Nobu Su

Nobu Su is the CEO and owner of the Taipei-based shipping company Today Makes Tomorrow (TMT), (formerly Taiwan Maritime Transportation). He is considered one of the leading Asian shipping corporate executives.

Mr Su holds several for improvements to LNG and oil tanker construction,^[1][2] mobile data transmission technology,^[3] and a shipping tracking system.^[4] He graduated with a BSC in economics from Keio University in Tokyo, Japan^[5] and earned an MBA from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in 1982.^[6]

Entrepreneurship

Nobu Su recently introduced Ocean net, a technology system he already patented,^[7] a system which enables the transmission and reception of data via an offshore mobile communications network. Ocean net was originally devised as a cost-effective ship-to-shore communications network allowing shipping crews to contact their families, but is also used in ship-to-ship transmissions for safety.

In 2002, Su registered^[8] the first of three successful patents for Ocean net. Patents have been registered in the United Kingdom (2002), the United States (2004) and Korea (2009).

Advances in cloud computing have increased the effectiveness of Ocean net over the AIS system currently used by the shipping industry.

Mr Su was quoted as saying, "While the main objective of my system is to allow ship crews and their loved ones to maintain contact, it can just as well be used to transmit critical information, such as the latest weather conditions or the location of a stranded vessel. In fact, following the tragic disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 and AirAsia Flight 8501, the mobile communications technology that I developed would have expedited recovery efforts, since it is also applicable to the aviation field."^[9]

Mr Su has also designed an underdeck piping structure for ships, which he patented in Japan, Korea and China, which he has allowed shipping companies to use without license.^[10] Su’s underdeck piping system for ships is currently in commercial use.

Su has a registered patent^[11] on a technology called Time Stamp which seeks to eliminate email fraud with a unique time signature for users.

TMT has interests in Forward Freight Agreements (FFA’s) on the global market.

On April 19th, 2011, Su was given the Lifetime Achievement for Entrepreneurship award at the international ShipTek conference.^[12]

Shipping Business

As Chairman of TMT Nobu Su has increased the ownership of vessels across multiple shipping classes. The company now operates over 20 carriers^[11] including LNG carriers, VLCC carriers, cement carriers and vehicle freight Ro-Ro- carriers.

Mr Su has also turned TMT, his company, into a leading operator of real tankers and dry bulk ships. Under his direction TMT has expanded its fleet to include drybulk carriers, very large crude carriers, cargo carriers, liquefied natural gas carriers, automobile carriers, and cement carriers^[5] In addition to increasing the service capabilities of TMT, with clients such as Chevron,^[13] Mr. Nobu Su has transformed TMT into a global leader in the international shipping industry. Under his direction, TMT has emerged as one of the most successful participants in the global freight derivatives market (FFA market).^[5] Mr Su has been described as "an adroit player"^[14] of the FFA market.

The most recent vessel purchases have been in Capesize dry-bulk carriers as well investments into oil tankers. TMT has a number of business partners and charters from companies like Chevron^[15] and COA, for crude oil transport and cement transport.

Legal issues

In June 2013 Mr Su chose to place part of his fleet under US Chapter 11 protection after being put under pressure by Taiwanese creditors. TMT has won a recent set of court cases that have challenged its Chapter 11 protection.^[16]

Pan-Asian Activism

Nobu Su is based in Taiwan and sees the country as an important part of the global shipping industry. He seeks to increase the holdings, visibility and reach of Asian companies within the shipping markets. Through TMT, he has invested in a number of regional shipping companies and ship construction companies.^[17]

Mr. Su sees his corporate activities as a way of promoting Asian corporate leadership, participation and integration into the global economy^[18] and has worked to further research on how Asian companies and leaders can utilize creative methods to be more integrated in the global economy.^[6]

Su has stated that he plans to expand the reach of Asian companies into other investments and markets, with a plan to invest^[19] in a liquefaction company in São Tomé and Principe to produce natural gas.

Philanthropy

Mr Su has endowed a chair at IMD that focuses on researching “how Asian companies and leaders can utilize creative methods to be more integrated in the global economy”. The chair is titled the Nobu Su Professor of Global Leadership, with Professor Katherine Xin as the first holder of the chair.^[6]

References