YoungShip International (www.youngship.com) is a professional non-profit organization whose core purposes are to provide a competent, network-enhancing arena for its members and to promote young professionals in the global maritime industry. Since its inception in Bergen, YoungShip has grown to 18 branches on four continents in less than 10 years. Membership in YoungShip provides access to over 3,000 members within central maritime clusters in Norway, Singapore, Brazil, Mexico, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Dubai, Cyprus, Kenya, Liverpool—and now, Texas!
Recently approved by the board of YoungShip International, YoungShip Texas is now the 18th branch in YoungShip's global network. YoungShip Texas provides YoungShip with exposure to the Houston and greater Texas maritime cluster (along with all other Texas port cities and industry hubs) that runs the gamut of maritime activity, including: all manner of vessel traffic (crude oil, refined petroleum and chemical product tankers, bulk and breakbulk carriers, container ships, passenger vessels, mobile offshore drilling units, inland and ocean-going barge traffic, heavy lift, and special project cargo vessels, etc.); maritime terminals to handle all of the foregoing vessels; and maritime support services, including legal, ship's agents and husbandry, shipyard repair work, marine surveyors, and insurance underwriters, agents, brokers, and adjusters. The Ports of Houston and Galveston constitute one of the largest commercial ports in the U.S., and handle 65 percent of all major U.S. project cargoes. The Ports are also ranked first in the U.S. in foreign waterborne traffic, first in U.S. imports, first in U.S. export tonnage, and second in the U.S. in total tonnage.
YoungShip Texas was founded in January 2013 by Blank Rome Associate Mitchell Machann and TITAN Salvage's Lindsay Malen. Together with the group's board, their vision has been to increase awareness of the younger generation coming into the maritime community and to strengthen their presence as growing leaders in the U.S. maritime sector. The group has acted as a networking platform for young professionals who are already in the maritime industry and support sectors, and has encouraged Texas maritime companies to support these growing young professionals. The group decided to join YoungShip to expand its presence in the international maritime community and to promote further awareness throughout the U.S. The board currently hosts bi-monthly networking events, attracting around 40-50 people at each event from various industry sectors.
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