Five top shipmanagers come together at LISW25 to discuss ‘Navigating Winds of Change’
Leaders of five of the top shipmanagement companies came together at the International Shipowning and Shipmanagement Summit (ISSS) organised by SMI as part of this week’s London International Shipping Week (LISW25).
A packed event audience at the Inmarsat HQ heard a series of keynotes from leaders of Anglo-Eastern, BSM, Columbia, V.Ships and Wallem, on how ship mangers should be ‘Navigating the Winds of Change’, title of the half-day conference.
Bjorn Hojgaard, CEO of Anglo-Eastern. set the tone by sharing his experience as a seagoing ship’s master that “you don’t fight against the wind, you work with it”.
In adapting to the new reality of near-constant change, the role and expectations of seafarers should not be overlooked, he added, declaring: “Shipping is driven by people” with Anglo-Eastern striving to provide ‘career pathways’ rather than mere jobs.
Mark O’Neil, President & CEO of Columbia Group, expounded his vision of “partnership” being the true role of ship managers, rather than any subordinate “third-party” activity. In Columbia’s case, this ‘partnership’ extended not only to shipowner clients but all other companies it worked with in the supply chain, as well as to all its shore- and sea-based employees, with the Group having recently set up a special Maritime HR Department to take care of the latter.
Luis Benito, CCO of Wallem, highlighted the industry’s long history of successful adaption to change – which in Hong Kong-based Wallem’s case has included embracing the recent phenomenal growth of China. ‘Human sustainability’ is also a key priority of the group, he informed, with its core strategy of “investing in people”.
Sebastian Hardenberg, President of InterManager and CEO of Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), spoke of the many challenges facing the industry, not least the regulatory requirements of decarbonisation. With his InterManager hat on he urged companies to provide the association with timely information of their concerns, in order for these to be addressed in the relevant fora. At the same time, he stressed the need for the industry to attract bright talent from the next generation, not least with “competitive and attractive remuneration packages” for seafarers and the need for companies “to be there for them” in the event of any unfavourable turn of events such as potential criminalisation.
Renė Kofod-Olsen, CEO of V.Group, concluded the opening keynotes by observing that “the only constant in shipping is change”. In current times of multiple disruptions, shipping must be “resilient” and embrace change, he said, pointing out the advantages to shipowners more than ever of using ‘professional integrated platforms’ that take advantage of economies of scale.
Ship managers must show to potential clients that “we create value” - which in clients’ boardrooms is measured in terms of commercial upside - he concluded, but also that “we protect our people, and that means we [shall] attract the people.”