Captain Kuba Szymanski
Secretary General, InterManager
Captain Kuba Szymanski is the Secretary General for InterManager, the international trade association for the ship and crew management sector.
Through his role with InterManager, Capt Szymanski has participated in many industry-wide projects, including the production of international shipping industry Key Performance Indicators (KPI), the Save Our Seafarers campaign and, most recently, the Martha Project which focussed on seafarer fatigue at sea. He currently chairs the Human Element Industry Group (HEIG) Enclosed Space Committee. During the pandemic, Capt Szymanski has represented InterManager on a number of key maritime panels, supporting seafarers around the world and helping to ensure business continuity for the global supply chain.
He started his sea career in 1985. Graduating from the Maritime University of Szczecin with a Master’s Degree, he began in the role of deck officer with Dorchester Maritime Limited Isle of Man where he sailed gas/chemical/product tankers, reaching his first command as a Master in 1999.
In order to support his managerial skills, he attended Lloyds Academy and obtained a Certificate in Ship Superintendence, before gaining an MBA at the International Business School, Isle of Man and John Moores University (JMU) Liverpool.
In his roles ashore, he worked as a Marine Superintendent, HSEQ Manager, Fleet Manager and General Manager. He was appointed Secretary General of InterManager in January 2010.
Capt Szymanski is a familiar face on the international maritime lecture circuit. For the past 16 years he has also lectured on ship management at the International Business School, Isle of Man.
In 2011 Kuba joined the TK Foundation, which supports non-profit maritime and youth programs, and he currently chairs its HR and Renumeration Committee.
In July 2018 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Solent Southampton University in recognition of his contribution to the maritime industry.
In April 2022 Capt Szymanski took up the additional role of Chair of the Board of the 200-year-old Seafarers Hospital Society (SHS), the UK’s oldest maritime charity. SHS provides a range of health and welfare services to UK-based seafarers and their dependants.
