Year: 2015

InterManager President’s New Year Message: looking back, staying the course, challenging the norms

Phil Page

As 2015 draws to a close, we pause to reflect on the past 12 months which have certainly been interesting, challenging and at times confusing in terms of the signals that the global market place has been sending out.

Topping this very dynamic landscape and seascape has been a keen interest to try and get ahead of the trends in order to position ourselves for the anticipated better days ahead. Unfortunately, such jockeying of positions appears to have only compounded what was already a challenging situation. The net result turning out to be what Alan Greenspan once described as “irrational exuberance” in terms of the behaviour of many towards the different markets that we engage in. Read more →

Mersey Maritime Awards Deadline 7th January 2016

Phil Page

The deadline for the Mersey Maritime awards is fast approaching so businesses connected to the maritime industry in the North West and Isle of Man are being encouraged to get their entries in by the 7th January 2016.

There are ten award categories and entry into more than one is permitted if the appropriate criteria are met.

All entries will be reviewed by a prestigious judging panel including John Syvret, CBE, Chief Executive Officer, Cammell Laird Group; Gary Hodgson, Chief Operating Officer, Peel Ports Group; Sir Michael Bibby, Managing Director, Bibby Line Group; and Mark Rathbone, Partner, Brabners LLP.  Read more →

Thome Group becomes first company to achieve Eco-Office status in Philippines

Elaborate Communications

THOME Group in the Philippines has become the first local company to be accredited with Eco-Office certification.

The international ship manager has successfully completed an environmental audit throughout its Singapore offices to achieve Eco-Office status, which is regarded as the strictest of its kind in the region. Read more →

Global Shipping Industry Welcomes ‘Paris Agreement’

Elaborate Communications

The global shipping industry, represented by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) throughout the United Nations Climate Change Conference, greatly welcomes the ‘Paris Agreement’, adopted unanimously on 12 December by 195 nations.

The shipping industry remains committed to ambitious CO2 emission reduction across the entire world merchant fleet, reducing CO2 per tonne-km by at least 50% before 2050 compared to 2007. Read more →

Crewtoo Seafarers Happiness Index Shows Widening Gap in Connectivity

Phil Page

Respondents to the third quarterly survey highlight insufficient investment in Internet access; those without access characterize it as the “stone age”

MIDDLETOWN, RI, and LIVERPOOL, U.K. – December 10, 2015 – Crewtoo, the online social network for seafarers and a part of KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI), has published the results of its third Crewtoo Seafarers Happiness Index report.

Designed to monitor and benchmark seafarer satisfaction levels via 10 key questions, this third quarterly report shows a seafarer satisfaction level of 6.37 on a scale of 1 to 10, which is virtually unchanged from the 6.44 overall level reported in August. However, the questions about connectivity and shore leave emerged as key issues among seafarers. Read more →

Global shipping industry will support further CO2 reduction measures at IMO, regardless of final outcome of Paris conference

Elaborate Communications

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), which has represented global ship operators throughout the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, has commented on the latest draft UNFCCC text which – although still not finalised – currently contains no explicit reference to international shipping (or aviation). Read more →

Mersey Maritime Awards to Include Whole of the North West and Isle of Man

Phil Page

In response to popular demand, Mersey Maritime has expanded the eligibility of its annual awards to include maritime companies and related organisations right across the Maritime, Logistics and Energy spectrum in the whole of the North West and the Isle of Man.

Chris Shirling-Rooke, CEO of Mersey Maritime, said: “Last year’s inaugural event was so popular that we have been inundated with businesses wanting to get involved. Taking the time to enter one or more of our 10 award categories certainly pays off, as two non-finalists last year won lucrative contracts on the strength of their entries. ” Read more →

Schulte Group Shares Expertise with Senior Banking & Leasing Professionals in Shanghai

Debra Massey

More than 130 senior decision makers from the Chinese banking and leasing sectors used the first ever Schulte Group Shipping Day in Shanghai to learn about the shipping industry, the services of the Schulte Group and to hear of new solutions for distressed assets in the portfolios of financial institutions and shipyards.

The event, which was held as part of the recent Marintec Conference in Shanghai, included special guests Ms. Liu Ya from the Export-Import Bank of China and Mr. Li Zhizhan from the China Export & Credit Insurance Corporation. Participants in the panel discussion comprised Mr. Wu Hongliang (The Export-Import Bank of China); Mr. Fan Enhui (Bank of China); Mr. Yang Changkun (ICBC Financial Leasing Co., Ltd.); and Mr. Fang Xiuzhi (Bank of Communications Financial Leasing Co., Ltd.). Read more →

Joe Pitcher Joins Maritime Training Leader Videotel as Sales Director

Phil Page

The new director has extensive experience working with shipowners and shipmanagers and will oversee Videotel’s business development

LONDON, U.K. – 4 December 2015 – VideotelTM, the leading international provider of e-Learning maritime training programs and a company of KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI), has appointed Joe Pitcher as its sales director to lead business development efforts and liaise with Videotel’s global network of agents and sales offices. “Joe brings with him a wealth of maritime sales experience and I am confident he will develop our already impressive client list and achieve further growth for Videotel,” says Nigel Cleave, CEO of Videotel. “Our team looks forward to working with him to promote our comprehensive range of training solutions.” Read more →

Shipping industry supports global climate change deal and is committed to ambitious CO2 reduction led by IMO

Elaborate Communications

The global shipping industry, represented at the United Nations Conference in Paris by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), fully supports a global deal on climate change.

The shipping industry is committed to ambitious CO2 emissions reduction across the entire world merchant fleet. This will best be guaranteed if further regulation continues to be led by the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO). Read more →

Entry into Force of IMO Ballast Convention Will Not Resolve US Difficulties says ICS

Phil Page

ICS notes that the IMO Secretary General has announced that the Ballast Water Management Convention will enter into force worldwide from 24 November 2016, following ratification by Indonesia (subject to IMO’s verification of the gross tonnage data relating to Indonesia’s registered fleet).

ICS believes it is now incumbent upon IMO to finalise the revision of the G8 Type Approval Guidelines as soon as possible, in order to ensure that shipowners can have absolute confidence that the expensive equipment they will soon have to install will be effective in treating ballast water conditions normally encountered during worldwide operations and be regarded as fully compliant during Port State Control inspections.   Read more →

Shipping’s CO2 Reduction Goals Exceed Government Commitments In Advance Of UN Climate Conference

Elaborate Communications

The United Nations (UNFCCC) has published a Synthesis Report analysing the impact of the pledges made by 146 nations to reduce CO2 emissions in advance of next week’s Climate Change Conference in Paris.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) says the mandatory CO2 reduction measures already adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), combined with the aggressive fuel efficiency measures being taken by merchant ships worldwide, will proportionately deliver far more ambitious CO2 reductions than the pledges so far made by governments. Read more →

KVH Upgrades IP-MobileCast Service to Enhance Viewing Experience

Phil Page

With IP-MobileCast subscribers viewing news and entertainment content in record numbers, KVH further expands the potential audience

MIDDLETOWN, RI – November 19, 2015 – KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI), has updated its unique IP-MobileCastTM content delivery service for additional viewing flexibility and expanded content offerings. The new features are being rolled out in stages, with the first round of upgrades automatically delivered via over-the-air software updates for current subscribers. Read more →

Videotel’s Maritime Training Programs Now Deployed on More Than 12,000 Vessels Worldwide

Phil Page

The e-Learning maritime training pacesetter reaches several new milestones as vessel operators continue to invest in crew training despite a tough economic climate

MIDDLETOWN, RI, and LONDON, UK – November 11, 2015 – Videotel, the leading international provider of e-Learning maritime training and software solutions and a company of KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI), announced today that its training solutions are now in use on more than 12,000 vessels worldwide, with more than 300 new vessels having joined in the third quarter of 2015 alone. A further milestone reached by the award-winning training-program producer is that Videotel has recorded more than 10 million training events in recent years. Read more →

Maritime Authority of Jamaica’s Director General elected Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors, World Maritime University

Elaborate Communications

Maritime Authority of Jamaica’s (MAJ) Director General Rear Admiral Peter Brady has been elected as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmo, Sweden.  The appointment has been welcomed by Jamaica’s maritime community as recognition for the MAJ’s focus on training and the Admiral’s crucial role within the international shipping sector. Read more →

We are recruiting

Elaborate Communications

first class circle low resPR supremos sought for first-class international maritime communications specialist.

Due to our continued growth, Elaborate Communications has vacancies for PR Account Managers and a Head of PR.

For more information or to discuss how we could help you exceed your career goals contact: Sean Moloney, Director – smoloney@elabor8.co.uk or tel: 01296 682051

Braemar SA Publishes Its Third Edition of “A Guide to Hull and Machinery”

Elaborate Communications

 

Braemar (Incorporating The Salvage Association), (“Braemar SA”), the international multi-disciplinary marine surveyors and consultants, has published the third edition of its well-regarded Guide to Hull & Machinery. The publication is primarily designed to help those with a non-technical background and who are possibly unfamiliar with some or all of the nautical and engineering technical terms used in marine survey reports.

Read more →

New Addition to the GMS ‘Family’

Phil Page

Fast growing cash buyer strengthens its resources

GMS is proud to announce that Ms. Jasvinder Virdi has joined the company to further develop its growth within the industry.

Jasvinder comes with a wealth of determination and enthusiasm, as well as experience of working within the shipping industry, having spent the last 10 years at the St. Kitts & Nevis International Ship Registry as a Ship Registration Executive where she was instrumental in building strong client relations. Read more →

2015 Tripartite Meeting Discussions

Elaborate Communications

The annual Tripartite meeting between shipowners, shipbuilders and classification societies was held in Seoul, Republic of Korea on 16 and 17 October 2015. The meeting was attended by 100 high level representatives of the industry, including chairmen and executives of the Round Table Associations (BIMCO, ICS, Intercargo and INTERTANKO) and OCIMF, IACS with its Class Society Members and CESS with the Shipbuilder Associations. Read more →