摘要：不断增加的对有经验的特殊船舶船员的需求在05年度促使此类型船员工资大幅提高，其中VLCC增加20%

Increasing demand for experienced, specialist crews

pushed wage costs higher in the year to 31 December 2005, with VLCC wage

costs growing by 20%, according to Moore Stephens’ operating cost

benchmark tool OpCost 2006. Overall wage costs rose by 9%, although this

represented a slower rate of growth than in the year earlier. The OpCost

report is extracted from a database of actual running costs of more than

1,300 ships - “Real data, from real ships, and gives a real comparison,”

claims Moore Stephens Industry Group partner Richard Greiner. The

largest increase came in respect of insurance, with dry cargo ships

recording a 31.2% hike. Cut-throat competition for business between

underwriters in the marine markets has traditionally served to keep

premiums down, but the insurance market “may have gained some courage”

from a series of big losses, accountant and consultant Moore Stephens

says. Meanwhile lube oil costs were significantly up, but repair and

maintenance costs fell slightly. The report covers the 20 most common

vessel types and five main cost groups. The full report is for sale at

$750 per copy.