Global maritime matters and London is at its centre, former Shipping Minister tells LISW25 gathering
London is “unquestionably the centre of the world’s maritime industry”, and London International Shipping Week is the place where we champion everything the industry does so well, former Shipping Minister Robert Courts said last night.
Speaking at an LISW25 Supporting Organisations’ event ahead of this year’s London International Shipping Week (LISW25), he highlighted the strength and depth of London’s maritime skills set to be showcased during the capital’s week of maritime events.
He told guests:
• “If you want to know where to look for the latest high-tech innovation – you come to London
• “If you want to look at where the most professional people are in their industries – you come to London
• “If you want to see where people are being brought together from industry, from operators, through to Government – you come to London.”
Drawing on his experience of LISW while in office, Mr Courts emphasised the event’s strategic importance to UK trade and innovation, stating: “It’s a place in which we champion everything that we do as an industry so well. It’s incredibly important and the reason is because maritime matters.”
Looking ahead to this year’s LISW25 in September, he enthused: “This really is the absolute height of the shipping world calendar globally,” adding that it’s also “hugely popular and great fun.”
A packed audience of LISW25 sponsors and supporting organisations, kindly hosted by Preston Turnbull LLP at its London offices, heard how this year’s shipping week will be significantly enhanced, as well as being bigger and even more well-attended.
Extolling London’s virtues as a maritime services hub, Andrew Preston, Partner, said: “We are miles ahead of the competition,” and outlining this year’s offering, Sean Moloney, co-Founder and joint-CEO of LISW, added: “Shipping does business in London.”
Giving the perspective of a long-standing supporter of LISW, Raal Harris, Chief Creative Officer ofOcean Technologies Groupand Lloyd's Register One Ocean – the Human Capital Partner for LISW25 – advised delegates to “get in training now” to maximise their outcomes. “LISW has galvanised London as a shipping hub,” he said.
In particular LISW25 is expecting up to 30 international delegations to take part in the week of event, facilitating international discussions and potential trade deals. New this year will be a dedicated Global Hub, on the top floor of the centrally-located County Hall building by the River Thames, which will host a number of government level and top industry delegations from key international maritime hubs across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas.
A highlight of the evening was the news thatZodiac Maritime– Britain’s biggest shipping company which next year celebrates being in London for 50 years – has joined as a leading sponsor. LISW25 is nowBrought to Youby Zodiac Maritime.
With a shipping heritage which dates back more than 70 years, Zodiac Maritime is one of the largest international ship operators in the world, offering a full range of management services to its customers across the globe. Headquartered in London, Zodiac Maritime has representative offices across Europe and Asia, and a crew of more than 6,500 dedicated seafarers. Its wide and diversified portfolio of vessels comprises containerships, bulk carriers, PCTCs, LPG carriers, chemical, product and crude tankers.
Llewellyn Bankes-Hughes, co-Founder and joint-CEO of LISW said: “We are honoured that Zodiac Maritime has joined us in such a prominent role. The support of ship owners like Zodiac, as well as the involvement of the widest range of maritime companies, firmly establishes London International Shipping Week as the must-attend event of this year. We can’t wait until September.”
For the latest LISW25 information please visit the website: www.LISW.com