On Thursday 31st of October 2019, Cyprus Marine Club Limited hosted its first presentation by the world’s largest ESG-focused digital maritime platform, RightShip, in Gazebo Mare, Cyprus. For the first time in the Cypriot shipping industry, Greek-based RightShip explained global safety, sustainability, and social responsibility practice. It is through innovations that RightShip achieves the enhancement of maritime safety; mitigation of risk; and guidance to industry participants in understanding fast-changing contexts.
Mr. Kostis Antonopoulos, Associate Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, presented RightShip’s presentation “RightShip – Influencing Behaviours in Ship Operations Aiming for Zero Harm”. The speaker has rich maritime experience and deep insight in digital transformation, which makes the presentation meaningful to the Cypriot listeners. He is a highly respected ship operator and ESG practitioner since moving from co-founding Greece’s first internet provider, FORTHnet SA, through top management positions in shipping to this day.
Mr. Antonopoulos spoke at length on RightShip’s central mission: driving operational improvement and quality assurance of ship operations through the pillars of ESG—Environmental, Social, and Governance. He explained how the digital platform of RightShip helps charterers, ship owners, and others in the industry manage risk and improve safety standards both onshore and offshore. “RightShip will protect businesses from risk in an ever-changing industry,” Mr. Antonopoulos noted.
The first part of the presentation was focused on the three layers of due diligence from RightShip, including Safety Score, Vetting, and RISQ-based Inspections. The safety score will be a vital part which presents relative measures of vessel’s safety performance. Industry players rely on it in making decisions, which they use daily with regard to ship operations. Mr. Antonopoulos demonstrated how the Trade Check, an algorithmic screening process, complements the Vetting, which consists of data analytics and human expertise to determine the aptness of vessels for voyages and cargo types. In addition, the RISQ-based physical inspection on dry bulk vessels was illustrated, explaining the triggers to inspect and how vessel managers should handle them.
Mr. Antonopoulos presented data in the form of detailed analysis to show how Vetting and RISQ inspections work to reduce risk to the vessel operation significantly. He also touched upon GHG rating, an intelligent environmental indicator used for relative comparison of fuel efficiency between similar vessels. This rating is crucial for the players within the industry to be compliant with their decarbonization strategy across the maritime supply chain.
RightShip also featured in environmental sustainability through two recent developments. The first PSC RISK IQ involved AI-driven analytical tools built to help vessel managers deal with the risk of port state control inspections. Then, there was the Document Management Centre meant to enhance the speed and efficiency of the vetting process for charterers and vessel managers.
Conclusion/End
The presentation finally ended with a very interactional question-and-answer, where the audience, containing key shipping personalities and some shipowners, explored as many aspects of RightShip’s offerings as possible. Discussions ensued even during dinner, expanding on how RightShip can integrate its solutions into an average day in maritime service.
Capt. Eberhard Koch, President of C.M.C.L., opened with opening remarks, welcoming all participants to this seminar, new members, and sponsors. Prevention at Sea was represented as a Gold Sponsor, and ARTO Real Estate was present as an Iridium Sponsorship. S-Trust Shipmanagement joined as a new corporate member, and individual members welcomed included Mr. Wallid Cassim, Ms. Mihaela Radu, and Ms. Rebecca Preiss.
Capt. Koch took the opportunity to outline the events planned under the C.M.C.L. banner, noting that the final event for 2024, scheduled for 3rd December will be addressed by Julian Bray, Editor-in-Chief of Tradewinds, on the subject of shipping markets and journalism.
The event, which highlighted RightShip’s pioneering efforts in influencing behaviors in ship operations, received high praise from those who attended it as a testament to C.M.C.L.’s commitment to collaboration among maritime stakeholders. Cyprus Marine Club, a not-for-profit organization, has remained an important forum for the shipping industry of Cyprus, bringing together shipowners, managers, agents, and other professionals in the maritime sphere to share experiences and work towards the interests of local and global shipping.
RightShip was also successful in making a great presentation to advance ESG principles adoption within the maritime sector of Cyprus. Such a step reinforces safety, sustainability, and social responsibility in modern shipping practices.