The Virgin Islands Shipping and Maritime Authority (VISMA) has appointed Georgios Bazos as its first Business Development Manager. The appointment gives shipowners, financiers, insurers, brokers and their legal advisers a senior point of contact in London, connected directly to the Authority’s registration and technical teams in the BVI.
Bazos took up the post on 18 May 2026 and works from BVI House London, the Government of the Virgin Islands’ official office in the United Kingdom. His mandate covers promoting the Virgin Islands maritime administration internationally, developing the Authority’s network across the major maritime centres, and supporting the growth of a quality merchant fleet.
His career spans more than 20 years across the maritime and finance sectors, including 13 years in London flag administrations, where he progressed from vessel registration and transaction closings to senior business development. He holds a Master of Science in Maritime Operations and an MBA, and works in English and Greek.
John Samuel, Managing Director of VISMA, said: “The Authority has long been a strong and trusted maritime administration, and we have spent the better part of the last three years tooling it for expansion into merchant shipping. The appointment of our first Business Development Manager is a deliberate step: it places that capability where the international shipping community makes its decisions, in the hands of someone who has spent his career serving that community.”
VISMA holds Category 1 status within the Red Ensign Group, and can register vessels of unlimited tonnage and type under the Virgin Islands flag. Vessels on the register fly the Virgin Islands Red Ensign, operate under British maritime standards, and have access to British consular assistance worldwide.
Georgios Bazos, Business Development Manager, said: “I have spent more than a decade inside flag administrations in London, from vessel registrations and closings through to developing fleets, and one thing has never changed: this city is where shipping’s decisions are made. The owners, financiers, insurers and brokers who choose a flag are here. My role is to ensure that when they weigh their options, the Virgin Islands flag is within reach, with a direct route to the Authority and a merchant fleet built on quality rather than volume.”
The appointment follows the Authority’s establishment as an independent statutory body and its continued investment in the people and systems that serve a growing international fleet. The Authority has also broadened its services in recent months, including its Yacht Engaged in Trade certification for owners who both sail for pleasure and trading.
Source: Virgin Islands Shipping & Maritime Authority
