The election was unanimous: The Italian Emanuele Grimaldi remains Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).
The Board of Directors of the ICS has unanimously re-elected Emanuele Grimaldi, President and Managing Director of the Grimaldi Euromed shipping group, as has now been announced.
The ICS claims to represent 80% of the world’s merchant fleet and is the most important international trade association for shipowners. Grimaldi will hold the office of Chairman for a further term of two years.
The old and new Chairman, who took over from Esben Poulssen in 2022, said: “I feel very honoured. It is a privilege to be part of this important association and the great work and progress that is being made for our industry.” Good progress has been made on proposals to achieve the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) net zero targets by around 2050 and work continues with UN bodies on key issues affecting the maritime sector.
In his first term as ICS Chairman, Grimaldi has focused on the decarbonisation of the industry and has been instrumental in the establishment of the Clean Energy Marine Hubs (CEM Hubs). In addition, Grimaldi has turned his attention to the industry’s biggest challenges, including rising protectionism, digitalisation, seafarer recruitment and retention, and seafarer safety during global geopolitical conflicts, including the war in Ukraine and the current crisis in the Red Sea.
Grimaldi: “Very challenging times”
“We are in a very challenging time geopolitically, with shipping and our innocent workers caught in the crosshairs of conflicts in the Middle East. Add to this the conflict in Ukraine and the attacks on merchant shipping in the Red and Black Seas have jeopardised the safety of our seafarers and disrupted trade. This is unacceptable and we will continue to shine a light on the heart of our industry – our seafarers.”
Metin Duzgit becomes deputy
Guy Platten, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), said: “We are delighted that Mr. Grimaldi will continue to lead the ICS for another two years. We look forward to continuing to work closely together to drive meaningful change in the industry, facilitate trade and support our seafarers.” There is still much to do, he said, but he is confident “that under Mr. Grimaldi’s leadership we will continue to evolve with the industry and move the maritime sector forward.”
During the ICS Annual General Meeting, the Board of Directors elected Metin Duzgit from the Turkish Chamber of Shipping as the new Deputy Chairman of the ICS, and Martin Kröger, Managing Director of the German Shipowners’ Association, was elected Chairman of the ICS Marine Committee.
