Bernhard Schulte Awards Radio Holland Contract

Radio Holland has been awarded a contract for the supply, installation and commissioning of 23 FMD-3300 Furuno Electronic Chart Display Information Systems (ECDIS) from Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM).

Coupled with this, BSM, which has a history dating back more than 130 years and manages a fleet of 600 vessels, has extended its Global Service Agreement with Radio Holland. This new agreement covers some 230 BSM vessels all over the world.

David Watts, Radio Holland Regional Director Asia, comments: “Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement has been a customer of Radio Holland for many years. As we are very close to BSM in Asia and in Europe, we can help BSM with fast, effective services. BSM needs support worldwide and Radio Holland, with more than 85 service stations and over 285 support locations along the major shipping routes, can provide this, giving BSM peace of mind.”

The FMD-3300 Furuno ECDIS will be deployed on BSM’s bulk carriers. Some of the 23 vessels have already been equipped with the system and depending on the dry-docking schedule, Radio Holland expects to have completed the installation work during the first quarter of 2016. Radio Holland China will handle the installation and commissioning.

Global fixed price

Radio Holland offers a global fixed price for an ECDIS retrofit package, including installation and commissioning. “Many companies are looking to pursue a strategy of standardisation, so I believe that we can really offer a cost-effective, global ECDIS solution,” stresses Mr Watts.

He points out that the next EGloCDIS implementation deadline, according to the IMO SOLAS amendments that were approved in June 2009, is July 1, 2016. This covers existing cargo ships, other than tankers and passenger ships, of 50,000gt and above, constructed before July 1, 2013. They must be fitted with an ECDIS no later than the first survey on or after July 1 next year.

Officially, ships have a choice and can sail with a single ECDIS and a backup paper system but most owners are choosing to have dual ECDIS on board instead.

Radio Holland provides several ECDIS options from leading brands.