CTM Podcast Ep.1: Interview with John Michael Radziwill

For the first episode of the CTM Podcast we had an exclusive interview with our CEO Mr. John Michael Radziwill. Last year Mr. Radziwill celebrated his 10th year as our CEO, during this interview we asked him about his views on the hot topics in shipping, his early career and what makes CTM a special place to work.

We have chosen some of the key areas that Mr. Radziwill bought up during our conversation with him for this blog entry.

During this interview one of the key areas’s that Mr. Radziwill emphasised was his passion for CTM and it being a “client-first” business. Speaking of his own personal experience when he first came in to the company, he had scrounged up enough money to buy his first ship. Placing the ship directly under CTM’s management, no longer being just an employee but also a client of CTM. At the time (2006) ship prices were booming, he was advised by CTM’s S&P team to sell it and take advantage of this spike in the second hand market and he was very happy he did. So he saw first hand that at CTM we care more about maximising the performance of our clients assets, than increasing the number of ships under our management. Always putting the interests of our clients first.

He speaks in-depth about CTM’s “Thought Partnership”, which every new client becomes apart of. In our “Thought Partnership”we build meaningful relationships, have dissenting views and open conversations so that we can have a better understanding and approach on operational matters, the markets and macroeconomic events where we are exchanging notes on everything in our constant strive for excellence.

During our interview, he makes a point of talking about the issues that seafarers around the world are currently facing due to the on going COVID-19 pandemic:

“We all complain about being stuck at home or having a hard day at the office. These guys, when they are done with their job they don’t get to go home they are in the same place. It’s an extremely tough profession and a very necessary one. I’ve sailed as a deck cadet and an apprentice engineer and I know all too well how lonely it can be out there. We have to really support our seafarers, because they are doing the essential work that keeps our industry flowing and the arteries of the global economy filled with goods.”

Global shipping accounts for 90% of global trade, this is only made possible by these brave men and women at sea. They are the current unsung heroes of the world and are essential workers. Without them global trade would simply grind to a halt.

For more on our interview with Mr. Radziwill listen to our full interview on SoundCloud.

C TRANSPORT MARITIME S.A.M. (CTM) is a highly qualified and experienced vessel management company primarily in the dry cargo ocean transportation industry. Established in Monaco in 2004, the company has strong Greek and Italian shipping roots that reach back over a century. CTM currently manages a fleet of over 200 dry cargo vessels at any point in time in the Handymax up to Capesize segments.