Safety, Quality & Environment Management Manual
SQEMM
07-00 Customer Focus & Requirements 		Doc No.: SQEM-07-00
Revision: 01
Date: 15 Oct 2024
Issued by: DPA
Approved by: MD

7.1 PURPOSE

Top management shall ensure that Customer’s requirements are identified, determined and met with the aim of meeting and enhancing Customer satisfaction.

7.2 SCOPE

This shall apply to all Company activities and services including the operation of managed fleets.

7.3 RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY

a) MD shall communicate with and monitor customer information relating to the Customer’s perception, which will demonstrate fulfilling customer requirements. He shall seek appropriate information from Marine and Technical groups to obtain and verify it.

b) The methods for obtaining and using this information shall be determined and may include:

i) Participation in client meetings

ii) Soliciting of client feedback

iii) Tracking breakdowns, accidents, delays and port state interventions

iv) Anticipating trends including opportunities for preventive action

v) Tracking overall budget performance and cost of purchases.

7.4 DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING OF THE COMPANY’S SERVICES (ISO 9k -7.3.1 / 8.3)

a) Company is a wholly integrated ship management company providing Ship Management Services with a co-ordination of its total expertise within maritime activities such as:

• Technical Management- Providing Technical and Manning (Crewing) services.

• Vessel Operation.

• Agency services- Providing Crew change services, connecting CTM, Flag State Certification Services etc.

• Technical Consultation (Providing consultancy services for New-buildings, Sale & Pre purchase inspections, Dockyard supervision, Vessel Audit & Inspection/Pre-Vetting Inspection).

• Project Development.

b) BIMCO SHIPMAN 2009 will make the basis of our ship Management contract.

7.5 DETERMINATION OF THE REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO SHIP MANAGEMENT

a) Prior to entering a ship management agreement or any other type of contract with a customer, the Company shall review these contracts to identify, determine and ensure that:

i) The requirements considered necessary are adequately defined and documented;

ii) Address and monitor those requirements throughout the voyage to ensure they are met;

iii) Any differences between the contract and those previously expressed are resolved;

iv) It has the capability to meet the contractual requirements;

v) Where known, unstated requirements necessary for specified or intended use are included.

vi) The requirements of each vessel’s Charter Party are taken into account.

b) The Company shall ensure that Statutory and Regulatory requirements applicable during all stages of its services and activities are complied with.

c) Where service requirements are changed, the Company shall ensure that relevant documents are amended and that relevant personnel are made aware of the changed requirements.

7.6 MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

a) It is Company Policy to control business relations with all clients by signing an appropriate contractual agreement. These arrangements are secured by the Company being certified per the requirements of the ISO 9001 standard, and fall into three categories:

i) Contracts dealing with management of ships.

ii) Contracts dealing with agency companies.

iii) Contracts dealing with consultants and service providers.

b) The agreements shall clearly define and explain:

i) The services provided by the Company;

ii) The Company's resources, rights, responsibilities and obligations;

iii) Insurance implications;

iv) Accounting arrangements and reporting;

v) Duration of the agreement;

vi) The Company's remuneration and reimbursement;

vii) Indemnification, liability, ‘force majeure’ and termination clauses;

viii) Arbitration procedure/applicable law;

ix) Fee and cost structure.

7.7 NEGOTIATIONS & CONTRACTING – SHIP MANAGEMENT CONTRACT

7.7.1 Scope

Endeavour to keep number of ships (tonnage) under the Company's Management employed at rates and conditions yielding economical results.

7.7.2 Purpose

The purpose of the procedure is to ensure that the Company has the best possible information about the various ship management contracts available which may influence the ship management demand.

Responsibilities

7.7.3 Responsibilities

a) Business Group GM: Responsible for negotiations and contracting, including amendments to existing contracts because of contract reviews collecting and maintaining documentation for ship’s employment contracts.

b) Managing Director/Chief Operating Officer: Overall responsible for negotiations and contracting, including amendments to existing contracts.

c) Managing Director or person authorized by him: Responsible for signing the ship management contract with the ship owner.

7.7.4 Process for furnishing of Ship Management Service

a) Company receives an offer of ship management business from ship owners who are presently doing business with us or new owners because of presentation and/or advertisement of our ship management services.

b) Company submits our standard terms and conditions of new or existing vessel to the owners, which include estimated operation costs.

c) Company starts negotiating with the owners about details of the owners’ requirements including subject vessel ports and trading pattern and our terms and conditions.

d) Company are officially appointed by the owners as their vessel manager after agreement of all terms and conditions.

e) Company appoints the Manning Agent who mans the vessel.

f) Company generates the lists of consumable stores, spare parts and lube oil etc to be initially supplied to the vessel, and obtain their estimates from plural suppliers.

g) Company submit estimates of initial supply items to the owners to obtain their approval for supplying those items.

h) Company generates draft of the Ship Management Agreement and circulates it to concerned persons to obtain their comments.

i) Company generates its final draft incorporating comments received from concerned persons.

j) Company submits the final draft of Ship Management Agreement to the owners.

k) Company negotiates with the owners about its contents, consequently we conclude the final Ship Management Agreement after mutually agreed about all clauses by the time when we start the vessel’s management.

l) Two (2) sets of the original Ship Management Agreement are generated and signed by the representatives of the owners and Company.

m) Company supplies consumable stores and other items necessary to operate the vessel before her delivery.

7.7.5 Conclusion of Business

a) Relevant documentation or other sources shall, prior to conclusion of a contract, are conferred with to ensure that the ship is in all respects eligible for the trade for which she is being employed. In addition, it must be ascertained that the agreement clearly defines and explains:

b) Only standard ship management contract forms (e.g. BIMCO or agreed between the parties) will be used when entering contracts.

c) Upon conclusion of contract it shall be checked through recap that rates and terms are in accordance with those negotiated.

d) Furthermore, running control routines shall be conducted to ascertain that all terms are complied with during the ship management period.

7.7.6 Contract Review

a) All management contracts are on Yearly basis. They shall be reviewed every year prior renewal. Such review shall include verification that:

b) If there are any changes to the original contract, such changes should be evaluated to ensure both parties have a ‘common’ understanding of the change and that the Company can implement the new requirements.

7.7.7 Amendments to Contracts

Amendments to Contracts are worked out in co-operation with the Ship Owner, and, if necessary, with legal advice. Such amendments / addenda are kept in the original filing system together with the contract, and copies are spread to everyone involved in the organisation. Any recapitulation of contract terms is done in writing prior to contract signing.

7.8 CUSTOMER RELATIONS & COMMUNICATIONS

To meet requirements of the ISO 9001 standard regarding Customer focus, it is Company Policy to ensure that Customer relationships are developed and maintained on various organizational levels;

The Company shall determine and implement effective arrangements for communicating with customers and interested parties in relation to:

7.9 CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT

a) The company shall monitor information relating to customer perception as to whether company has met customer requirements. The Company shall maintain appropriate records of the results of review of customer requirements, and any actions arising from the review shall be maintained.

b) The company shall determine and select opportunities for improvement and implement any necessary actions to meet customer requirements and enhance customer satisfaction.

c) The company shall determine opportunities for improvement and implement necessary actions to achieve the intended outcomes of its Quality and environment management system.

7.10 CUSTOMER’S PROPERTY

The Company shall exercise care with customer’s property while it is under the Company’s control or being used by it. The Company is responsible for identifying, verifying, protecting and safeguarding customer’s property. Customer property shall include intellectual property and personal data also where applicable. Any such property that is lost damaged or otherwise unsuitable for use shall be recorded and reported to the customer, and records maintained.

7.11 PRESERVATION OF SERVICE

The Company shall preserve the service during the process of management and service delivery to the intended destination to maintain conformity to requirements. As applicable preservation shall include identification, handling, packaging, storage and protection. Preservation shall also apply to the constituent parts of the service.

7.12 TRACEABILITY

Where appropriate or as required, the Company shall identify, record and report the progress of the voyage and charter party requirements at key points from beginning through completion and through each stage of monitoring and measurement requirements. This shall include service status traceability information and maintaining records such as ship's position, estimated time of arrival, and cargo load port, discharge port, and location and quantity of cargo aboard ship.

ISO 9k: 4.2, 8.2, 8.5, 8.7, 9.1.2, 10.1, 10.2 ISO 14k: 4.2, 6.1.3, 10.1, 10.2