Lloyd's List Australia - Lloyd's List in Australia

Lloyd's List in Australia

Early in 1993, Lloyd's List, one of the world’s oldest daily newspapers and the bible of international maritime journalism, investigated a bold plan to extend its international publishing service. The proposal was to launch a weekly version of its newspaper in Australia combining Lloyd’s List’s traditional international coverage with an extensive coverage of national shipping events in Australia.

Under the guidance of Publisher and Chief Executive Lloyd's of London Press (LLP), David Gilbertson, a joint venture was formed with a private Australian publishing company, Westonprint, of Kiama on the south coast of NSW. Westonprint already provided print and distribution services for several international weekly versions of well known newspapers, including The Guardian and Scottish Daily Record.

At the time, the Australian maritime media market was dominated by the Daily Commercial News (DCN), a five-day weekly newspaper, owned by Independent News & Media through its Australian media arm, Australian Provincial Newspapers (APN). Following extensive local market research by LLP through Lloyd’s List’s Managing Director, Ian Ormes, Advertisement Director, John Quilter and Peter Attwater (Managing Editor of Westonprint) David Gilbertson authorized the decision to enter the Australian market with a weekly newspaper.

The newspaper was called Lloyd’s List Australian Weekly (LLAW). It was first published on Monday, 30 August 1993.

A senior journalist on Lloyd’s List, Leigh Smith, was chosen to head the project as editor. He was joined by Advertising Manager, Adrian Pickstock, who had recently joined LLP in London. Initially, they set up an office in a rented home in Moverly Road in the Sydney metropolitan coastal suburb of Maroubra. There, articles were written and advertisements sold. Amazingly, the newspaper was in profit from the outset.

The stories were transmitted back to Lloyd’s List in London where the compilation of the newspaper took place by Lloyd’s List production staff. The completed editorial pages of the newspaper were then transmitted back to Westonprint in Australia where advertisements were manually inserted and production completed before printing and distribution took place.

Smith and Pickstock carried the entire editorial and advertising project for several months and when it became clear that LLAW was making headway, they were joined by their wives – but not just for comfort. Smith’s wife, Clare Longley, was an accomplished journalist and joined the editorial team while Pickstock’s wife Ellen, briefly joined the sales team. David Worwood, formerly features editor with DCN, further strengthened the editorial team from early 1994. As deputy editor the following year he proposed LLAW establish a website including shipping schedules and news. The free website proved an immediate success - contrasting with the expensively designed electronic commerce offering from rival DCN, which required subscribers to pay. Leigh Smith continued as editor of LLAW until 1995 when he returned to London to join corporate public relations with BP. He was replaced by Kevin Chinnery, then the editor of Lloyd’s List Maritime Asia. Adrian Pickstock left LLAW in June 1997.

In 1995, the Maroubra house was abandoned for a new office at Suite 1005, Level 10, Bondi Junction Plaza (Tower 1) in Bondi Junction which was to serve as the home of LLAW until 1999.