Press Releases
PRESS RELEASE: London, UK – 11th February 2005

GRIFFIN EXPANDS INTO SHANGHAI
The Griffin Global Group, the world’s largest and only truly global marine and offshore travel specialist is pleased to announce the opening of an office in Shanghai, its second location in China and 25th globally.

The Shanghai office follows Griffin’s June 2004 entry into the Chinese market with the opening of its Beijing location. Expansion to Shanghai had been scheduled to occur within 12-18 months, but the combination of speed of growth of the Chinese economy and crewing market, and the related success of the Beijing office led to this schedule being quickened.

Shanghai is China’s largest port and the world’s fourth largest, serving the world’s fastest growing economy. Accordingly an increasing number of international shipping companies are establishing offices in the city.
The market for Chinese crew is also expanding rapidly, particularly for foreign owned vessels whose owners and managers are increasingly utilizing this fast-growing highly trained workforce. Over 60,000 Chinese crew, around 7% of the global market, were supplied to the global shipping industry in 2004, with this expected to grow further in coming years.

Mr Sun, Griffin’s Managing Director in China commented, ‘The market is expanding so fast and the trend of Chinese seamen to go abroad is so strong that we took the opportunity to move into Shanghai much sooner than originally expected’. He added, ‘Our new office is close to several big clients, and the combination of this local presence and knowledge, and unrivalled experience globally in handling the specialist travel requirements of the shipping industry, leaves us extremely well placed to service both existing and potential clients with interests in the city.’

• Established in 1977, with first offices in Athens and London
  
• Global network of twenty-five offices in seventeen different countries, covering key strategic marine and offshore markets, and operating on a 24/7/365 basis
  
• Common ownership model unique in the market – all offices either wholly owned or Griffin-managed joint ventures
  
• Widest available product range – specially negotiated air fares with over ninety airlines
  
• Global consolidation of airline bookings through a single reservation system – Amadeus
  
• Global proprietary technology platform
  
• Annual global revenues in excess of US$250 million

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