Exploring the Evolution of Ship Management at Maritime Cyprus 2025

The “Maritime Cyprus 2025” Conference featured a panel discussion, titled “Safeguarding Shipowners in a Rapidly Changing Environment”, organized by the Cyprus Shipping Chamber.

Speakers included:

• Mark O’Neil (Columbia Group)
• Sebastian von Hardenberg (Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement)
• Dieter Rohdenburg (InterMaritime Shipmanagement) and
• Jan Meyering (Marlow Navigation)

Topics included decarbonization, digitalzation, ESG compliance and geopolitical uncertainty and how ship-management companies are acting as strategic partners to shipowners, safeguarding assets, ensuring crew safety and wellbeing, enhancing operational resilience and strengthening competitiveness.

O’Neil highlighted that shipmanagement is undergoing a major transformation, requiring new operational and service models. “We need to rethink how we work with shipowners, building closer partnerships through integrated service platforms that truly add value” he said. Emphasizing the human element, he added, “Our people, both at sea and ashore, are our most important asset. Seafaring remains a great career opportunity and we must continue investing in lifelong training, education and wellbeing.” He also stressed the importance of exploiting the social media for raising public awareness as a means to promoting both a career at sea and employment opportunities ashore preserving as such, a “people at the forefront” culture.

Rohdenburg noted that ship managers face increasing challenges, from decarbonisation and regulatory compliance to workforce skills.