In the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, seventy miles south of Sicily, and almost equidistant between Cyprus, at the one end, and Gibraltar at the other, lies Malta. Although fairly small in size, Malta has exercised an influence on the History of the Mediterranean quite out of proportion to their size. Almost every power that dominated, or attempted to dominate, the Mediterranean, made use of Malta’s magnificent natural harbours, and Malta commanded the north-south trading routes between Sicily, Italy and North Africa, as well as a large part of the east-west routes.
Malta today remains an important shipping centre, not only for the Mediterranean, but for the whole world. The Malta Drydocks is one of the largest ship repairs yards in Europe and has customers in over 40 countries. Regular containerised and conventional Liner Services link Malta to the major ports of the world and the Malta Freeport boasts the most modern cargo handling equipment and extensive warehousing facilities for the handling, storage and part manufacturing of goods destined for the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf markets as well as an oil storage and blending facility.
The Merchant Shipping Act came into force in 1973 and today the register has some 20 million gross tons duly registered.
GM International Services Limited, a subsidiary of Economicard Worldwide Limited, is the largest and longest established shipping services company in Malta. Our first two companies, namely Maltathens Shipping Ltd and Maltapireo Shipping Ltd, were registered on 13th May 1977. Until 1987 we commanded almost 95% of Malta’s tonnage; today, despite ever increasing competition, we remain Malta’s premier ship registration company, and we have contributed to a large extent in attaining Malta’s sixth largest registry in the world.
At GM International Services Limited we offer a very comprehensive service that incorporates all aspects of ship registration. Apart from ship and yacht registration, clients can choose from a range of services including agency, husbandry, bunkering, chandling, transhipments, secretarial, accountancy and legal services, including registration of mortgages.
Years of experience have taught us at GM International Services Limited that efficiency, speed, confidentiality and quality service are the only criteria for success in a competitive market. We pride ourselves on our ability to offer clients a very specialised service with plans tailor-made to meet individual needs. We are one of the few companies able to offer clients such a wide range of services under one roof.
GM has earned itself a favourable reputation on the international market through the efforts of our company Chairman, John A. Gauci-Maistre K.M. who is well known for his contributions to various prestigious shipping and maritime international magazines and his participation in many international fora and conferences. He has personally organised our group’s own seminars in, among other places, London, Piraeus and Oslo. GM International Services Limited is present at all Maritime and Shipping exhibitions around the world, promoting our various specialised services.
Malta’s geographical location as well as forming part of the European Union could well make it the best registration option for ship owners the world over. At GM International Services Limited we also believe Malta to be the optimum location for ship management. The Island’s strategic location makes it an important base for trade and telecommunications between North Africa and Europe and the rest of the world.
We believe that it is possible to serve the world from Malta.
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John A. Gauci Maistre K.M. is the founder and C.E.O of the GM Group (formerly Economicard Group of Companies) which embraces GM Corporate and Fiduciary Services Limited and its affiliates, GM International Services Limited and GM International Conferences and Exhibitions Ltd.
He has been defined as the man who put Malta on the map of flag states since he singlehandedly pioneered ship and yacht registration under the Malta Flag in the 1970s. Long attracting top-tier maritime firms together with blue chip owning companies and operators to Malta, to date GM International Services Limited has registered over 50 million tons and formed just under 2,000 companies. Almost 50 years on, he continues to contribute to sustaining the Malta Flag Registry as the undisputed leader in the EU as well as its 6th global ranking.
Owing to the worldwide stellar reputation he enjoys in the maritime industry, John Gauci Maistre was accredited by the Panamanian Government as its consul in Malta in 1994 - a post he has held ever since. Furthermore, in 1995 he co-founded the Honorary Consular Corps and served as Dean from 1995 to 2011.
It is also through his foresight to offer international clients a holistic service provider that GMC was founded in 2009, a company specifically involved in the area of international financial services focused on the design and administration of tax efficient structures, fund management and other related services. This expansion also led to a notable number of financial institutions investing in Malta.
His experience in accountancy and legal work has enabled him to sit on various government sponsored maritime committees, advisory boards and councils, including the Association of Malta Shipowners (1990-1992); The Malta Chamber of Commerce (1993-1998, 2004-2008); the Federation Union des Consuls Hororairs en Europe [F.U.C.H.E.] (1996-2011) and the Camera di Commercio Italo-Maltese (2004-2008); and the Malta International Trade Fair Council.
Guided by his strong belief to offer something to the greater community, John Gauci Maistre currently serves as President of the philanthropic organization, National Council of the Society of St Vincent de Paul and is an active member of the Maltese Association of the Sovereign Military Oder of Malta (S.M.O.M.) holding the rank of Knight of Magistral Grace.
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Dr Jean-Pie Gauci-Maistre is the Director of GM International Services Limited, a lawyer by profession, who specialises in Maritime Law, including Ship & Yacht Registration, Ship & Yacht Finance as well as Corporate and Tax Law. With the amendments of Maltese Aviation Law in recent years, he has also focused on the firm’s aviation practice.
With the substantial growth of his legal practice, Dr. Gauci-Maistre co-founded the firm Gauci-Maistre Xynou, with Ms Despoina Xynou, a Greek lawyer. Together with their growing team of lawyers, the firm is operated from Malta with a predominantly international client base.
Practice Areas
Languages
English, Maltese, Italian
Memberships
Education
2018, Introduction to the Virtual Financial Assets Act course, Institute of Financial Services Practitioners (IFSP)
2013, Malta Institute of Taxation (MIT) Diploma in Taxation
2008-2009 MSc Degree in Maritime Affairs (Ship Management), World Maritime University. Thesis: “Shipping Strategies in the Dry Bulk and Tanker Sectors (Specialization vs Diversification)”
2008-2009 Institute of Chartered Shipbroker Professional Qualifying Examinations
2008 LL.D. Degree, University of Malta. Thesis: "The Implications for Malta in Light of the Proposed Maritime Policy by the Commission"
2006 Diploma of Notary Public, University of Malta
2005 B.A. Legal & Humanistic Studies, University of Malta
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Despoina Xynou, lawyer by profession, is part of the legal department of GM International Services Limited focusing primarily on ship and yacht registration under the Malta flag. She is also the founding Partner at Gauci-Maistre Xynou, having co-founded the firm in 2015. With GMX she specialises in maritime and corporate law, ship registration, ship finance, mortgages and taxation.
Despoina’s client portfolio comprises local and international law firms, financial institutions, ship owners and managers.
Practice Areas
Languages
Greek and English
Memberships
Education
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Charles, who is the Head of the Shipping Department, joined GM International Services Limited way back in 2002. At that time, he was assisting in the clerical duties within the shipping department. Over the years, he attended number of courses by which he gained a great knowledge of the shipping Industry. With GMI he specialises in Ship and Yacht Registrations under the Malta Flag as well in the Ship and Yacht Agency. Today Charles heads the Shipping Department.
Practice Areas
Languages
English and Maltese
Memberships
Member of Malta Maritime Law Association
Education
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Maria Sakka is Shipping Administrator at GM International Services Limited. She joined the company in January 2019 and started working within the Shipping Department, focusing on all aspects related to the ship and yacht registration under the Malta flag and crewing.
Prior joining GM International Services Limited, Maria was Operations Clerk within a local Shipping company where she gained over two years’ experience in the shipping sector, particularly in Ship Registration under the Malta flag.
Practice Areas
Languages
Greek, English, German
Education
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David Said is the Chief Operating Officer of the Group. He is involved in many sectors of the group amongst which include Administration, Human Resources & Training, Due Diligence and Compliances, Insurance, Property Development & Management, Company Projects, etc. He had joined the company way back in 1977 as a “General Duties Office Clerk” when the company was still in its infancy offering the innovative “Economicard - Cash Discount Card”, Ship & Yacht Registrations and Travel services. He gained a wealth of experience and in view of his organisational and demonstrated leadership skills, together with a good eye for detail, was soon appointed as office manager to oversee the daily administration of the company. Working in close collaboration with his Managing Director, they had successfully transformed the shipping department into the largest ship registration company in Malta. The company then ventured into other sectors such as computers, and he used his experiences to help the company make a huge success from the representation and promotion of Commodore Computers in Malta, which then became a household name. The company kept diversifying and growing adding new portfolios. He practically grew with the company and was eventually appointed as General Manager. He was a catalyst in helping the Group grow and achieve many goals and successes over decades which have helped the group arrive to where it proudly stands today.
Practice Areas
Languages
English, Maltese, Italian
Education
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Joining GMC in 2019, Jonathan is the Group’s Chief Financial Officer leading, directing and managing the accounting team. Jonathan brings 12 years of leadership, team-building, organisational, accounting and auditing experience to the Group, having honed his skills with one of the Big 4 companies synonymous with audit and assurance, consulting and tax services.
Practice Areas
Languages
Education
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Mark Pullicino is a Senior Accountant at the Economicard Group. He joined the company way back in 2009. Mark worked in the financial sector for a number of years. Furthermore, he is also part of the management team of the Group. Currently, his main responsibilities are to manage the accounts team, preparation of cash flow, management accounts, VAT Returns and the payroll. He is involved in many sectors of the Group amongst which including the Corporate Section, Human Resources, Property Development & Management, amongst others.
Practice Areas
Languages
English and Maltese
Memberships
Malta Institute of Management
Education
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Lynn Cunningham is a Client Accountant, having joined GM International in 2016. Prior to joining GMI, Lynn worked as an accounts trainee at a manufacturing company during her studies where she gained work experience in an office environment and clerical experience.
With GMI she works mainly on issuing invoices/credit notes to clients, does bank reconciliations and sending monthly statements to customers along with other administrative duties.
Practice Areas
Languages
English and Maltese
Education
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Our Commitment to Privacy
Your privacy is important to GM International Services Limited (“GMI”). This privacy statement discloses our information gathering and dissemination practices for this web site and serves to ensure that you are fully informed about the information which we may collect about you, the manner in which we collect, use and store the information, and your rights at law in regard to such information.
GMI is registered with the Data Protection Commissioner as a Data Controller. This Privacy Statement is complaint with the Data Protection Act (Chapter 440 of the Laws of Malta).
Data Policy
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Your Personal Information
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Use and Storage of your Personal Information
When you supply any personal information to us, we have legal obligations in the way we deal with that information. We must collect the information fairly. That is, we must explain how we will use it. This Data Policy explains how we will use your personal information.
• We will use personal information provided by you or gathered by GMI for the following purposes:
• To process and respond to requests, enquiries and complaints received by you.
• To provide services requested by you.
• To communicate with you about services provided to you.
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• To analyse trends and profiles.
• For audit purposes.
• To carry out customer satisfaction research.
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We will not contact you for promotional purposes unless you specifically agree at the time you register your information on the site, or at a later time, if you sign up specifically to receive such promotional information.
GMI strives to protect the security of any data provided by you or gathered by GMI about you, and will update it from time to time in order to ensure that it is always up-to-date in accordance with its legal obligations.
We will hold your personal information on your systems for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out and we will remove it when the purposes have been met, unless you agree to future communications with us.
The Information we collect
On some pages, you can register to receive materials. The types of personal information collected at these pages are:
Your Name
Your Company’s Name
Your Email address
How to contact us
If you have other questions, would like to see the information we hold about you, or would like to be removed from any of our mailing lists, please contact our Marketing department.