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Schoof Maritime Advisory
Our Services
accelerating results
PROJECT MANAGEMENT &
BUSINESS
IMPLEMENTATION
With its longstanding experience in running short and medium term multi-disciplinary projects (incl. change-management programmes), SMA will ensure that project goals will be realised at agreed cost levels and timelines. Interim management due to (temporarily) lack of qualified people will ensure the customer´s successful continuation of business, or implementation of new ones. To get structural mindset changes institutionalised, a change-management programme can be developed. Board seats will be executed with a Your helping hand in getting complicated initiatives executed or new acquisitions streamlined as per your company's targets and policies. SMA can further support you in projects with a complicated stakeholder environment.
Expanding or (re-)developing a port or terminal requires a thorough multi-dimensional analyses to avoid investment decisions that ultimately will not pay off. There are operational, nautical, hinterland/multimodal, commercial, financial, political, public, institutional and managerial aspects to be considered. SMA can assist to define a powerful strategy/masterplan to bring your ideas to the next level of adding value to the economy, improving your competitive position or enhancing profits.
TERMINAL INVESTMENTS &
STRATEGIES
PORT PRIVITISATION & TENDER
Many ports have been privatising their publicly-owned terminals by transferring these assets to private companies to operate and/or build out the facilities. Public and private companies (PPP) are often required to work together to create the proper business environment for infrastructure investments. That is not an easy process as often high investments are involved. A thoughtful approach is required to define the tender (selection) criteria and conditions to be fulfilled by each party (public vs. private) and are super-critical for launching a successful Request for Proposal into the market. Sometime even institutional changes are required. SMA can assist in how to tender such projects in the market to ensure a long-term successful operation of the facility in the interest of the local, regional and national economies.
Either for port authorities to issue a tender for a concession, or for a (semi-) private company to bid on such a tender, SMA can support from different angles. For the tendering party, it is important to assess what items remain public and what investments are to be borne by a private company. Only by doing so, a successful tender can be run, while cost levels (e.g. loyalties or concession fees) for the private company need to be reasonable. For the bidding party SMA's role can be to develop a strategy to tender (including consortium formation), perform a commercial due diligence, prepare bid documents, assist in financial viability assessments, negotiate with tender committee and/or structure the legal documentation, etc.
BID PREPARATION & DOCUMENTATION
Project Management
Terminal Investments
Port Privatisation
Bid Preparation
Due Diligence
Contact Negotiation
Commercial Support
Procurement Support
INTERIM/PROJECT MANAGEMENT
BOARD MEMBERSHIPS
BUSINESS
IMPLEMENTATION
With its longstanding experience in running short and medium-term multi-disciplinary projects (incl. change-management programmes), SMA will ensure that project goals will be realised at agreed cost levels and timelines. Interim management due to (temporarily) lack of qualified people will ensure the customer´s successful continuation of business, or implementation of new ventures. To get structural mindset changes institutionalised into a company, change-management programmes can be developed. Board seats will be executed with a truly business mindset to defend your interests. Your helping hand in getting complicated initiatives or projects executed or new acquisitions streamlined as per your company's targets and policies. SMA is especially suited for projects with a complicated stakeholder environment.
Expanding or (re-)developing a port or terminal requires thorough multi-dimensional analyses to avoid investment decisions that ultimately will not pay off. There are operational, nautical, hinterland/multimodal, commercial, financial, political, public, institutional and managerial aspects to be considered. SMA can assist to define a powerful strategy or masterplan to bring your ideas to the next level of adding value to the economy, improving your competitive position or enhancing profits. This also applies to inland ports and terminals as well as ICDs.
TERMINAL INVESTMENTS
& STRATEGIES
MASTERPLANNING
PORT PRIVITISATION & TENDERS
Many ports have been privatising (or are planning to do so) their publicly-owned terminals by transferring these assets to private companies to operate and/or build out the facilities. Public and private companies (PPP) are often required to work together to create the proper business environment for infrastructure investments, which is not an easy process as in many cases high investments are involved. A thoughtful approach is required to define the tender (selection) criteria and conditions to be fulfilled by each party (public vs. private) and are super-critical for launching a successful Request for Proposal into the market. Sometimes even institutional changes are required. SMA can assist in how to luanch such tenders in the market to ensure a long-term successful operation of the facility in the interest of the local, regional and national economies.
Either for port authorities to issue a tender for a concession, or for a (semi-) private company to bid on such a tender, SMA can support from different angles. For the tendering party, it is important to assess what items remain public and what investments are to be borne by a private company. Only by doing so, a successful tender can be run, while cost levels (e.g. royalties or concession fees) for the private company need to be reasonable. For the bidding party, SMA's role can be to develop a strategy to tender (including consortium formation), perform a commercial due diligence, prepare bid documents, assist in financial viability assessments, negotiate with the tender committee, and/or structure the legal documentation.
BID PREPARATION & DOCUMENTATION
DUE DILIGENCES
MARKET ASSESSMENTS
Having worked at the front line where negotiations are taking place and knowing basically all the players in terminal operations and shipping, SMA can easily make profound commercial assessments (market developments and/or traffic forecasts) and rate development scenarios. These are all essential elements for assessing the attractiveness of companies for acquisitions or investment decisions. A quick Second Opinion or a more deep-dive due diligence can be performed on any maritime topic incl free zone developments due to SMA’s broad experience and hands-on approach to such projects.
Once contracts are signed, there is no way back to dispute anymore. Therefore, proper understanding of the potential risks to lease out concessions to terminal operators is critical to get in the right escape clauses and terms & conditions. The same applies to the private company starting to lease land from the port authority as they also need to be protected that each party keeps promise to their respective commitments or obligations. An 'in-between' solution may be to let the terminal or port be managed by a third party under a so-called management contract. SMA has been defending interests at both sides and is therefore well equipped to prevent either party committing to unfavourable conditions.
CONTRACT NEGOTIATION
COMMERCIAL SUPPORT
& STRATEGIES
Most port authorities and terminal operators do find it challenging to maintain a deep and continuous relationship with their customers. Understanding the main issues and problems of the customer, its organisational structure and business priorities will accelerate the commercial success of the organisation, while a proper (global and regional) organisational set up is required to maximise resources within each organisation. SMA has noticed that many commercial people are talking to non-decision-makers and thus basically wasting their (and customers') time. SMA is a firm believer in real Account Management and can support to implement effectively into the organisation. Multi-day workshops can also be run to trigger discussions and/or solutions.
Many organisations have delegated the procurement of services to their respective functional departments which staff is only engaged in the procurement of services a few times per annum. Too often a too high price/rate is being paid as requirements have not been fully defined or described on what is needed (and what not) from vendors. Procurement is a professionalism which should not be left to functional personnel to get the best price/quality and cost levels for the company. SMA can assist in setting up a proper organisation to lower your purchasing price levels. Furthermore, SMA can assist in bringing down the cost levels by institutionalising a stringent cost management mindset, especially relevant for companies that have suffered from the COVID-19 crisis’ shortfall in revenues and profits. Multi-day workshops can also be run to trigger discussions and/or solutions.
PROCUREMENT SUPPORT & STRATEGIES
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