―― May I ask what your main purpose is for coming to Japan this time?
“Thank you for asking! The primary purpose of my visit to Japan is to explain the reasons behind our company’s rebranding from Meadway Shipping to Drydel Shipping, ensuring our partners understand the vision and strategy behind this change.
Additionally, I am here because, on the upcoming Friday, 15th of March 2024, I will be attending the delivery ceremony of our next new time-chartered vessel. This vessel is a new building Imabari 40,000 DWT tonnage, belonging to Soki Kisen, and I have the honor of being the godfather of the vessel.“
“Lastly, this trip is an excellent opportunity for me to meet with our existing Japanese clients, strengthening our relationships and discussing future collaborations.”
――Your great company has changed its name to Drydel. What kind of response have you received from the shipping industry?
“The response to our new name, Drydel, from the shipping industry has been very positive.
I was concerned the process might be complicated, but it turned out smoothly as everyone understood our reason for the change — to avoid confusion with a similarly named company.
Moreover, the new name Drydel is more powerful, and I am confident it will bring even greater success to our company.“
――The blockade of the Red Sea and restrictions on the Panama Canal continue. How is this affecting the shipping industry?
“The ongoing blockade of the Red Sea and restrictions on the Panama Canal are significantly challenging the shipping industry, leading to longer transit times and higher operational costs as alternative routes are used.
This has resulted in increased ton-mile, causing a shortage of tonnage and rising freight rates.
Drydel Shipping has chosen a strategy of not allowing our fleet to pass through the Red Sea, as we place utmost importance on safety.
We’re continuously monitoring the situation and collaborating with partners to find effective solutions, ensuring our service remains reliable and efficient.
If these conditions continue, we anticipate a very strong market in the coming months.“
―― What was the aim of opening the São Paulo office?
“The establishment of our new office in São Paulo is a strategic move aimed at expanding and strengthening our activities in the East Coast South America (ECSA) region.
We recognize the immense potential and the growing market demand in ECSA, and we believe that having a local presence in São Paulo will enable us to serve our clients more effectively and responsively.
This new office will allow us to deepen our market penetration, enhance our service offerings, and build closer relationships with our partners and customers in the region.
We are glad about this expansion and are committed to delivering the exceptional service and expertise that Drydel Shipping is known for.“
――What are your goals for Drydel this year? What are your aspirations?
“This year, Drydel Shipping is set on achieving remarkable growth and significant progress. With our new office in Brazil, we’re poised for considerable expansion in our operations. We aim to boost our time-chartered vessels from Japanese owners from 19 to 30, emphasizing long-term contracts.
We’re committed to improving our operations, delivering exceptional customer service, and utilizing cutting-edge technology to enhance efficiency. We aim to be acknowledged as an industry leader renowned for our reliability and innovative services.
We plan to grow our fleet with modern, efficient vessels to improve our commercial offerings and meet our cargo customers’ rising needs with more eco ships. This strategy aims to solidify our position in the market and fuel our company’s growth.
As ship owners and operators, Drydel is also focused on increasing our owned tonnage. We are particularly interested in acquiring new buildings in Japan through bareboat and leaseback arrangements with Japanese owners, further expanding our ownership and operational capacity.“