Bermuda Shipping Association Re-Established
The Bermuda International Shipping Association [BISA] has been re-established after holding its annual general meeting on Friday and electing a new board.
BISA, which represents Bermuda-registered shipping companies, shipowners, marine insurers and all other maritime-related organisations, provides educational support for local marine students, promotes Bermuda as an international shipping jurisdiction and helps to support the Bermuda Register of Shipping.
BISA in the past was a thriving organisation that worked tirelessly to achieve its objectives. It lost momentum and fell from its well-established position on the island some 10 years ago. Through the hard work of the two newly elected Co-Chairs of BISA, Mark Cave and Angelique Burgess, BISA has been pulled back together with new directors and a fresh sense of purpose.
Friday’s annual general meeting at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club was a huge success that brought many notable members of the Bermudian maritime community together. During the meeting, future activities of BISA were discussed. BISA will set to work on marketing and improving our maritime jurisdiction to attract further maritime business to the island.
Angelique Burgess had this to say about some of the Association’s initiatives, “From the education and training aspect BISA will … continue to achieve one of its main objectives of assisting students in the maritime field and we plan to network with organizations like the Bermuda Sloop Foundation and the Bermuda Sea cadet branches … Another programme that BISA is looking to commence is a guidance and mentoring programme for those who are pursuing maritime careers.”
Shortly after the AGM was held Rory O’Kelly-Lynch, a summer student working with Teekay Corporation, gave a presentation. The presentation highlighted BISA’s current objectives and future projects. After the presentation, Mr. O’Kelly-Lynch was awarded an educational scholarship by BISA that will contribute towards his Maritime Business and Law studies abroad at the University of Plymouth; the first scholarship of many that the re-established association will grant. In the past, before BISA fell into limbo, it granted numerous scholarships to cadets. One of the students to receive a scholarship was Pilot Chad Townsell who is now employed as a Branch Pilot at Marine and Ports Services.
Some of the mariners present for the networking event included; Nicholas Maynard, Kristen Greene, a current student and Chad Townsell all of whom spoke of their journeys working on board vessels that have taken them across the world. Also in attendance was Pilot Mario Thompson.
After the presentation and meeting was adjourned, there was a bustle of activity as like-minded individuals with similar goals began robustly discussing the future of Bermuda and the maritime industry within Bermuda; which was a refreshing sight to see in the modern, cutthroat business world of today.
The event was a success, with BISA charting a new course for the future, and signing several new members on board. Mark Cave stated in his thank you, “I would like to thank each of the other members of the rehabilitation committee; Angelique Burgess, Georgina Sousa, James Watlington, Felicia Govender, Jens Alers, Stephen Rossiter and Captain Pat Nawaratne.
The successful rehabilitation of BISA means that the maritime industry now has an instrument that will focus their efforts on areas such as promoting the business and bringing legislative change to the industry.” BISA encourages anyone with a maritime related background that may have an interest in this initiative as well as becoming a BISA member to contact James Watlington, the Secretary of BISA, at 292-9332. Membership in BISA is free.
Cheaper shipping please?