Hong Kong: Hong Kong has a new shipmanagement company and one with razor sharp commercial antenna. Headed by ex-Wallem employees, Michael Birley, Rajesh Gadhia and Laxman Kumar, Langton Shipping Group is, according to Birley, “the culmination of 35 years of observation and desire to bring together a company that can offer a very broad range of shipping services within a nimble and proactive organisation”.
The firm, founded in May this year, offers shipmanagement, ship broking and shipping project management services.
Birley’s past career includes being in charge of Clarkson in Hong Kong then heading up Wallem’s shipbroking unit. On how Langton is different to others in the market, the British national says, “Langton is nimble, quick and relationship focused. We work closely with each other, looking for an advantage for our clients. Larger companies tend to segregate expertise areas to be more efficient.”
He stresses how Langton can be different to the establishes big names he is competing against.
“We want,” he says, “to see a move towards more of strong values and long term relationships and less commoditisation of what has always been above all, a people industry.”
As to the name, Langton, Birley explains that this is a family name. The Langton Birleys were involved with the Liverpool, New York and Philadelphia Steam Ship Company in the mid 1800s – also known as the Inman Line. [15/09/14]
