Message from the Management

Embracing the Tides of Change

– a message to all our seagoing and shore staff

Another year has passed. Just when we thought it was getting easier, things got difficult again – especially for our friends and colleagues from Ukraine. We have tried our best to continue supporting them in these trying times, and we hope that this ordeal will soon be over so that they’ll be able to return to their country and rebuild their homes, their lives, their hopes and dreams. A few weeks ago we were in Manila for our Forum – the first physical one in three years. Change. It was a hybrid event, with simultaneous broadcasting over zoom and YouTube, which introduced another change. We felt the warm embrace of our people in a manner that I for one have never felt before. Maybe it was the three years, or maybe it was all that had transpired during these years – I cannot be sure, but it definitely felt different. I urge you to take some time when you can and have a look at the proceedings – apart from being able to follow some interesting presentations, you’ll get the feeling of an atmosphere of trust, care and respect. Our Forum was titled “Embracing the Tides of Change”. This is the main message we wanted to get across. We live in a world that is constantly changing, and our future depends on how well we adapt, respond to and cope with these changes. The financial crisis, the pandemic, military conflicts, social unrest, regulations, technology, the environment; everywhere we look and every aspect of our lives has one parameter in common: Change. The words of the Greek philosopher Heraclitus from 2500 years ago are all too relevant today: “everything flows” and “the only constant in life is change”. I would add one more thing that is also a constant in life: Fear. People are afraid of change and have an instinctive tendency to resist it. We are naturally afraid of change, of being judged, of being different, of being left out, of taking initiatives, of making mistakes (even though they are a normal part of life), of speaking up, of being talked about, of leaving our comfort zone. I feel that all these fears are holding us back, and we need to remove them from our lives. It is not easy, so it is ever so important that those in positions of responsibility create an environment of trust in which we can help our colleagues to get rid of these fears. We have come a long way together, and I thank you for your efforts, your resilience, your patience and your loyalty. We are growing, we are changing, we are evolving and we are doing this together. We have the ability to advance further, to improve, and to become even safer than we are.

• Let us all try to be the best version of ourselves. • Let’s give it our best shot. • Let’s continue showing care, attention, respect and passion for our everyday jobs, for our colleagues and for ourselves. • Let us Embrace Change! I wish you all a happy festive season and a Healthy, Safe and, most of all, a Peaceful New Year.

Anthony Lambros