World Leading Maritime Decarbonisation Advisory Services company VPS, is pleased to announce the appointment of John MacKenzie, as the company’s new Group Strategic Business Development Manager. In this role, John will lead the global initiatives aimed at advancing VPS's partnerships with new and existing strategic clients. His efforts will play an integral role in the continued leadership of VPS within the testing and advisory space, acting as a focal point for clients.

At the start of his career John led business development efforts for a leading on-shore testing and certification business, quickly transitioning into the International Marine space. His specialism transcends client management, Oil Condition Monitoring (OCM) and fuel testing. He continued to strengthen his knowledge of the maritime sector, serving time with ExxonMobil Marine Lubricants and latterly as Sales Director within a global ship management and services company. With over a decade of experience managing key maritime accounts and leading business development teams, John has developed a deep understanding of how to deliver tangible value to clients and operate as a true partner, in tackling the everchanging demands of the marine industry.

Dr. Malcolm Cooper, VPS CEO, stated: “The maritime industry is changing fast with ambitious emissions targets and decarbonisation requirements driving the introduction of new technologies and fuels into the market. In this dynamic landscape, we are very pleased to have John on board to help VPS customers optimise their operations by understanding which new fuels to use and how to adapt to these sustainable business drivers and meet new regulations.”

“Whilst the industry is rightfully focussed on the path towards Net Zero, we must ensure we do not take our eye off the ball on the operational risks posed by traditional fuels.” Said John MacKenzie. “That said, it’s an evolving landscape, with a variety of legislations and an even wider array of future fuels. VPS leads the way in testing fuels like Methanol and marine Biofuel, making them a strategic partner for clients in their efforts to Net Zero.  

I’m incredibly excited to be involved at the sharp end of the industry’s fuel transition. Knowledge and experience are at a premium and VPS holds both, nicely packaged into our advanced Digital Decarbonization platforms: PortStats and Maress. The team is filled with experience and determination and I look forward to adding mine into the mix.”