Skip to main navigationSkip to main content
The University of Southampton
News

Leading advocate for greener shipping awarded OBE in Queen’s Birthday Honours

Published: 19 October 2020
Dr Grahaeme Henderson
Adjunc Professor, Dr Grahaeme Henderson, was awarded an OBE in the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours.

University of Southampton graduate and Adjunct Professor, Dr Grahaeme Henderson, has been awarded an OBE in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Dr Henderson, who is the Global Head of Shipping and Maritime at Shell, is honoured for services to the International Shipping Industry. He is a leading advocate for the industry to embrace new technologies and work more collaboratively to deliver significant reductions in Greenhouse gasses and emissions that impact air quality.

Dr Henderson’s close-working relationship with the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute (SMMI) was instrumental in the creation of the Centre for Maritime Futures at the University of Southampton. The Centre, supported by a £1.5M gift from Shell, draws on the extensive expertise in maritime research carried out by the University and Shell, bringing together university and industry partners to transform the energy shipping industry to be safer, cleaner and more efficient.

In addition to achieving both his first class honours degree in Engineering and his PhD at Southampton, Dr Henderson was appointed as Adjunct Professor to the SMMI in 2015. The Institute is the largest single entity of its kind in the world, integrating all marine and maritime disciplines across the University. Through his appointment, Dr Henderson has provided students, academic and professional colleagues with operational insights into innovation, entrepreneurship and management within the global marine and maritime industries. For these and other services to the University, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science degree in 2018.

“I feel immensely proud to receive this honour, and thank the many people at Shell and in the shipping industry, who have given so much to make international shipping safer and more sustainable, as it serves the needs of society,” said Dr Henderson.

“It’s been my priority that we take good care of our colleagues, families and friends aboard the ships which keep us globally connected - the safety and welfare of our crews is paramount,” he continued. “We’ve made huge strides as an industry in the safety of operations onboard and in counter piracy measures.

“I’m really energised by the focus on decarbonisation and in improving the sustainability of the sector and its impact on our oceans,” Dr Henderson concluded. “There remains more to do in all of these areas, but we are making great progress.”

Dr Henderson is very active in a variety of shipping industry bodies, serving as Chairman of Oil Companies International Marine Forum, Vice President of the UK Chamber of Shipping and Chairman of UK Shipping Defence Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on the Oceans.

He has been a member of the Shell Trading Executive Committee and a Director of Shell International Trading and Shipping Company and was previously Managing Director of Brunei Shell Petroleum, Royal Dutch Shell’s upstream joint venture company in Brunei. His career with Shell has also included assignments in the UK, Nigeria, Syria and The Netherlands.

Privacy Settings