Focal Logistics Group CEO Godwin Xerri appointed Chairman of the Malta Maritime Forum

Focal Logistics Group CEO Godwin Xerri has been appointed Chairman of the Malta Maritime Forum, the third in the young history of the dynamic organisation.

Mr Xerri succeeds Judge Emeritus Zammit McKeon who was last month appointed as the Parliamentary Ombudsman and Joe Borg who, shortly after ending his term as Malta’s first ever European Commissioner, together with Godwin himself, Ann Fenech and Joseph Bugeja had been instrumental in the establishment of the Forum in October 2015.

Upon his appointment as Parliamentary Ombudsman on 6th March, Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon needed to step down from his position as MMF Chairman as the Office of the Ombudsman ex lege precluded him from holding other such posts.

Further to a brief but intensive process that ensued, the Forum on Wednesday announced the appointment of Godwin Xerri as its Chairman. In taking over the helm of the Forum, Mr Xerri thanked his fellow members for their confidence and pledged to carry on in the vision of his predecessors to make the Forum the respected and vibrant voice on all matters related to the Maritime Industry and the Blue Economy.

He said that his immediate objective was to steer the Forum further into the realm of ESG as well as to drive closure to ongoing policy matters of high importance to the Industry such as the de-merger of Transport Malta, the enactment of the draft proposed Ship Agency Regulations and the setting up of a special Maritime Court.

Mr Xerri thanked both his predecessors for their untiring efforts. He said that the MMF considers itself truly privileged to have been led by Judge Zammit McKeon and Dr Joe Borg. Whilst acknowledging that he had big boots to fill, he expressed himself confident that with the dynamism and expertise of his colleagues on the Board, the MMF will continue to grow in stature and respect with the authorities and the industry under his stewardship. The same board of directors appointed Mr. Alex Montebello as Vice Chairman. Mr. Montebello, who holds the position of CEO at Malta Freeport Terminals is an industry leader within his sector and enjoys a professional reputation both locally and overseas.

A long career in maritime

Apart from leading Focal Logistics Group, which comprises Focal Maritime Services Co. Ltd, Delta Container Services Ltd and GreenwaveShipping.mt, he is also the founding member and CEO of Combined Maritime Services Limited which is Malta’s leading multi-disciplinary specialist in maritime consultancy.

In the past, Mr Xerri served as Managing Director of Sea Malta Co. Ltd and as a Director on various Boards of companies and corporations including Malta Freeport Corporation, Bank of Valletta International (BOVI) and Tug Malta Co. Ltd, amongst others.

Throughout his career in the maritime and logistics industry he has remained involved in the academic sphere through lecturing at the IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) and the Institute of Transport and Logistics as well as through involvement in the UK Chartered Institute of Shipbrokers, of which he is a fellow. In May 2023, Godwin Xerri became the first Maltese to be elected Chairman of the Worldwide Ship Agencies Association (WWSA) – an influential maritime organisation on a global level based in Antwerp.