04_aprile - Porto & diporto

Giuseppe Bottiglieri’s challenge
at Mare Forum - Markets
Mare Forum – a year later. The important world shipping
conference returns this year to Rome in different
circumstances from last year in Sorrento. Now Rome
conference chairman Giuseppe Bottigliere answers
our questions regarding this years major subjects of
encouraging signs and the ability to ride out the crisis
and plan investment
Please explain why Mare Forum returns to Rome
Mare Forum is returning to Rome where it started
in Italy six years ago. Rome has also been chosen in
recognition of the new board of Confitarma always
supportive of Mare Forum. Scenarios have developed
frenetically over the last few years but Mare Forum has
always managed to guess the subject matters correctly
helped by a bit of luck such as last year when we
announced the end of the crisis at least for bulk trade.
This year we will look at tankers, dry cargo as well
as containers and passengers and try to examine how
they will evolve in world markets.
Let us speak about markets. Can we make a comparison
with last year
Many things have changed in a year, today we can
say that the worst is over at least in dry cargo thanks
to China and India, the two nations which are responsible
for many cargos of raw materials. On the other
hand in the tanker market, crude is still feeling the effects
of the crisis because most petroleum products
are transported to the US and Europe, the two areas of
the world most affected by the crisis. Today however
we can say that the worst is over. In my opinion the
crude crisis is about to change, we can see light at the
end of the tunnel. Today those who chose to invest in
the dry cargo business have got over the worst. Clearly
one must be prudent and not invest in capacity greater
than the market needs.
Has prudence been the factor which has awarded Italian
shipping
Up to now Italian shipping has come out of the “tempest”
unharmed. Investment has been carefully chosen.
Our company for example has concentrated on
the competitiveness and technical farsightedness of
the vessels we have ordered. At the beginning it was
tough ordering ten vessels in one order and thinking of
their future in this new market sector. However at the
end of the day it all worked out and these vessels now
operate without difficulty. In fact charterers come to
us now for these ships because these standard lenght
ships transporting 19.000 ton additionally are of great
interest to the market. The important signal is that today
no owner is building panamax vessels. If I may be
permitted a little immodesty I can say that many other
owners have said that I was right and confirming that
panamax vessels will no longer be built.
Has Naples shipping got over the crisis
Certainly, with the exception of D’Amato di Navigazione
which we are pleased to see has been resolved,
there are no other negative situations. All the owners
have reported positive results in this crisis period and
are expecting this year improve on last year.
aprile 2010 - 7