Page 76 - Next Generation 2015 - Digtial Issue
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Next Generation Americas and ROW
Mr Klopfer, the commercial director in shipping has been successfully The group has the largest
of the Navig8 Americas team and chief achieved. newbuilding orderbook of long
operating officer of Navig8 Product range two product tankers, one of
Tankers since 2012, manages the group’s Investment from Avenue Capital the most promising segments as new
various tanker pools, which lists more Group, Oaktree Capital, and Monarch refineries starting in the Middle East
than 120 vessels under its control. Alternative Capital, among others, this year and next will boost volumes
is helping give the company the heft of distillates exported to Europe and
In 2013, he was also instrumental needed to become the world’s largest beyond.
in the company’s listing on the Olso tanker pool manager and expand its
bourse, normally a pre-cursor to a owned, newbuilding and chartered fleet. With big things anticipated when
New York public presence. Efforts by Navig8’s product tanker arm lists
Mr Klopfer and the Navig8 team to Today Navig8’s product tanker next year, Mr Klopfer appears to have
get private equity buying in to Navig8 assets are valued at more than $3bn become an influential player on the
amid the funds’ post-crisis interest and while reporting a loss of $434m last capital markets shipping landscape.
year, the full fleet is yet to hit the water.
Liberty Maritime’s vice-president is said to share his father’s sense
of pride and patriotism about company’s key US role
US trade and making regulatory and Shapiro senior support extending the
Joshua Shapiro political connections seems like a 60-ship fleet programme until 2025,
sensible start. It also shows ensuring Josh will have a solid base
JOSHUA Shapiro joined Liberty Shapiro junior is serious about from which to carve out his direction
Maritime Corp six years ago, and his learning curve. for the company in coming years.
is clearly being groomed to take
greater control of the company his Liberty has a fleet of nine ships,
father Philip founded more than 25 of which five are US-flagged with
years ago. two of them car carriers and the
remaining bulk carriers. Many of
Before starting at the family the vessels ship food aid on behalf
firm, Josh spent time working at of the US government, while the
Archer Daniels Midland, followed Marshall Islands-flagged bulk
by an 18-month stint as a special carriers, mostly kamsarmax size,
projects director with a Congressman appear mostly to operate in the
in the US House of Representatives. international grains trade.
Before that, he attended the The MSP means Liberty’s dry
London-based Cass Business School bulk American ships can be used by
after finishing university in the US. the Department of Defense if needed.
Cass is among the favoured seats Josh is reported to share his father’s
of learning for next-generation sense of pride and patriotism in
shipping aspirants. playing such a maritime role for his
country.
Josh was appointed vice-
president of Liberty Maritime Josh is working alongside long-
in 2009. time employees to come to grips
with shipping, with vice-president
With Liberty’s business of commercial chartering and
founded on shipping cargo on operations, Charles Nolfo, publicly
a US-flag bulk fleet under the credited for his mentoring role.
government-subsidised Maritime
Administration’s Maritime Security Liberty Maritime’s prominent
Program, understanding the grains role as a MSP contractor has seen
74 | Lloyd’s List Next Generation 2015 | www.lloydslist.com
