Lloyd’s Register (LR) has appointed Michele Landro to its newly created role of Vice President, Head of Passenger Ships Segment, where he will lead the segment at a global level, supporting its long-term sustainable growth and providing strategic direction while nurturing key client relationships and industry networks, according to a press release.
Landro, who has a technical background including a master’s degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the University of Genoa, has 15 years’ experience in the maritime sector. Based out of Miami, he joins LR following various roles with ABB in Italy, UK, Germany and USA. Most recently he served as Global Account Manager for ABB USA and Head of the Global Key Account Team for Carnival Corporation, responsible for steering the sales and strategic initiatives of the company across the Carnival brands.
Cruise will be a dominant focus for Landro as LR classes the most cruise vessels worldwide (over 130, with a further 31 on order) and he will support the sector’s key players with their sustainability ambitions, which are closely monitored by their customers.
“Few industries in the world pay as much attention to sustainability as the cruise sector, whose operations face much scrutiny from public opinion and the media, and many of the leading cruise companies are determined to deliver on decarbonization ambitions,” Landro said.
“Organizations like ours are increasingly being asked to provide trusted advice to shipowners on a wide range of key topics, such as R&D on new technologies that address the energy transition and digital transformation,” he added.
Landro will also focus on ferries and ro-ro ships, which are enjoying increasingly rapid growth in regions such as North America, the Mediterranean and North Europe.
Landro will report into Joe Borg, the London-based Maritime Strategy Director of LR, and will work closely with stakeholders across the organization to deliver operational efficiencies for LR clients while supporting them through a safe and sustainable maritime energy transition.
