MAX STOTT NEWS REPORTER

No matter from which angle you look at it, there’s no denying the fact that we’re in the middle of an absolute feeding frenzy. You would have to be a seriously pessimistic stakeholder to look at the cold hard numbers and fiscal growth of the market without getting very excited. Yes, there are still many problems within the industry and still much maturing to be done but, that said, we are without doubt in the best shape we’ve been for a while, and there’s a lot to be hopeful for.

Without sounding too much like a harbinger of doom – an exterior observation of my journalism I’ve only recently been made aware of – I still think it’s important to take a human approach to future predictions and to cast an eye that goes beyond the current order book.

I’m personally of the opinion that we’re in the middle of a very long and fruitful purple patch. My fear is that this purple patch will end because of a failure to address what we now consider as ‘major challenges’ before they become serious breaking points.

I think that there’s some comfort in knowing that we’re adding quite a few more explorer vessels to the fleet; we can use them as ammunition against outsiders who constantly refer to the connotations associated with big white yachts in the Med. The industry is also getting smarter with its operational usage through the increasing popularity of support vessels.

If the new-build sector continues to encourage these positive and sustainable advances, we can then stretch the purple patch far beyond just the near future. MS