Drew Marine Insights Tour: Connecting Expertise with Shipboard Challenges

 

In an era of digital communication and AI, real relationships with real people still drive real progress. In maritime, practical know-how matters and staying connected to customers remains essential for building trust and long-term partnerships.

“Drew Marine is staying front and center with the best technology and no digital collateral can replace the human discussion and insight a Drew Marine Business Unit Manager provides, especially as regulations tighten and operational demands rise” says Cynthia Lakis, Vice President, Business Unit Management and Marketing. The role of a Business Unit Manager at Drew Marine merges deep technical expertise with real-world operational understanding, leading clients to apply what works, avoid what doesn’t, and stay ahead of regulatory and performance demands.

For decades, Drew Marine’s Business Unit Managers have met customers directly to understand real operational challenges. The Insights Tour builds on this commitment with a coordinated global effort that organizes these engagements and brings them to key locations around the world. The goal: support customers where it’s needed most by listening to their challenges, understanding their operational realities, and sharing technical expertise and compliance guidance. The tour also keeps the door open for ongoing feedback that shapes the next generation of Drew Marine solutions and the future of maritime.

“Our customers are under real pressure to stay compliant and efficient,” says Ronald Broer, SVP Global Sales. “By going on tour, we bring deep expertise and can adjust our offerings to fit reality.”

Why This Tour Adds Real Value

Every vessel has its own unique set of challenges, from refrigerant phasedowns to water treatment issues, crew safety, system reliability, and ship operational availability. On this tour, Drew Marine delivers:

- Clear, relevant guidance on upcoming regulatory changes.

- Field-tested practices to boost reliability and drive down system failures.

- Personalized sessions from water treatment to maintenance systems, all tailored for shipboard realities.

- An opportunity to share insights that shape the next generation of efficient, sustainable, compliant solutions.

Spotlight on the Refrigerant Program Insights Tour

The first branch of the tour zeroes in on one of the highest-risk areas today: refrigerants. With global F-gas regulations speeding up, fleets are under pressure to act. Across Asia and Europe, Drew Marine’s refrigerant Business Unit Manager, Bob Kennedy, met and worked with customers to:

- Express the importance of refrigerant management during conversion and maintenance.

- Recognize trends in the marine refrigerant market.

- Understand timelines and alternatives for compliance.

“Sustainability remains a continuous journey in the maritime community, and the Drew Marine commitment to ESG standards is appreciated,” says Bob Kennedy, Director of Business Unit Management, Welding and Refrigeration. “The future of refrigerants continues to be a focus and concern for ship operators and Drew Marine can provide guidance around the state of refrigerant compliance globally.”

This initiative reflects Drew Marine’s deep operational understanding, helping fleets stay compliant, reduce downtime, and keep refrigerant systems performing at their best.

Director of Business Unit Management, Welding and Refrigeration, Bob Kennedy, presenting insights on refrigerants while in Hong Kong

Leadership That Shows Up

For Drew Marine’s Business Unit Managers, this tour is about being present. Meeting customers, hearing what holds them back from their mission, and sharing what works for successful ship operations. “Our most valuable insights come directly from the market,” says Cynthia Lakis. That feedback gets evaluated in our Technology Innovation Team's roadmaps, and strengthens customer support, a key differentiator when choosing Drew Marine over alternatives.

What’s Next on Deck

The tour is expected to cover other core programs such as:

- Water Treatment & Technical Services – guarding systems from challenges like corrosion, scaling, and failure.

- Cargo Hold and Tank Cleaning – enhancing safety, boosting quality, and performance.

- New Build Support – working with yards and owners to plan chemical safety, commission systems, and ensure safer start-ups.

- U.S. Navy, MSC, Coast Guard, MARAD/DOT – leveraging deep knowledge of systems, contracts, and compliance tools to support government fleets and partners with reliable, regulation-aligned solutions resulting in full mission capable systems.

- Fuel Management – optimizing combustion efficiency, improving fuel quality, and reducing emissions through advanced treatment and monitoring programs.

Each stop is built to deliver practical outcomes for fleets operating in today’s demanding environment.

Join Us on the Journey

As the tour continues into 2026, Drew Marine invites customers and partners to follow along for updates, insights, and success stories from around the world. Visit our Insights Tour page, and follow Drew Marine on LinkedIn.

This story is sponsored by Drew Marine.