V.Ships to evaluate ASCO's fleet management system

V.Ships, one of the world's leading ship management companies, will evaluate the crew management system of Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company CJSC (ASCO), Azernews reports, citing ASCO.

"This will enable ASCO, which operates on an international scale, to apply more progressive methods in the direction of crew management in the future," Azerbaijan Caspian Sea Shipping said.

Rauf Valiyev, chairman of ASCO's Board of Directors, had a meeting with the delegation led by Allan Falkenberg, Chief Operating Officer of "V.Ships," and exchanged ideas on the projects to be implemented in various directions.

It was noted that one of the main projects involves the development of the floating crew. Within the framework of this program, it is planned to train local professional personnel for ASCO, which is included in the new ship segment. Following the program, regular crew members working on ASCO's ships, as well as talented students studying in ASCO's educational institutions, will undergo an internship on ships managed by V.Ships for 3-6 months. Those who complete the program will be tested and employed on ASCO's new type ships.

V.Ships will evaluate both theoretical and practical knowledge and skills of the members of the command staff working on ASCO ships based on an exam prepared following international requirements. This examination will allow ASCO to form a strong command staff base. Those who show lower results in the exam will be involved in a special improvement program.

It was reported that V.Ships will provide appropriate support to ASCO's tankers and dry cargo ships operating in the Black and Mediterranean basins if there are not enough local personnel.

Visits to the international offices of V.Ships will be organized as part of the experience exchange program for the shore crew. This program will involve people working in the fields of human resources, ship finance and operations management, procurement, maritime safety, and fleet maintenance service. They will learn new experiences on electronic systems and management methods used during the experience exchange.

According to the agreement, the salary system applied in ASCO will be evaluated and compared with the salary systems applied in international markets. Appropriate reports and proposals will be prepared according to the results.

It was noted that following the Strategic Development Plan of Azerbaijan Caspian Sea Shipping CJSC, in addition to maintaining and developing the position of national shipping in the Caspian Sea, expanding its activities in waters outside the Caspian Sea, entering new ship segments, and increasing the volume of cargo transportation are constantly being discussed.

As an international company, ASCO places special importance on the study and application of advanced practices aimed at continuous improvement of the quality of operations, as well as the knowledge and skills of personnel. In this context, it cooperates effectively with various reputable companies. Cooperation with V.Ships, one of the world's leading ship management companies with nearly 40 years of experience, is one of them. It is planned to further develop cooperation relations with the company in question during the current year.