Maritime Clusters goes global marking an essential step toward maritime growth

Senior maritime executives world-wide were spotted at London International Shipping Week on Thursday 18th September 2025 at the launch event of the putative International Association of Maritime Clusters (IAMC).

Sean Moloney, Joint CEO of London International Shipping Week, had been discussing for a long time the need for an international perspective to enable the global clusters family to come together and build still further on their successful model of the, mainly, national groupings.

Senior figures in the clusters world had mentioned several times the need to add to the sector by establishing an international association that would draw attention to the existing clusters model and seek to expand the concept globally to the benefit of all.

The launch last week saw more than 70 interested “clusterers” and others gather at the London City office of Preston Turnbull, international maritime lawyers, and debate the topic: “Why collaboration is essential for maritime to grow”.

It was quickly apparent that key maritime executives present were enthusiastic about the topic and keen to debate it.

First to endorse and open the debate was Gemma Griffin, MBE, Vice-President and Head of Global Crewing at DFDS, She said: “There is a strong need for collaboration.”

Moderator Sean Moloney was eager to get the feel of the room and invited Jos Standerwick, Maritime London Chief Executive to give his view.

Mr Standerwick commented that there were a lot of organisations “doing the same stuff”. He went on to detail the sectors he had in mind.

“There is a need for clusters to promote themselves. This needs to be balanced according to the needs of members of course.”

He said he could see the need for a new organisation such as IAMC involving itself on a representative basis in regulatory matters much to the benefit of the clusters sector.

Anne Legrégeois, Deputy Head, Fleet & Seafarers at the French Government Directorate General of Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture, asked: “Is enough being done when it comes to collaboration?”

She went on: “The EU, which is of course trans-national, is a great organisation for co-operation and debate.”

To prove the point perhaps, Lee Clarke, General Manager of Isle of Man Maritime (the island’s dedicated cluster) said that: “Previously we were inward looking. There was a definite need to become more flexible.“The biggest change we made was to have seamen and crew back in as members.”He went on: “In the Isle of Man we have strong finance and digital sectors. We collaborate closely with Maritime UK and internationally IAMC would be the logical organisation to operate the international collaboration that is envisaged. It would be a great platform.”

All of this was beginning to point to the visionary folk who recognised something of an international vacuum presently existed. They could, it seemed, well be right.

Now the debate was well under way. As an interested by-stander it was easy to see and feel palpable enthusiasm for this new Association.

Next to comment was Peter Shaerf in his role as a Member of NYMAR (New York Maritime). He pointed out that NYMAR was right there in the capital of shipping - in particular when it came to insurance and legal affairs.

“We definitely want a global presence,” he averred.

Mr Standerwick drew the Meeting’s attention to the afternoon’s debate topic and pointed out that shipping was inherently competitive. “What information would or should we be sharing?”

As a start, he said, IAMC should consider involving itself with the IMO’s net zero policy.

Mr Shaerf said that in the USA green shipping was a problem.

Mr Moloney, moving the debate along, said his vision is transparent governance. To this end he would want IAMC to get the clusters’ input and put robust governance in place.

Lee Clarke agreed and said that the Isle of Man could not operate in isolation and that it was a model of a cluster organisation.

“We will evolve as shipping evolves,” he said.

Mr Shaerf repeated that there is a definite need for an international association to represent clusters world-wide. It would be very useful to have such a resource, he went on. However it is more than networking. Collaboration should be added to the mix, he said.

Mr Clarke said he could see a developmental role for IAMC and mentioned South Africa as an area that needed help with their clusters.

Drawing the lively debate to a close and inviting delegates to join him in a heartfelt toast to IAMC and the endorsement of it that the afternoon debate had engendered, Mr Moloney thanked all for attending and hoped the audience agreed with him the work must now begin.