Gibraltar hosts shipping breakfast at London International Shipping Week

Gibraltar’s maritime authorities recently hosted a shipping breakfast as part of London International Shipping Week.

Under the umbrella of LISW, the Gibraltar Shipping Breakfast took place at Trinity House and was held for around 90 guests involved in different aspects of the shipping industry.

The breakfast, hosted by Gilbert Licudi as Minister for Maritime Affairs in partnership with the Gibraltar Port Authority and Gibraltar Maritime Administration, was an invitation-only event for some of Gibraltar Port’s key stakeholders from the local maritime industry and also their international partners and prospective new associates.

Mr Licudi gave an update on the port’s activities, highlighting the global challenges facing the shipping sector generally but also the positive trends recently seen in Gibraltar.

Mr Licudi pointed out that although Gibraltar was the number one port in the Mediterranean in terms of bunkering volumes, with over four million tonnes of fuel deliveries each year, there was much more that Gibraltar had to offer the maritime industry including supply of provisions, spares and lube oils, salvage operations, underwater hull cleaning, crew changes and ship repair as well as being an attractive port of call for cruise liners.

On new developments, Mr Licudi highlighted improvements from an environmental perspective including the sulphur cap, which comes into force in 2020 bringing cleaner fuels and the start of LNG bunkering.

Mr Licudi also took the opportunity to mention the establishment of the Gibraltar Maritime Academy at the University of Gibraltar with four maritime degrees offered as from September 2020.

Addressing those gathered at the breakfast, which included the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Catherine Bachleda, Mr Licudi said: “We have the institution, we have the accommodation, we have a thriving maritime industry and we have a Gibraltar Maritime Administration applying the highest possible standards. It is the perfect combination the provision of maritime training. ”

During the course of his address, Mr Licudi paid tribute to Captain David Graham, Gibraltar’s Maritime Administrator, who recently passed away unexpectedly at the age of 56.

Captain Graham spent over twenty years at sea and came to Gibraltar in 2010 to work as marine surveyor. He was appointed Maritime Administrator in February of this year.

Mr Licudi said: “David proved himself to be worthy of that appointment. He applied himself with absolute professionalism and his knowledge of the industry was second to none. David is a big loss to his family but also to the Gibraltar Maritime Administration and Gibraltar as a whole. He will be missed.”

Manuel Tirado, CEO and Captain of the Port on behalf of the GPA and GMA also took the opportunity to thank guests for attending.

The Gibraltar Port Authority said it was delighted to be part of this series of events as a silver sponsor in its continuing efforts to provide the best platforms to promote Gibraltar as a Centre of Maritime Excellence on the world stage.