The Channel issue 9

The ChannelA Renaissance Services SAOG Group Newsletter volume 1 issue 9

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The Channel is a digital monthly internal

newsletter produced by Renaissance

Services which aims to reach every

employee in each country of our worldwide

operations. Please do forward this to your

fellow team members and thank you!

HSE statistics

CEO awarded OBE

OER announces Green Awards

Nabs rasises green awareness

NTI launches BizPro 2010

225 TISCO staff recognized

UMS businesses win at Web Awards

Topaz Engineering delivers berths

Nico International Hydrospace

successfully completes the Vopak

Horizon Fujairah Limited Phase 5 –

Marine Extension Project.

A new Renaissance CSR intiative

Renaissance Services announces its

commitment to sponsor Nabil “Nabs”

Al Busaidy, an Omani talent and

adventurer.

Contract Services opens doorsto Oman’s Minister of Oil andGas and Royal Dutch Shell CEO

Renaissance PAC Qarn Alam

welcomes dignitaries on visit of PAC

facilities.

Topaz Marine divests vesselTEAM Siam, a DP2 Diving Support

Maintenance Barge, is sold to Thailand-

based Mermaid Offshore Services in a

deal that represents exceptional value

for both parties.

Also Inside:

Renaissance’s UMS sends a unique and positive greeting for the

year. Please view at: www.nibblesoman.com/greeting/ums_greeting/ums-greeting-2010.htm

According to Fazel A.

Fazelbhoy, CEO at Topaz,

“Topaz received a compelling

offer from Mermaid because

they see value in the vessel; it's

a win-win for both sides. To

Topaz the sale represents a

good opportunity to book a

capital gain and redeploy cash

on new and modern deepwater

assets in line with our strategic

plan. The sale is a reflection on

the company’s quality of

maintenance and continuous

investment in its vessels that

ensure the integrity and

durability of the company’s

assets.”

The Channel - issue 9 - Janurary 2010

Topaz Marine divest Team Siam for US$ 29.5 million

Topaz Marine has divested its offshore support vessel TEAM Siam last month

to Thailand-based Mermaid Offshore Services Ltd for US$ 29.5 million (Rial 11.3

million) in a deal that represents exceptional value for both parties.

TEAM Siam, a DP2 Diving Support Maintenance Barge, had been on

charter to Mermaid Offshore for over four years. The vessel was refitted in 2002

to ensure an extended life value and was extremely well maintained by its Topaz

operators. TEAM Siam performed outstandingly and had proven crucial to

Mermaid’s operations, making the vessel an attractive asset on offer.

The move comes as a natural progression of the company’s long-term

relationship with Mermaid and is part of Topaz’s ongoing fleet upgrade

programme which pursues acquisitions and divestments of vessels on a regular

basis every year.

Stephen Thomas, Renaissance CEO commented on the deal saying,

“Renaissance owns over US$ 1 billion (Rial 384.6 million) of assets and this type

of transaction highlights the embedded value in the company’s balance sheet.”

New vessels join fleet in 2010

Six new AHTSV vessels are scheduled to come online the Topaz Marine MENA fleet this year, while the Topaz

Marine Azerbaijan fleet is also set to welcome new vessels to its Caspian locations.

Anchor handling tug supply (AHTSV) vessels are vessels which supply oil rigs, tow them to location, anchor

them up and, in a few cases, serve as an Emergency Rescue and Recovery vessels (ERRV). AHTSV differ from

Platform Supply Vessels (PSV) in being fitted with winches for towing and anchor handling, having an open stern

to allow the decking of anchors, and having more power to increase the bollard pull. The machinery is specifically

designed for anchor handling operations. They also have arrangements for quick anchor release, which is

operable from the bridge or other normally manned location in direct communication with the bridge.

AHTSV Vessels joining in 2010

Topaz Jurong

Topaz Karama

Topaz Khuwair

Topaz Khalidiya

Topaz Khobar

Topaz Johor

Topaz Engineering delivers berth construction project

Nico International Hydrospace, a subsidiary of Topaz Energy and Marine and part of the Topaz Engineering

division, has successfully completed the Vopak Horizon Fujairah Limited Phase 5 – Marine Extension Project

recently, under subcontract by BAM International, formerly known as Interbeton.

The project was awarded in November 2008 for the construction of Berth 5 and 6, and included detailed

engineering of complete piping and mechanical equipment, structural fabrication and installation including

painting and pre-commissioning.

Congratulations to the Topaz Engineering unit which completed the project safely without any lost time injury

and within the agreed project schedule.

An aerial view of the first vessel to dock at

the completed berth


Bill Bayliss, COO of Topaz

Engineering said, “Topaz has been a

partner of Vopak Horizon Fujairah

Limited on several recent projects and

hopes to build on the relationship for

future project awards. Because of our

experience of operating in Fujairah, a

strong HSE track record and

comprehensive technical capabilities

we’re well placed to deliver large scale

oil and gas projects in Fujairah.”

Topaz Engineering is currently

executing several other projects in

Fujairah including EPC contracts for

the Port of Fujairah, Fujairah Refinery

and Vopak Horizon Fujairah Limited.

From the CEO Leadership Series

Solving Problems

Running a business will always present us with problems and challenges.

There are two very important lessons to remember as regards problems.

In terms of avoiding problems, remember the words of Lao Tzu:

The biggest problem in the world could have been solved when it was small.

When solving problems, remember the words of Albert Einstein:

The significant problems we face cannot be resolved at the same level of

thinking at which they were created.

How many times do we try and resolve problems using the same paradigm

that created the problem in the first place?

Stephen R. Thomas

CEO

Renaissance Services SAOG

Renaissance Values:

IntegrityWe commit to conduct all phases of our business under the highest standards of ethics and morality.To learn more about our values please visit http://www.renaissance-oman.com/en-B/About_Renaissance/Values.aspx


Renaissance was very delighted to share the news at the start of this year that Her Majesty the Queen had bestowed

the company’s CEO, Stephen R. Thomas, with an OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire)

medal in the UK’s New Year’s Honours List. The citation is for services to business and to the community in Oman.

The OBE medal is awarded for a national order of merit and valuable service is the sole criteria for the award.

LOCALBSM school inspired by leadership lecture

Mr. Stephen Thomas was invited by the British School Muscat to

lecture over 300 senior and sixth form students about leadership.

Mr. Thomas told students that everyone, regardless of position or

vocation, has the ability to lead. Quoting Koestanbaum, Bennis and

Carlzon, Thomas told students that a thriving leader is someone who

has belief, vision and purpose; someone who has a drive for

continuous learning and improvement; someone who is not afraid of

making mistakes to build their own confidence; someone who has

impact and influence and creates a legacy for others, the organisation

and society; but, most importantly someone who has trust, courage

and who does things with honesty and integrity.

LOCALNTI announces BizPro 2010

National Training Institute (NTI) has recently announced

its 2010 BizPro Awards to be held on the 2nd of March 2010

at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The event is regularly attended by

the corporate leaders of Oman.

Launched in 2007, the annual BizPro Awards is a social

investment initiative by NTI that aspires to motivate Omani

youth and encourage social development and direction for

the national economy. The event is a salute to the national

imperative for Omanisation and to encourage the ongoing

development and education of young Omani career-oriented

nationals. The awards recognize talented Omanis who have

displayed initiative, innovation and the pursuit of excellence

in a leadership capacity.

NTI has opened its doors to all nominations, which are

then forwarded and reviewed by KPMG Oman. KPMG

determins the final selection and winners for the Young

Achievers and Business Leader categories.

The winner of the Young Achievers Award receives a

scholarship award of Rial 2,500, while the Business Leader

receives Rial 5,000. The awards are sponsored by

Renaissance Services as a part of its Corporate Social

Responsibility (CSR) programme.

GREENThe Oman Green Awards

United Media Services’ Oman Economic Review has created the

country’s first environmental awards with the objective of awakening the

eco-consciousness in every Omani citizen and resident.

The Oman Green Awards 2009 – 2010 is slated to take place on June 5th,

coinciding with World Environment Day, in order to leverage the worldwide

threats to our environment and rally towards restoring the dwindling natural

resources of our planet.

Oman’s citizens, institutions and companies have been invited to

nominate their environmental initiatives on the award winning site,

www.oeronline.com/greenawards, which will be judged by a panel of

independent environmental experts.

The ultimate aim of the awards is to motivate behavioral change and

increase awareness for the protection and preservation of the environment.


UMS businesses honored at Oman Web Awards

Nibbles, UMS’ interactive department and website designers, were celebrated throughout the Oman Web Awards

evening as four of their external clients won the following awards first, second and third prizes, including MB Petroleum,

OIFC, Nawras and Oman Cable Industry.

As well, its internal clients including Reach, UMS’ market activation solutions company, and the Oman Economic Re-

view site for the Oman Green Awards, both won third prize in their respective categories of Media, Media Services and

Event Management, and Health, Safety and Environment.

SAFETYContract Services Group HSE statistics; 2 colleagues injured in rocket blast

The Contract Services Group (CSG) of Renaissance Services, which includes group companies in Oman and

international operations, nearly completed almost 2 million man-hours with no LTI last month.

However, a terrible incident took place on New Year’s Eve when a rocket hit a CSG camp in Baghdad and the blast

caused injury to two of our colleagues, Min Bahadur Shrestha and Percy Jayanthi Samarasinghe. Min, a 33-year old and

who works with us as a cook, was hit by shrapnel at the back of his right ankle joint, while Percy, a 53-years old and who

works with us as a Stores Clerk, received a life-threatening shrapnel to the head and face. Thankfully, Min has been

released from hospital, and Percy is slowly but surely recovering from the severe blow.

The company continues to do everything humanly possible to keep our people safe. In the 7 years of Iraq operations,

and with 1,000 people deployed on the ground, no lives have been lost through injury. Nonetheless, we will not ignore

the lessons learned from this event. Percy’s example serves to redouble our efforts in keeping people safe. Thank you

for the messages of support received from all around the group for Percy’s well-being and recovery.

Senior dignitaries visit PACQarn Alam

Renaissance PAC Qarn Alam recently

welcomed His Excellency Dr. Mohammed

bin Hamad al-Romhi, Oman’s Minister of

Oil and Gas, and Mr. Peter Voser, CEO of

Royal Dutch Shell, for a visit of the

Permanent Accommodation for Contrac-

tors (PAC) facilities for PDO contractors

with Mr. Stephen Thomas and Mr. Adil

Bahwan, Contract Services GM of Opera-

tions. Mr. Thomas presented both

dignitaries with a shield of gratitude for

partnership through PDO which has

extended over twenty years, followed by a

lunch and sampling of the PAC’s delicious

catering capabilities.


Number of Employees 5,336 6,241

Number of Man Hours 1,607,760 1,934,710

Number of LTI 1 2

Number of KMS Driven 613,865 656,856

2008 2009

CSG Corporate HSE Statistics December

Above: HE Dr. Mohammed bin Hamad

al-Romhi and Mr. Peter Voser with the

Renaissance PAC team

Right: Mr. Stephen Thomas thanks

Renaissance PAC managers,

supervisors and staff for excellent

service

LOCALRenaissance sponsors Omani adventurer

Renaissance Services announced its commitment to sponsor Nabil “Nabs” Al Busaidy, an Omani talent and

adventurer who became the first Omani to walk to the magnetic North Pole, in his 2010 quest to ascend one

of the most dangerous summits in the world, Mount Everest.

In preparation, Nabs will attempt to climb Mount Vinson in what has been coined in the media as the

Renaissance Services Antarctic Expedition, which was launched on January 8th, coinciding with Oman’s

Environmental Day. Nabs has been including environmental awareness messages in his daily logs which are

published daily in Oman’s local newspapers, a few are listed below.

The Renaissance contribution also extends to the production and tour of a documentary which features

Nabs’ journey to the North Pole, which will be screened across Omani public schools and universities in a

Ten Town Tour event, aimed at inspiring and educating Omani youth.

From Day 1’s DiaryScientists have sounded a lot of alarm

about global warming and there’s been

controversy too. The cold weather in the

UK runs counter to the conventional

wisdom on global warming, but it seems

that global warming isn't just about

warming, but changes in weather patterns.

One thing most scientists agree on though

is that we, as a collective, can prevent

global warming. At the start of my journey

I said that getting to the top would take a

lot of small steps, and similarly, reducing

global warming takes a lot of small

changes in your daily habits. You can

change to florescent bulbs, turn off the

lights you’re not using, or turn off your

engine if you’re not driving instead of

keeping the car running for the AC. Just

as Oman is banning smoking in public

places, I hope they ban this harmful habit

too!

From Day 4’s DiaryI’ve promised the sponsors at Renais-

sance Services that I would make part of

my journal about raising awareness on

environmental issues and the wind has

given me an idea for a topic: Wind Energy.

Some might think, with all this wind power,

why isn’t anyone building wind farms here

at the bottom of the Earth. The answer:

they have. It started this year with an

8-turbine wind farm built by Belgium to

power its research base at the pole, and

New Zealand is scheduled to inaugurate

a wind farm at Antarctica sometime this

year. Oman is also on the way to

developing wind and solar projects, but

that doesn’t mean we can sit back and

consider all our problems solved. We

need to get interested and get involved.

From Day 6’s DiaryAll this white snow everywhere

reminded me of an article I read about

scientist Hashem Akbari (based at the

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in

California). His big theory was quite simple

and based on the same effect as experi-

enced at the Antarctica. He suggested

painting all roofs and road tops white to

reflect the sun. In big urban cities where it is

hot all year round, the sunlight reflected

from a white surface does not contribute to

the greenhouse effect, which drives global

warming, and also makes a surface much

cooler. Akbari calculated that if all sunny

urban areas were painted white, the effect

would balance expected rise in global emis-

sions over the next decade, and delay the

impact of climate change. However, being

at the Antarctic, freezing and staring at all

this white snow and ice, I wanted to paint it

all black instead, just to feel a little warmer!


TISCO (Tawoos Industrial Services

Company) staff at the Khoula Hospital in

Muscat have been sent a letter of apprecia-

tion from Mr. Stephen Thomas for excellent

provision of quality services to each and

every patient admitted to the hospitals within

its contracted area.

Particular recognition was awarded to

two colleagues, Biju Gangadharn and

Kannan Sivakumar, who had been singled

out for providing excellent customer service

in a letter addressed to Mr. Stephen Thomas

from Mr. Blair Tame, General Manager of

OHI.

Approximately 225 staff, of which 40%

are Omani, provide catering, cafeteria

service, housekeeping and laundry services

to the Khoula, Al Nadaha and Al Rahma

Hospitals, producing over 2,700 meals on a

daily basis at its kitchen.

Catering for hospitalized patients is a

delicate responsibility and requires close

coordination with the hospitals’ dieticians,

chefs and managers along with the input of

the patients to ensure that the setting, time

specifications and health benefits are all

met. This part of Health Care Management

increases patients’ satisfaction and care,

and reflects on the high standards of TISCO

operations.

EFFICIENTTISCO - Khoula hospital staff recognized for outstanding service

Over 2,700 meals are prepared daily at the TISCO station for the

patients of three hospitals in Oman’s capital

Catering and Health Management Services are a delicate

responsibility that can affect patient’s recovery


Documents

The Channel issue 9