Dear Members of INTERCARGO,
As we welcome 2025, I extend my warmest wishes to you, your families, seafarers, and shoreside teams for a healthy, prosperous, and successful New Year. May this year bring smooth seas and safe voyages for all.
It is an honor to assume the chairmanship of INTERCARGO, and I must take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding contributions of my predecessor, Dimitris Fafalios. Over his six-year tenure, Dimitris led our Association through unprecedented challenges, achieving remarkable growth and innovation. His vision and dedication were pivotal in expanding our membership to historic levels and establishing the Dry Bulk Centre of Excellence, among many other achievements. His steadfast commitment to safety, environmental responsibility, and operational excellence has laid a solid foundation for INTERCARGO’s future. We are fortunate that Dimitris will continue to share his wisdom as Honorary Chairman.
Reflecting on 2024, it was another transformative year for dry bulk shipping. Our sector demonstrated remarkable resilience amid significant challenges. INTERCARGO reached historic membership levels, advancing critical initiatives that reinforced our role as the authoritative voice for quality dry bulk shipping. With a membership base of 260 companies across 30 countries, our Association’s global influence has never been stronger.
Looking ahead to 2025, we celebrate a significant milestone as INTERCARGO enters its 45th year. A highlight of the year will be our semi-annual meetings in China—a unique opportunity to engage with one of the world’s largest maritime and dry bulk shipping communities. These meetings promise to foster fruitful discussions and open new avenues for collaboration.
Our unwavering commitment to the safety of our seafarers and the protection of our environment remains at the core of INTERCARGO’s mission. As the industry continues to navigate global challenges and opportunities, I am confident that our collective efforts will drive innovation, promote sustainability, and safeguard the welfare of those who make our industry possible.
Your continued support and commitment are the driving forces behind INTERCARGO’s success. Together, we will build on the strong foundation we have established and approach the future with optimism and strength. INTERCARGO will continue to serve as the realistic voice of common sense for dry bulk shipowners in an increasingly complex world.
Finally, as we step into 2025, I am pleased to welcome INTERCARGO’s new leadership team, elected at our Annual General Meeting in October 2024. This includes Metaxia Psalti, who joins Capt. Uttam K. Jaiswal as Vice-Chair, Dimitris Monioudis as the new Technical Committee Chair, and Cesare D’Api as Technical Committee Vice-Chair. We are fortunate to have the continued support of the remaining members of INTERCARGO’s Management Committee. I encourage you to refer to our Association’s recently published Annual Review 2023-2024 for detailed information about our people, governance, and activities.
I look forward to seeing you in 2025 and continuing our journey of collaboration and success.
Kind regards,
John Xylas
INTERCARGO Chairman
