In 2024 I will have served 20 years as Chairman and Chief Executive of the ICE Group. In that period, ICE has changed from essentially being two separate entities – one in the UK/Isle of Man and one in Romania, each with an illustrious history but mainly focussed on its domestic markets. Today, ICE is a leading integrated marine design Group serving customers world-wide. Thanks to dedicated employees and professional advisors, we have over those years restructured the Group to reduce risks and costs, invested substantially in facilities and systems to improve working conditions and productivity, built up a valuable inventory of ship designs and project management procedures, and successfully performed about 260 significant design contracts for 70 different clients in 30 countries.
After a few difficult years, including from the effects of the Corona pandemic, 2023 was a year of recovery and growth for ICE and we are again ready to face new opportunities and challenges. We will remain active with decarbonisation, however, the world will for many more years need conventional offshore oil and gas and the overall need for marine transportation is expected to increase. We are successfully pursuing opportunities to use our generic FPSO hull designs as platforms for generating, converting and storing clean energy. The cruise ship industry is recovering, with an expected need for new and more environmentally friendly ships. The geopolitical situation has put focus on the need for upgrading and building new military and coast guard ships.
All these growth opportunities require marine design expertise and capacity. Although several sectors of the marine industry are still having difficulties, I’m confident that the future for ICE is bright provided we continue to offer our customers cost-effective services and remain able to flexibly meet upcoming demands.
I am hugely grateful for the trust that our customers have shown in ICE and for the great efforts of our employees that have earned us that trust. I wish all customers, employees and our many valued associates and friends all the best for 2024.
Steinar Draegebo
ICE Group Chairman & Chief Executive
