The Chemical & Product Tanker Awards: Industry Leader Award /2022 is presented to an individual that exemplifies outstanding leadership and sets industry standards in the chemical /or product tanker shipping and trade
The Chemical & Product Tanker Awards: Industry Leader Award /2022 was presented to Hafnia chief executive officer Mikael Skov on the first day of the Chemical & Product Tanker Conference in London today (28 April 2022) by DNV vice president and business director tankers, maritime Catrine Vestereng
Collecting the award on Hafnia’s behalf was executive advisor Anders Engholm, who said, “I am happy to accept this award on behalf of Mikael. Such recognition is only possible due the hard work of all across the Hafnia organisation. We are indebted to the service of our seafarers and frontline workers. Thank you for recognising the hard work of everyone in Hafnia.”
The award recognised Mr Skov’s exceptional abilities as a leader and executive in the product tanker space. His record is remarkable having been the co-founder and chief executive of Hafnia Tankers, a newly established product tanker company created by the merger between Hafnia Tankers and BW Tankers in 2020.
The company is at the forefront of the move to decarbonise the product tanker sector and is planning new fuel for its next ships. Guangzhou Shipyard International has been engaged to build two LNG-powered LR2 tankers for Hafnia. The tankers will go on long-term charter to Total.
Each tanker will be 250-m long with 12 cargo tanks, enabling a carrying capacity of 110,000 /133,500 m3. Each tanker features an LNG fuel capacity of 3,600 m3, giving a range of 13,500 nautical miles when sailing on LNG at 14 knots.
Mr Skov said, “These ships are another example of our strategy to support and promote industry decarbonisation while still transporting the resources necessary to sustain the world. We believe LNG is the bridge fuel the shipping industry needs to transition towards a low-carbon world.”
He continued, “Hafnia has already invested in methanol and engaged in serious research on ammonia – two leading candidates for zero-carbon marine fuels – but now we are investing in the stepping stone that will get us to this future we’ve already started to imagine.”
As well as fuel, his other main concern is people, as he says the quality of the people determines the quality of the company. “People will be increasingly important – you need to be an attractive employer.” He warned, “Without the right sort of people, ships are just steel rusting in the water.”
Mr Skov has been a driving force in the consolidation of the product tanker industry and in Q1 2022, Hafnia Tankers confirmed the completion of the mostly paper acquisition of a modern fleet of 32 fuel-efficient IMO II tankers after entering into a share purchase agreement to acquire all outstanding shares in Chemical Tankers Inc. This was flagged at the end of 2021 and before the acquisitions from Scorpio Tankers.
Mr Skov said, “With the acquisition of Chemical Tankers Inc and Scorpio’s LR1 fleet we have added 44 vessels to our fleet, which now stands at 152 vessels. The 44 vessels are all compliant with the EEXI requirements entering into force in 2023.”
