The Shipping Industry has Confirmed Vela’s Status as a Leader.

• Vela was recognized as a leader in December, 2005, at the annual Sea Trade Award by the Chairman of the IMO for safety and quality in shipping.
• The U.S. Chamber of Shipping awarded 13 of Vela’s vessels with the Devlin Award for safety.
• Vela also leads the industry in environmental solutions. Vela was the first to install, test and use a permanent onboard system to eliminate Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) on board our vessels in order to prevent harmful vapors from being released into the atmosphere.
• Vela was the first to use environmentally safe silicon-based foul-release coating on its VLCCs.
• Regarding security, Vela was the first tanker company in the world to implement the International Ship & Port Facility Security code, and we were the first company in the world to carry out a security drill in the United States Gulf of Mexico with the involvement of United States law enforcement agencies.
• In quality of transportation, we were the first tanker owner/charterer to introduce a 25 year phase out rule for single hull ships either chartered or operated by Vela. This practice has since become an industry and international regulatory standard.
• In 2000, Vela increased corrosion margins in the construction of its ships with a higher fatigue requirement. In 2005, this innovation was adopted by the IMO.
• Stricter coating requirements were implemented by Vela in 1999. This called for more rigorous surface preparation and for doubling the life span of tank coatings. This will become an IMO standard in 2008

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