Oman Shipping Company (OSC) has officially set up a new commercial chartering desk offering its Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCCs) to major traders and charterers covering VLCC routes worldwide.
OSC, one of the biggest ship owners in the MENA region, has a diversified and young fleet of 50 vessels. OSC owns 16 VLCCs within the fleet out of which OSC is now commercially managing 15 VLCCs through its subsidiary Oman Charter Company (OCC).
The move follows an announcement in December 2016 which saw OSC withdrawing 15 VLCCs from the VL8 pool based in Singapore. The VLCCs were being outsourced to be run commercially through the pool. After setting up it own crude oil chartering desk, OCC, OSC has taken over full commercial control of the VLCCs. As part of this strategy, OCC signed a Contract of Affreightment with Shell International Eastern Trading Company, a Shell subsidiary, for a period of three years, which gives a substantial cargo base for the 15 VLCCs.
OSC General Manager Commercial, Tankers & Gas, Debasish Mohapatra said the new chartering desk will enable OSC to harness the full potential of its relatively young VLCC fleet, serving clients better.
“We are targeting oil majors and crude oil traders worldwide with our new chartering service,” he said. “Our VLCCs are modern vessels with high specifications and good safety records. The fleet is economical in its fuel consumptions and therefore highly attractive to the charterers, traders and oil majors. A total of 12 VLCCs were built in Korean shipyards and a further three in Japan using state-of-the-art technology. The fleet is being technically managed entirely in-house and in-line with the international safety standards offering totally safe and secure shipment to our clients.
“Our contract of affreightment with Shell Eastern Trading International provides our chartering desk with an initial cargo base for the 15 VLCCs and demonstrates how we can provide world-class shipping solutions to major operators.”
OSC controls a fleet of 50 vessels including 43 owned, out of which 33 vessels are tankers. OSC from its inception is dedicated to serve its clients with efficient and safe shipping solutions in all segments like LNG, crude, clean products and chemicals. OSC’s clients in these sectors include Shell, Itochu, Mitsubishi, Oman LNG, Exxon, BP, ORPIC, OTI.
OSC CEO Tariq Al Junaidi said bringing the commercial management of the VLCC fleet in-house will help meet ambitious growth targets.
“Our mission is to deliver intelligent global transport solutions that directly benefit Oman’s national economy,” he said. “As a company, we take great pride in delivering reliable, safe, environmentally responsible and economically sustainable services. This is underpinned by international quality and performance standards.
“Bringing the management of our VLCC fleet in-house gives us greater autonomy, and ultimately enables us to direct the operation with greater control. The VLCC fleet is set to play a large role in the future growth of the company. We are satisfied that vessels are now within the correct chartering structure to maximize their potential.”
OSC FACT FILE
1) COMPANY STRUCTURE
Oman Shipping Company SAOC Is a closed joint stock company established in 2003 and owned by the Government of the Sultanate of Oman through Oman Global Logistics Group (79.9%), Oman Oil Company SAOG (20%) and Oman Railways Company (0.1%). Headquartered in Muscat. Services include maritime transportation of crude oil, liquid and dry chemical products, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and general cargo. The company’s activities are diversified in owning, managing and leasing vessels through its subsidiaries: Oman Ship Management Company SAOC Oman Ship Leasing Company SAOC and Oman Container Transport Company SAOC. The company currently owns a fleet of more than 50 vessels with a capacity of more than 8 million tons. OSC was launched with the acquisition of six LNG vessels, which were employed to transport Omani LNG to the world markets in partnership with Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL). The company has since diversified into Crude Oil, Chemicals and Products, Dry Bulk, LPG and also Container and General Cargo market segments.
2) FLEET
Currently OSC operates 51 ships of different types and sizes with a total cargo carrying capacity of about eight million tons.
3) CORE SECTORS
Oil, Gas and Petrochemicals are the core sectors for OSC. These vessels trade internationally. As regards the dry bulk transport, OSC is mainly in the international transport of minerals. The company also provides coastal services for movement of products along the Omani coast and a container feeder service connecting Omani ports with UAE ports. Customers include: OLNG, ORPIC, OTI, Sohar Aluminium, Vale Oman, Mitsubishi, Itochu, Mitsui, Vela, Reliance, UNIPEC and oil majors like Shell, Exxon, Chevron etc.
4) TRAINING
OSC makes a big contribution to the shipping industry in the region through its Scholarship Program (cadetship), in which OSC offers scholarships every year for high school fresh graduates to study either Nautical Science or Marine Engineering in maritime colleges in Oman or the United Kingdom. To date it has sponsored 183 such cadets. It also offers job opportunities to such sponsored cadets after they successfully complete their studies. Furthermore, OSC is also keen on developing its seafarers through the Scholarship Program for securing management level certificates, under which fully paid Scholarships are made available to the local seafarers enrolled with the company. In 2013, OSC signed an agreement with the International Maritime College Oman to provide training berths to all its cadets including non-Omanis, to complete their required sea service on board its vessels.