IRI’s Maritime Services Group (MSG) met in Fort Lauderdale for the first MSG meeting of 2023. IRI President Bill Gallagher, Chief Commercial Officer Theo Xenakoudis, and Chief Maritime Officer Simon Bonnett opened the meeting with remarks and updates on the Registry. The three-day hybrid meeting included updates and presentations on the status of the fleet as well as projects under development. Representatives from Busan, Dubai, Fort Lauderdale, Geneva, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Houston, Istanbul, London, Long Beach, Manila, Majuro, Mumbai, New York, Piraeus, Reston, Rio de Janeiro, Roosendaal, Tokyo, and Vancouver attended in-person, while Dalian, Qingdao, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, and Taipei attended virtually. Focus sessions on energy, gas and alternative fuels, offshore and windfarm support, and more were held on days two and three. These sessions delved into the challenges and opportunities of the transition to alternative energies and dual fuel systems from emissions to safety and seafarer issues, as the Registry proactively prepares for the future. The MSG meets regularly to review fleet performance, operations, and assess strategic goals across offices, building strong relationships to support global client services.
This MSG meeting was also an opportunity to welcome two new team members: Rafael Riva, Vice President, Client Relations (Houston) and Michinori Kurihara, Deputy Representative (Tokyo). Prior to joining IRI, Mr. Riva spent nearly 19 years with Lloyd’s Register (LR) in a variety of technical, business development and leadership roles in Marine and Offshore classification, certification and advisory. Mr. Riva developed a more specialized knowledge and focus on LNG and LPG projects, working in Spain, London, Shanghai, New York, and Houston. Mr. Kurihara, a naval architect, spent 16 years with LR in a variety of surveyor roles, the last two as Principal Surveyor, General Manager of Japan Marine and Offshore. Mr. Kurihara has extensive experience in statutory plan approvals.
With nearly 60 attendees and representatives from around the world, this MSG meeting brought together perspectives and experiences from IRI’s worldwide offices, leading to action items and strategic decisions that will enhance and improve client and stakeholder services.
