Gazette introducing the new management team at Container Ship Management Ltd., local managers of the Bermuda Container Line Ltd.

One of Bermuda's busiest shipping companies will change its top management in the new year as it struggles for a return to profitability.

Container Ship Management, which operates ships for Bermuda Container Line and Somers Isles Shipping Ltd., has announced the appointment of Geoffrey Frith as president and Robert (Skippy) Lewis as senior vice-president.

They replace long-time president Mr. William Brewer and senior vice-president Mr. Herbert Outerbridge.

Together Mr. Frith and Mr. Lewis, along with Mr. Frans Rowaan, director of the US port operations, will become CSM's new executive team.

Yesterday Mr. Frith said: "Substantial inroads have been made in 1993. If the economy holds up, I expect we'll return to profitability in 1994.'' CSM manages the BCL-owned Oleander , out of New Jersey, and Somers Isles Shipping Ltd.'s Somers Isles , out of Fernandina Beach in Florida.

The company has been hobbled in recent years by an industry whose strong competitiveness held rates below 1985 levels through to this year.

But this summer, BCL and its competitor, Bermuda International Shipping, which operates the Bermuda Islander won approval from the Federal Maritime Commission to discuss all matters related to their business along the New Jersey-Bermuda route.

The approval in effect secured the companies' right to apply for rate increases. Since then, they independently have put into train applications that will see a 7.5 percent rate increase by January.

Mr. Frith said the company would continue to aim at increasing revenues through rate hikes and volume increases while reducing costs.

"We've spent a lot of effort in the past year reducing costs,'' he said.

"There have been a number of areas we have cut back on.'' When asked if there was an aspect of company operations Mr. Frith would like to put his own stamp on, he said he wanted to go a lot further to improve customer relations.

When his planned succession was announced earlier this year, he began to make his move, both cosmetically and materially.

As a point of emphasis, he re-named the company's traffic department the customer service department. Then he had his office and Mr. Lewis' office moved to flank the department "so senior management could become much more involved in customer relations''.

Mr. Frith also moved two people from the company's Par-La-Ville Road office to Hamilton docks where they could better control the flow and handling of customer goods.

But all in all, Mr. Frith and Mr. Lewis are taking over what many in the industry believe is a good company. The only significant challenge is to get over the industry hump that has hurt revenues.

"We're very thankful for Mr. Brewer and Mr. Outerbridge,'' Mr. Frith said.

"When CSM started 14 years ago there was nothing there.

"William Brewer with his guiding light built up both BCL and CSM to the point they are today. BCL has a vessel (the Oleander ) and CSM is part owner of this building.'' Mr. Frith and Mr. Lewis bring to the job more than 47 years of experience between them.

MINI SUPPLEMENT SUP