BOURBON Optimizes Class Dockings for Fleet

BOURBON optimizes Class Dockings for its vessels with new organization Bourbon Docking.

Located in Dubai, this new organization will strengthen BOURBON’s vessel maintenance program, allowing the Group to reach its 2015 target rate of 95% vessel availability. According to BOURBON 2015 Leadership Strategy plan, the Group’s growth strategy is based on the mass-building of vessels in series. This initiative substantially reduces costs, not only for construction and procurement but also, just as importantly, for vessel maintenance.

Bourbon Docking will optimize the benefits of this strategy. “Due to the rapid growth of BOURBON’s fleet, the company will standardize Class Dockings using common specifications for all sister ships,” explains Stéphane Burgaud, Bourbon Docking Managing Director.
 

100% of Class Dockings centralized by 2013
 

With its dedicated team of experts (project & docking superintendents, purchasing &logistic officers,), Bourbon Docking will centralize purchases through one single entity, minimize vessel downtime and increase reliability, thanks to permanent local stocks of spare parts and a network of in-house technicians sharing best practices across all BOURBON affiliates.
 

In 2012, 50% of all Class Dockings will be managed from Dubai and in 2013, all Class Dockings for BOURBON vessels will be managed by Bourbon Docking. Dubai was a strategic choice of location for Bourbon Docking as it allows for business to be conducted with Asia during morning hours, and with Africa and America in the afternoon hours. Dubai is also an important logistics hub, where the process of chartering Superintendents will be easier and faster. This strategic location in Dubai also allows BOURBON to limit the impact of the euro/dollar exchange rate.

Vessel availability, a key BOURBON driver for customer satisfaction
 

“Bourbon Docking complements BOURBON’s existing maintenance program, which includes a worldwide network of Bourbon Repair Centers as well as the continuous available supply of critical spare parts - the vessel’s “showstoppers” - for vessels located around the world. BOURBON’s highly efficient maintenance program is made possible by our built-in-series strategy,” explains Fabien Monleau, BOURBON Vice President Maintenance. We are confident in our ability to reach the ‘BOURBON 2015 Leadership Strategy’ target rate of at least 95% vessel availability for BOURBON’s fleet by 2015.”