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GP General Procurement Company Limited (GenPro) has been honoured with the 2021 Young Ship Cyprus Company Award, sponsored by Ancoria Insurance Public Ltd., for its commitment to sustainability, diversity and developing the next generation of maritime professionals. The Cyprus-headquartered commercial and maritime procurement services provider received the accolade from YoungShip Cyprus representatives on 21 December during an award ceremony at GenPro’s offices in Limassol. During the past month, young maritime professionals from Cyprus have nominated companies who they believe are clearly dedicated towards sustainability, diversity and enhancing their young employees. YoungShip Cyprus had a difficult choice to make as many companies have gone the extra mile. However, after careful review, we have decided that this year the award will be given to GenPro as we were impressed by the company DNA, road map and future vision toward sustainability. GenPro overcame strong competition from other Cypriot companies for “empowering” today’s youth and making sustainability and diversity cornerstones of its business. Youngship International President Philippos Ioulianou explained the organisation’s decision to present the award to GenPro, “It is great to see GenPro focus on sustainability, diversity and youth empowerment. GenPro is a company that places a priority on its employees and has...
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Columbia Shipmanagement has ambitious plans to expand its Middle Eastern vessel operations from its base in Saudi Arabia. CSM Saudi Arabia has grown from 35 offshore vessels at launch in August to more than 100 under some form of management now. The venture was set up with Khobar-based oil services company Spectrum Group and works closely with giant state oil company Saudi Aramco. “The door is open for others to join us in any shape or form they want,” said Columbia’s group chief executive Mark O’Neil. “Our ambition is by 2028 to have 500 vessels in the region under full management- or that we participate in the management and operation of,” he said. UAE opening planned CSM Saudi Arabia is opening offices early next year in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the CEO told TradeWinds. ‘We see that regional participation is really important in our strategic plans,” the CEO added. “This is not a Cypriot or a German or a global company setting up an office there and sucking back the benefit, it’s a regional business now. CSM Saudi Arabia is an Arabian company,” O’Neil said. And the venture is not just an offshore model. Tankers, bulkers and container ships owned...
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CSM CY recently held its first ever Movember charity campaign, with 30 staff members promising to grow lavish moustaches only to lose them at month’s end. The highlight of the “shave off” came when Captain Andreas Xapolytos had his moustache of 40 years shaved clean in support of the charitable cause. Sending a special thank you to everyone who supported this event. Funds raised were donated to the Europa Uomo of Cyprus Association, a non-profit organization that works to increase the awareness of prostate cancer and provides support to patients and families.
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The Covid-19 pandemic was tough on seafarers. When the globe went into lockdown in March 2020, the men and women who work aboard commercial ships bore the brunt, with hundreds of thousands working long beyond contractual terms and safety limits, while others were prevented from getting on board and earning a salary. The situation was dire, and has many concerned a labour shortage could be on the way. But what if the Covid-19 pandemic could turn out to be a good thing for seafarers? “I think shipping is going to get a lot, lot better for the interests of your average seafarer,” said Mark O’Neil, chief executive at Columbia Shipmanagement and InterManager president. O’Neil said the pandemic, which at its worst had 400,000 seafarers overdue for a crew change, forced responsible ship managers to provide their crews with new benefits. Add the bargaining position labour now has for higher wages and he paints a rosy picture for mariners moving forward. “Everybody keeps going on about how seafarers will be deterred because of [the pandemic and crew change crisis] and I think that’s too simplistic a proposition,” O’Neil said. “It’s much more complex than that. “The career they’ve chosen will get...
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Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM) is proud to announce it is furthering its efforts to promote crew positive mental health and wellbeing with an exciting new initiative for crew welfare. Reflecting its I Care philosophy, CSM will be presenting courses prepared and delivered in partnership with Mission to Seafarers, a non-profit organisation providing support to shipping crews. The courses will focus on assisting crew members with their financial and social wellbeing. Explaining the company’s commitment to the new partnership, CSM Group’s Director of Crewing and Training Captain Faouzi Fradi said: “CSM is passionate about the wellbeing of seafarers, as they are the beating heart of our industry. The Mission to Seafarers’ crew welfare programme provides financial, social and wellbeing courses to promote coping strategies for crew, to empower them as they navigate family responsibilities and life at sea.” Jan Webber, Director of Development at Mission to Seafarers, added: “We’re delighted CSM has chosen to utilise our programme. Their ethos strongly matches ours: to put seafarers at the heart of all activities. CSM is mindful of the potential difficulties faced by crew and their families. As such, it continues to be a leader in supporting mental wellbeing by further expanding its previous measures and initiatives with new efforts...
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CSM is honoured to accept the 2020 Environmental Keeper Gold Award from the Pancyprian Environmental Awards for Organizations and Businesses. This award reflects CSM’s commitment to promoting and implementing sustainability locally and globally in the maritime industry. The award was presented by Professor Costas Kadis, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment to CSM Environmental & Energy Officer George Charalambous at a ceremony in Nicosia.
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Women aiming for successful careers in maritime should be more courageous, not worry about failure and expect to be seen as equals, a senior shipping executive has said. Claudia Paschkewitz, Managing Director of ship manager Hanse Bereederung, believes women are treated much better now than when she joined the sector in 1989 – but feels more work is needed to increase gender diversity. “Things have improved, although we’re still not where I think we should be as we need more diversity in the industry,” Ms Paschkewitz said during a session at the Women in Shipping Summit. The panellists were asked what when starting out in shipping they wished they knew about career planning, training and transition. “I started as an apprentice in shipping and was thrown into a man’s world. There were no women in senior positions at my first company, which I didn’t notice because it was normal at that time. But I ask myself now, ‘Should I have questioned the balance?’” Ms Paschkewitz wishes she had been more vocal earlier in her career. “Don’t be afraid to ask for things – speak up,” she said. “I wasn’t invited out to lunch or to go to industry events with...
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TotalEnergies and Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore various collaborative opportunities to foster energy transition, especially in Transportation, with a focus on Shipping. TotalEnergies will work closely with CSM, a world-leading provider of ship management and maritime services, to accelerate the process of a ‘green revolution’ in shipping. This will be achieved by utilizing CSM’s decades of experience in the maritime sector and TotalEnergies’ experience in cutting-edge green technologies in the energy industry. The parties are developing in partnership a lube oil monitoring, optimization and supply platform utilizing the existing capabilities of CSM’s Performance Optimization Control Room (POCR). These developments aim at bringing value to final customers. In addition, CSM and TotalEnergies are committed to work on increasing synergies in sustainability and climate innovative technologies. They will also designate existing resources towards development into alternative propulsion systems and marine fuel systems as well as environmentally friendly waste management services. The partners will also dedicate resources to explore the potential of renewable energy projects in various geographies. Philippe Charleux, SVP Lubricants & Specialties Marketing & Services of TotalEnergies said: “We share with CSM a strong determination to promote the energy transition and we want to...
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It was a walk in the wilderness last Sunday as Columbia Shipmanagement staff hiked the Artemis trail on Cyprus’s own Mt. Troodos to raise money for the Karaiskakio Foundation. The foundation maintains an internationally recognized Bone Marrow Donors Registry that represents the biggest per capita Donor Registry worldwide. The 7.5 km trek took nearly two hours to complete and included misty clouds and sky high trees.
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