An upbeat business message is bracketed by two views from Washington.
Stamford, CT: The Connecticut Maritime Association’s Shipping 2011 Conference and Exposition is well underway as you read this entry. Upbeat and, as always, the well-run event plays host to 1,001 different business ventures and the regulatory and political regimes that profoundly affect ocean shipping. In the choppy wake of at least two years of tough times for ocean commerce, this week’s event has been well-attended by enthusiastic professionals eager to do business.
As a backdrop, the usual set of speeches given by high-profile executives, politicians and regulatory powerbrokers defined the way forward for industry. As the theme of this year’s event, “moving forward” evoked different perspectives from different folks. What the headline speakers had to say, therefore, was telling.
- Frank Labiondo: Carrying the Water
Delivering the Keynote Welcome Address was Congressman Frank Labiondo (R-NJ). As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation, what Labiondo says and does is of particular interest to the domestic shipping industry at large. On Monday, he simply played to the crowd, delivering a pro-business speech to a sympathetic audience that collectively hoped that he can deliver more than words down the road. But the New Jersey congressman also reminded the CMA throng that “Washington is loaded with experts, but they don’t live in the real world.”
Highlighting the poor condition of U.S. ports and infrastructure, Labiondo also called for the release of more than $5 billion in accumulated funds from the Harbor Maintenance Trust (HMT) Fund to offset the costs of serious domestic dredging costs. To hear Labiondo talk about it, “the simple, commonsense” solution could be just around the corner. In reality, the budget shortfalls bedeviling federal and state coffers everywhere will make obtaining even a fraction of that money in the short term all but impossible. Labiondo knows the truth only too well, even as he co-sponsors legislation to do just that.
In the end, he revealed nothing new. Departing soon after delivering the right speech to the right crowd, he also left no doubt as to whose side he was on when it came to America’s ports and maritime infrastructure. If only DOT Secretary LaHood – who at this very moment is probably releasing yet another $5 billion for a high-speed railway that nobody seems to want – had been listening...
- BV’s Bernard Anne: putting his money where his mouth is…
Tuesday’s Delegate luncheon kicked off with a short talk given by Bureau Veritas EVP Bernard Anne. The affable executive delivered a few humorous anecdotes about the state of affairs and summed things up neatly by reminding his listeners that “the shipping industry had survived a tough 2-3 years, but through it all had remained positive throughout.” He also insisted that “we can all prosper” as the recovery continues. And, while he didn’t list the reasons why, the delegates have every reason to believe him.
As many firms continued to pull back and take the cautious route to recovery, Bureau Veritas instead pulled off one of the most interesting business deals of last year. The blockbuster acquisition of Inspectorate marries one of the world’s largest commodities inspection and testing groups with a ship classification society. It also links two global firms dedicated to reducing risk. Both already have a large maritime presence. The powerful synergy of ship classification with commodities inspection and testing could change both disciplines forever. The bold move also gives Bernard Anne’s positive outlook more weight than perhaps any other speaker this week. It’s a good message, backed by action and shows leadership at a time when industry desperately needs it. The way “Forward,” indeed.
- U.S. Coast Guard Commandant ADM Robert J. Papp: Listening in…
Where Labiondo talked, and BV’s Bernard Anne pushed prosperity, the Coast Guard’s 24th Commandant simply promised to listen. With the unenviable task of also following the “Rock Star” Commandant Thad Allen, Papp nevertheless brings a steady and purposeful hand to the Coast Guard helm. An unapologetic professional mariner, he began by pledging that he would work to ensure that every Coast Guard Academy graduate going forward would have the opportunity to serve at sea. He underscored that pledge by insisting that every minute spent “cold, wet, tired and seasick” afloat was time well spent.
The message was simple: if we are going to regulate the maritime industry, we’ll need to first understand what they do. And, he promised a Coast Guard under his leadership that would eschew anything dramatically new but instead, would take care of business at hand. And, there’s plenty of that to go around. Doing that, says Papp, will involve listening and learning from folks like the American Waterways Operators (AWO) and the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA), just to name a few. You get the feeling that Papp won’t promise anything he can’t deliver over the course of the next few years. On the other hand, what he does accomplish might just be the tonic for a regulation-weary maritime industry, trying to recover from the lowest of financial lows.
ADM Papp will lead by listening. When the CMA Shipping 2011 event ends tomorrow, and all the speeches are just the dimmest of memories, it will be maritime industry’s turn to start talking. And, that’s how we will move forward. – MP
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Joseph Keefe is the lead commentator of MaritimeProfessional.com. Additionally, he is Managing Editor of the new Maritime Professional print magazine. You can also read his work in MarineNews and Maritime Reporter magazines. He can be reached at jkeefe@maritimeprofessional.com or at Keefe@marinelink.com. MaritimeProfessional.com is the largest business networking site devoted to the marine industry. Each day thousands of industry professionals around the world log on to network, connect, and communicate.