Andreas Tsestidis

Biography

Andreas Tsestidis is 25 years old, and was born and raised in Cyprus. After finishing high school in 2011, he joined the army for two years before going on to attend the University of Glasgow, where he completed an MA with Honours in Business and Management. During his studies, he completed various internships, including two summer internships with MSC Shipmanagement in Limassol, Cyprus. He is currently completing an MSc in International Shipping at the University of Plymouth. In addition to being a student, Tsestidis works as a part-time photographer and travels extensively. 

Introduction to research

Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCVs) was a topic that fascinated me since my last internship with MSC and was the topic that introduced me to the shipping world even before this. As I had a lot of questions about this topic I decided to conduct research on the challenges that shipping companies face with the deployment of ULCVs and how they plan to overcome them. In my research I also explore how these challenges affect the relationship between the companies and the shippers.

 Why did you choose maritime as your area of study and research?

Growing up in Limassol, a city that is historically associated with the shipping industry, it was inevitable that the sight of ships coming in and out of port was a part of everyday life. The actual operations of shipping, however, were foreign to me until a few years ago when I came in contact with shipping companies through work as a salesman. By discussing with some of the managers I decided that following a career in shipping would provide me with the challenge I was looking for, as it would allow me to combine my passion for global trade, culture and business in one career.

 What do you hope to get out of participating in the Maritime Masters programme?

By undertaking the MSc in International Shipping, I expect to increase my knowledge and understanding of the shipping industry. As it is an industry where experience is very important towards career progression I hope to enhance my CV and increase my chances of getting selected for my first job. Also during my studies I created valuable relationships and long lasting friendships with my fellow students and it was an enlightening experience to speak with maritime experts as well as people with more experience than me. This allowed me to get further insight and learn from different perspectives. Throughout my studies I developed my critical thinking and grew as an individual preparing myself for the career challenges ahead.