SANTANA SHIPPING SERVICES LTD.

Santana Shipping Services Ltd., Hong Kong and its subsidiaries, Santana Maritime Services Inc., in New Jersey, U.S.A., and Santana Shipping Services Ltd., India Liaison office, are the exclusive agents providing commercial management services for a fleet of handysize log/bulkcarriers controlled by the Santana Maritime Group.  In the past, Santana have also acted for third party principals on similar sorts of tonnage.  

Santana concentrates on the handysize drybulk market.   These vessels are operated primarily in the spot market, on a time charter trip and voyage basis.  As a so-called “tramp” operator, Santana is well known in its market niche, having performed voyages for a broad array of operators and shippers alike.  

In this era of the internet, Santana is able to maintain a direct and up-to-the-minute dialogue with a diverse range of brokers and market participants in every time zone, around the world, with coverage of all commodities carried on drybulk vessels.

The principals of Santana took the view in the period 2004-2007 that the run-up in freight rates and asset prices was a result of an unprecedented explosion in demand coupled with under-investment in capacity which would ultimately self-correct, but in the meantime would create ‘bubble’ conditions.  The principals accordingly took steps to liquidate their ship owning interests during this period, going from a fleet of ten ships to ultimately none.  In the spring of 2012, as vessel values approached depressed levels, these principals made the decision to re-establish a ship owning and operating presence, and in August 2012, acquired the 31,603dwt log/bulker ‘Gitta Oldendorff’ from Japanese owners.  They expect to make further opportunistic acquisitions going forward and recreate a small fleet of handysize bulkcarriers. 

Santana owned vessels fly the Hong Kong flag.  The senior officers are Indian nationals with the balance of junior officers and ratings coming predominantly from the ranks of Indian seafarers.  The tasks of technical management and crewing of the Santana fleet are entrusted entirely to Fleet Management Ltd. and Fleet Ship Management Pte. Ltd., with staffing in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Mumbai.  The Group looks at Fleet Management as its strategic partner for the maintenance of top shipboard standards, providing a safe and sound working environment, populated by well trained and motivated seagoing staff.  The united goal is to provide faithful execution of the shipowner’s fundamental mission as trusted carrier of the shipper’s goods, reliably and in a cost effective manner.

Fleet Management complies with ISO 9002 standard for shipboard and office systems and conforms to ISO 14001 standard for environmental protection.  The accrediting authority in both cases is Det Norske Veritas.