The Columbia Group has reinforced its commitment to the delivery of service excellence to the Philippines market and beyond, by opening a world-class integrated maritime and logistics services hub.

CSM Manila will offer a variety of ship management and maritime-related services including the development of new logistics and ship performance solutions.

Located in a brand new 650 sq m office in Aseana City, Metro-Manila, CSM Manila brings together dedicated teams of up to 70 people, specialised in technical management, crew management and training, procurement and catering. All backed up by CSM’s Performance Optimisation Control Room technology. It is headed up by Tychonas Agisilaou, who will be permanently based in Manila.

In addition, Senator Crewing, a Columbia manning agency established in Manila for 33 years, has relocated to a new office next to CSM Manila. The new Senator Crewing office provides 1,070 square metres of office space for 66 employees and extends the reach of CSM’s services in the Philippines even more.

Participants at the inauguration of CSM Manila and Senator Crewing included Capt Leonid Zalenski, CSM Group Chief Operating Officer; Capt Faouzi Fradi, CSM Group Director, Crewing and Training; and Demetris Chrysostomou, CSM Managing Director Asia Region & Group Director Business Development.

Welcoming the opening of the new offices, Capt Fradi said it was part of CSM’s strong focus on seafarers’ development and employees’ well-being. “We know that when employees are happy, the crew on board ship performs at its best, and clients are extremely satisfied,” he said.

Capt Zalenski added: “This represents an excellent development for Senator Crewing and CSM Manila as these offices will deliver the right quality level of services demanded by the market. I look forward to further expansion in years to come.”

Columbia’s commitment to seafarer development during the maritime industry’s time of rapid digitalisation is also evidenced by its exclusive partnership with the Nautilus Pacific Training Centre in Manila, which enables CSM to train up to 5,000 seafarers in the Philippines per year with the most advanced training programmes in the industry. Nautilus is equipped with state-of-the-art simulators with the latest Wärtsilä technology to bring the highest quality training to seafarers. This high-tech equipment includes two 270 º full mission bridge simulators, one with aft view and ice navigation capabilities, and one with vertical screens across numerous ship models and navigation areas. The Nautilus Pacific Training Centre also has full mission liquid cargo handling and engine room simulators as well as the first survival craft simulator in the Philippines.

CSM has placed its own Hologram Technology at the Training Centre enabling distant training using high-tech technology. The advanced training at Nautilus is focused on preparing CSM seafarers with the knowledge and skills that will enable the safe operation and management of vessels worldwide.