Skilled crew and experience drive WSM’s value proposition

Investments by shipowners in dual-fuel propulsion newbuilds continues to grow, accounting for 37% of orders and 44% of deliveries in 2025, according to Clarksons.

Growth in the global fleet of ships using LNG, methanol and ammonia presents Wilhelmsen Ship Management (WSM) with an intriguing opportunity – one where the shipmanager holds a distinct advantage, according to a leading company executive.

“We have been managing gas vessels for more than 33 years, and seafarers on these types of vessels need IGF certification,” pointed out Wilhelmsen Ship Management chief commercial officer, Roine Ahlquist. Through its own capital investments, WSM has built a pool of about 2,000-plus people with IGF certification.

The IGF Code – short for The International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low-flashpoint Fuels – is an IMO standard that has been in force since January 2017. The code ensures the safe installation, operation, and maintenance of machinery using low-flashpoint fuels like LNG and methanol. IMO has developed and approved interim guidelines for using ammonia as fuel that will be used with the IGF Code.

Speaking to us from Kuala Lumpur, Mr Ahlquist said the depth of WSM’s expertise extends to third-party management of floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) – a segment that he sees as having strong long-term growth, given the increasing demand for LNG. “We were one of the first companies to enter the third-party management of FSRUs, operate several of them, and have been involved in conversion,” he said. “We have a strong LNG team.”

Part of WSM’s success is its “strong seafaring pool,” he said, adding that many of its senior officers have been with WSM for 20 to 25 years. “They are strong contributors to the company’s value proposition. It’s a winning model,” he said.

“We have been managing gas vessels for more than 33 years”

But he sees recruitment as “a huge challenge” for the industry, noting a potential 10% gap between supply and demand in the years ahead.

One way the shipmanager is addressing this supply gap and expanding its seafaring talent pool is by opening a new manning office in Kenya.
Globally, WSM has more than 300 vessels under its full technical management, as well as additional ships under its crew management services, with a poll of about 15,000 seafarers.

Mr Ahlquist said the company has been evolving to become more independent from third-party learning providers. “We want to have the ability to track people’s progress more closely. It’s a more competency-based assessment system that builds a culture of performance.”
In 2025, WSM opened the new Wlearn Academy Philippines, enhancing its training capabilities with new virtual reality solutions and cloud-based simulations for immersive learning experiences, expanding on its global network of facilities.

Part of the company’s retainment efforts centre around building a clear career path and growing the WSM fleet. “Adding dual-fuel vessels to our fleet enables us to put these highly skilled individuals in suitable roles, and create a structure for promotion and have a clear career track. You start as a cadet, progress to master, and can go ashore,” he said.

WSM has been adding dual-fuel LNG and methanol-powered ships to its fleet. “These ships fit well with our ambitions to be at the forefront of adopting new types of technologies, fuel systems and other changes in the market to deal with decarbonisation. Long term, the ability to manage clients’ ships that have these technologies is a big win for us,” he concluded.