John Denholm News

Sir Michael Bibby was elected President of the UK Chamber of Shipping at the organisation’s Annual General Meeting in London. He becomes the Chamber’s 132nd president in its 140th year. John Denholm, chairman of J&J Denholm, was elected Vice-President at the meeting, which was attended by over 100 people from the Chamber’s member companies. Sir Michael is planning to step back from his position as Managing Director of Bibby Line Group during 2018 to allow him to better focus his time on external work interests, including his involvement with the UK Chamber. He used his inaugural speech as President to praise the Chamber’s rising political and media influence, and its success with the SMarT Plus campaign, a joint proposal with Nautilus that became Government policy in February.

Anglo-Eastern Group and Univan Group have reached an agreement which culminates as the largest ever merger of independent, third-party ship management companies, now known as the Anglo-Eastern Univan Group. Already in the top three global ship management companies, Anglo-Eastern’s merger with Univan Ship Management creates the industry leader, the newly formed group said. There are significant scale advantages in ship management arising from a global foot print and better career opportunities for both seafarers and shore staff which are of benefit to a ship manager’s customers, the shipowners. Started in 1974, the Anglo-Eastern Group was a home-grown product and took off as a third-party manager soon after a young Belgian executive with a degree in Naval Architecture…

BIMCO today launched a new, multi-part guidance resource to support ship owners and operators in improving their environmental performance and the efficiency of their ships. BIMCO’s Guide to Maritime Environmental & Efficiency Management, developed in partnership with maritime efficiency specialists Fathom, and supported by ClassNK, provides a resource to facilitate compliance with environmental regulations and assist owners and operators in the development of an environmental and efficiency management system. This first-of-a-kind, comprehensive resource allows ship owners and operators to develop an all-encompassing environmental and efficiency management system.

On September 4th, Anglo-Eastern celebrate it’s 40th Anniversary, in Hong Kong, concluding with an evening of fun, at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum. Among a host of VIPs, both local and international, Mr. & Mrs. Evert Maréchal, The Consul General of Belgium, along with the Consul General of Japan, Mr Hitoshi Noda and the Consul General of India, Mr. Ravi Sinha & Mr Prashant Agrawal together with the Director of the HK Marine Department, Mr Michael W.L. Wong, JP were welcome by Group CEO, Mr Peter Cremers and the Board of Directors of Anglo-Eastern. Benoit Timmermans     Managing Director           Bocimar Belgium N.V. Andre Goedee              CEO                              Dockwise Shipping B.V.

John Denholm is set to give a speech on the history of Denholm and the BIMCO story from a shipowners’ perspective at the next Shipping Professionals Network London (SPNL) meeting. The event is sponsored by Norton Rose Fulbright and will be held at their offices in south east London on April 24. Denholm joined the family business as an accountant in 1981 after qualifying as a chartered accountant. He has since held the roles of Group Accountant, Group Finance Director, and Group Managing Director and is currently Group Chairman and Chief Executive.

BIMCO has published its Reflections 2014, a short and accessible analysis including its clear views on the critical issues faced by the shipping industry today and in the coming years. Not least, the steady improvement of the global economy is bettering the outlook for shipping, as demand goes up and fleet expansion growth cools off, the market fundamentals are expected to improve across the board. Windows of sustainable earnings are likely to occur more often going forward. But the regulatory burdens, notably those seeking to address environmental pressures, remain major challenges to the industry’s cost base at a time when resources are limited. This includes massive challenges on sulphur limits, ship efficiency, ballast water treatment and NOx regulation.

An IMO symposium on a Sustainable Maritime Transportation System, held on world Maritime Day (September 26, 2013), provided an opportunity for a discussion on a global agenda for a sustainable maritime transportation system. The symposium reflected the world Maritime Day theme: “Sustainable Development: IMO's contribution beyond Rio+20”. IMO Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu told the symposium that shipping, and port industries were vital links in the global supply chain, the complex mechanism without which today’s inter-dependent, global economy would be simply unable to function.

The new president of BIMCO, John Denholm, has identified environmental pressures facing the shipping industry as some of its most significant current challenges as he embarks upon his two year term. Speaking in Paris, as he took over the presidency of the shipping organization from Yudhishthir Khatau, Mr. The third BIMCO President from the Glasgow family shipping company, Mr. Denholm said that the challenges currently being faced by the industry are “more difficult and more complex” than those of the past.

The U.K. Government has put its support firmly behind the inaugural London International Shipping Week (LISW) by confirming two of its Ministers as main speakers at the LISW Conference to be held at the Lloyd’s Building on Thursday, September 12. Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint, Minister for Trade and Investment will address delegates on the key issue of London’s role in propelling world trade while the Rt Hon Stephen Hammond, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport and the Shipping Minister, will give a keynote address emphasizing London’s position at the center of world trade, shipping and maritime services. Confirmed speakers include The Lord Mayor of the City of London…

The industry-led Steering Group running the inaugural London International Shipping Week (LISW) has established an official Board of Advisors which will act as guardians of the event to ensure it maintains objectivity and furthers London’s role as a major global maritime center. The purpose of the Board of Advisors is to lend credibility and high profile support to the LISW event, its aims, objectives and international engagement; while also taking a strategic view of the impact of LISW’s focus, its activities and attractiveness of London’s role in the global shipping industry. The Board of Advisors will have responsibility and accountability for reviewing and assessing LISW’s progress in achieving its strategic aims…

Shipping industry heavyweights as well as City of London financial services luminaries dominate the line-up so far confirmed. Speakers so far confirmed include The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Roger Gifford; Koji Sekimizu, Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization; Masamichi Marooka, Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) as well as John Denholm, President of BIMCO. Peter Hinchliffe, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Shipping Federation, will also speak. Other notable speakers who have so far confirmed their attendance include Grantley Berkeley…