The joint team headed up by Richard Jansen, BNCF’s managing director & head of London and V.Ships Leisure’s CEO Per Bjornsen, both with years experience working in the cruise market, are providing an integrated solution for a range of stakeholders in the industry, including consultancy and advisory services spanning operational & technical topics, HSEQ (health, safety, environment and quality) future-proofing, financial and business planning, due diligence and assessments, as well as stakeholder advisory and capital raising.
Complementary skill sets
Both companies provide complementary skills and capabilities: BNCF is a subsidiary of Braemar Shipping Services, international provider of shipbroking, financial advisory, logistics and engineering services to the shipping and energy industries and V.Ships Leisure, part of the V. Group, has a team of cruise specialists providing consultancy, inspections, newbuild supervision, itinerary planning and port operations, entry-into-service support and management of operations.
Jansen remarked: ‘Having known Per and the V.Ships Leisure team for many years, and having successfully worked on a variety of projects together during that time, we feel this co-operation can provide a one-stop platform to support our partners in the cruise and ferry industries with practical and actionable advice and support as they confront these difficult and complex times head-on.’
Passionate about cruise
Bjornsen added, ‘We’re both passionate about this sector and keen to assist by using our know-how and partner network to help our industry colleagues get through this crisis and build for a brighter, more sustainable future. We know Richard and his team at Braemar Naves well and are convinced that together we can make a real difference.’
With all but a handful of cruise ships having been laid up for six months or more, both large and small cruise operators are facing financial and operational challenges never seen before as they look to return to sailing.
‘Many operators with smaller fleets are often independently run and do not have the scale, resources or insight readily available to the larger groups. The global cruise ecosystem relies on both large and smaller operators fully functioning and with this new partnership we can offer either financial or operational expertise and advice or both tailored to individual needs for the short or longer term,’ Bjornsen told Seatrade Cruise News.
Readjustment phase
Jansen, the former head of DVB Bank’s global cruise and ferry business, said, 'Over the next 24 months many will be facing challenges related to cash flow, balance sheets, managing creditors and ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) impact during this readjustment phase.’
He added, 'Companies need to go back to basics: cruise lines will be operating with lower revenues and initially with lower capacities. Everyone involved including export agencies, ports, destinations, regional governments especially those with island economies, will need to make their businesses work from a cost and operational basis.' Bjornsen concluded, 'this is where BNCF and V.Ships Leisure's unique combined skill set can assist.'
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