James Foong, a Fellow of The Nautical Institute UK and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation, has more than 17 years of working experience internationally in maritime operations and shipping, integrating commercial management, executive leadership, and safety management systems. He has held both white-collar and blue-collar roles in the maritime industry.
Capt. James was trained in Malaysia, qualified in New Zealand, and graduated from the United Kingdom.
Capt. James is a graduate of Middlesex University London’s MBA program in Shipping and Logistics, which is recognized by the UK’s Chartered Management Institute. This industry-specific MBA from London focuses on ship finance and risk management, which include general business management. His final year thesis is titled “Cost of Commercial Risks in QHSSE in the maritime industry due to COVID 19.”
In 2016, at the age of 28, he passed the highest grade of a ship captain’s qualification at the NZ Maritime School, becoming the youngest Master Mariner certified by the Government of New Zealand. Within three years, he had his first command experience at sea.
Capt. James is a skilled risk assessment expert with experience directing and executing fully integrated marine communications, innovation, and transformation programs with distinction. He is also a published author with worldwide experience. His maritime writings have appeared on SAFETY4SEA and Maritime Fairtrade, and he has been invited as guest of honor on supply chain and shipping podcasts to discuss the value of shipping.
As an active seafarer himself, Capt. James has been promoting life at sea on social media, “the seafarers serving onboard sometimes break without coffee but most of the time, coffee without breaks” that’s how Capt. James summed up the life at sea.
Having nearly 30,000 followers on his LinkedIn profile, MarineTraffic included Capt. James Foong in its list as one of the world’s “Top Maritime Influencers You Should Follow.” His seafarer’s stories and articles were featured on SAFETY4SEA, Maritime Fairtrade and The Navigator.
Recently, Capt. James was appointed to serve as a Member in the Board of Industry Experts at Maritime Fairtrade to share insight and opinions on issues that are important to the maritime sector.
As part of his contribution back to the maritime industry, Capt. James was chosen as one of the Council Members serving The Nautical Institute; including in the Assurance Committee and Automation Technical Advisory Group (ATAG), a special technical advisory group set up by The Nautical Institute with selected subject-matter experts to explore automation subject on its benefits and limitations for its institute members to expose further to a wide range of evolving navigation technologies.
Capt. James was previously working as Group Lead Auditor in one of the world’s leading energy shipping corporations in Malaysia where he was responsible for providing assurance to the management on their offshore floating assets including LNG fleet, FPSO and Petroleum tankers that are managed effectively through safety audits to identify, develop, and recommend the specific procedures which will improve the aspects as to meet the operational and business requirements.
Currently Capt. James resumed his role at sea serving as a Master Mariner onboard a large cargo ship traveling across the Atlantic Ocean, to connect the integrated maritime logistics from the East to the West.
Capt. James believes good leadership comes with great communication. He enjoys problem-solving and working in collaborative environments that value individualization, teamwork, and growth. He listens attentively and conveys his ideas clearly to the team, which certainly blends well into a multinational’s culture.
During his vacation at home away from sailing, Capt. James hosts his own talk show (The JAMTALK 101) with its slogan “where the best ideas come from a great talk”, where he invites professionals to be featured on LinkedIn live streaming by highlighting and sharing real-life stories which makes us more aware of the world around us and promotes faith in humanity.
