December 1 - NEPA Projects and Investments is offering shipowners an integrated solution including managing their investments, ownership representation, commercial management, arranging technical management, dry docking supervision, newbuilding and conver

The company, a subsidiary of NEPA Shipping of the Netherlands is the brainchild of Captain Pappu Sastry who previously held a senior position with a global ship management company.

"During my time in the maritime industry it has become apparent that there is growing demand from the 
industry for a company that can provide a wide range of services and can also be innovative and flexible," said Captain Sastry, project director of Hong Kong-based, NEPA Projects and Investments formed in 2007.

"There is also demand from private equity companies related to shipping who want to invest in the maritime sector and we can provide the advice they need to secure the deals."

Captain Sastry said that the industry is highly fragmented with large companies dominating sectors such as ship management, S&P and chartering.

"We have hired some of the brightest and the best from the ship broking, chartering and commercial sectors under one umbrella group that enables NEPA Projects and Investments to deliver customised services to shipowners and investors," he added. 

During the economic downturn many banks have been left with distressed assets as shipping companies are liquidated. These vessels are often laid up while the banks are charged premium fees by ship management companies.

"This is an opportunity; we can find the cargo for these vessels, organise the chartering and manage the vessel providing banks with a return on their assets." 

The main business of the Hong Kong company, Nepa Shipping Agency (HK) Ltd, is a regular conventional bulk / breakbulk service from China and other Far East ports to the Mediterranean and Europe. Presently about four monthly sailings are offered with dry bulk and general cargo tonnage.

In China the main ports of call are Xingang, Bayuquan, Lianyungang, Yangtze River ports, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Huangpu and Fangcheng. In the Mediterranean & Black sea the main ports of call are Alexandria, Lattakia, Tartous, Diliskelesi, Ravenna, Porto Marghera, Tarragona, Barcelona, Koper, Castellon, Cagliari, Savona, Sagunto and Huelva.

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