Laura Blee-DeFrias has joined Bermuda Forwarders Ltd as freight services manager with the company’s ocean import team.

She has 20 years of experience in the shipping industry, having started at Bermuda Ocean Shipping Services in 1995 and became managing director two years later.

During last year’s United Nations International Women’s Day she was recognised by Governor George Fergusson and Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, Minister of Community, Culture and Sports, for her achievements in advancing the shipping industry in Bermuda.

Willie Forbes, Bermuda Forwarder’s vice-president of international services, said: “Laura embodies our ‘customer-first’ philosophy and I look forward to working closely with her.”

He added: “We have always prided ourselves on offering the most complete logistics solution for Bermuda importers. We are truly the only global one-stop shop on island. We take the headaches out of shipping whether you need four cubic feet of inventory from the US or a 40-foot custom sailing workshop from New Zealand.”

While Nick Kempe, vice-president, said: “I see Laura as a key part of Bermuda Forwarder’s next generation executive and I proudly welcome her to the family.

“We continue to adapt our business to the changing needs of our clients.

“Over the last 18 months, we launched our new ocean small package solutions as well as investing heavily in system upgrades and training in order to offer our customers more flexible shipping options and faster turnarounds.”

Bermuda Forwarders is a family company that celebrated its 60th anniversary last year.