International Marine Coatings’ Propeller magazine was first published in the 1950’s and although its design and format has continued to evolve through the years, its objective hasn’t.

Recognised as the shipping industry’s premier coating magazine, Propeller has been tackling our customers issues head on, bringing industry thought, commentary and the latest developments from International Marine Coatings for over 60 years.

As an integral part of the shipping industry, it is our professional duty to fully understand the needs of today’s shipbuilders, owners, operators and charterers and provide products, services and expertise to meet their requirements and assist decision-makers by reporting on those issues which most affect their business.

With a focus firmly on helping our customers cope with today’s challenges, whilst they plan for the future, Propeller has reported, and will continue to report on current trends and forthcoming developments in the newbuilding and maintenance and repair markets as well as reporting on current and impending legislation.

Traditionally a printed magazine mailed out to customers worldwide, subscription has grown significantly . . . and so has the tailwind of technology driving global digital communications.

General trends in media channels have shifted from printed publications to online, immediately accessible, digital information sources – driven by the internet, social media channels and mobile devices.

Moving with this digital revolution, 2009 saw the introduction of a complementary interactive digital Propeller, enhancing visitor engagement through audio and video communication.

Today, we see Propeller enter the blogging world – a logical and natural progression we feel!

Cathy Stephenson, Global Marketing Communications Manager, for International Paint’s Marine Coatings business said,

“It’s always quite a challenge to take a fresh approach to such a longstanding and respected business publication. Moving to a blog environment allows us to maintain the original objectives of Propeller, from the very first release many years ago, still incorporate the audio and video content that added depth to our more recent written stories, whilst now allowing immediate engagement, feedback and opinion on key industry challenges.”

With the high price of fuel, a challenging competitive seascape and a heavy focus on the environment, novel thinking, new ideas and finding ways of doing things more effectively can make the difference between success or demise.  With that in mind, it’s quite fitting that our first blog post focuses on how innovation is critical to business success.