to necessary changes in procedures and monitoring demands. We have been using the information system ROSA over a long period of time and it served us well. In 2009 the idea for a new information tool came into being as users required to receive information in an easier, faster and modernized way. Moreover, information had to be linked between the operations, finance, crewing and insurance departments. As a result, the new intranet called JONA was de signed over the past two years. Constantly amended requirements from operations depart-
ments are now realized and consequently met by our new “Joint Online Navigation Application” (JONA). It uses the standard internet browser to navigate and displays information from our central databases, the common document management system as well as central filing system via the F. Laeisz-LAN. The use of a special client software is no longer necessary because of the usage of a modern internet browser and there fore we can mix text, graphics, downloads and linked functionalities. The open structure of JONA allows the content to grow continuously and to meet the constantly evolving needs of future information exchange and transfer.
CONFERENCE “THE GERMAN MARITIME INDUSTRY – A NATIONAL OPPORTUNITY” On November 8, 2010 in Berlin, a conference took place at the Reichstagsgebäude [German parliament building] with attendance of many representatives from German shipyards, shipping companies, banks and politics. Since the funding shortfall was an essential topic of the conference, Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel open ed her speech with the following words: “I have no bank, but perhaps I am a bank for the shipping industry”. In the course of the consolidation year 2011 some market participants may have to test how serious she was about that remark. (Above from left): Eckhardt Rehberg (MdB), Nikolaus H. Schües, Ingbert Liebing (MdB).
ISSUE NO. 13 | MAY 2011 | PAGE 5
CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP
ANNIVERSARIES 2011 | CONGRATULATIONS!
BIRTHDAYS 2011 | CONGRATULATIONS!
ASHORE
ASHORE
10 years
Denise Hoop, Nico Szepanski
25 years
Stefan Behnes, Sylvia Halirsch, Frank Hilmer
40 years
Rosmarie Schultz, Erika Foth, Ingrid Taube, Katherina Rathay, Monika Mülleck
45 years
Jürgen Fischer, Frank Ruppert
ON BOARD
Christian Kammin, Manfred Zimmermann, Heinz Mengel
65 years
Katherina Rathay, Annemarie Bartsch, Arne Pielenz
ON BOARD
10 years
Hans-Jürgen Gaude, Hartmut Guse, Hans Sachse, Jörn Westpfahl
25 years
Michael Both, Hubert Jakob, Uwe Schade, Erik Schröder, Carmen Silinski, Anton Skodowski, Reinhard Woitschach
30 years
Andreas Bäcker, Gerd Brügmann, Jens Köhler, Frank Silinski
40 years
Klaus-Rüdiger Chudoba, Hans-Werner Genkel, Wolfgang Holst, Reinhard Kunde, Detlef Landmann, Norbert Schütt, Enrico Stecher
45 years
Werner d’Avis, Rudolf Billep, Horst Hänchen, Horst Herrmann, Kurt Hoppe, Willi Jantschik, Knut Koltzau, Manfred Neumann, Uwe Pahl, Uwe Schmidt, Horst Trembich
45 YEARS ASHORE
Jürgen Fischer
60 years
50 years
José Acubera, Gabriel Alcabaza, José Asistin, Flaviano Benitez, Ernesto Bribon, Ueantabo Burerua, Arnel Castillon, Gilbert Declaro, Artulito Guelas Edad, Dmitry Elizarov, Gil Incisco, Ivan Krasnov, Edgardo Lumasag, Charles Nogra, Birima Tinganga, Allan Tonacao, Andrey Zakharov, Sergei Zubkov
60 years
Jürgen Barth, Erhard Baudis, Norbert Bensch, Viacheslav Derevyanko, Hermann Ehlers, Michael Heilmann, Willfried Hering, Hans-Joachim Janicke, Harald Kaczmarek, Jan Kahrs, Vladimir Korzhuev, Herbert Kotnik, Ernst Krabbe, Uwe Martens, Manuel Monteiro, Bernd Neitzsch, Heinz-Uwe Nierhoff, Frank Oldenburg, Orlando Pangco, Michael Pelz, Hans Radloff, Etuati Reo, Rudolf Seifert, Anton Skodowski, Roland Stubbe, Lothar Szillat, Tokarake Tibwere, Kanae Vaaia, Bernd Voy, Wolfgang Wanke, Erdmann Wegner, Bernd Wehder, Jürgen Westendorf
65 years
Horst Herrmann, Horst Laudahn, Richard Lowag, Gerhard Meybohm, Saturnio Pousada Martinez, Zivorad Matovic, Dieter Walther
Frank Ruppert
45 YEARS ON BOARD
45 YEARS ON BOARD
Werner d’Avis
Rudolf Billep
Horst Hänchen
Knut Koltzau
Manfred Neumann
Horst Herrmann
Kurt Hoppe
Willi Jantschik
Uwe Schmidt
Horst Trembich
Uwe Pahl
ISSUE NO. 13 | MAY 2011 | PAGE 6
CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP
JAPAN IN CRISIS
Position “Hanjin Philadelphia” 11 March 2011
REEDEREI F. LAEISZ TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, MR HARALD SCHLOTFELDT, ON THE IMPACT OF THE NATURAL AND NUCLEAR DISASTER ON SHIPPING PROCEDURES Our Emergency Response Team was convened immediately after the big earthquake, the resulting catastrophic tsunami and subsequent substantial failure of the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Since then, the team has constantly evaluated all available information about the situation on site at Fukushima, about weather, wind and precipitation in Fukushima, all over Japan and on the western Pacific Ocean. The team is meeting twice a day to discuss and evaluate the situation and to judge developments. Vessel related recommendations or decisions have been taken in view of our overall aim to absolutely minimize any potential risk for crew, vessel and cargo. We are happy to have our DG-expert and environmental manager, Mr Uwe Hauer, in our team, who is also an expert in radiation matters and who helps a lot in interpreting and ana lysing radiation measurements correctly.
lease happens in Fukushima and secondly, if there is any increased radiation level at a port of call, or whether it is likely that an increase will take place during the vessel‘s port stay. For both aspects wind and weather data as well as forecasts are important. Necessary details are retrieved from AWT, WNI, DWD, Meteomedia and other sources.
Tokyo Bay are considered safe. All information may be re-evaluated as time passes and we shall adapt our procedures accordingly.
Most of our crews’ main concern - and we fully understand this - is about possible radiation in a port of call, especially in the Tokyo Bay area. As we all know, the tricky thing is that humans are not able to taste, smell or feel radiation. The good thing is that the smallest amount of radiation can be detected and measured accurately. Actual data are easily available on the internet and we follow any development very closely. Judging from the present situation and data at the time of writing end of March, port stays in
Tokyo Bay 22 March 2011
In relation to trans-Pacific passages we presently recommend a southerly route especially in the western Pacific Ocean, but this may change as the situation unfolds and will be taken up at the
The situation at Fukushima is far from being finally resolved and we cross our fingers for all Japanese citizens and the country on the whole. When the earthquake struck on 11 March 2011, one of our ships, MV “Hanjin Philadelphia”, was en route off the east coast of Japan only about 55 nautical miles away from the epicenter. Of course, she was shaken pretty badly but fortunately, no further damage was caused to the vessel. Incidentally, the master, Captain Rainer Ritter, was on his very last voyage before his well-earned retirement. Our Emergency Response Team has two main focal points in mind at all times that form the basis of our recommendations and actions in order to achieve the target of minimizing any potential risk for crew, vessel and cargo. Firstly, the question if a vessel is able to leave a potential risk zone in time in case a new re-
relevant time. As a precautionary measure, we currently do not recommend any ballast water exchange close to the Japanese coast. Our thoughts are with the Japanese people who have lost relatives, homes or employment. With gratitude we understand that our representative in Tokyo, Mr Mikuni Komatsu, and his family are well.
ISSUE NO. 13 | MAY 2011 | PAGE 7
CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP
GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER
COMPANY HISTORY
PLEASE MEET THE QUALITY TEAM ROSTOCK
REMINISCENCES OF AN OLD HAMBURG CITIZEN - PART 3
The Quality Department is responsible for the so-called quality assurance of all processes and procedures fulfilled by the company. The term quality assurance encompasses all actions undertaken to achieve compliance with all relevant statutory regulations, quality standards and other requirements. These are enforced to meet the overall demands on shipping business as well as our service perfor mance in terms of health & safety, security and environmental protection, economic efficiency, reliability and customer satisfaction. In addition, Quality Assurance is focused on the constant improvement of our service performance through periodic assessments of operating results, the analysis of publications on quality standards, projecting the positive image of our shipping company externally as well as aligning our operations with the requirements of our customers.
In this edition, we continue our series of excerpts from the gripping life-story of company founder, Ferdinand Laeisz (1801-1887):
The Quality Assurance team is tasked with constant monitoring of the compatibility with our specifications arising from the ISM, ISPS and ISO requirements. This requires continuous monitoring of individual processes and assessment of our customer service performance. Their first and foremost duty is to ensure that the company is in compliance with the requirements of the ISM Code, the ISPS Code, the ISO 9001 and 14001. Consequently, the primary focus of their work is to ensure that the company’s Safety Management System (SMS) is the appropriate tool for the purpose of our company. Quality, environmental and occupational health and safety objectives are continuously reviewed in view of their continued suitability. International regulations such as SOLAS, MARPOL, ILO, STCW, Flag State, Class and Port State requirements, Ballast Water and Antifouling Convention, industrial standards like CDI and OCIMF requirements have to be implemented on board our vessels accordingly and the Masters and their crew have to ensure that the vessels comply with those regulations. Another important part of the work of the Quality Department is the administration, preparatory planning and subsequent execution of external and internal audits. The auditing process of all the fleet’s vessels serves as a main control mechanism for the implementation of the company’s Safety Management System (SMS) on board as well as ashore. Our Quality Department staff members have many years of experience between them. They are particularly aware of the importance of their influential position within the company. The Quality Assurance department has an influence on each department of the company and is interested in a good cooperation and teamwork with each and every colleague. This also benefits our apprentices and trainees in their future career and personal development as they spend part of their training in the Quality Department.
Above from left: Uwe Hauer (Environmental Management / Dangerous Goods), Udo Wolf (Head of Department / ISM / ISO / ISPS), Daniela Brakopp (Trainee), Dagmar Degenkolb (QA / IT), Peter Winter (Company Security Officer (CSO / ISM)
“When the shop was given up, I returned to my parents who had, in the meantime, opened a new business dealing in lamps, Dutchware, and similar articles. My eldest sister was married to a mechanic named Libbertz who stood by my parents during this distressful period. I learnt quite a lot of useful things from this excellent man. He was very hard-working and skilful in his trade and, among other things, the first to produce gas in Hamburg. I was now sent to school once again and, apart from that, had to help my mother in the shop. However, things soon took a turn for the worse as the war, which was devastating all Europe, was approaching our town, so that we, within the town walls, echoed a great sigh of relief when we heard of the defeat of the French tyrants in Russia. In February 1813, a riot broke out in Baumwall Steet during the embarkation of the town hall guard, which was composed of the sons of well-reputed Hamburg families. The regiment of young guards was disarmed by the people, and the French who were accompanying them were driven away. The mayor Abendroth almost had his uniform torn off him while trying to restore peace. He was compelled to flee through the houses in our street into Rödingsmarket in order to save himself from the assault of the rebellious crowd. As usual, we were in the midst of the trouble. My brother Johannes disarmed a French sentry who was stan ding guard in front of the old orphanage; the guard then fell a victim to the mob. This incident had been observed by the wife of a French customs officer and she denounced my brother. The result was that, on the following day, a detachment of soldiers appeared at our house to arrest him and he would have been sentenced to death if he had not managed to climb down a winch rope into the canal below and so escape them. A week later the French withdrew from Hamburg and the town was without any official authorities or police force for two weeks. The Home Guard was organized once again and my father put on his old officer’s uniform once more. When the Con stables of the Watch, about twenty soldiers, came to our house and my father tried to draw his sword, it took three men to draw the rusty object out of its sheath. The first Cossacks arrived on the 17th of March 1813 and on the 18th, the Russian General Tettenborn marched into our town. Witnesses of this wonderful day will never forget the rejoicing and enthusiasm with which these liberators were greeted. My two elder brothers, Anton and Johannes, immediately volunteered to fight in the war of liberation, as did hundreds of other youngsters of their age group and I terribly regretted not being old enough to do the same. My eldest brother was nearly killed in one of the first combats in the Wilhelmsburg district, a village outside Hamburg, when the French forced the allied troops to retreat. My brother was the only survivor of twelve men when their boat capsized, as he was the only one able to save himself by swimming ashore. My older brother served in the cavalry and distinguished himself many times during combats in Mecklenburg. My brother-in-law Libbertz had undertaken to supply the army with swords and I helped him day and night to manufacture them.” To be continued in Fleet News no. 14
ISSUE NO. 13 | MAY 2011 | PAGE 8
BOOK REVIEWS Andreas Gondesen, Die letzten Flying P-Liner [The Last Flying PLiners] Published by Deutsches Schifffahrtsmuseum, Bremerhaven & Oceanum Verlag, Wiefelstede, 2010 The last eight four-masted barques commis sioned by F. Laeisz, their equipment and travels are the main focus of this book on historical shipbuilding. They include the legendary Flying P-Liner “Pamir”, which was built in 1905 and sadly won notoriety in 1957 when it sank in its capacity as a training ship. Also included are the “Priwall”, well-known for its record-breaking Cape Horn circumnavigation in 1938 and her identically constructed sister vessel “Pola” as well as “Petschili” which ran aground in Valparaiso in 1919 and the two sailing ships “Pangani” and “Padua” built by Tecklenborg shipyard in Bremerhaven. “Padua” was the last of its kind ever to be launched in 1926 and today is known as the Russian training vessel “Kruzenshtern”. The “Passat” and “Peking” built by Blohm & Voss and nowadays used as museum ships in Travemünde and New York City respectively, complete the overview of the legendary Flying P-Liners. This volume comprises several sheer draughts, conversion plans and restored original plans of the famous shipyards along with historical photographs painstakingly collected and documented by the author from sources around the world. Many pictures and construction plans originate from private collections and have never been published before. The book offers copious suggestions for historians and anybody interested in naval architecture. It is also a good source of inspiration for ship model makers. The introductory chapter on the history of sodium nitrate shipping offers a good starting point into the exploration of special demands posed on freighter shipping to and from Chile in the 19th and 20th century. Wolfgang Michalski, Hamburg – Erfolge und Erfahrungen in der globalisierten Welt [Hamburg – Success and Experience in a Globalised World] Published by Murmann Verlag, Hamburg 2010 Hamburg is one of a few cities in the world that continues to profit from globalisation for more than 1000 years. The Hanseatic city is the economic and cultural centre of a metropolitan region with a population of 4.3 million. Also, it is the biggest city in Europe which is not a capital city. Wolfgang Michalski maintains that Hamburg is a constant winner of globalisation because, throughout its history, the city was adept in taking advantage of the on-going changes in many areas of international trade. History saw a number of other winners such as Carthage, Lübeck, Venice, Brugges and many more. Whereas they suffered a considerable decline over the centuries, Hamburg still enjoys a secure position “at the top”. Using Hamburg as an example, the author shows how, despite recurrent turbulences in the world economy, one can still gain considerably from globalisation and stay ahead in the game. The author presents a comprehensive history of the city that has no rival in terms of scope, complexity and wealth of detail. This is a success story that continues to impress for the past 1000 years. Never before has a book been written with such extensive knowledge of the city’s economic and social development as well as its integration into the global economy. But the title is more than just a history of Hamburg. Michalski’s analysis of the process of globalisation draws unambiguous conclusions that are equally relevant for local and national policy-makers.
CORPORATE INFORMATION OF THE F. LAEISZ GROUP
Rolf E. Pabst, Frachtschiff-Romantik – Eine Reise auf der „Pohang Senator“ [Romantic Freighter Travel – A Journey on Board MV “Pohang Senator”] Published by Atelier Pabst, Kassel 2010 A delightful and fascinating travel narrative written by a passenger on board one of our 4.500 TEU container vessels, this charming little book is highly recommended by Ms Annemarie Bartsch, Head of the Freighter Travel Department. The title consists of a collection of chronological diary entries taken by the author in 2001 during a trip from Hamburg to Los Angeles via Felixstowe, Gibraltar, the Suez Canal, Colombo, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong, Pusan, Osaka and Tokyo. Not only does the reader get a direct glimpse of the demanding every-day life at sea as Rolf E. Pabst describes the various duties and responsibilities of crew and officers, but also learns about the sights, sounds and cultural idiosyncracies noted during his shore excursions to several Asian destinations. A wide range of illustrations underpins the portrayal of unique places and people, first and foremost of the special relationship seafarers and adventurous travellers have with their “home”, the sea. The author captures the immense sense of freedom and close connection with the forces of nature as well as the vessel it self. He offers lively first-hand reports from a six-week long sea voyage in a direct and personal language that may appeal to anyone interested in freighter cruises or unadorned travel experiences. Norbert Vörding & Andreas Weber, Geschichte(n) der Seefahrt, Band 1 – Entdecker und Piraten [Seafaring Stories, Vol. 1 – Explorers and Pirates] Published by Koehler Verlagsgesellschaft, Hamburg 2010 This book is suitable for the whole family. Here, the reader learns what is hard to believe, but actually the absolute truth: a large part of world history has not been acted out on land, but at sea. Besides significant army movements and mass migrations by land, numerous critical naval battles and pioneering expeditions steered the course of human development and deserve to be documented in history books. For instance, what would have become of the Roman Empire if the ancient Romans did not venture out to sea? “History seen from a different angle”, the authors must have thought when they conceived the idea for this series of four volumes. With 27 short stories the first volume concentrates on the great explorers and pirates who ruled the oceans for centuries. What makes this title different from plenty of other history books on the same topic, is the idea to present history in an innovative format. Every story is complete in itself and covers only a few pages, and yet all important details about the main characters and their motivations are included. The stories are succinct, sometimes humorous, sometimes dramatic, but always told with passion and colour, testament to the writers’ lively imagination. Why is Henry the Navigator classed among the greatest seafaring personalities of all times even though he wasn’t a mariner himself? What makes Störtebeker the Robin Hood of the Baltic? Were there also female pirates? The authors devote themselves to questions like these in an informative and enjoyable way and dispel fears that this is just another boring history book – on the contrary, it is gripping and diverting entertainment while effortlessly imparting knowledge at the same time.
PUBLISHED BY: Reederei F. Laeisz G.m.b.H. Tel: +49 381 6660 214 · Fax: +49 381 6660 212 · E-Mail:
[email protected] · www.laeisz.de Design & Layout: www.matrix-design.com
