Why 'ships are cool' ?
Visit any hedge fund or private equity shop that has done a deal involving ships, or even something carried on a ship (be it oil, coal, grains, containers, or any other industrial material) - what is the first thing you notice upon entering their office?
Invariably, in the lobby or conference room you'll find a model, probably three or four feet in length, of a tanker, container ship, Roro, or dry bulk carrier. The models range in quality, size, and detail, but the bottom line is simple - ships are cool. Anyone who's ever been involved in physical commodity trade wants to show that they're in 'the club' by emphasizing their maritime connections. And anyone who's ever gone fishing with their grandfather thinks they should be part of the shipping industry.
This page reflects that interest - and the passion (or outright amazement) created by something that's either side of 300 meters long, made of steel, floats, and is designed to ply through the most abusive conditions that the earth can throw at it.
No doubt, planes are amazing things. Concorde, the Airbus A-380, even a first generation 747 is a testament to engineering and the achievement of the human spirit. Trains can be impressive - something over a mile long, hauled by a quartet of locomotive engines, each weighing in excess of 400,000 pounds and generating 5000 horsepower apiece - is a powerful sight.
But there is no argument that in the world of finance, trading, and operations, nothing garners more interest, propels more conversations, or gets a crowd's attention the way oceangoing vessels do. Ships are cool.
... but why 'Diomedes' ?
The Diomedes Islands are a pair of sparsely populated rocky outcrops in the Bering Strait, one part of Alaska, and the other Siberia. The islands are only 3.8 km (2.4 miles) apart, but separated by the Russian - U.S. border, making it an obscure but heavily guarded outpost during the Cold War.
In addition to representing the convergence of continents and ideologies, the Diomedes Islands symbolize the complexity of international trade. Since they are on either side of the International Date Line, Big Diomede Island in Siberia is a calendar day ahead of Little Diomede in Alaska, despite the two being visible from each other.
These islands are a symbol for tension and cooperation, cohesion and individuality, globalization and independence, and the promise of a new day - with all the associated opportunities.
