GEM undergoes Lloyd’s Register’s HEGA Review

Lloyd’s Register’s (HEGA) with Ahmed Hareb Al Falahi, CEO, Gulf Energy Maritime, along with other GEM officials.

Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM), the Middle East’s largest independent commercial product tanker operator, became the first Middle East based shipping company to undergo Lloyd’s Register’s Human Element Gap Analysis (HEGA) – a review to identify gaps between what a company does and what it aims to do based on industry best practice.

HEGA is based on a guide called The Human Element – Best Practice for Ship Owners put together by Lloyd’s Register Group – the world’s most recognised maritime classification society and independent risk management organisation providing risk assessment, risk mitigation services and management systems certification.

“For Gulf Energy Maritime, people have always been an important element of our operations that has seen one of the highest safety records in the industry,” said Ahmed Hareb Al Falahi, CEO, GEM.

“Our ships carry one of the world’s most precious cargo – refined chemical and energy products, and eventually it is not just the quality of our ships but the systems implemented by our staff that count.

“In this context, HEGA’s review of our organisation will enable us to set a higher benchmark not just for ourselves but also for the industry in this region.”

GEM won three major awards this year – the Seatrade Middle East and Indian Subcontinent award in the Safety and Quality category, Lloyd’s Middle East Shipping Awards for Clean Seas & Tanker Company of the year. These awards represent the best industry standards for the regional maritime community.

“Continuous improvement in maritime safety relating to ships’ hulls, machinery and essential systems can be limited,” explained Al Falahi. "Which is why captains of the industry need to ensure that progress is made by focussing on the way that ships are used and, specifically, the people who interact with them.

"GEM recognises that the key to successful management of the human element is recognising that people are an integral part of the system that makes a ship safe and efficient. The HEGA review will enable us to better plan our future activities to improve the safety and effectiveness of our operations.”

GEM is certified by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance to the ISO 9001-2000 Quality Management System and ISO 14001-2004 Environment Management System for the operational and technical management of its fleet.