Japanese drummers and Indian dancers were just part of the lively entertainment laid on by Executive Ship Management at its silver anniversary party held at Singapore’s prestigious Fullerton Hotel on 5 May.

Executive Ship Management had good reason to celebrate its accomplishments over the past 25 years. Founded by husband-and-wife team BS Teeka and Sikha Singh, the company has grown from a start-up with a single tiny mini-bulker to a highly respected ship manager with a fleet of about 200 vessels from top-tier owners that are managed from offices in 12 cities across the globe.

‘My first client’

Marex Maritime was its first tanker client, giving the then fledgling outfit its first opportunity to prove itself by managing the 7,500-dwt chemical tanker Yardbird (built 1989). Marex remains a client and Teeka profusely thanked the owner’s managing director, Mitsuhisa Matsumoto, for giving Executive Executive Ship Management that first chance.

Teeka and Singh said their aim was never for the company to be the largest, most high-profile ship manager, just one that did the job in the most professional way possible.