It is the latest step in Columbia Group’s commitment to fostering and nurturing growth within the Turkish maritime community and the collaboration with Istanbul Technical University and Piri Reis University underlines the group’s dedication to helping develop new talent in the region.

Columbia Group, a revered stalwart in the maritime industry commanding a fleet of over 400 vessels, continues to find new ways of broadening its horizons globally through its trusted arm, Columbia Shipmanagement. Having opened in May this year, CSM Turkey is bringing the full spectrum of Columbia Group integrated maritime services to Istanbul, headed by Capt. Ozgur Dogan Gunes and overseen by Xanthos Kyriacou and Johann Meyer.

This has enabled the group to offer wide-ranging support to all its stakeholders in Turkey as well as full ‘second party’ technical and crew management services. Through its renowned Performance Optimisation Control Room (POCR), CSM Turkey also offers essential digitalization and optimization services, as well as catering, training and a newbuild consultancy, tapping into the region’s prowess as a major shipbuilder.

The opening of CSM Turkey has also created a springboard for expansion into the luxury aviation, super yacht and cruise management sectors in the region.

Commenting on Columbia Group’s investment in helping local maritime cadets, Xanthos Kyriacou Regional Managing Director said: “As a testament to our dedication to education, we take great pride in actively supporting maritime cadets in collaboration with Istanbul Technical University and Piri Reis University. 

Mark O’Neil, Columbia Group CEO added: “This visionary programme will offer invaluable support to students pursuing higher education in the specialised field of maritime studies. Furthermore, we are excited to provide students with exclusive access to Columbia Group’s state-of-the-art e-Learning system, enriching their educational journey with cutting-edge resources. We are genuinely excited about this collaboration, and we eagerly anticipate the role we will play in shaping the promising futures of these talented individuals.”

Maritime Busness World