Home / Shipping News / Interviews (page 7)

Interviews

Latin America, Africa and many parts of Asia are the new “ports” of growth says APM Terminals

Today’s ports are facing multiple challenges, from improving infrastructure to handle larger vessels, to “must-have” gains in productivity, the list goes on, not to mention the need to have a responsible environmental policy. APM Terminals’ CEO, Mr. Kim Fejfer discusses all of the above in an exclusive interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide. Mr. Fejfer, a member of the Maersk Group for the better part of two decades and CEO of APM Terminals since June 2004, recognizes development opportunities in many parts of Asia, Latin America and Africa, where Nigeria ...

Read More »

Cheap ship valuations don’t necessarily mean attractive says VesselsValue

With ship prices plunging by double-digits in the past few years, many ship owners are pondering their next moves in a market often described as attractive. But is this really the case, when taking into account other factors, like for instance freight rates? VesselsValue’s Adrian Economakis, Strategy Director with the company describes the current and future trends of the ship valuation market. VesselsValue’ service has been established as a leading tool among banks, ship onwers and investors in the maritime industry, seeking accurate valuations of various types of vessels. During ...

Read More »

Product tankers to offer better prospects than their crude hauling counterparts says Gibson Shipbrokers

In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, Mr. Steve Christy, Director with Gibson Shipbrokers Consultancy & Research, noted that a series of changes in oil trade patterns, coupled with market fundamentals of supply and demand, are expected to provide added boost in the clean product tanker market trade, rather than the crude tanker markets. He also mentioned that demolition activity is set to keep on rising during the 2013-2015 period, but not at a level strong enough to provide room for a full market recovery. How is oil demand ...

Read More »

LNG ship fuels are gathering momentum, in shipping industry’s effort to reduce harmful emissions

In a multi-tier market that differentiates between vessels based on their efficiency, the newly bred “Eco-Ships” will result in significantly improved employment opportunities and earnings for these energy optimised vessels, says Mr. Athanasios Reisopoulos, Vice President, Area Office Southern Europe of Germanischer Lloyd Hellas M.E.P.E. In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, Mr. Reisopoulos discussed the latest measures in effect regarding reducing emissions and better streamlining a ship owner’s operations, the prospects of LNG as a leading shipping fuel, as well as GL’s market-leading products and services, aimed at ...

Read More »

Reducing bunker costs requires a holistic approach

When it comes to the rising costs of bunkers, ship owners are often presented with a variety of solutions and choices, both in terms of technology available and in terms of use of new tools. In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, Camille Egloff-Ghicas, Partner and Managing Director in BCG (Boston Consulting Group) Athens and leading the BCG Shipping practice in Hellas, noted that bunker costs are the single largest cost item for shipping companies, representing 35-50% of total costs. BCG recently published a report where it details a ...

Read More »

Ship prices to bottom out in 2013 says George D. Gourdomichalis

Ship values especially in older tonnage, or even modern vessels with poor quality are expected to fall further during 2013, with the market as a whole predicted to bottom-out next year, creating the ground for a rebound later on. In an exclusive interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, Mr. George D. Gourdomichalis, Managing Director of G. Bros Maritime S.A. talks about the dry bulk market’s potential in 2013, which ship types appear to have the best value-for-money and debates the effectiveness of the new breed of “Eco-Carriers”. The Gourdomichalis family ...

Read More »

LPG shipping segment enjoyed healthy rebound in 2012 says StealthGas head, Harry Vafias

Fuel efficient ships, or so-called “Eco Ships” will slowly but steadily gain more and more market share, at least as long as the oil prices stay at high levels. In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, Harry Vafias, CEO of StealthGas and the Vafias Group (active in five different shipping markets), talks about the revival of the LPG shipping markets during 2012, the introduction of newer and more fuel efficient vessels in the Group’s fleet, while he also mentions that the best pirate-deterrant so far has proven to be ...

Read More »

Gulf of Guinea is the new piracy “hotspot” says maritime security expert

As piracy is an ongoing struggle between the maritime community and navy forces on one hand and pirates on the other, a new dangerous “hotspot” has been on the rise. According to maritime security company Actus International Security (www.actussecurity.com), the Gulf of Guinea is proving to be a new place for ships to take close care of and be vigilant. In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, the company’s Managing Director, Helen Mitchell, says that “piracy in the Gulf of Guinea tends to be ‘smash and grab’, where the ...

Read More »

Ships with armed guards have never been hijacked by pirates claims LSS – SAPU

Modern-day piracy is one of the most important issues the global shipping industry is having to deal with. Hijackings by pirates operating in vast sea areas, both in East and West Africa, in areas like Somalia and Nigeria, are always a danger vessels are faced with. In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, Mr. Alexandros Theodosios Kontos, Operations Manager of LSS – SAPU leading maritime security experts (http://www.lss-sapu.com/), argues that not a single vessel with armed security on board has even fallen prey to pirates, despite the attempted attacks. ...

Read More »

WatchStander provides non-leathal solution to pirate attacks

Modern day piracy is a costly issue for ship owners and many other stakeholders in the maritime industry. Although the latest report from International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has indicated that the number of attacks have been falling, it’s only as a result of hefty counter measures and increased navy patrols that this has occurred. Not to mention that the fall in Somali piracy has been partly offset by the rise in piracy incidents of the coast of West Africa. As a result, the evolution of cost-effective and more efficient measures ...

Read More »

Container shipping fleet to be increased by 18% by the end of 2013, calling for urgent cost-cutting measures by carriers

In a recent report, the Boston Consulting Group called for immediate action by container carriers, in order to avoid further losses, most of which were self-inflicted, as a result of price wars and intense competition. In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, Camille Egloff-Ghicas, Partner and Managing Director in BCG Athens and leading the BCG Shipping practice in Hellas, mentioned that only a comprehensive end-to-end approach to bunker costs can generate the results needed. This not only entails fleet optimization, technical improvements, better voyage planning, improved procurement, but also ...

Read More »

Container carriers stand to gain from automation software reducing costs and increasing profitability

Container shipping is at the forefront of the shipping industry, when it comes to technology utilisation and automation processes. Although some companies are still under utilizing the information technology department, it’s quite difficult to argue with the fact that a proper automation software has a lot to offer to container shipping, mainly towards reducing costs, increasing revenues and improving customer service. Although, today’s “talk of the town” is slow-steaming, eco-vessels and newly built ultra large container carriers, which all contribute to more efficient shipping and lower bunker costs, indeed automation ...

Read More »

Net dry bulk fleet growth to reach up to 70 million dwt in 2012 says Braemar Seascope

Despite record-breaking demolition activity, especially in the dry bulk segment, shipping markets are expected to keep facing tonnage oversupply issues, which will continue to exert pressure in freight rates for the monts to come, said Mark Williams, Research Manager at Braemar Seascope Ltd., in an exclusive interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide. Mr. Williams notes that the 2011 total of 25 million dwt in dry bulk scrapping activity has already been surpassed, with projections now reaching up to 35 million dwt by the end of the year, but these figures ...

Read More »

Dry bulk market to remain under pressure for the rest of 2012

In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, Mr. Yannis Pachoulis, President of the Hellenic Shipbrokers’ Association, remains cautiously optimistic regarding the dry bulk market’s long-term prospects. He states that the current downturn was expected, as more and more newbuilding vessels were scheduled to hit the water, on the back of a huge orderbook. He adds that with global dry bulk trade expected to increase exponentially during the next few years, the current oversupply of dry bulk tonnage will be gradually absorbed, thus helping to bring freight rates back to ...

Read More »

Marshall Islands Registry in growth mode

With Hellenic ship owners remaining the leading ship owning group, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Registry has continued on its solid growth path during 2011, now surpassing the 80 million gross tons mark. In an interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide, Mr. Theofilos Xenakoudis, head of the Registry’s office in Hellas, said that during 2011, the Hellenic-owned fleet registered in the registry grew by 28% in terms of gross tonnage. “The Registry has been working more closely with owners and operators during this global financial downturn to ensure ...

Read More »

Recent Videos

Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and International Shipping
error: Content is protected !!
×