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Having been in the shipping industry for over four decades, Captain Ranjan Mookherjee has donned many hats, the latest being managing director at Vega Ships Management (VSM), a specialist post fixture and commercial operator. VSM is particularly active in third party commercial management in the liquid bulk supply chain.
Capt. Mookherjee, the founder of VSM, believes his company’s core asset is its human capital, which encompasses a specialized skill set. He points out what a huge difference it makes to have experienced seafarers as an integral part of the commercial vessel operations team. With over 200 years combined experience, both at sea and in vessel management, the personnel recruited by VSM are considered key to the work the company undertakes with global clientele.
According to Capt. Mookherjee, “As an employee-based organization, we believe the commitment, dedication and expertise of our team of master mariners and operations staff has paved the path to our success, ensuring we deliver the very best service and advice for our clients. At VSM we believe a charterer fixes a voyage whereas an experienced operator can make or break the voyage.”
The point he makes is that, in today’s market, where the margins are wafer thin, a good operator can ensure that the voyage remains profitable. “That’s what we do best here at VSM. In gaining marked reductions in operating costs, vessel time and space optimization, alongside tailor- made marine logistics solutions, the VSM team has earned the respect and goodwill of its global clients.”
When talking about reducing operating costs, Capt. Mookherjee is particularly proud of his specialized bunker team. “Fuel forms the lion’s share of today’s vessel operating costs, even at times surpassing the vessel hire cost. It’s an expense where the leverage is very high yet small adjustments can lead to huge savings.” Vega’s specialized team monitors and controls the cost from the time of procurement to the end of the voyage and also offers guidance to ship masters on the best ways of reducing bunker consumption. “Furthermore the vessels and agents are very closely monitored on performance with more emphasis on minimizing delays and costs which have a bearing on a carrier or principal’s bottom line,” he points out.
VSM is an ISO 9001:2008 certified company offering commercial post fixture operations services. Headquartered in Dubai, with Port Captains based in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, the company can also provide dry dock preparation, tank cleaning, gassing up and cooling down operations, demurrage calculations and claims handling.
