Shipowners Association News

The SMM 2024 trade show will run from September 3-6 this year, and organizers are expecting more visitors and exhibitors than last time; the exhibition halls are nearly fully booked.“We are expecting more than 2,000 international exhibitors from 70 nations,” says Claus Ulrich Selbach, Business Unit Director Maritime and Technology Fairs & Exhibitions at Hamburg Messe und Congress. “We are overwhelmed by the response. We are actually setting-up an additional hall to accommodate all requests.

Dr. Kishore Rajvanshy is stepping down after three decades as managing director of Fleet Management Limited (FLEET), currently the world’s largest third-party ship management company.FLEET announced it has begun implementing a phased succession plan as Rajvanshy transitions from his current role, with a global search for a new managing director underway.As part of this transition, Angad Banga, the chief operating officer of FLEET’s parent company, The Caravel Group, will co-lead FLEET with Rajvanshy – where Rajvanshy will continue to manage the technical…

The international maritime industry, led by the International Chamber of Shipping, has joined together to express their concern for the seafarers from the Galaxy Leader who have been held hostage and call on the Houthis to release them.Monday February 19, 2024 marks the three-month anniversary since the Houthis seized the Galaxy Leader and its 25 seafarers in the Red Sea.The roll-on/roll-off vehicle carrier was seized on November 19.“The 25 seafarers who make up the crew of the Galaxy Leader are innocent victims of the ongoing aggression against world shipping…

BIMCO’s Director of Contracts & Support, Stinne Taiger Ivø, has been appointed Deputy Secretary General at BIMCO from January 1, 2024.Ivø joined BIMCO in early 2022 to lead the Contracts & Support department. Prior to working at BIMCO, Ivø headed the claims department of marine insurer Skuld (Copenhagen), worked at Danish Shipping (formerly known as the Danish Shipowners’ Association) and as a lawyer at Gorrissen Federspiel’s department for Shipping/Offshore/Transportation. She holds a PhD in international company law and a Master of Laws…

Angad Banga of the Caravel Group was elected as new Chairman of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association (HKSOA). He succeeded Wellington Koo, of Valles Steamship Co., Ltd, who stepped down after completing his two-year term as Chairman of the HKSOA.Banga has also taken over the Chairmanship of Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA) at the same time. Banga’s tenure as Chairman of ASA will come to an end on the day of ASA’s next AGM to be held in Hong Kong on 28 May 2024.

Angad Banga of The Caravel Group was elected Chairman of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association at the organization’s annual meeting held on November 22, 2023.Banga succeeds Wellington Koo, of Valles Steamship, who stepped down after completing his two-year term as Chairman.Richard Hext of Swire Shipping was elected Deputy Chairman, succeeding Banga. Qian Weizhong of COSCO Shipping (Hong Kong) and Wang Yongxin of China Merchants Energy Shipping Company Limited were re-elected as the Vice Chairmen.Koo…

China has overtaken Greece to become the world's largest shipowning country in terms of gross tonnage, according to information released over the weekend by the Shanghai-based China Shipowners' Association.China Daily reports that data from Clarksons Research shows the fleet size of Chinese shipowners has reached 249.2 million GT, accounting for a global market share of 15.9%, about $180 billion in fleet value. This is slightly higher than the 249 million GT of Greek shipowners' fleet…

The Bahamas Maritime Cadet Corps (BMCC), which was first established by The Bahamas Ministry of Transport in 2004 to introduce high school students to employment opportunities in the maritime sector and build national capacity, said more graduates than ever this year have chosen to enter a career in shipping related industries.Many of this year’s 97 graduating students are opting to join the Royal Bahamas Defence Force or are considering further maritime education. A large number…

BIMCO, the world’s largest shipping association, has elected Nikolaus H. Schües, CEO and owner of Reederei F. Laeisz as President at the organization's general meeting in Hong Kong on Thursday.Schües takes over as the 46th President of BIMCO and the first German national holding the position since 2011. He takes over from Sabrina Chao of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings Limited, who has completed her two-year term.“I am honoured to be elected President of an organization…

The Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA) held its 32nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 16 in Shanghai with focus of much of the discussion on the safety of seafarers.The meeting was hosted by the China Shipowners’ Association (CSA) and attended by more than 230 representatives from ASA Ordinary/Associate members.The ASA said that unfair treatment of seafarers has a severe impact on seafarers' physical and mental well-being and a damaging effect on the image of the shipping industry and its ability to attract and retain qualified seafarers.

Satellite communications solutions firm Marlink has signed a strategic agreement with NORMA Cyber to strengthen the cybersecurity intelligence and resilience of its maritime customer base.The Norwegian Maritime Cyber Resilience Centre (NORMA Cyber) is a joint venture between risk insurance provider Den Norske Krigsforsikring for Skib (DNK) and the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association. NORMA Cyber provides centralized cybersecurity services to Norwegian shipowners and other entities and aims to be the leading hub for operational cyber security efforts within the national maritime sector.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) welcomed the China Shipowners’ Association (CSA) as a Full Member from January 1, 2023. The CSA will join the ICS Board, which oversees the policy positions ICS presents on behalf of shipowners’ worldwide with the shipping industry’s global regulators, including the UN International Maritime Organization and the International Labor Organization. Established in 1993, the China Shipowner’s Association (CSA) is a voluntary trade organisation whose members are owners…

The board of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), representing 80% of the world’s merchant fleet, on Wednesday appointed Emanuele Grimaldi, President and Managing Director of Grimaldi Euromed SpA, as Chairman of the Board.Grimaldi, a former president of both Confitarma and European Community Shipowners Association (ECSA), was formally voted in as chair by the ICS Board of Directors, following the announcement of his nomination last year. Alongside ICS Secretary General…

On January 14, 2022 the European Parliament’s Rapporteur, MEP Peter Liese, published his draft report on a proposal to revise the Emissions Trading System (ETS) Directive¹ which forms part of the ‘Fit for 55’ package of climate and energy reforms published on July 14, 2021. The draft report includes a number of ambitious amendments to emissions trading for the maritime sector – the Maritime ETS – which, if agreed, will put more pressure on the maritime industry to switch to cleaner fuels sooner than originally planned.

As the maritime industry searches for technologies and energy sources that can deliver on upcoming decarbonization regulations from the IMO and EU and ultimately delivering zero-emissions shipping, the development and deployment of wind propulsion technologies have been making headlines that speak to a growing momentum. Today, sees the release of the report from a group of more than 40 experts and stakeholders that came together for a workshop to identify the strategy priorities for wind propulsion development in the near future…

Sabrina Chao has been named the 45th president of international shipping association BIMCO, taking over from Şadan Kaptanoğlu, managing director of Kaptanoglu Shipping, who has completed her two-year term.Chao has been in the shipping industry since 2001 and joined the family business Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings Limited in 2002. Chao held the position as chairman of the group from 2013 until August 2019 and from 2016, she served a two-year term as chairman of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association.

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) announced Tuesday that it will postpone increasing canal transit fees following calls from the shipping industry to reconsider the rate hikes amid a spate of global supply chain disruptions.The higher rates for the canal's transit reservation system were scheduled to take effect on Thursday but will now start on June 1, allowing the maritime industry more time to prepare for the adjusted booking fees, ACP said. The proposed changes represent a minimum cost increase per transit reservation of $20…

North P&I Club has elected James Alexander Tyrrell as its new chair of the board, succeeding Pratap Shirke, in a change at the helm of the global marine insurer that also sees Ioanna Procopiou become the Club’s first female vice-chair.Tyrrell, a director of North member Arklow Shipping, takes up the role from February 4, having previously served as vice-chair of the North board. The formal announcement follows full approval by the Prudential Regulation Authority, which supervises around 1…

A group of Swedish technology entrepreneurs and academics joined forces to accelerate the research and development of an AI-based, semi-autonomous system for planning and executing more energy efficient sea voyages.Leading the effort is Lean Marine, aiming to deliver a ground-breaking R&D project to accelerate the tech development, realization, and adoption of AI-powered ship operation support technology by ship crew and management. The Via Kaizen project is funded by the Swedish Transport Administration…

As the maritime world collectively feels its way forward in a time now defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, the organizers of the SMM in Hamburg, traditionally the world's largest and most influential maritime and shipbuilding trade event, share market overview insights on the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic throughout the the shipping industry.The Covid-19 pandemic has turned the world economy on its head. “The recession this year will likely be more severe, and recovery in 2021 will be slower than we anticipated two months ago…

Measures being taken by ship operators in an effort to to ensure the safety of seafarers around the globe and the trade of vital food and supplies amid COVID-19 are proving costly as well as tricky warns a crew specialist.Henrik Jensen of Danica Crewing Services reports that they recently placed a crew of 19 of Ukrainian and Filipino nationality on to a vessel and the necessary pandemic-related procedures cost some $10,000, which the ship owner had to cover.The charges included COVID-19 PCR tests of all crew members…

Norwegian shipowners have laid out plans to make the country's fleet entirely climate neutral by 2050, surpassing the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) target to halve shipping emissions within the same timeframe.The Norwegian Shipowners' Association on Tuesday revealed its member shipping companies have adopted four goals to reduce their environmental footprint. Members will first cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 50% per transported unit by 2030, compared to 2008. From 2030, members will only order vessels with zero emission technology.

Inmarsat Maritime President Ronald Spithout says providing crews with enhanced levels of connectivity and support is critical at this unprecedented time, and offers an insight into the work already underway with welfare organizations to assist seafarers in need.Given Inmarsat’s position as the leading provider of maritime VSAT and L-Band services at sea, it is hardly surprising that we have been alert to the direct connection between coronavirus and surging demand for crew voice call and data services.