Singapore, the busiest transshipment port and second-busiest port globally in terms of total shipping tonnage, finds an invaluable partner in Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM). With 31 locations, about 700 vessels, 18,000 people and 40 nationalities, the group leverages more than a century of expertise rooted in a family legacy of ship owning in Germany. BSM's diligently trained onboard and onshore specialists manage vessels and fleets of every type and age, from container ships to tankers and semi-submersibles. Equipped with the knowledge, experience, advanced systems and certifications to manage all types of vessels with maximum efficiency, BSM can also manage its clients' own fleets through its service delivery centres around the globe. Through its strategic business unit BSM Singapore, the group aims to grow with the country as it increasingly becomes the world's shipping capital - and hopes to help shape the future towards a more organised shipping industry. "Singapore mirrors our values, perceptions and strategies," says BSM CEO Rajaish Bajpaee. "For BSM, which serves a global clientele, Singapore is a focal, favourable environment where innovation is supported and government policies and initiatives encourage industry and academic partnerships." Naturally becoming the group's centre of excellence for management of oil tankers and gas carriers, BSM Singapore was established in 1998 as a geographically strategic location amid a whole community of refineries and oil traders. Reflecting the group's principles and standards on a local level, it is anchored on BSM's three critical values: the reliability of the vessels' operation cost over a defined period of time; the fitness of these assets for their purpose; and their preservation throughout their useful lives. These core ideas enable BSM to build a brand based on adding value and exceeding its promises to its customers. The group provides consistent representation worldwide through its "one BSM" philosophy, which unifies all ethnicities, cultures and beliefs into a singular objective. "Our goal goes beyond making customers happy or satisfied; we want them to feel delighted by our customer service," Bajpaee says. "Our people's competence and commitment to surpass customers' expectations drive our success." Clients that rely on BSM's services include Indian multinational conglomerate Tata Group, which owns two 180,000-deadweight tonnage capesize bulk carriers that are run and managed by BSM Singapore. "This is why our clients call us their partners and vice versa. We run a client's ship the same way we do our ships," says Sandip Mirchandani, managing director at BSM Singapore. "We also go the extra mile to provide a one-stop shop." BSM Singapore also forms partnerships with other experts, one of which is a Norwegian safety specialist in maritime accidents prevention. Recognising Asia as "the world's new centre of gravity of all economic activity", the company is optimistic that the region will continue to drive its business for years to come. It has three other hubs in Asia, including Shanghai, Hong Kong and India, and eyes other strategic locations. "It is the Asian century," Bajpaee says. "The region will remain on top in the next three to four years, and will even accelerate in its space of growth. We aim to be part of this development, working with local communities and talents to best see what practices and innovations we can create and improve together." Among the driving forces behind an association of ship managers and some of the initiatives that have led to higher-quality and safer shipping, BSM also strives to do its part in enriching the shipping industry in general. "What we want to see in the future is a harmonised shipping industry," Mirchandani says. "We hope to play an active role in that process." Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) Singapore Websites: www.bs-shipmanagement.com / www.bs-shipmanagement.com/shipmanagement-offices/bsm-singapore
