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.

Itinerary focussed:
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 and the Caribbean.

Current - International affairs:
2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Asean - Association of South East Asian Nations:
Examining the Asean blueprint for 2025 - One Vision, One Identity and One.

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

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

7. The Mekong Delta
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, known as the upper basin, through lower basin countries Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia, before fanning across an expansive delta in Vietnam and emptying into the South China Sea).

8. The Bosporus and the Black Sea
A key waterway with a major impact on global trade; the gateway to major markets in Central and Eastern Europe and centre of both economic and political challenges.

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

10. 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.

11. Yemen, Jordan, Israel & the Red Sea
Issues and challenges - the gateway to the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean.

History - International Affairs
12. Dramatic events between the 60th and 80th meridians:
This lecture looks at countries such as Anguilla and British Honduras {Belize} and key events you may have forgotten about, including the Cuban Missile crisis, the Bay of Pigs, the Darien Scheme and Deepwater Horizon.

International Trade:
13. Trade routes yesterday, today & tomorrow
The relevance of the silk and spice routes today. A look at the Chinese Belt & Road initiative. Critical waterways such as the Suez and Panama canals. The Bosporus, the geopolitics of the Arctic and the expansion of the North Sea Route. The North West Passage and the Magellan Strait. Do we ever think of them? All are vital to sustain global trade.

14. 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; their history, how they operate, their customers and challenges.

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

Current Maritime topics:
16. 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?

17. 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.

18. 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?

19. Do you take Ships for Granted?
Find out what they do and where they go?

20. 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 sanitation programmes at sea.

21. Speed?... but at what cost?
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. Under construction

22. 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.

Maritime History:
23. Burma and the Irrawaddy flotilla
A review of this fascinating river, and the fleet of 600 ships and flats that sailed upon it. A look at the origins of the Burma oil Company.

24. Captain William Kidd and the Pirates of the Caribbean:
Exciting, adventures, notorious. Yes, but was he a villain or unjustly vilified? Are there any parallels with piracy today?

25. UK to Borneo by ship in the 1960's - a distance of 10,622 nautical miles
What would you see or pass en route to the booming markets of Asia?

26. Battle of the River Plate
The Graf Spee pride of the German Navy met her end off Montevideo. Commodore Harwood of the Royal Navy marshalled his forces, the Government of Uruguay maintained its neutral stance and Captain Langsdorff surprised them all.

27. The Falklands conflict 1982
Why were and are the islands so important to the UK?

28. The Role of HMS Endurance in the Falklands conflict of 1982
Known as The Red Plum, her Captain Nicholas Barker was a colourful character!

29. Optional extras: - Bridge commentaries on river passages, for example the Saigon River + Panama, Suez & Kiel Canals. Very much an itinerary focus.

NB. I have undertaken shakedown cruises on two newly commissioned cruise ships

Optional extras:

Bridge commentaries on river passages, example Saigon River + Panama, Suez & Kiel Canals, These can be adapted to any location. (very much an itinerary focus).
Have undertaken shakedown cruises on two newly commissioned cruise ships.

Gavin interviews well known figures (available on U Tube 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
Discovery 2012 as above as above
Boudicca 2012 Caribbean/Atlantic Pirates, trade and maritime
Black Watch 2013 Suez & Med Trade routes and the Med
Aegean Odyssey 2013 Far East Mekong trade and maritime
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 76 Southampton Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Viking Sun 2017 Shakedown 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 Airres to Valparaiso via Cape Horn & Falklands
Viking Orion 2019 Far East Discovery Hong Kong to Beijing and return

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