Infospectrum Insights

2019 is likely to bring about major changes to our industry, with almost all of our client base impacted in some form by Brexit and IMO 2020. With demand for our services at an all-time high, we have invested in our team and new office locations. 

Bunkering has always needed finance to cover expansion and bridge cash flow gaps in a notoriously liquidity-demanding sector, and banks have often been keen to provide it. While the impacts on the multiple unfortunate creditors of the recent collapses in Singapore's bunker sector are known, the indirect impact may be more significant — it may undermine confidence in the sector at a time when the bunkering industry seeks liquidity in the run-up to 2020.

This month, we spoke with Nicolas Defillion, Senior Analyst at Infospectrum’s Oxford office, who shared with us how he first entered the shipping industry, what a typical day looks like, and what he gets up to outside of work.

This week's Insight has come from one of our new colleagues and industry veteran Neil Dekker, formerly of Drewry and the Informa and Safmarine groups, who has covered the liner sector for over 25 years.

This week's Insight has come from Infospectrum alumnus Ian Staples, now a Global VP at Inchcape Shipping Services, who has been keeping an eye on movements in the VLCC sector.

This month, we spoke with Gemma McSweeney, Head of Client Services for Infospectrum’s UK offices. She revealed how her career began and why she loves being a part of the Infospectrum team.

For more than a decade, piracy has been a prevalent issue in the maritime sector. It is perhaps infamous for the well-known hijackings of pirates operating off the Horn of Africa. Following significant multinational efforts and measures undertaken by shipping companies, hijacking attacks off the Horn of Africa have now reached a 22-year low. 

Infospectrum is seeing an increase in the number of occasions its clients are being asked to pay third parties for goods or services, i.e. to pay a party with whom they have not contracted. Such requests are most commonly made in relation to payment of freight or bunkers. This article explores the underlying motivations as to why a client may be asked to pay a third party and the possible legal ramifications.

This month, we caught up with Dean Hilton, Analyst and General Manager at Infospectrum’s Australia office, to learn more about his broad background and extensive shipping expertise.

The International Energy Agency called the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2020 global sulphur limit ‘easily the most dramatic change in fuel specifications in any oil product market on such a large scale’. How will the regulation impact the marine industry’s risk management landscape?