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ISSREPORTERlCookx19sCornerMARCH201216www.iss-shipping.comTWOSTATISTICSCROSSEDmydeskinNovember2011thatIfounddifficulttobelieve.Onewasinanarticlethatsaidx1caccordingtoClarksonx19sdailycharterratesforVeryLargeCrudeCarriersVLCCshaulingabout20oftheworldx19soilhadsurgedtoUS229000adayin2007andwerenowatUS28829adayx1dThebreakevenpointforoperatinglargetankersisaroundUS30000perday.TheotherstatisticwasAlphalinerreportingthatintheFarEast-Europelinertradex1cfreightrateswerenowatanegativeUS215perTEUx1dBothofthesepiecesofinformationwerestaggeringtocontemplate.ThefirstonemeantthatsometankercompaniesoperatingVLCCx19shaveexperiencedaboutan87dropindailyincomesince2007andareoperatingveryclosetoorbelowtheirbreakevenpoints.AlsocontainercarriersintheFarEast-Europetradewereoperatingatasignificantloss.Addinearthquakesfloodsandbunkerpricesanditisnowondertherearesignificantrevenuepressuresacrossthemaritimesector.Itisverydifficulttoremainoptimisticwhenonereadssuchthings.Howeverhistoryhasshownthatshippingishighlycyclicalandtheworldeconomycanbetoo.JohnD.RockefellerthefounderofStandardOilCompanyandoneofthewealthiestmeninhistorysaidduringtheGreatDepressionin1929Thesearedayswhenmanyarediscouraged.Inthe93yearsofmylifedepressionshavecomeandgone.Prosperityhasalwaysreturnedandwillagain.Itdid.HumanresilienceisnotsomethingthatIunderestimate.WhiletherearedismalstatisticsallaroundusIamcertainthatnecessaryadjustmentswillbemadeandprosperitywillreturn.WemusttakeheedofthetrendsinourindustryandtheeffectstheyhaveonISS.Inchallengingtimesweneedtore-dedicateourselvestofurtheringourcustomersx19businessesbyefficientlyprovidingthemwithgoodsandservicestheyneed.Todosowemustconstantlyinnovateourproductandserviceofferingstoensurewestayattheforefrontofourbusinessandofferastrategicpartnershiptoourcustomers.Weareacompanyofproblemsolvers.Thatiswhatwedoeverydayacrosstheworld.Wehaveahistoryofmeetingthecustomerx19sneedsnomatterhowdifficulttherequestmaybe.Ipersonallyseehowourteamenjoysthechallengeoftheunexpected.WeliketoengageourmindsdeterminesolutionsandactivelyDavidCookInstructionalDesign-OperationsbasedinPortlandOregonOptimisminthefaceofadversitysolveproblems.Thereisanimmeasurablesenseofsatisfactioninovercomingobstacleswhenservicingtheshipsthatwehandleglobally.IhaveconfidenceinourpeoplewhichiswhyIamoptimisticinthefaceofadversity.DespitechallengingtimesIknowwewillcontinuetogrowandwewillcontinuetobesuccessful.WatchingExpensesIncontrollingexpensesweallhavetokeepinmindthateverydollarspentisadollarthatmustbeearnedsomewhereelse.Wecanallbeguiltyofforgettingthissimpletruth.Whenspendingwemustthinkaboutthevalueandnecessityofwhatweareprocuringbeforedecidingiftheexpenditureisnecessary.EverydayHeroesIknowfromreadingtheISSReporterthattherearemanyofyouwhogivefreelyofyourtimeandtalentstoallmannerofcharitableorganizationsaroundtheworld.Thisisagreatthing.Inthiseraoftightbudgetsitisclearthatgovernmentscannotdoitallanditisgoodtoseeourteampitchingin.InotedwithpriderecentlythatachildhoodfriendofminefoundedanorganizationcalledTheRainbirdFoundationhttprainbirdfoundation.org.Rainbirdisanon-profitorganizationcommittedtotheendofchildabuse.Childabuseisareallytoughtopictotakeon.ItisnotasubjectthatmostpeopleliketotalkabouthoweverRainbirdhastakenonthetaskanyway.Theyareworkinghardwithotherorganizationstoraisefundsandalsotoraiseawarenessofwhatspecificactionscanbetakenalltopreventchildabuse.Thereforemyfriendisoneofmyeverydayheroes.Ittakestremendouscouragetotryandtacklesuchadifficultsocietalproblemanditiscertainlynobletotrytomakeapositivedifferenceinthisdarkareaofhumanity.Therearesomanypartsofourworldthatcanusevolunteerhelp.Iwouldencourageeachoneofyouwhohavenotdonesoalreadytofindsomethingthatyoucouldbepassionateaboutandvolunteer.Therearethousandsofopportunitiesaroundtheworldsomequitestraightforwardandothersmorechallenging.Itmaytakeyououtofyourcomfortzonetoworkwithyouththeelderlythepoorthedisabledthementallyillthehomelessthehungrytheabusedtheorphanedoranyothergroupthatcanuseyourhelpbutthosewhodofindtheworkextremelyrewardingdespitethechallenges.Ifyoucannotvolunteertoworkdirectlyyoucandonatemoneygoodsorservices.Ifthatisnx19tpossiblethenatleastofferencouragementtosomeonewhodoesdovolunteerwork.Yourencouragementwhichiscostfreewillalwaysbeappreciated.OnethingthatIhavefoundinmyexperienceisthatthosethathavetheleastoftengivethemostandtheseselflesspeopledonotseekcredit.AllthemorereasonweshouldaskourselveswhatmorecaneachoneofusdotomaketheworldabetterplacethanwhenwearrivedinitIwouldbeinterestedtohearfromyouifyouhaveanystoriesregardingyourvolunteereffortsoryourlocaleverydayheroes.Yourcommentsarealwayswelcomed.Untilnexttimestayandworksafe.