Shipping industry and current affairs expert Gavin W Roser is a charismatic and highly engaging speaker whose presentations are informative and entertaining. If you think shipping doesn’t interest or affect you be prepared to be surprised! Gavin is Ambassador at Large at the European Freight & Logistics Leaders Forum (F & L), a Brussels based think tank that brings together major shippers and transport providers from 17 countries to look at best practice across the global supply chain. Gavin has been in the shipping & logistics sector industry for 47+ years, and in this time has seen remarkable changes in one of the few industries that operate regardless of national boundaries.

He has been Managing Director of a major ship agency, Chairman of a joint venture in the Falklands, Maritime Advisor to the National Shipping Line of Iran and a Maritime Consultant at the centre of the privatisation of the shipping industry of New Zealand that earned him a reputation as ‘Roser the Razer’.

Back in his own hemisphere Gavin lead a rail freight organisation to win the coveted IFW award as European Rail Freight Operator of the year, was Vice Consul for Norway in his home city Glasgow. A keen member of The Royal Institute of International Affairs, Gavin is also Past President of the Scottish Shipping Benevolent Association, a 115-year-old maritime charity, and a member of the Management Board of the European Agency for Railways based in France. He also runs his own maritime consultancy firm. Clients included the Scottish Government on developing new approaches to moving vital freight to the Scottish islands, and through F & L presented a paper for the International Transport Forum {OECD} on sustainability.

As passionate about educating as presenting Gavin also works with maritime universities in northern Europe, promoting new thinking in maritime education for all ages, whilst also encouraging graduates to explore career opportunities in the shipping industry. He has also addressed sixth form pupils at schools focussing on career opportunities in global logistics with a focus on the maritime sector.

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A - Itinerary focussed:

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1. What your eyes see at sea:
The geography of the voyage, seas, oceans, rivers, passages and straits, ships and great events that occurred in the areas we pass through. This has included the Coral Sea, waters around Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, South & East China Seas, Indian Ocean, North & South Atlantic, Magellan Strait, Mediterranean, North Sea, Baltic, Caribbean & Inner Passages BC & Alaska. The English Channel, Bay of Biscay, the Channel Isles and Ushant.

2. The Yangtse River:
The longest river in Asia, I examine its contribution to the Chinese economy.

3. The Canary Islands: A fascinating group of Islands, with a population of 2.24 million.

4. The Mediterranean: I explore what is going on there, looking at the characteristics of the sea and its impact on the 21 countries that border it.

5. The Caribbean: A profile of the waters we transit and the islands we visit.

6. The English Channel: A Channel with global impact past & present. Ships and key events in this exciting waterway - 500 ships per day in the Dover Strait, where do they come from and where do they go?

7.The North Sea: 600 miles long, and 360 miles wide covering an area of 220,000 square miles. Historically it has served us well in two world wars, how is it serving us today?

8. Alaska: The ins and outs, ups and downs, take a look at economics and infrastructure.

9. Aleutian Islands: Majority part of Alaska, what is going on there? Explore the islands with me?

10. Hawaiian Archipelago: Eight major islands, I
explore inter-island communications and how they are governed.

11. The Mekong Delta (under revision)
A fascinating insight into trade and how the delta sustains the lives of many.
(Originating in the icy headwaters of the Tibetan highlands, the Mekong River flows through the steep canyons of China, (the upper basin), and through lower basin countries including, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia. The Mekong becomes an expansive delta in Vietnam, then empties into the South China Sea).

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B - Transport Maritime & Supply Chain:

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1. Panama, Suez & Kiel Canals: (Each can be taken separately and have formed the basis for commentary from the bridge during transit)
A look at these vital waterways; history, how they operate, customers and challenges.

2. The key ports that we visit: What is their role in the global supply chain? This includes the Port of Liverpool with an amazing history including some of the famous ships that called Liverpool home. Rotterdam and Zeebrugge also feature.

3.The Bosporus and the Black Sea:
A key waterway with a major impact on global trade. Gateway to major markets in Central and Eastern Europe and centre of both economic and political challenges. Issues and challenges - the gateway to the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean.

4. Can you live without a container?
Well, can you? What impact do containers have in everyday life; do we really need 20,000 TEU ships?

5. Can you live without a tanker?
Energy impacts us all, so what is the role of tankers in sustaining our daily lives? I cover sources of oil and gas, and the geo-political issues that impact on global energy policy. Renewables obviously feature.

6. Can you live without ships and ports like Singapore or Rotterdam?
Why are major hub ports so important in global trade, how does that affect you? Did you know that ships carry 90% of world trade?

7. Do you take ships for granted?
With a world fleet over 50,000 vessels, find out what they do and where they go?

8. Sustaining life at sea:
A look below stairs on a cruise ship; the galley, storerooms, housekeeping, engine room, bridge, and other areas which passengers never see. This lecture also looks at some of the regulations governing safety, security & sanitation programmes at sea.

9. Speed?... but at what cost? (Under revision)
Post covid will we continue to rush, transiting through busy airports, standing in security and health check queues. Or enjoy the calm of a sea passage.

10. Shipbuilding past & present:
A look at the history of shipbuilding on the Clyde, and the move to the Far East and why? (Japan, South Korea and China and specialist shipbuilding in Europe). This links shipbuilding to a nation’s economy.

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C - Current and International affairs including trade:

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1. Trade routes yesterday, today & tomorrow:

(A) Silk and spice routes of yesterday, how relevant are they today with the Chinese Belt & Road initiative?

(B) Critical waterways including the Suez, Panama & Kiel canals. The Bosphorus, Magellan Strait, the geopolitics of the Arctic and the expansion of both the North Sea Route and Northwest Passage.

(C) Global choke points including key Canals, Bab – el Mandeb, the Bosphorus, Straits of Gibraltar, Hormuz, and Malacca.

Do we ever think of them? All are vital to sustain global trade.

2. Bering Strait: A global choke point or and a new world in the North? Discuss the proposed tunnel, and plans for economic zones, are they sustainable?

3. Asean – {Association of South East Asian Nations}:
Examining the Asean blueprint for 2025 - One Vision, One Identity and One Community.

4. How Greenland & Iceland work? Arctic issues are also covered. A look at the economies and governance of these stunning places, constrained by their remote location.

5. Argentina: A country of 44 million.
Geographically remote, but what is going on there?

6. Persian or Arabian Gulf: Surrounded by eight states. A look at the Gulf itself and the conflicting goals and aspirations of countries depending on this waterway.

9. Yemen, Jordan, Israel & the Red Sea: Explore the geography and key characteristics of this fascinating region.

10. Who does what at the Foreign Office?
Review of Ministerial areas of responsibility and major agencies that impact on global trade. The latter can be a stand-alone lecture.

11. British Overseas Territories:
Fourteen territories seldom in the news, a look at what is going on in some of these exciting locations including the Falklands and Chagos Archipelago?

12. Bananas, Sugar, Tea, and Spices: (Under revision)
We may take them all for granted, but where do these daily items come from and how to they get here?

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Additional information:

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Gavin has undertaken shakedown cruises on two newly commissioned cruise ships.

Bridge commentaries on canal, river and inside passages:

• Saigon River
• Panama Canal
• Suez Canal
• Kiel Canal
• Inside Passage British Columbia

Gavin interviews: Well-known figures (available on YouTube channel www.EuropeanFreightLeaders.eu):

• President of World Population Institute Robert Walker in Washington DC.
• Romano Prodi tenth Head of the European Commission and former Prime Minister of Italy.
• Sir Malcolm Rifkind former UK Foreign Secretary.

• Josef Doffelbauer Executive Director European Agency for Railways.

Black Prince 2009 Canary Islands, Maritime and geographic
Saga Ruby 2009 Transatlantic Mysteries of the Atlantic
Balmoral 2010 Continent & North Sea ports North Sea and Energy
Saga Pearl 2 2011 Caribbean Economies Caribbean Islands
Discovery 2011 Myanmar & Far East, Irrawaddy trade and maritime topics
Discovery 2012 as above
Boudicca 2012 Caribbean/Atlantic pirates, trade and maritime topics
Black Watch 2013 Suez & Med. Trade routes and the Med profile
Aegean Odyssey 2013 Far East Mekong trade and maritime topics
Black Watch 2014 Australia PNG & Singapore.Geography and trade routes
Saga Sapphire 2015 Cape Verde/Azores. Islands and maritime
Boudicca 2016 Around Africa & the Indian Ocean
Viking Sun 2017 Shakedown cruise Mediterranean
Black Watch 2017 Iceland & Greenland Maritime and economies of destinations
Viking Orion 2018 Shakedown & Christening Mediterranean. Nautical issues and the ship
Black Watch 2018 Transatlantic & Canada Maritime, trade, geography and the St Lawrence Seaway
Viking Star 2017 West Indies to Iberia
Viking Sky 2017 Panama & Central America
Viking Sea 2018 West Indies to Iberia
Viking Sea 2018 Barcelona Baltic & Beyond
Viking Sun 2019 World Cruise sector 2 Buenos Aires to Valparaiso via Cape Horn & Falklands
Viking Orion 2019 Far East Discovery Hong Kong to Beijing and return
Spirit of Adventure 2021 Tilbury to Continental Ports Rotterdam, Turneuzen and Zeebrugge
Spirit of Discovery 2021 Southampton to Canaries and Lisbon
Viking Sea 2022 Caribbean Island Adventure
Viking Orion 2022 Alaska, Aleutians and Hawaiian Archipelago
Viking Venus 2023 British Isles Explorer
Viking Saturn 2023 Iceland & Norway's Arctic Explorer
Viking Mars 2023 Canada & New England's Scenic Shores
Viking Mars 2023 Classic Panama Canal Passage

The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.