After a 51-year career in the maritime industry, including 20 years with International Registries, Inc. and its affiliates (IRI), Chief Operations Officer John Ramage retired at the end of June.
“It is no understatement to say that John is an industry stalwart – highly respected for his experience, commitment to the industry, and work toward instituting standards across the board. Over the past two decades, the industry has evolved significantly, and John has demonstrated the critical role that registries can play in providing guidance and support to ensure the highest standards of vessel operation and safety are upheld,” commented Bill Gallagher, IRI’s President.
John began his career in 1971 sailing onboard tankers before moving ashore to the ship management arena in Hong Kong, where he spent 14 years rising to the role of Vice President.
John joined the IRI team in 2002 and was appointed Managing Director of the London office in 2003. With a focus on high-quality standards and client service, IRI, which provides administrative and technical support to the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Registry, has built an international reputation for high-quality standards of vessel safety and client service.
“John has been an instrumental part of our growth and expansion. We often lean on his experience both on board and in ship management to really get to the heart of what a client needs. He’s really led our company and our industry to a higher standard,” Bill added.
Appointed as Chief Operating Officer in 2011, John combined his commercial acumen with his hands-on experience in the management and operation of ships and focused on implementing a service driven business model that has acted as a catalyst for the flag’s exceptional growth and further cemented its reputation as a quality flag. The RMI Registry is now one of the leading quality registries in the world, surpassing 191 million gross tons at the end of April 2022, with team members in 28 offices worldwide.
“Having earned my stripes onboard, keeping the safety and wellbeing of crewmembers at the top of the maritime agenda has always been a key priority for me. While the industry was certainly quite a different beast when I started out in my career, the aspirations of the RMI Maritime Administrator to raise standards and ensure accountability and transparency while supporting shipowners, operators, managers, and crewmembers really aligned with my values,” John Ramage said.
“In terms of technology and regulation, the maritime industry has had to overcome a number of significant challenges during my career and it is testament to our team at IRI that we have been able to continuously evolve our service and offering to meet the changing needs of industry. From the development of bigger ships to managing ever more ambitious emissions requirements, we have demonstrated our ability to provide counsel and develop mechanisms, tools, and processes to tangibly improve safety, security, and welfare onboard,” John Ramage explained.
“The team has always been focused in their pursuit of excellence, and it has been an honor and a privilege to work with so many exceptionally capable, driven, and dedicated colleagues, partners, and peers over the past two decades. While I am looking forward to spending much more time with my family and seeing the world through the eyes of a tourist, I am moving onto this next adventure with a great feeling of accomplishment and so many wonderful memories,” John Ramage concluded.
