Wei Jiafu News

Gary Vogel, chief executive officer of Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc., has been named as the Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) Commodore for the year 2022.The 2022 Commodore Award, given each year to a person in the international maritime industry who has contributed to the growth and development of the industry, will be presented on March 31, at the Gala Dinner marking the conclusion of the annual Connecticut Maritime Association conference and expo, in Stamford, Conn..Vogel has served as CEO and director of Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. (NASDAQ: EGLE) since September, 2015.

Award to be presented March 14, 2018 at the conclusion of the CMA’s Shipping 2018 Annual Conference and Exposition. Ms. Sabrina S. M. Chao, Executive Chairman of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings Ltd. has been named as the Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) Commodore for the year 2018. Ms. Chao follows a long succession of influential maritime industry leaders as Commodore. The 2018 Commodore Award will be presented on March 14, 2018 at the Gala Dinner marking the conclusion of the annual Connecticut Maritime Association conference and trade exposition, at the Hilton Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut, USA. The Award is given each year to a person in the international maritime industry who has contributed to the growth and development of the industry.

This morning CMA announced that Mr. John D. “Jack” Noonan, CEO of Chembulk Tankers, has been named as the CMA Commodore for the year 2017. Noonan joins a presigious list of previous award winners, including Ole Skaarup, Jacob Stolt-Nielsen, George Livanos, Phil Loree, Thomas Moran, Gregory Hadjieleftheriadis, Helmut Sohmen, Gerhard Kurz, William O’Neil, Richard du Moulin, Per Heidenreich, Marc Saverys, Frank Tsao, Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Peter Georgiopoulos, C. Sean Day, Torben Jensen, Morten Arntzen, John Fredriksen, Capt.

Award to be presented March 23, 2016 at the conclusion of the CMA’s Shipping 2016 Annual Conference and Exposition. Mr. Paddy Rodgers, CEO of Euronav NV has been named as the Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) Commodore for the year 2016. Rodgers follows a long succession of influential maritime industry leaders as Commodore. The 2016 Commodore Award will be presented on March 23, 2016 at the Gala Dinner marking the conclusion of the annual Connecticut Maritime Association conference and trade exposition, at the Hilton Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut, USA. The Award is given each year to a person in the international maritime industry who has contributed to the growth and development of the industry.

Capt. Panagiotis N. Capt. Panagiotis N. Tsakos, Founder of the Tsakos Group, has been named as the Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) Commodore for the year 2015. The award, given each year to a person in the international maritime industry who has contributed to the growth and development of the industry, will be presented on March 25, 2015 at the Gala Dinner marking the conclusion of the annual Connecticut Maritime Association conference and trade exposition, at the Hilton Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut. Captain Tsakos has dedicated his life to the sea, to the welfare of the people at sea, to caring for and protecting the environment and building a successful commercial shipping company.

Robert Bugbee, President of Scorpio has been named as the Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) Commodore for the year 2014. Mr. Bugbee follows a long succession of influential maritime industry leaders as Commodore. The 2014 Commodore Award will be presented to Mr. Bugbee on March 19, 2014 at the Gala Dinner marking the conclusion of the annual Connecticut Maritime Association conference and trade exposition, at the Hilton Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut, U.S. The Award is given…

The UK Club took part recently in the latest Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) exhibition and conference at Stamford, CT. The UK P&I Club say that their stand at the expo was host to many of their members and friends from the North American maritime community and beyond. Each year the award of CMA Commodore is given to an individual for their contribution to the growth and development of the shipping industry. This year’s recipient was Mr. Peter Evensen, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Teekay Corporation (Teekay) .

Award to be presented March 20, 2013 at the conclusion of the CMA's Shipping 2013 Annual Conference and Exposition. Mr. Peter Evensen, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Teekay Corporation (Teekay) has been named as the Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) Commodore for the year 2013. Mr. Evensen follows a long succession of influential maritime industry leaders as Commodore. The 2013 Commodore Award will be presented to Mr. Evensen on March 20, 2013 at the Gala Dinner marking the conclusion of the annual Connecticut Maritime Association conference and trade exposition, at the Hilton Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut, USA. The Award is given each year to a person in the international maritime industry who has contributed to the growth and development of the industry.

A Chinese sailor is planning a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe in November, attempting to make the journey in a world-record time for a 40-foot sail boat. Guo will depart from Qingdao and then head eastwards for Cape Horn in Chile. After sailing past the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, it is hoped that he will pass through the Malacca Straits and finally return to Qingdao. The 47-year-old sailor is being trained in Europe. "Guo's circumnavigation will showcase the ambition, perseverance and pioneering spirit of the Chinese people. We are happy to sponsor him as he is the pride of China," said Wei Jiafu, COSCO president.

PCA is meeting with clients, government officials, and maritime authorities from China, Japan, and South Korea to reaffirm its relationship with customers and explain the impact of the Panama Canal expansion program in Asia. China (second), Japan (fourth), and South Korea (fifth) are among the top five users of the Panama Canal. In Shanghai, the representation of the Panama Canal had contact with directors of China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL), and while in Beijing they met Captain Wei Jiafu, President of COSCO Group Company and other executives of the firm. "These direct contacts allow us to know first-hand what our customers and users of the Panama Canal think, with the goal of always providing quality service to uphold the competitiveness of the Panama route," added Alemán Zubieta.

Øivind Lorentzen, III, CEO of SEACOR Holdings Inc. has been named as the Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) Commodore for the year 2012. Mr. Lorentzen follows a long succession of influential maritime industry leaders as Commodore. The 2012 Commodore Award will be presented to Mr. Lorentzen on March 21, 2012 at the Gala Dinner marking the conclusion of the annual Connecticut Maritime Association conference and trade exposition, at the Hilton Hotel in Stamford,  Conn. The Award is given each year to a person in the international maritime industry who has contributed to the growth and development of the industry. Lorentzen has served as CEO of SEACOR Holdings Inc. since September 2010.

Angeliki Frangou, Chairman & CEO of the Navios group of companies has been named as the Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) Commodore for the year 2011. Frangou follows a long succession of influential maritime industry leaders as Commodore. The Award will be presented to Frangou on March 23, 2011 at the Gala Dinner marking the conclusion of the annual Connecticut Maritime Association conference and trade exposition. The Award is given each year to a person in the international maritime industry who has contributed to the growth and development of the industry.

BIMCO's President, Michael Everard, has been invited to chair the opening session of the China World Trade Organization (WTO) Shipping Summit, which will be held in Shanghai, China, from 18 to 19 April 2002. After making the opening remarks on the first day, Mr. Everard will introduce the panel, which includes: Mr. Administration Department, Ministry of Communications (MOC); Mr. Cooperation (MOFTEC); Captain Wei Jiafu, President of China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company (COSCO) and member of the BIMCO Executive Committee; Mr. Dirk Fry, President of the International Ship Managers As-sociation (ISMA); Mr. Todd Pigeon, Vice President of Maersk Data USA Inc.; Mr. Flemming R. Jacobs, Group President and CEO of Neptune Orient Lines Ltd. (NOL); Mr. Sooho Cho, Vice Chairman of Hanjin Shipping Co.

The Panama Canal is nearing full capacity and should seriously consider expansion to continue to be a major player in world trade, according to maritime experts and Canal customers at the Panama Maritime VII Conference, held February 20-23. Participating in the event were Panamanian President Martin Torrijos, Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Efthimios Mitropoulos, and several representatives of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), including Administrator/CEO Alberto Alemán Zubieta. For the past two years, the ACP has commissioned research and studies related to the Canal’s modernization and the future of the maritime industry, including whether to expand the waterway. At this time, a final decision on whether to expand the Canal has not been made.

Captain Wei Jiafu, President and CEO of China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO), recently endorsed the potential Panama Canal expansion, citing that a more modern, Canal will benefit the global economy and world trade. Nearly five percent of total world trade transits the Panama Canal. Of this trade, 88 percent flows between the United States and Asia. In a speech given in Panama last month, Captain Wei stated that with the rapid development of China’s economy, the Panama Canal becomes more important as a vital link for China to import and export goods to and from the East Coast of the United States, the Caribbean and the East Coast of South America. “I fully support this expansion plan. I believe that the expansion of the Canal will enable more ships to utilize the Panama Canal.

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has appointed six new members to its Advisory Board adding it diversity with members from business, transportation, academia and maritime shipping. The Advisory Board was founded in 1999 at the time of the transfer of the Canal to Panamanian administration. The members of the Advisory Board provide strategic counsel to the ACP and the Board of Directors on various important issues that relate to the management and administration of the Canal including finances, insurance, operations and permanent modernization. The new members are: Admiral William J. Flanagan, Jr., Ret., U.S. Navy, Former Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; Dr. Ernst Frankel, Professor Emeritus in Ocean Systems and Professor of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Dr.