Last year, DNV’s main office in Germany moved to the city centre of Hamburg. The combined experience and competence of the 50-plus staff at the office is impressive and underlines the DNV shipping competence as well as the closeness to the customers.
“My job is two-fold,” says Jost Bergmann, Head of DNV Maritime Service Centre Hamburg. “One part involves providing our customers with technical support, meaning providing them with local expertise related to their newbuildings and ships in operation. Our customers rightly expect us to be hands-on with their vessels and challenges – my job is to ensure that we are. This also includes approval work. The other part of my job is training. Since moving to our new office building last year, we have established a DNV Academy and greatly expanded the range of courses we offer.”
Says Hagen Kruse, Manager of DNV’s maritime surveyors in Germany: “We are responsible for the planning and execution of ships in operation surveys, shipboard ISM, ISPS and ISO audits, company audits, vessel conversions (combination of ships in operation and newbuildings work) and the execution of SSP plan approvals. In addition, we ensure that our own personnel have the right competence level through the VQSC (Veritas Qualification, Safety and Certification Scheme). We are responsible for the monitoring of surveyors and verification of the ships in operation jobs, so that they are delivered in a consistent and professional manner.”
Says Klaus Kolander, Manager of DNV’s Maritime Operations in Germany: “Our activities are divided between newbuildings, ships in operation and CMC (Certification of Materials and Components). They include very many different skills, from knowledge about materials and components and newbuilding activities to surveys of ships that are trading. To be able to achieve this, I manage a station network throughout Germany.”