Lomar Shipping has set up a fund to help young people into the industry — and honour the memory of former chief executive Achim Boehme.
Boehme died of cancer aged 56 on 25 July 2020, but his name will live on through the Achim Boehme Scholarship programme.
The fund has been established in his native Germany.
A Lomar spokesman told TradeWinds: "During the past year, we have been working to establish a lasting memory for him, one that will help future generations of young people in our industry, of whom Achim was always so supportive, and specifically in his home town of Bremen."
Boehme is described as a great mentor and teacher to others and his legacy will be carried forward through the scholarship.
The initial aim is to help shipping students at Hochschule Bremen, City University of Applied Sciences.
'A great friend'
George Logothetis, chairman and chief executive of Lomar’s parent, Libra Group, said: "It was heartbreaking to have such a great friend taken from us so prematurely.
"Achim was a stalwart of decency, a bastion of integrity and goodness; a true leader. The first to offer his time, together with his help, his guidance and his direction to anyone planning a career in shipping; we honour his memory by establishing the Achim Boehme Scholarship programme."
Nicholas Georgiou, who succeeded Achim Boehme as chief executive last October, worked alongside him for more than a decade as chief operating officer.
"Achim’s passing left a massive void among all of us who knew and worked with him — within Lomar and in the wider shipping industry," Georgiou said.
A lasting legacy
"He was a great leader and innovator who inspired the development of so many in our profession. This scholarship programme will perpetuate Achim Boehme’s lifelong contribution to shipping by helping to develop the leaders of tomorrow."
Professor Captain Thomas Jung from the City University of Applied Sciences said Boehme contributed so much to shipping, to education and to Bremen.
"We are honoured to work with Lomar to develop this scholarship, to support the future careers of students who may follow in the footsteps of Achim Boehme and, like him, become a giant of the shipping industry in the decades to come," he added.
Boehme joined Lomar’s management team as chief financial officer in 2010 and was promoted to chief executive that year, taking overall responsibility for management, strategy and development.
He was also general manager of Lomar Germany.
Boehme was previously a shipping specialist at Hamburgische Landesbank before joining Deutsche Schiffsbank, then one of the world’s leading ship finance banks, as deputy general manager and head of Greek shipping.
He left behind a wife and four children.
