Asia/Pacific News
Ardmore Shipping Opens Singapore Office
Ardmore Shipping Corporation (Ardmore) in an emailed press release announced that it has opened a new office in Singapore, intended to enable the company to grow its operations in the "important growing markets" of Asia and the Middle East.
"Singapore has become a very important, influential and independent chartering market and the opening of our Singapore office will allow Ardmore Shipping to build closer relationships with customers in the tanker sector in Asia and the Middle East," said Gernot Ruppelt, Ardmore's Senior Vice President of Chartering and Business Development.
Ardmore says that along with opening the new office, it has hired Celio Wakamatsu to fulfill the role of Chartering Manager and Retno Muninggar as Voyage Manager.
Muninggar, who has a degree in Chemical Engineering, is reported to have 12 years of experience working in tanker and chemical companies in Asia, including the Vitol Group and Navig8 Chemicals.
Wakamatsu is said to be joining Ardmore from Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras), having been working at Petrobras' Singapore office for two years after having worked for the company in Houston and Brazil.
Wakamatsu, who has a degree in Civil Engineering, a Masters Degree in Logistics and is in the process of completing an MBA in Shipping and Logistics, is said to have 13 years of chartering experience in all tanker sizes and cargo types.
"We are aiming for our chartering platform to take on a stronger regional profile and this will enable us to take our commercial presence in Asia to the next level," said Wakamatsu.
"It has always been an important charter market for Ardmore, and our new office will allow us to strengthen our existing relationships and to develop a more regionally-focused commercial strategy."
In October, Ardmore said it is "very bullish" on the product tanker market outlook, and is confident that the sector will strengthen over the coming winter months.
