RightShip CEO, Captain Warwick Norman, steps aside after 16 years at the helm

Announcing his decision, Warwick said “I have had the privilege of serving as CEO of RightShip for more than a decade and a half. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here and am proud of all that we have achieved. But I felt it was time for a change, and with the board’s agreement, decided that I will step back and let another lead the charge at RightShip.”

Commenting on Warwick’s decision, RightShip Chairman and Cargill Ocean Transportation Asia Pacific Lead, Andrew Barker, said: “Warwick has made an unparalleled contribution to the extraordinary success of RightShip. Together with my colleagues on the board, I would like to thank him for his dedication, commitment and sheer hard work. We are sad to see him step aside but respect his decision and are grateful that he has agreed to stay on as a strategic consultant to the management and board at RightShip.”

There is no doubt that Warwick will continue to be an outstanding leader and innovator both within RightShip and in the wider maritime industry; and that his passion for seafarer safety and welfare, and the environmental sustainability of the maritime industry will endure.

Ensuring a smooth transition is vital, according to Mr Barker. “We have begun our search for a new CEO which will be a careful and considered process. Over this period it will be ‘business as usual’ at RightShip, ensuring the organisation continues to provide high quality support for vetting, inspection and sustainability customers.”

Mr Barker added “Warwick continues to develop his significant legacy of industry-wide improvements in maritime safety standards. He has chosen to step aside at a time when RightShip enjoys a very strong industry position, and we are fortunate that he will remain at hand and continue to provide leadership and innovation within the organisation.”

Under the stewardship of Warwick Norman, RightShip has grown from start-up to pre-eminent maritime safety organisation with global impact and reach. In 2016 RightShip successfully launched a new online vetting platform, RightShip Qi. Three years in development, RightShip Qi brings big data and predictive analytics to the maritime industry, typifying the innovation and leadership that has become synonymous with RightShip under Warwick Norman’s guidance.

Warwick has numerous industry accolades to his credit including the 2013 ‘Prime Minister’s Australian Exporter of the Year’ and 2014 ‘Australian Export Hero’. In 2016, for the fifth consecutive year, Warwick was named in the prestigious Lloyds List ‘One Hundred Most Influential People in the Shipping Industry’.

About Warwick Norman

Warwick has been Chief Executive Officer of RightShip since its inception in 2001. Under his stewardship, the company has become a global authority on maritime safety and environmental sustainability, helping shippers, terminals and ports, ship owners, managers and maritime finance organisations to minimise their maritime and environmental risk. RightShip is the industry’s largest provider of third party vetting services with subscriptions from almost 300 customer organisations.

Warwick is the current Chairman of both the Australian Marine Environment Protection Association (AUSMEPA) and its peak body, the International Marine Environment Protection Association (INTERMEPA), a member of the Lloyds Register Asia Advisory Committee, a Sailors’ Society Ambassador, a Member of the Australian Seafarers Welfare Council and a Director of the Seafarer Foundation.

Amongst other accolades RightShip has been awarded the 2013 ‘Prime Minister’s Australian Exporter of the Year’. For the fifth consecutive year, in 2016 Warwick has made the prestigious Lloyds List ‘One Hundred Most Influential People in the Shipping Industry’; he was named in the 2015 Top 50 Tanker Shipping and Trade Industry leaders, and was also honoured as a 2014 ‘Australian Export Hero’ by the Export Council of Australia.

Warwick is regularly invited to contribute to policy formation with international legislators such as the EU, International Maritime Organisation and the US Environmental Protection Authority, as well as government representatives from foreign nations.