ABS: Cost Efficiency Key for Newbuilds

Wolfgang Buttgereit, ABS Regional Vice President for Northern Europe
In a world striving for ever bigger and ever more complex ships, cost efficiency presents itself as the key.
We have to work very closely with the clients to make sure the operation of the ship is effective as possible, since nobody has extra money to spend these days, Wolfgang Buttgereit, ABS Regional Vice President for Northern Europe told World Maritime News staff at the SMM.
At present time when the charter markets are not as lucrative as they were, everybody is looking to save wherever they can, Buttgereit said.
Going along those lines Buttgereit added that this particularly relates to fuel efficiency, LNG being the obvious choice. According to Buttgereit, if an owner has the sufficient equity to build a ship a key factor to bear in mind will be fuel-efficiency.
ABS has secured 24 % in global classification services orderbook, according to the latest data, 24% being for bulk carriers, 28% tankers, 13% containerships, 28% gas carriers and a considerable portion of the offshore market (75%).

In respect to most recent projects, highlight include:
In February 2013, ABS relocated its Northern European regional marine operations office from London to Hamburg, Germany to increase its exposure to the German market.