Senior leaders from International Registries, Inc. and its affiliates (IRI) visited with the Korean maritime community this week, underscoring their continued commitment to the local maritime market. IRI President, Bill Gallagher and Chief Commercial Officer, Theo Xenakoudis joined Annie Ng, Head of Asia in Seoul this week to meet with Korean ship owners, operators, and moreover shipyards in Busan. IRI, which provides administrative and technical support to the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Maritime Registry, established the first local representation of a foreign flag State in Korea more than 15 years ago. Today, the Registry supports the Korean maritime community from full-service flag State offices in Seoul and Busan. “We have strong relationships with Korea’s maritime community thanks to our long-term commitment to providing local support and representation,” said Mr. Gallagher. “Captain Young Kim has been a key figure in our success. He has built a highly experienced, capable, and client focused team, which has strengthened our position in the market. This success allowed us to expand representation to Busan and bring on additional technical resources.” IRI’s commitment to serving the market through local representation resulted in the registration of 500 Korean owned vessels over the last 15 years. "Our team in Korea offers a deep understanding of the Korean market coupled with insight into the global market trends,” noted Captain Young Kim, Representative in IRI’s Seoul office. “IRI has invested in building strong, expert teams around the world to help our clients with the transition to a sustainable future, and Korea is no exception. In fact, we have developed a combination of strong commercial and technical expertise in this market with our two offices,” he continued.
Additional in-country technical and inspection capabilities were added in 2017 with the opening of a Busan office, under the leadership of Tom Blenk. Today, the Seoul and Busan offices not only support vessel registration and technical support but are also involved in inspections and regional joint development projects (JDPs) related to decarbonization. “These projects allow us to learn from the ground up as solutions are being evaluated, tested, and developed,” noted Annie Ng. “We can then offer assistance and knowledgeable guidance to owners/operators as they look for the right solutions,” she continued. “Flag States need to work closely with their owners/operators to meet the 2050 greenhouse gas targets set by International Maritime Organization (IMO),” noted Mr. Xenakoudis. “With a permanent representative and active delegation at the IMO, the RMI Registry gives owners and operators a voice at committee, sub-committee, and working group meetings where regulatory standards are developed, evaluated, and decided.” IRI’s focus on client services, and local representation and knowledge of the Korean market, has led to substantial growth in the market, with RMI taking a leading role in building relationships and partnerships with local stakeholders, authorities, and clients. “We will continue to expand and grow to support our owners and operators here in Korea,” said Mr. Gallagher. “For our Korean owners, we pride ourselves in being able to provide support in local time and in the local language, while also providing a global view,” he concluded.

Image:  from left to right: Theo Xenakoudis, Chief Commercial Officer, Managing Director – IRI Piraeus Office, Annie Ng - Head of Asia, Managing Director – IRI Vancouver Office, William R. Gallagher - President IRI, Captain Young Kim - Representative, Seoul

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Aiming to serve the expanding and increasingly complex risk management needs of the organizations a new Strategic Business Cooperation launched in Greece between Oneglobal Insurance Broking Limited and PENCO S.A.
The official announcement of the joint venture to the Greek market took place at the Intercontinental Hotel.
This Strategic  Business  Cooperation  has  been  established  to  serve  the  needs  of  the wholesale/facultative  (re)insurance  sector and  the  large  corporates  commercial/industrial insurance sector in Greece, delivering competitive, flexible, dynamic, innovative, and clientcentric focused (re)insurance solutions to  Greece-based  insurance  institutions  and  large corporates.
Manos Sofronis, CEO of Greece & Cyprus Oneglobal Broking commented: “With Greece demonstrating significant progress and potential in recent years, during a period of major challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the geopolitical, macro-economic and logistical challenges currently facing much of the world, this is a unique opportunity and a progressive move at a time when Greece is rapidly becoming a significant regional energy player. It is an opportune moment to present the respective global and local strengths of Oneglobal and PENCO to the Greek market, to serve the expanding and increasingly-complex risk management needs of the organisations committed to realising this potential in Greece for decades to come”.
The event was addressed by Deputy Minister Yiannis Kefalogiannis, the CEO of StealthGas Inc Harry Vafias, the principal of Tsavliris Salvage and non-Executive Chairman of Oneglobal George Tsavliris, CEO of Oneglobal Broking Mike Reynolds, President of Penco Konstantinos Krokidas and CEO of Penco Stelios Krokidas.
The event was presented by Christos Papalexis, Managing Director, Oneglobal & PENCO Strategic Business Cooperation.

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As the international cruise industry prepares for the highly anticipated Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) predicts that the sector will attract up to 33 million passengers in 2023, significantly exceeding the 29.7 million recorded in 2019, the last year before the pandemic.
According to recently released CLIA data, Greece, which is at the forefront of European cruising, is poised to enjoy an increase in economic impact from the industry, with Piraeus, the country’s leading seaport, forecasted to exceed one million passengers in 2023. In 2021, Greece achieved an unprecedented economic impact of €1.1 billion from cruise activities, compared to €957 million in 2019.
The sector supported 315,000 jobs in Europe, with 15,100 of those jobs based in Greece. Greece led the world with a swift and safe resumption of cruising during the pandemic and saw a significant increase in homeporting, leading to cruise lines purchasing goods and services from port suppliers. Also, passengers spent longer periods in port cities and overnight stays in local hotels, contributing to the increase of the economic impact due to longer stays of ships in port to carry out technical work.
Theodore Vokos, Managing Director of Posidonia Exhibitions SA, said that the Forum taking place outside Athens is an exciting development that will potentially further enhance cruising in Greece: “The Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum provides a unique opportunity for industry leaders to come together in Greece’s second biggest city and discover the potential of new destinations. With new cruise terminals set to be built in Souda-Chania after 2024, the planned expansion of the Piraeus cruise terminal, and Thessaloniki’s growing potential as an additional cruise hub, the industry's growth is set to continue in Greece for the years to come”.
The value of cruise tourism cannot be overstated, with every 24 cruise guests equating to one full-time job and each guest spending on average €660 in port cities during a typical seven-day cruise. Furthermore, 60% of people that have taken a cruise have since returned to a destination they first visited on a cruise ship, hence each cruise is basically a self-funded fam trip. The CLIA Global Market Report 2020 shows that 85% of millennials plan to cruise again, followed by Gen-X (82%), Gen-Z (79%), Baby Boomers (77%), and Traditionalists (73%).
The Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum will be held in Thessaloniki, Greece, on 25-26 April 2023 and will focus on “The Return to Growth: Challenges ahead for Cruise Lines and Destinations”. It promises to be a hub for discussions about the future of the cruise industry and its continued positive impact on the economy.
The PSTF 2023 will also be the platform for the first presentation of a socio-economic impact study produced by Thessaloniki Port Authority and Thessaloniki Tourism Organisation, that will contribute to a better understanding of the benefits of cruising for the local community.  
The benefits the cruise industry generates for both destinations and ports are frequently quoted, but the actual economic impact is rarely measured and seldomly reported. Participants at the PSTF 2023 will have a unique opportunity to learn all they need to know about actual passengers' and crew spending levels, their preferred spending patterns, the levels of satisfaction from their visit, as well as the potential of their return to the city.
The presentation will showcase the socio-economic contribution of cruise in the port and city of Thessaloniki and preliminary data already provides useful insight into the spending patterns of cruise passengers and crew members in Thessaloniki. Hence cruise passengers direct their spending towards shopping (44%), restaurants & cafeterias (40%), sightseeing (12%) and food stores (3%). Crew members on the other hand direct their spending towards shopping (55%), restaurants & cafeterias (16%), transportation (14%) and food stores (10%).
Theodora Riga, Chief Commercial Officer & Director of Strategic Communications, ThPA SA - Port of Thessaloniki, commented: “We are financing this study together with the Thessaloniki Tourism Organisation to better understand how the cruise industry benefits our city and how we can further enhance both passenger experience during their stay and the benefits for the local, regional and national economy. Once we better understand passenger expectations as a destination, we will be better able to provide cruise passengers a unique experience. This will serve as our stepping stone to attract more cruise lines to Thessaloniki in the coming years.”
The 2023 PSTF is sponsored by Diamond Sponsor Thessaloniki Port Authority SA, Gold Sponsor Region of Central Macedonia, Silver Sponsor Piraeus Port Authority SA, Bronze Sponsors Celestyal Cruises, Global Ports Holding, Greek National Tourism Organisation, Heraklion Port Authority SA, Kyvernitis Travel and Thessaloniki Tourism Organisation. The official airline is SKY express. PSTF 2023 is supported by AVIS, Global Air Compass and Agora Modiano. The Forum is organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs &  Insular Policy and the Ministry of Tourism and supported by the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports (MedCruise) and the Union of Cruise Ship Owners & Associated Members.

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Golf and maritime came to the forefront for the first pro-am golf tournament ever held in Greece for the maritime community, at Glyfada Golf Course.
Glyfada Maritime Pro-Am gathered more than 80 leading executives, from 7 countries such as: United States of America, China, Japan, United Kingdom, France, Italy and Greece on Saturday April 1, 2023. The event was held under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Tourism.
Consisting of four members each, 21 teams took part in the tournament. Each team consisted of one professional golfer and three amateur athletes from the maritime industry. The participants had the opportunity to compete on a historic 18-hole, par 72 golf course, such as that of the Municipality of Glyfada. In a green space, set in a landscape of low hills, with large trees and low Mediterranean vegetation. The Glyfada Golf Course “K. Karamanlis” matches all international standards being a spot for sport, recreation and culture, with an excellent view. Glyfada Maritime Pro-Am contributed to the development of golf’s relations with the maritime industry, the promotion of sports tourism in the Municipality of Glyfada and the wider region, and to the creation of cultural awareness and values in golf.
The first maritime pro-am tournament offered competitive action and countless thrills. Participants of Glyfada Maritime Pro-Am competed, at a team level, in a scramble, claiming prizes for the top three positions in the overall standings. Moreover, non-golfers had the opportunity to attend a Golf Clinic.
The event concluded with the awards ceremony which was held at the outdoor area of the highly aesthetic, all-day Colonial restaurant at Golf Prive in Glyfada, of the Papatheoharis Group of Companies, with an endless beautiful view of the golf course.
In the context of the event, the recognized Greek PGA golfer and organizer of the Glyfada Maritime Pro-Am, Mr. Thanos Karantzias, stated: “We organized the first golf tournament for the maritime community that combines the partici pation of professional golfers with amateur athletes, of the maritime industry with great success. I would like to sincerely thank all the sponsors, supporters, the Glyfada Golf Course and all the partners who stood by us in order to achieve this unique result. Their response was unprecedented and the excellent cooperation we had with the people of the golf course helped us to showcase the sports tourism of the Municipality of Glyfada in the best possible way, organizing a tournament of high standards. Congratulations to all the winners. We will mark our calendars for the Greek Maritime Golf Event, on September 7-10, 2023, at Costa Navarino”.
In the overall team standings, the team of Sofronis, Fragistas, Patiniotis, Roussos won the 1 st place. The first-place team was awarded by Mr. Alex Syomin Director of Mainline Shipping Company. Second place went to the team of Samakovlis V., Hatzis, Coustas, Kasimis that was awarded by Mr. Theo Xenakoudis Chief Commercial Officer / Managing Director, Piraeus-Greece of IRI/The Marshall Islands Registry, Mr. Nikos Markakis General Manager of Jotun Hellas Ltd, Jotun Performance Coatings, Mr. Ioannis Chiotopoulos Senior Vice President & Regional Manager of DNV South East Europe, Middle East & Africa and Ms. Vassia Avdela, Member of the Board of Directors of Marine Tours, while the team of Karantzias P., Kanellakis, Chiotopoulos, Dalakouras took the third place and was awarded by Mr. Harry Theoharis Parliamentary Spokesperson & MP of New Democracy North Sector.
In the other categories, two more awards were given. Mr. Marinos Giannopoulos won the “Closest to the Pin” award which was presented by Mr. Thanos Kyriazis, Managing Director of Miele Hellas and Mr. Panos Pantazopoulos received the “Longest Drive” award by Ms. Kelly Kochila Founder of Auguste. The first three teams received prizes and Messinian Spa gifts while the first team received additional gifts from Beluga Translatlantic premium vodka. In the special category “Closest to the Pin” the winner received a gift from Miele Hellas.
Leading companies “embraced” the event Glyfada Maritime Pro-Am was attended by some of the most significant maritime companies from Greece, as well as more top Greek companies that supported the event.
Mainline Shipping Company was the event’s Gold Sponsor.
IRI/The Marshall Islands Registry, Jotun Hellas, DNV and Marine Tours were the
Silver Sponsors.
Miele was the Official Sponsor.
MOTODYNAMICS was the Official Mobility Partner.
Minoa Water was the event’s Official Water.
Tototheo Maritime, Auguste, Beluga Transatlantic, Massokostas Bros importer of
Warsteiner, Kokotos Estate, Ipirotissa, Automotive Solutions, Messinian Spa, Miran and mySUSHI Partners were the event’s Partners.
Boo Productions was the Audio Visual Partner.
As part of the event, Miele Hellas hosted an Exclusive Brunch for the invited journalists, highlighting the company’s desire to expand its operations in the field of Marine Appliances as well as the innovative products and services available for it. Miele, as a global leader in home appliances of high innovation and quality, offers unique experiences, inspired by the company’s DNA, “Life Beyond Ordinary”. The company’s premium products offered the guests of the Glyfada Maritime Pro-Am the Life in Miele experience, highlighting the quality and innovation that are at the heart of every creation from Miele.
During the event, participants had the opportunity to admire the impressive and all-electric Porsche Taycan 4S. MOTODYNAMICS, the official, exclusive distributor of PORSCHE AG and SIXT in Greece, has always been in constant motion as the event’s Official Mobility Partner. Flexible, restless and adaptive.
All participants, were hydrated with Minoa bottled water, offered in paper recyclable packaging, proving the event’s environmental awareness, enjoyed the perfect coffee from the innovative Miele coffee machines, the world-famous German pilsner beer Warsteiner from the importer Massokostas Bros, the unique products from Ipirotissa, cold cuts from Miran and exquisite Japanese flavors from mySUSHI. Finally, participants combined their lunch with fine varieties of wine from Kokotos Estate, served from the wine conservator of Miele, as well as Beluga Transatlantic premium vodka. The tournament was organized by Birdie Events and ActiveMedia Group. The event was exclusively addressed to distinguished executives of the Greek maritime community.
Hashtag: #greekmaritimegolfevent
Photo credits: Glyfada Maritime Pro-Am (by Dimitris Andritsos Photography)

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The Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce honored Dr. Nikolas P. Tsakos, as “Person of the Year”.  Dr. Nikolas P. Tsakos CEO of NYSE listed TEN Navigation is a unique businessman, industry statesman, philanthropist and innovative personality. Nicos Bornozis from Capital Link and Christopher Wiernicki, CEO of the American Bureau of Shipping provided the introductory remarks. The gala was held at the beautiful Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center and was attended by top personalities from the shipping, finance and investment communities, including Paolo d’Amico, CEO of d’Amico International Shipping and Chairman of INTERTANKO and John Hadjipateras, CEO of Dorian LPG.
We salute and honor Nikos Tsakos, not only for his extensive business achievements, but also for his contribution to the global shipping industry, to Greece and to society. And for his high ethics and morality, along with his humility, a sign of true greatness.
His thesis at the City University Business School in 1988, on shipping and the public equity markets, was not only innovative but also pioneering at the time. Nikos transformed the thesis to reality, founding and floating TEN on the Oslo Stock Exchange in 1993 and then moving it to the New York Stock Exchange in 2002. Under his leadership, TEN grew from an initial fleet of four older tankers worth $130 million to a fleet, today, of more than 70 tankers worth over 4 billion. Being the oldest Greek company of any kind listed on NYSE, since 2002 TEN achieved profits of $2.3 billion in total and paid dividends annually without interruption of more than $500 million. As Chairman of HELMEPA (2002-2006), Chairman of INTERTANKO (2014-2018) and Vice Chairman of the Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee (since 2022), and member of numerous organizations, he has made a significant contribution to the global shipping industry. Among the many charitable and cultural causes he supports, the Maria Tsakos Foundation, of which he is a co-founder, supports the well-being & education of young talented men and women focusing on maritime studies and tradition.
The gala was held at the beautiful Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center and was attended by top personalities from the shipping, finance and investment communities, including Paolo d’Amico, CEO of d’Amico International Shipping and Chairman of INTERTANKO and John Hadjipateras, CEO of Dorian LPG. 
Dr. Nikolas P. Tsakos was honored not only for his extensive business achievements, but also for his contribution to the global shipping industry, to Greece and to society and for his high ethics and morality, along with his humility, a sign of true greatness.

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The adoption of the right e-mail and communication platform in the sector of travel management services is very important for providing efficient solutions to the clients.
Mr. Dimitris Matthaios, Managing Director of Aspida Travel commented the win-win agreement.
“We are very excited to join forces with an evolving organization such as WinguSuite. We strongly believe that with their tools we will be able to minimize response times and provide efficient solutions to our clients especially in the marine sector.
Our goal is to always adopt new technologies and solutions in our daily routines. In our quest to upgrading our services for our customers and investing on operational & automation performance, we have chosen WinguSuite as our new email cloud platform”.
Mr. Michalis Sariklis, Marketing Director of WinguSuite in his statement focuses on the advantages that derived from the new e-mail platform.
He said: “Considering the demanding operations and agile remote working of the industry, the email platform is undeniably one of the business-critical operational technologies (OT). Thus, the adoption of the right solution could reflect directly to improvements on efficiency, accuracy and speed, ensuring the non-negotiable reliability and security standards.
We are confident that WinguSuite's differentiation factors will unleash the operational performance of your organization, through a new approach to fast business automation and secure content information management”.
WinguSuite is a leading cloud-technology, departmental email & communication platform, designed and developed for the shipping industry. WinguSuite is based on an innovative architecture, matured over the last decade integrating users’ feedback, embedding tailor-made functionalities to support reliably industry specific requirements.

Image: Michalis Sariklis, Marketing Director of WinguSuite & Dimitris Matthaios, Managing Director of Aspida Travel

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A tanker with Wind-Assisted Ready and HVSC-Ready ABS notations, one of six LNG fuel ready sister ships with eco-friendly design delivered to Capital in 2023.

Capital Ship Management Corp. took successful delivery of the newbuilding vessel M/T ‘Avax’, a 50,000 dwt, eco-type Chemical/Product MR tanker, built by Hyundai Vietnam Shipyard Co Ltd, Vietnam. It is assigned with Wind-Assisted Ready and HVSC-Ready notations by ABS, while it is the third of six LNG Fuel Ready sister ships with eco-friendly design delivered to Capital in 2023.
The HVSC-Ready notation is for vessels equipped with High Voltage Shore Connection systems to be installed in the future, and the Wind-Assist Ready notation refers to vessels equipped with wind-assist equipment to be installed on board. M/T ‘Avax’ has future proof design compliant with EEDI Phase 3 and is annotated with ABS SUSTAIN-1 (2020) that demonstrates adherence to the United Nations' (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Being Tier III compliant for reduced NOx emissions, assigned ABS ENVIRO notation, as well as ABS Wind-Assisted Ready, HVSC-Ready and LNG Fuel Ready notations, and equipped with IHM notation for safe recycling, M/T ‘Avax’ becomes one of the most environmentally friendly, technologically advanced and efficient vessels in the global MR fleet.
Capital Ship Management Corp. is currently operating a fleet of 31 tankers (12 VLCCs, 10 Aframaxes, 8 MR/Handy product tankers and 1 small tanker) with a total dwt of 5.27 million tons approx. Capital has extensive experience in managing various vessel types and sizes including all tanker segments (VLCC, Suezmax, Aframax/LR2, Panamax/LR1, MR/Handy and small tankers), dry bulk segments (Cape, Panamax, Handymax and Handy), as well as OBOs and containers.

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Enesel S.A. which operates a modern fleet of 16 tankers has begun to implement the rollout of Starlink’s new connectivity service with a trial on MT Kanaris 21.
Mr. Andreas Panagiotaras, IT Manager for Enesel S.A. said ‘We are always interested in exploring ways to keep our modern fleet at the forefront of technological innovations, and so trying Starlink is a natural step for us. We chose Navarino to implement this project with us as we know that they are the leading technology partner in the market and we have enjoyed an excellent partnership with them for many years.
As connectivity becomes ever more critical, adding this new, high speed, low latency solution in combination with our existing setup of Inmarsat Fleet Xpress and Infinity will ensure that our vessels will be able to benefit from a fully redundant, high speed bandwidth setup and we look forward to seeing what Starlink can do to further enhance both our business and crew welfare applications.’
Mr Ioannis Brougianakis, VP Sales Middle East , added ‘I am delighted that Enesel S.A. chose us to deliver Starlink to their fleet and I am really excited to see how the never before seen speeds of this new satellite constellation will offer new ways of connecting to vessels and the applications that it will enable. Enesel S.A. operates a very advanced IT environment on their vessels and I believe that Starlink will help bring their fleet to a new level.’

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The first closed roundtable discussion held by NAVIGATOR SHIPPING CONSULTANTS in the framework of the 22nd NAVIGATOR 2023 - THE SHIPPING DECISION MAKERS FORUM, was successfully completed on Tuesday 21st of March 2023, at Grand Hyatt Athens, under the theme #BeTheChange. A total of two hundred (200) distinguished executives from across the entire spectrum of the shipping arena took part in the closed roundtable event, where they met and discussed key issues that concern and affect both the industry and our society.
Mrs. Danae Bezantakou, CEO of Navigator Shipping Consultants, welcomed the participants stressing that “The dialogue and exchange of viewpoints and practices have always been the driving force that has contributed to the transfer of knowledge in maritime tradition, which keeps Greek shipping at the top. On our part, we will make our utmost contribution to the continuation and promotion of this dialogue, as we have been doing so for 22 consecutive years”.
The event was opened by the Secretary General of Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Mr. Manolis Koutoulakis and the Vice President of the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, Mr. George Alexandratos.
Honorary guests of the event were the Embassies of the United States, France, and Norway. Specifically, Ms. Yuri Arthur, Commercial Counselor - U.S. EMBASSY IN ATHENS, Mr. François de Ricolfis - Head of the Economic Dpt. - EMBASSY OF FRANCE, and Mr. Christian Grotnes Halvorsen, Deputy Head of Mission - ROYAL EMBASSY OF NORWAY, referred to the maritime agenda of their countries and their relations with Greece and Greek Shipping respectively.
The first part of the event was concluded with presentations by Mr. Cyrille Bret, Representative Committee Maritime CCI FRANCE GRECE & General Manager in Greece at Naval Group, Mr. George Vangis, Territory Manager - AMAZON WEB SERVICE, and finally, Mr. Kal Petrov, Director New Market Development – DRONAMICS.
Afterwards, discussions were held between the executives of the ship owning companies and shipping services executives on the topics of:

1) DECARBONISATION,
2) MARITIME LOGISTICS, SUPPLY, PURCHASING & FORWARDING,
3) SMART SHIPPING,
4) INTERSECTION OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE, TECHNOLOGY & TRAINING,
5) HUMAN ELEMENT,
6) ESG, and
7) KNOW YOUR CLIENT.

The roundtable on “INTERSECTION OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE, TECHNOLOGY & TRAINING” discussed how the evolution of technology affects the shipping workforce, both on board and in the office. New digital as well as “green” technologies pose new challenges in the training of crew and office staff and create the need to attract personnel based on demanding soft and hard skills. Effective communication, collaboration, and leadership skills are essential in ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of the supply chain. Therefore, investing in the development and training of the human workforce is essential to achieving supply chain success in the long run.
In the discussions regarding Decarbonization in Shipping, there was clear agreement that challenges remain regarding (a) the legislative/regulatory framework, (b) the types of possible alternative fuels and (c) the technologies (both existing and those under development). The common feeling of the participants was that the shipping market itself, with its constant ferment and multidimensional dynamics, will determine developments, always with a view to further enhancing shipping’s contribution to the common goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
With regards to the Human Element theme, the need to create a safety culture and its implementation, which starts from the top management levels and spreads downwards, was discussed. Prerequisites include specialized training, a focus on empowering people on personal development issues, such as empathy and self-esteem, and the value of having a crew with the ability to self-report.
The discussion on Smart Shipping revealed two main points as key challenges for the digitalization of the industry. The first point is for shipowners to understand the return on their investment, which is not always straightforward, so in many cases, they minimize risk to avoid costs. The second point is the need to establish trust in the technology and provide continuous feedback to their service providers in order to find even more effective and targeted solutions.
The ability to report on sustainability metrics in a fast, accurate and consistent manner is going to be a major differentiator soon, it was mentioned in the ESG discussion, and shipping companies need to be able to respond to this to remain competitive. Reporting, although the responsibility of the finance departments, is a formal process but it involves and concerns all departments of the company. Listed companies have already started doing so and private companies should start soon.
A new theme introduced at this year’s forum was the topic “Know Your Client”. This topic has become popular in relation to the increasing need for shipping companies to thoroughly vet the parties with whom they do business, in order to rid themselves of any entanglement with trading parties and sanctioned entities. The shipping industry is globalized, but the same cannot be said for the different bodies that may only form part of the overall trade concept, so it is very important to understand the different cultures and adapt accordingly. Direct access to information will help improve services and thus the relationship among different parties. Maritime Logistics, ship spares and supplies are key elements of the global maritime industry. Timely and reliable delivery of service parts and spare parts can make the difference between smooth operations and costly downtime. Logistics providers play a critical role in ensuring the availability and delivery of these items to ships, which operate in a complex and ever-changing environment. As the shipping industry continues to grow and evolve, the importance of an efficient supply chain will increase.
The results and final conclusions of these discussions will be presented at the 22^nd NAVIGATOR 2023 - THE SHIPPING DECISION MAKERS FORUM on Thursday 9th of November 2023 at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center!

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Marlink the smart network and ICT solutions company, and ABS Wavesight™, the ABS-affiliated maritime software as a service (SaaS) company, have signed an agreement to collaborate on using optimized connectivity to support efficient delivery of sustainability services and data to clients’ vessels.
The agreement connects Marlink’s blended network with the voyage optimization and vessel management services provided by ABS Wavesight. The partners will collaborate to enable their many mutual clients to enhance their use of digital tools and applications using the optimised Marlink network.
“Marlink is delighted to have put in place this agreement with ABS Wavesight, an innovative partner whose approach to the challenges faced by the maritime industry and the solutions required links so closely with our own,” said Tore Morten Olsen, President, Maritime, Marlink. “We look forward to helping our mutual clients enjoy improved access to ABS Wavesight services and investigate how to further optimize connectivity for the next generation of digital services.”
Together, the companies will work to improve connectivity and integration of software and services into client ships and systems. Vessel operators will benefit from faster and more regular data updates that can help them improve vessel performance and optimize voyage execution.
“ABS Wavesight is an industry advocate for both digitalization and decarbonization, delivering unmatched value through its suite of products and integrated solutions and providing the insights needed for vessels to operate more efficiently,” said ABS Wavesight Chief Executive Paul Sells. “As we continue to partner with companies such as Marlink, we’re expanding our reach and strengthening our ability to help clients gain visibility into their existing operations to mitigate risk and deliver operational excellence.”
Launched in late 2022 and built on ABS’ 160-year legacy of maritime innovation and safety, ABS Wavesight combines the industry-leading platforms, Nautical Systems™ and My Digital Fleet™, which are collectively installed on more than 5,000 vessels. ABS Wavesight’s purpose-built, integrated solutions ensure a cohesive user experience that reduces costs, improves safety and enhances overall efficiency.
Marlink operates the maritime industry’s most advanced ICT networks, comprising connectivity across all available channels, including VSAT, L-band, 4G/5G and, most recently, services offered by Starlink and OneWeb. These ‘new-LEO’ services will provide maritime market users with very high throughput and low latency connectivity, blended with Marlink’s guaranteed throughput VSAT offerings.
About Marlink: Marlink is the trusted partner in fully managed smart network solutions, based on an intelligent hybrid network and unrivalled digital solutions.
The company provides Smart Network Solutions, connecting people and assets around the globe and across all markets where conventional connectivity cannot reach or is not available. Marlink’s Intelligent Hybrid Network combines global satcom and terrestrial technologies via a proprietary global infrastructure.
The Marlink Smart Edge, an integrated service delivery platform, orchestrates and optimises all network elements and applications, from data handling and IT to application-based routing (SD Wan), cloud and Digital Solutions, including remote data and IT, cyber security as well as IoT/OT solutions.
This provides customers with full ‘Peace of Mind’ that their chosen network solution is fully optimized, integrated and has the security required to operate more profitably and sustainably, increasing their efficiency and safety through operational optimization, tracking, routing, monitoring and reporting.
Marlink’s Smart Network Solutions are provided as Managed Services meeting the highest quality standards and service level agreements. The company proactively monitors and supports network solutions, providing alerts, reporting and insights on the performance and usage of connectivity, systems, and applications, as well as advice and consultancy on how to further optimize client networks.
About ABS Wavesight™: ABS Wavesight™, an ABS-affiliated company, is a global leader in the maritime technology industry pushing to decarbonize operations at sea through digitalization. Through its industry-leading My Digital Fleet™ and Nautical Systems™ platforms, ABS Wavesight provides maritime clients with innovative fleet management software to improve the reliability and performance of their shipping operations. ABS Wavesight’s portfolio comprises best-in-class proprietary technology and third-party integrations that offer unparalleled insight into every aspect of a fleet’s operations.

Image: The agreement connects Marlink’s blended network with the voyage optimization and vessel management services provided by ABS Wavesight

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