Vela Quality Assurance GroupVela Quality Assurance Group

By Capt. John RossBy Capt. John Ross

• Who we are.

• What we do.

• How we can improve our approval procedure.

Vela is the Shipping arm of Saudi Aramco

• Vela’s mission is to provide Saudi Aramco and its subsidiaries with safe, reliable, and high quality marine hydrocarbon transportation services in an environmentally sound, profitable and cost effective manner. Other customers will be served to maximize profits while still ensuring that Saudi Aramco requirements are fully satisfied.

John RossDirector

Colin LightenShip Inspector

Prashant Jayavant Ship Inspector

Joseph AssamShip Inspector

Matthew ThomasAnalyst

VELA QAG• Knowledge and experience based vetting rather

than automated.

• Vela QAG has three shipmasters with a combined

command experience of 44 years. One Marine

Engineer of 20 years experience. All SIRE

accredited. All ISO/ ISM Lead Auditors.

• Other specialists in Vela

What do we do?

• Vetting for all Vela charters.

• Vetting for Saudi Aramco Sales & Marketing.

• Terminal Acceptance at SAMREF for Saudi Aramco business.

• Other stuff such as J/V Terminal reviews audits etc.

What do we DO NOT do?

Terminal Acceptance at Saudi Aramco terminals.

Ship Vetting• Each ship vetted is given an Inspection Assessment

Rating

• The minimum IAR to be accepted for a spot voyage

is 70 out of a maximum 100.

How is the IAR calculated

• It is a figure from 1 to 100

• Forty percent of the value is determined by Vela’s rating of the owner.

• Sixty percent of the value is determined from our rating of the latest Vela Inspection or SIRE report

How do we rate the Operator?• Management Reviews

• Business History with Vela.

• Previous screenings. (SIRE Responses!)

• Industry intelligence, PSC, casualty records etc for their Fleet.

• Positive Initiatives

How do we rate the vessel?• Vela Inspection

• SIRE Inspection

• Rate each Chapter, which is weighted.

Vela Requirements

• Vela Inspection

• SIRE Inspection (within six months)

• Management Review only for term charters over three months.

SIRE for Vetting

• Any Submitting Company

• Inspection Date Within the last 6 months.

VELA SIRE Inspections

• Only ships that we may have a business interest in.

• On request from owner at owner’s cost.

• NO Overinspection.

• Charterers Inspection (Vela’s cost) is normally uploaded to SIRE.

• Inspectors based in US Gulf, UK, Greece, Dubai, Bombay and Singapore

Approvals?

• No

• Vessels are screened every time they are nominated for Saudi Aramco or Vela Business.

TMSA?

• Yes

• As a ‘Self-Assessment’ does not figure in our rating.

Vela Vetting

Thank YouAny Questions ….