“Shippingis beautiful because it is unpredictable. When you don’t expect it, good timeswill come.”

ThanassisMartinos reveals salt water in his veins but is he forgetting thatunpredictable also means bad times come around too.

(EastMed boss ‘flirts’ with floating for ‘continuity’)

“Howbad can it get? Well, if you overbuild the market and you have excess supply todemand, it can get as bad as you like for as long as you like.”

Euronavchief executive, Paddy Rodgers, issues a stern warning about the dangers of anoversupplied VLCC market.

(Rodgerspushes for more consolidation in VLCC segment)

“Whenthe window closes and when the market gives us the opportunity, we will selleverything. It could be in one en-bloc transaction or it could be in stages —whatever is most favourable.”

Chiefexecutive William Hung reveals that although Teekay offshoot, Tanker Investments,is still buying the company does not have a long term future.

(TILreverts to $150m war chest for tanker fleet expansion plan)

“Itis just great to see this ship and to celebrate its naming. This project hastaken a lot of effort, time and work. It has really been like giving birth.”

Boa Offshore chief executive, Helge Kvalvik, found delivery of thecompany's latest anchor handler laborious and maybe painful.

(BoaOffshore beats odds to christen long-delayed newbuilding)

I’mnot convinced in the long run it is correct to have that number of clubs. In myview, we need clubs of sufficient size to take appropriate risk themselves andnot rely on expensive reinsurance but at the same time we need a sufficientnumber to ensure there is competition. We are open to dialogue.”

Isthis a come up sometime and see me invitation from Skuld chief executivedesignate, Stale Hansen?

(Skuldeyes $1bn target as Hansen takes helm)

“Lastyear, we managed to achieve savings of $800 per day per vessel without anyparticular effort. This goes straight into the owner’s pocket.”

Welldone to Klaveness pools chief, Hans-Petter Olsen, but also sounds as if therewas quite some room for improvement.

(Interestescalates in Klaveness bulker pools as markets remain under pressure)

“Whatis beneficial is flagging ships, selling licences... and everything else.”

LuisFruto of the Panamanian ship officers union warns that the largest flag stateis more interested in revenue than cadet training.

(Panamafaces yet more heat over crew licensing)

 “Both government and commercially owned shipsare illegal to export to developing countries, and they should all be managedin green ship recycling yards in developed countries and not on the dangerousand polluting beaches of South Asia.”

EnvironmentalistIngvild Jenssen presses the case for the Japanese car carrier, Global Spirit, tobe arrested before it sails for scrapping at Alang.

(Greenscall for Belgium to act on ‘toxic’ ship)

“Whatchance does the master of the Sewol have of a fair trial when he has alreadybeen branded a murderer in all but name by the South Korean president, and themedia has already passed sentence on him?”

JohnDickie of the International Federation of Shipmasters' Associations doubts themaster of the tragic ferry can have a fair trial.

(Nautiluscalls for master of Sewol to be treated fairly)