Is shipmanagement an art or a science? Can a third-party manager that began life as the in-house manager of a major international group ever be considered fully independent?

How does a new manager position itself as regards cost? And what about the sharing of data if it helps others to reduce their carbon footprint?

There is no better time to be in shipping, given the focus on sustainability, efficiency, performance metrics and fuels.

Eaglestar, part of MISC Group, is finding its way in the exciting, yet intensely competitive world of third-party management.”

In this podcast, managing director and CEO Capt Peter Liew Guan Hock discusses Eaglestar’s journey as an independent shipmanager, its aspirations, and the importance of training seafarers to handle the new fuels.

He emphasises the importance of future-proofing all aspects of the business as well as the employees because the only constant in shipping is change itself.

The rapid advance of new technologies is often seen as a challenge, he says, although he sees new opportunities.

Eaglestar wants to be seen as a one-stop-shop in energy shipmanagement, working with its partners in design, construction, delivery and operation of some of the most advanced vessels afloat.

Capt Liew and his team are pushing boundaries at a time when those boundaries are still being defined by regulators and governments, technology leaders, environmentalists and indeed by society at large. Data is key; collaboration will be critical; people — including seafarers — will be paramount.