Emanuele Grimaldi elected President of the Maltese Shipowners’ Association

Emanuele Grimaldi, Managing Director of the Grimaldi Group, has been elected President of the Malta International Shipowners Association (MISA), which represents shipowners and bareboat charterers operating vessels under the Maltese flag. His appointment was announced on 9 October at the Association’s Annual General Meeting, held at the Malta Chamber of Commerce in Valletta.

A founding member of MISA since its establishment in 2004, Grimaldi succeeds Marily Frangista, who has served as President for the past four and a half years and will now take on the role of Vice President.

The appointment further strengthens Grimaldi’s distinguished role in international shipping representation. He has previously served as President of Confitarma (Italian Shipowners’ Association), the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) and, most recently, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS). In 2025, he was also appointed an honorary member of Malta’s National Order of Merit in recognition of his contribution and longstanding ties with the country.

“It’s a privilege to succeed Marily Frangista and I’d like to thank her for her outstanding dedication and the tremendous work she’s done to strengthen MISA, raise its profile and expand its international engagement,” said Grimaldi. “I look forward to building on this progress and further enhancing MISA’s role as an effective voice for its members.”

Emanuele Grimaldi’s election comes at a significant time for Malta’s maritime sector: the Maltese ship register comprises vessels with combined 94 million gross tonnage, retaining its position as Europe’s largest and edging closer to the important 100 million GT milestone.

Under Emanuele Grimaldi’s leadership, MISA aims to further strengthen its role in promoting dialogue between shipowners and institutions, helping the development and competitiveness of both Maltese and international shipping. John C. Lyras, another founding member of MISA, highlighted Grimaldi’s international experience and strong ties with Malta as valuable assets for the Association’s future. Outgoing President Marily Frangista also welcomed the appointment and voiced her support for the organization’s future work. MISA’s Secretary General Claudia Vella Casagrande expressed confidence that, under its new President, the Association would continue to grow, deepening its dialogue with the Maltese authorities and strengthening its presence at both European and international level.