Product tanker company Hafnia is the 2022 Tanker Shipping & Trade Operator of The Year
The award recognises the company’s commercial success, environmental commitment and progressive ESG policies.
Commercially, Hafnia has been a driving force in the consolidation of the product tanker industry through its acquisition of Chemical Tankers Inc and Scorpio’s LR1 fleet. Hafnia was also recognised for its pioneering approach to new markets, notably transportation of clean hydrogen ammonia to emerging clean energy markets globally through its freshly minted alliance with Ascension Clean Energy.
Hafnia has been at the forefront of industry efforts to decarbonise. This has manifested itself in early adoption of LNG as a bridging fuel for new tankers, investment in methanol and research into ammonia – two of the leading candidates for zero-carbon marine fuels. The company has also entered into an agreement with F-Drones that paves the way for ship-to-shore delivery of small payloads to Hafnia vessels anchored in Singapore. Each delivery will reduce CO2 emissions versus the conventional method of shuttling provisions using small vessels.
A commitment to ESG and making the industry more diverse, equitable and inclusive is another hallmark of this year’s Tanker Shipping & Trade Operator of The Year. A relevant recent example of this commitment is its role as a founder member of the All Aboard Alliance, a platform for collaborative action in these areas.
There was also recognition of the heroic efforts of the crew of Hafnia Shenzhen (technical manager MMS) in rescuing rugby player Fergus ’Gussie’ Farrell when stranded on a rowing boat 600 nautical miles out in the Atlantic. The master and crew diverted in response to a US Coast Guard request for assistance and were able to bring Mr Farrell on board using the gangplank.
He was taken to the medical room where it was found his oxygen levels had dropped to 86% and he was vulnerable to blood clots. The Hafnia Shenzhen crew stabilised Mr Farrell and took him to New York where he was taken to hospital. Mr Farrell, now recovered, has paid tribute to the master and crew admitting he was a "sitting duck" in a "decimated boat" prior to their timely intervention.
The 2022 Tanker Shipping & Trade Operator of The Year award was collected by Hafnia vice president technical Jørgen Thuesen at the gala dinner held at the end of the first day of Riviera Maritime Media’s November Tanker Shipping & Trade Conference in Athens.
The accolade tops an award-winning year for Hafnia. In April at Riviera’s Chemical & Products Tanker Conference, chief executive Mikael Skov was recognised as the industry leader of the year and cited for his exceptional abilities as a leader and executive in the product and chemical tanker sectors.
Riviera Maritime Media has a comprehensive conference programme for the rest of 2022 and will provide free technical and operational webinars in 2023. Sign up to attend on our events page
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