Crude-Tanker Vetting Recovery Authority

The mandate

The marine-assurance head was removed after two major charterers rejected vessels whose inspection findings had been shown as closed without durable shipboard evidence. Technical managers interpret observations differently, commercial teams seek fixture clearance before root causes are resolved, and masters receive overlapping preparation lists. Several vessels now face narrow customer acceptance and costly repositioning. A temporary executive must restore credible vetting authority without turning inspection preparation into cosmetic compliance.

Fourteen days is the maximum mobilisation window for this nine-month vetting recovery, while the board searches for a permanent assurance chief. The first 30 days are devoted to open customer restrictions, revalidation of critical closures and a controlled fixture-acceptance rule. Superintendent and shipboard practice must then survive two full fleet inspection cycles. The final quarter is reserved for stabilising customer acceptance, closing systemic findings and placing the successor in the chair for live vessel decisions.

Temporary authority can be released only after all 44 vessels hold a current, evidence-based acceptance profile; no critical closure depends on unverified documentation; repeat findings are controlled by root cause; and two inspection cycles meet board tolerance without last-minute preparation campaigns. The permanent chief must personally accept the customer criteria, vessel limitations, rejected closure evidence, technical-manager performance and forward inspection-and-dry-dock calendar.

The interim may withhold internal fixture clearance, reopen findings, require vessel or manager corrective action, deploy assurance staff and approve urgent remedial spend up to AED 2 million. Vessel withdrawal, master dismissal, dry-dock change, charter indemnity and expenditure above delegation require authorised executive or board approval. The incumbent cannot direct navigation, falsify readiness, override port or flag authorities, or promise acceptance on behalf of an oil major.

Fleet sale, chartering strategy, insurance placement, permanent technical-manager selection and broad safety-management-system replacement are outside scope. The role will identify evidence and operating implications for those owners but will not become commercial negotiator or external inspector. The assignment ends with restored internal judgement and a clean permanent handover, not guaranteed acceptance by every customer.

Why this seat is open

A dismissal occurred while several vessels were already in customer review and the next fixture programme could not wait for permanent recruitment. The board needs one executive able to withstand commercial pressure and protect truthful ship evidence. Time-bound authority has been granted so the company can rebuild its own vetting discipline rather than stage repeated inspection campaigns.

What you will own

• Revalidate critical and repeat finding closures against shipboard condition, records, crew practice and durable technical remedy.
• Decide internal fixture clearance using customer criteria, vessel limitations, open findings and voyage-specific inspection exposure.
• Reopen cosmetic or unsupported closures and assign technical manager, superintendent and vessel actions with fixed evidence clocks.
• Standardise one vessel acceptance profile without implying that different charterer criteria have become identical.
• Conduct eight vessel or management reviews and test whether normal operations sustain practice outside inspection preparation windows.
• Escalate vessel withdrawal, dry-dock or leadership choices with customer consequence, cost and safety evidence.
• Induct the successor through restricted vessels, customer interpretations, systemic causes and the complete inspection calendar.

Candidate qualifications

• Held tanker marine-assurance or vetting authority across a sizeable crude or product fleet serving demanding charterers.
• Personally withheld fixture acceptance after commercial teams argued that documentary closure was sufficient.
• Understands tanker inspections, safety management, technical management, crew practice and customer acceptance at operating depth.
• Has eliminated repeat findings by changing underlying equipment, supervision or shipboard routines rather than preparation packs.
• Can challenge masters and shore managers while preserving the master’s statutory and navigational authority.
• Completed a permanent assurance handover with customer restrictions and live inspection schedules transparently recorded.

Non-negotiables

• Available in Dubai within two weeks and able to complete eight vessel or technical-manager reviews.
• Brings direct tanker-vetting authority; inspection attendance or documentation consulting alone is insufficient.
• Accepts shipmaster, flag, port, customer and board boundaries without offering guaranteed vessel acceptance.
• Will disclose oil-major, shipmanager, inspector, broker and tanker-owner relationships before appointment.

1. 49 words maximum. Describe a vessel you withheld from fixture despite apparent documentary closure of findings.
2. 49 words maximum. Confirm your Dubai start date and the tanker classes under your vetting authority.
3. 49 words maximum. Which evidence proves a closure survives beyond the inspection-preparation period?