Inchcape, one of the
largest maritime services providers, was a first-time exhibitor at Nor-Shipping
2017. They turned to Nor-Shipping in 2019 as both an exhibitor and leading
sponsor, using the Nor-Shipping platform to showcase the company as not only a
prominent ships agency, but also an increasingly important player within the
shipping value chain.
Inchcape, which can trace its roots back to
Calcutta in 1847 (where the British East India Company was its first client),
has over 300 offices, in 68 countries, covering around 2,500 ports. As such it
can provide a vast array of services – ranging from full cargo agency, to
dry-docking, crew logistics, financial management, and bunker calls – in around
85% of all global ports. It employs 3,000 of its own staff, while outsourcing
selected services to carefully vetted suppliers worldwide.
Now they are back again for Nor-Shipping 2021, so
we contacted Christopher Crookall, Chief Commercial Officer, to hear why
Nor-Shipping has become such an important arena for them.
How was your Nor-Shipping 2019 experience?
Inchcape Shipping Services were proud to be leading sponsors of Nor-Shipping 2019. The entire exhibition process from signing up to packing up went incredibly smooth, and the organisers were always there to assist and provide information when needed. The mantra of a sustainable marine industry struck home on real issues, and we were only too pleased to be involved.
What was your own personal highlight from the week?
The Ocean Thought Leadership conference was very insightful, with a stellar line-up of speakers, including DNV GL’s Remi Eriksen, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and the Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg.
Why is Nor-Shipping important to you and your business?
There’s nothing quite like Nor-Shipping, it brings together the maritime industry’s key players in one place, for one week, allowing us to engage with them face-to-face, communicate critical messages and raise awareness of our unique Inchcape 360 offering and how we are using our global network, our people and technology to create transparency.
Why did you feel it was important to sign up for Nor-Shipping 2021 as early as possible?
With the ever-growing success of Nor-Shipping, we were eager to sign up as soon as possible to secure the ideal space with the most visibility. 2021 though still far away will come quickly and we wanted to make sure that we have more than enough time to improve on our presence at Nor-Shipping 2019.
What are you most looking forward to at the next Nor-Shipping?
I am looking forward to seeing how the event has grown and discovering how the industry has moved forward with the critical issues addressed at Nor-Shipping 2019. It is an excellent platform for networking and what would Nor-Shipping be without the BBQ!
