Zhejiang Seaport Group and Columbia sign MOU on strategic cooperation
Leading integrated maritime, logistics, leisure and offshore services platform Columbia Group has confirmed its commitment to the Chinese market by entering into a strategic partnership with Zhejiang Seaport Group.
Yesterday (October 20), the two groups signed a strategic cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Mark O’Neil, CEO and President of Columbia Group, and Zhu Miao, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Director, and General Manager of Zhejiang Seaport Group and Ningbo Zhoushan Port Group, signed the agreement on behalf of both parties. Demetris Chrysostomou, CEO of Columbia Group Asia, and Ni Yanbo, Member of the Party Committee and Deputy General Manager of Zhejiang Seaport Group, as well as representatives from relevant functional departments and subsidiaries of both sides, attended the signing ceremony.
During the meeting, Mr. O’Neil (pictured speaking) extended a warm welcome to Mr Zhu and his delegation, expressing gratitude for Zhejiang Seaport’s trust and support for Columbia Group. He stated that Zhejiang Seaport possesses high-quality port resources and natural advantages in investment and trade, and that both parties should take this signing as an opportunity to deepen cooperation in ship management and international investment, jointly building a new pattern of synergistic development and mutual benefit.
Mr Zhu expressed appreciation for Columbia Group’s long-standing support for the development of the shipping industry. He noted that Columbia Group, as a world-leading maritime service provider, has profound technical expertise and an extensive resource network. He said he looked forward to using this strategic cooperation as a new starting point to continuously expand the scale and enhance the quality of collaboration, jointly exploring sustainable cooperation models.
At the end of the meeting, Mr Zhu invited Columbia Group to attend next year’s Maritime Silk Road Forum to discuss new opportunities for port and shipping development.
According to the memorandum, both sides will leverage their respective strengths and industrial advantages from a global and strategic perspective, establishing a comprehensive and multi-level partnership focused on port and shipping finance, shipping network layout, and international investment.
On the same day, witnessed by Mr. O’Neil and Mr Zhu, Zhejiang Seaport Financial Leasing Co., Ltd. and Columbia Shipmanagement Ltd. signed several substantive project agreements, covering ship management, shipyard certification, and skills enhancement.