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AI is being adopted by the shipping industry as a valuable, innovative technological tool for applications including weather routeing and voyage optimisation. The future of bridge operations could see AI-powered radars and ECDIS interacting with navigation officers to help them navigate more safely and efficiently, said Columbia Group director of crewing and training Faouzi Fradi. AI technology is developing faster than anticipated and could be further integrated onto ships, but safeguarding measures and regulations need to be in place, he added. “I can see it being used directly with ECDIS and radar systems to help officers to navigate the vessel and recommend solutions when problems arise,” said Capt Fradi. “We need to be open to new innovative technological solutions and look at how it can improve our current operations.” AI could provide valuable information to navigators and officers of the watch to avoid hazards and prevent ship groundings and collisions. “It is a very interesting piece of technology that I believe will revolutionise shipping in different areas of operations,” said Capt Fradi. “But we are yet to fully understand AI and what it can do at its full potential.” AI requires data, instructions for analysis and algorithms employed to process the...
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In December 2023, leading ship management provider Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM) signed a scholarship agreement and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Cyprus Maritime Academy (CyMA), the first maritime academy in Cyprus to offer a four-year degree in nautical science. The initiative to participate in CyMA’s Cadet Scholarship Programme reflects CSM’s continuous efforts to promote academic excellence, professional training, and research in the maritime industry. With the MOU, CSM commits to providing three full scholarships for CyMA’s newly enrolled cadets on an annual basis, on the condition of meeting specific socio-economic and academic criteria. This agreement enables CSM to collaborate with CyMA in selecting scholarship recipients and offering them on-board sea service practicums, mentorships, internships, and various training opportunities. “We are pleased to announce our collaboration with the Cyprus Maritime Academy,” said Columbia Group CEO Mark O’Neil. “Investing in the next generation of seafarers and providing them with opportunities for personal and professional development is a strategic priority for us. Through this collaboration we are investing in our people, nurturing their potential, and preparing them for a future on board in the ever-evolving maritime industry.” A private maritime academy, CyMA is part of the educational organization of Intercollege and the University...
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Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM) is scaling new heights in operational efficiency after choosing Kaiko Systems to provide an innovative, user-friendly software tool which organises and analyses ship data, providing insight into the condition of vessels and identifying risks before they result in incidents. Having launched its product only two years ago, Kaiko Systems has already facilitated tens of thousands of inspections through the mobile-first platform, which allows seafarers to gather data directly from the frontline, streamlining the process and reducing the burden of extensive documentation and reporting. In doing this, our most capable people are free to take care of more challenging projects. The app guides seafarers through routine inspections and provides on-the-job guidance, making it fast and easy for them to collect data, such as pictures and the results of functionality checks, in a reliable and standardised way. CSM’s crew utilises Kaiko Systems’ mobile application to plan, document and report maintenance and inspection activities on board the vessels, making it easier for them to do a better job in ensuring safety, PSC readiness and vessel condition improvements. Additionally, the software guarantees compliance with the evolving regulatory landscapes. Leveraging cutting-edge AI algorithms, Kaiko Systems’ software enables CSM to cultivate rapid, data-informed...
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Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM), member of the Columbia Group, is strengthening its presence in Northern Europe by establishing CSM Northern Europe, offering a more dedicated service to its clients north of the Mediterranean. The move, which is the result of a Columbia Group wide audit looking at the next 10 years of growth, also sees the establishment of CSM Norway in Oslo, which will cater to the specific needs of the growing number of clients in Norway, offering its whole suite of services including full technical and crew management. A client-facing office, the Norwegian office is the first step in CSM Northern Europe’s aim to have satellite offices around the northern European hub of Hamburg. Leading the operations in Norway and Northern Europe is Johann Meyer, Managing Director of CSM Germany and Northern Europe. “Our aim is to bring our expertise and services closer to our clients in Northern Europe by establishing a local presence in a number of areas such as Norway,” he explained. “Building relationships and trust is vital in any business and by having dedicated CSM representatives on the ground, we can cater to their various needs, whether they are managing tankers, containerships, cruise ships or offshore vessels.”...
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The establishment of CSM Vietnam satisfies Columbia’s long-standing ambition to tap into the developing Vietnam seafarers’ market with direct access. Whilst CSM has been employing Vietnam seafarers for years via third-party arrangements, possessing our own manning agency in Vietnam for this purpose marks a crucial step for Columbia’s far-reaching initiatives in Vietnam and Asia, more generally. Through the provision of manning solutions in Vietnam, Columbia strengthens its unwavering commitment to invest in people and attract the best talent locally, whilst simultaneously expanding its global presence and continuing to provide high-level support to Columbia’s rapidly diversified crew, as well as the evolving employment demands of our clients. CSM Vietnam is another important step on Columbia’s ‘march eastwards’ and echoes the growth ambitions of the Group in general. Vietnam boasts a wealth of developments and investments in the maritime sector with a fleet that has doubled since 2005. Its strong domestic demand and exports have resulted in promising gains in employment, income, and confidence, contributing to Vietnam’s predicted growth and thriving maritime ecosystem. This local presence offers an opportunity for Columbia to build on and consolidate a loyal and highly qualified crew pool, enabling greater emphasis on training and career development. Mark...
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As part of its bid to attract more women into the maritime sector, shipmanangement giant Columbia Group has launched a mentoring programme aimed at female cadets. Recognising that the industry is missing out on a great deal of female talent the group hopes that the mentoring programme will not only attract more females onboard vessels, but help to retain them in the industry past cadetship, especially when faced with a number of career challenges such as the flexibility needed for juggling work and home life. “We need to change the culture in the industry surrounding women and make it more viable for them to have a career in maritime, so that we can attract and widen the pool of talent that we draw from,” said programme leader Claudia Paschkewitz, Columbia Group’s managing director of sustainability, diversity and inclusion. The programme acknowledges evidence from a 2019 Solent University report which highlights that mentoring schemes are also able to reduce costs related to health and safety, as well as decreasing staff turnover. Columbia is drawing on the services of corporate wellbeing provider OneCare Solutions (OCS) for training of the programme’s mentors, who will be senior female colleagues based in different departments onshore....
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Columbia moves to a strong beat during Maritime Cyprus Drummers from Limassol’s Batoukinio percussion group added an exciting element of surprise and glamour to an impressive evening of top quality networking and socialising at Columbia Group’s own Maritime Cyprus event at the Columbia Beach venue in the town. Over 600 shipowners and charterers rubbed shoulders with lawyers and brokers as well as international and European regulators, all enjoying what must have been one of the more memorable receptions of the Maritime Cyprus event. Welcoming guests to Columbia Beach, Mark O’Neil, Columbia Group President and CEO, said it was the people who worked in, and alongside, the Group, both ashore and at sea, that were the driving force behind its growth and success. Columbia was the first company to introduce a code of conduct for all its staff, he said, and was a leader behind the decision to create guiding principles for the global shipmanagement sector. “Columbia has spent $1 million of its own money setting up sanctuaries in Romania and Poland for Ukrainian seafarers and their wives and children, and has invested an additional $500,000 in an international maritime rehabilitation centre, open to all in the industry to...
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Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM), member of Columbia Group, has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Hong Kong-listed shipowner and operator Seacon Shipping Group Ltd, that will see the Qingdao-based company’s Chinese-owned and operated vessels managed as clients out of CSM’s Greece office. The vessels under management will also benefit from CSM’s sponsored Tanker Centre of Excellence techniques and practices. The cooperation agreement, which was signed in Shanghai today (August 31st), includes all vessel types with a particular focus on Chinese owned LPG, LNG and Product Tankers. As part of the agreement, the Columbia Group, will also provide all maritime, logistics, renewable and leisure services to Seacon Shipping. Both companies will use the cooperation agreement to maximise existing and potential synergies as well as leverage the Columbia Group Service Platforms and client networks to optimise the operating performance of the vessels under management. Mark O’Neil, President and CEO of the Columbia Group, welcomed the agreement and said it was crucial in bringing digital optimisation techniques to the Chinese ship owners. “We look forward to working with Seacon Shipping and see this as the start of a compelling regional proposition and offering, which provides a tailored, win-win solution for all stakeholders. By...
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The Columbia Group is delighted to announce its expansion into Indonesia with the aim of delivering its first-class manning solutions directly. Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM) Indonesia will offer manning solutions in Indonesia and its surrounding regions, diversifying the crew pool on Columbia-managed vessels and utilising the vast wealth of personnel resources that can be found there. With more than 12 million people employed in the maritime sector in the country, Columbia Group is proud to further its commitment and investment in its people with the expansion to Indonesia. The news comes at an exciting time for the Indonesian maritime sector with a number of recent investments and developments in the region. The Indonesian commercial fleet has doubled in size since 2005, with shipping-related business emerging as a leading sector of the Indonesian economy. These trends indicate the increasing offshore crewing supply emerging from the region – an opportunity that Columbia recognises and looks to utilise with the creation of CSM Indonesia. President and CEO of Columbia Group, Mark O’Neil said: ‘It’s long been our ambition to fully establish the CSM brand in Indonesia, having utilised manning operations there for many years through third-party arrangements. We are excited to invest and foster...
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On World Ocean Day 2023, Columbia Shipmanagement Ltd. proudly reaffirms its commitment to environmental sustainability through its ongoing partnership with the AKTI Project and Research Centre. The collaboration aims to address the pressing issue of coastal microplastics in the waters off the coast of Cyprus. As a leading global ship management company, Columbia Shipmanagement recognises the urgent need to protect marine biodiversity and conserve the marine environment. The partnership with AKTI aligns perfectly with the company’s sustainability strategy and goals. In the first year of the research, conducted between July 2022 and March 2023, AKTI Project and Research Centre successfully collected and processed samples from the selected beaches. The results are eye-opening, revealing the extent of the microplastic problem. Up to 4000 microplastics, including pellets, fragments of various colors, and transparent films, were detected along the remote and touristic coasts of Cyprus. Microplastics are considered as plastic particles with a size range of 5mm-1μm. Particles less than 1 μm are considered nanoplastics. The research implemented by AKTI Project and Research Centre focuses on microplastics only. Processing of the samples included sieving, floatation, and use of a microscope. Andreas Hadjipetrou, Group Chief Commercial Officer, and Managing Director of Columbia Shipmanagement emphasized...
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