Connecticut-based pool operator Concord Maritime is continuing to expand its presence with the establishment of a London office.
Concord chief executive Ben Ognibene said this week that Uday Mishra has been hired to head the new Concord Maritime UK Ltd.
Not surprisingly, Mishra comes to Concord from pools operator Heidmar, where he has spent the past 15 years in the UK office.
Both Ognibene and Concord partner Jim Hurley, chief operating officer, spent years at Heidmar. Ognibene was most recently Heidmar’s CEO before he resigned in September 2017. He formed Concord in April 2018.
Mishra will be primarily responsible for regional coverage of vessel operations, voyage management and post fixture services, Ognibene said. He will provide support on bunkering, chartering, marketing, relationship management and projects.
For the last several years at Heidmar, Mishra had been in charge of voyage management, operations and post-fixture services for the company’s suezmax fleet.
Mishra started with Heidmar in 2004 and has also worked with panamax, aframax and VLCC operations and management.
Ognibene praised his “dilgence, attention to detail and keen understanding of commercial ship operations and customer support.”
Mishra previously sailed as a master mariner with Varun Shipping Co of India.
Concord’s current focus is on aframaxes. After establishing the Dakota Tankers aframax pool, it has built its fleet to nine, including vessels from Maersk Tankers, Atlas Maritime of Greece and Emarat Maritime of Dubai.
Ognibene has said Concord’s goal is to build Dakota Tankers to between 20 and 25 vessels, with the possibility it will then add a focus on suezmax and VLCC tonnage.
