Meet the Portfire40!

 Acknowledge those who make change in the maritime business!

By Ryan Skinner (email)

This summer TradeWinds published a list of the 100 individuals and/or teams that they find most powerful or influential in shipping. They called it the Power 100.

Shipowners and scions topped the list. Even if TradeWinds ran away from the idea, the Power 100 parallels the Shipping Wealth 100. Wealth may be equivalent to power or influence, as these can be bought. What's to admire about that? Lloyd's List has already announced more or less the same thing.

Some power and influence cannot be bought; it stems from great ideas and the courage to follow them, based on a desire to enrich society - not just oneself. The marine industry is full of people like this, though few will appear on the Power 100.

So here is the Portfire40. Here are 40 personalities who are having a lasting impact on the industry by the novelty and vigor of their thinking, the strength of their passion for improvement and the impact they have on colleagues and partners.

This is an open and growing list, based on a list of submitted candidates and adjudicated by a board consisting of nine members of what I call shipping's alternative press: John Konrad of gCaptain, James Tweed of Coracle Online, the ClayMaitland.com team, Ken E. Beck, Peter Mello, Bob Couttie, Humphrey Hill, Sam Ignarski and Ben Strong - all Portfire40 backers.

Do you know someone who fits the Portfire40 description? Send an email describing why.

With the Portfire40, we're looking for people and stories. Share those that move you. This is your chance to draw attention to that person you admire - if he or she is selected for the Portfire40, we'll quote you!

For those who want to know where the term "portfire" comes in, check out the word's derivation. Basically, it is a slow-acting fuse used in military and mining contexts. And that's the value of the Portfire40; they burn slowly and silently, but to shattering effect.

Credit for the inspiration for Portfire40 goes to Steven Jones, who - in Shiptalk Recruitment's newsletter Gangway - shared his take on the Power 100 and the need for something better. Read that essay here.

The Portfire40 is a list of those shipping personalities who haven't inherited a shipping empire but rather carved out significant change in the industry with passion and pride. Contribute today! Send an email with your candidate's name, employer and why you think he/she belongs among the Portfire40. The more eloquent you are, the more likely you will convince the jury.

For a podcast produced by James Tweed of Coracle Online/Shipping Podcasts in which we discuss the Portfire40 concept, follow this link.

Here is AMVER's Ben Strong presenting the Portfire40 concept in video!

To read Bob Couttie of the Maritime Accident Casebook talking about Portfire40, under the catchy slogan "Enough of the same suits", click here.

Here's ShipTalk presenting Portfire40 and their role inspiring and supporting this initiative: Their story.

Kennebec Captain launched Portfire40 to his readers. Here's his piece.

[Note: No one, neither you as a contributor nor the person you suggest, will be contacted in any commercial context. It shouldn't be necessary to say this, but in this day and age it is worth repeating. This list has no commercial value.]

Comments

[Barista Uno]

Would Mr Mitropoulos be eligible?