Market recovery ups business for Gibdock
Gibdock has got off to a sound start in 2017, with encouraging signs of underlying recovery in several markets, including a steady stream of regional ferries in for drydocking.
The Gibraltar yard has also seen a slight upturn in offshore work, perhaps indicating the first signs of recovery after a challenging period for the market.
Richard Beards, managing director, Gibdock, said: “Many of our ferry clients have had a reasonable year in 2016 and are investing back into their vessels.”
He pointed out that the yard has handled four offshore vessels in recent months. In addition, the recent docking of the Thompson Majesty also suggests there remains a healthy demand for cruise ship work in the Mediterranean, while activity on behalf of the Ministry of Defence is also on the up.
Gibdock is also beginning to see work resulting from regulatory changes including both the Ballast Water Convention and ongoing moves to limit emissions levels.
“More of our clients are enquiring about ballast water treatment system retrofits as part of their overall drydock specifications,” said Mr Beards.
Significant investment is planned this year to maintain critical assets at the Gibdock yard. This includes rebuilding one of the main pumps, refurbishing caissons and renewing the slew bearing on one of the dockside cranes.
The yard is also investing in its environmental credentials.
After an intensive ten-month review and upgrade of operating processes across the company, Gibdock has made the transition from ISO 9001:2008 to the new ISO 9001:2015 quality management standard, and from ISO 14001:2008 to the ISO 14001:2015 environmental standard.
The Gibraltar yard has completed both transitions long in advance of the mandatory date of September 2018 set by ISO.
These new standards bring significant changes to the yard, Francis Mauro, QHSE manager at Gibdock said.
“In ISO 9001:2015 there is much greater emphasis on corporate responsibility in internal processes, rather than delegation, while on the environmental side the focus is to ensure that procedures and documentation span product lifecycle. That makes us responsible for ensuring traceability from the moment a product is sourced until its disposal.”
UK-based environmental, health and safety and sustainability consultant, Mabbett, assisted Gibdock in making the transition to the new accreditation.
Mr Mauro added: “We looked at all of the processes we carry out at Gibdock and assessed our suppliers and subcontractors comprehensively. Wherever we could, we have taken the opportunity to strengthen our quality control systems and introduced environmental improvements, ranging from LED lighting to solar panels, and enhanced waste segregation.”
Gibdock is now turning its attention to adopting the new, but as yet unpublished ISO 45001 Health and Safety Management standard, to transition from the existing OHSAS 18001 guidelines.
By Anne-Marie Causer
