MSCS Cyprus standardise on Entel

Posted on July 13, 2020

Background

With a reputation for effective frontline-driven management and delivering cost efficiencies, the Cyprus-based MSC Shipmanagement has experienced considerable organic growth in recent years. The company now manages 200 vessels and crews from its head office in Cyprus.

With the stated aim of growing its operations to manage 500 plus ships within the next five years, the company recognises that utilising its growing scale to standardise equipment, fix costs and reduce pressure on resources can improve efficiencies and underpin competitive advantage.

The Management Challenge

As one of the few shipping companies to achieve a suite of Quality, Environmental, and Energy Management and other recognised ISO standards, MSCS is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards across its fleet, particularly onboard safety.

Nowhere are safety standards more critical than in ensuring that every vessel can rely on its onboard daily communications, firefighter and GMDSS survival craft handsets. However, as with all evolving technology, radio handset models change, and warranties expire so many shipping companies struggle to keep track of literally thousands of devices.

The lack of a standardisation strategy resulted in a wide variety of onboard radios across the fleet, this is typical of most shipping companies. The challenge of keeping track of thousands of portables and ensuring all are fit for purpose was a big overhead for MSC. Radios on board were from various manufacturers including Entel, Motorola, Icom, Kenwood and others, purchased at different times, from different suppliers around the world, MSCS found that just keeping track of the number of sets onboard, warranties, and frequencies was challenging. Added to this, the MSCS purchasing team also had to handle a large volume of time consuming RFQ’s for new handsets from different brands each week.

Single Brand Managed Solution

Entel, a market leader in the design and manufacturing of commercial-grade maritime onboard communications, had been supplying radio handset equipment to MSCS through a dealer for several years. As the relationship developed, it had become clear that MSCS had a huge overhead in supporting the wide variety of radios in use across its fleet and standardizing on a single brand, would be a better and more cost-effective solution.

Outlining clear, specific and very demanding requirements, the MSCS management team started discussions with Entel and with our dealer.

After an initial exploration, it became evident that meeting MSCS’s expectations was beyond the capability of the dealer. However, although Entel’s primary focus is proactively promoting its brand and developing market share through its global network of dealers, the company has a direct specialist division geared to provide large-scale managed solutions direct to shipping companies. This specialist team was ideally placed to provide one point of contact globally for all onboard handsets and deliver the single brand, managed solution MSCS required.

Utilising Entel three global distribution hubs; the UK, Philippines and Korea, an aggressive 12 month rollout was agreed, with prices fixed for the full three years of the contract and standard warranties extended from 24 to 36 months. As an additional benefit, MSCS was also able to part exchange some of its more recently purchased units to support the new budget spend.

Warrantying Standards

From the outset, the dedicated Entel team has been responsible for maintaining records of frequencies used by each ship, a log of each type of radio onboard, serial numbers, supply data and warranty details. They ensure all vessels continue to meet radio compliance requirements, including keeping track of GMDSS primary battery expiry dates and encouraging best practice, such as alternating batteries with spare units to prolong life and reduce ongoing costs.

The Entel managed service gives MSCS complete visibility of all its radio assets across the fleet, guaranteeing standards, compatibility and accessibility and providing technical support where needed. For example, Entel has solved the onboard issue of cost-effectively addressing radio range problems on many ships by using Entel provided passive aerial systems. Crews now have coverage in all critical areas of the vessels. Steve Mulka product manager commented; “passive aerial systems are inexpensive and simple to install onboard, ideal for overcoming range issues.”

Entel also worked closely with MSCS fire teams to test their latest CXR bone conductive technology throat microphones, a safety critical accessory that delivers clear, intelligible communications at all times, even under the harshest conditions. After trials, the MSCS Firefighter teams concluded not only were the CXR bone conductive throat mics easy to wear under protective equipment but importantly did not pick up ambient noise.

About Entel

Entel offers a complete portfolio of onboard portable products from VHF, UHF, intrinsically safe, MED Fire Fighter and GMDSS survival craft products, supported by a strong network of global dealers. We pride ourselves on delivering product excellence with unparalleled support.