Managing Director
Epoch Offshore Engineering (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
TheNavalArch’s Interview Series is an endeavor to get insights from the best engineering and business brains in the industry, and present them to its users for the larger benefit of the maritime community. Leaders share their experiences and ideas that readers can gain from.
In this episode, TheNavalArch presents an interview with Mr. Steven (Fei) Lu, Founder and Operating Director of Epoch Offshore Engineering. With over 30 years of experience in shipping, ports, and marine logistics, Steven has built a career spanning vessel operations, chartering, ship management, heavy-lift and project cargo transportation, and IT-driven logistics systems.
An alumnus of the World Maritime University, Sweden, and a certified software engineer, Steven combines operational leadership with technological innovation. He has managed large-scale logistics projects worldwide — from oil & gas operations in the Middle East to offshore wind farms in China and mega power plant logistics in India and Southeast Asia.
Through Epoch Offshore, Steven has pioneered the integration of shipping operations with advanced digital solutions, driving efficiency, transparency, and safety across complex marine projects. In this interview, he shares his entrepreneurial journey, technical insights, and his vision for the future of technology-driven shipping and offshore services.
1. Epoch Offshore was established in 2021 and has grown rapidly in just a few years. What inspired you to create this company, and what were the biggest hurdles in turning that vision into reality?
My career has taken me through many facets of shipping — from port operations and agency work in Shanghai, to managing heavy-lift logistics projects across Asia and the Middle East, and later into senior roles at global firms like DHL. Along the way, I saw the inefficiencies in how vessels were chartered, projects executed, and cargo moved.
Starting Epoch Offshore in 2021 was my way of combining those experiences into something of my own. It was about bringing together traditional shipping know-how with technology and systems thinking.
The toughest hurdle was balance — driving innovation in areas like digital tools and simulation while also building a financially stable business that could stand on its own. There’s constant pressure to deliver in the present while keeping an eye on future disruptions. That balancing act has defined much of our journey so far.
2. Your company now spans Shanghai, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Beijing. How did you determine these markets, and what challenges and opportunities did each present?
Each location serves a very specific role.
- Shanghai is our operational and technological backbone — close to shipyards, engineers, and the shipbuilding supply chain.
- Dubai is the hub for offshore oil & gas and increasingly renewables. It gives us access to EPC clients, talent, and supply networks in the Middle East and Africa.
- Hong Kong connects us with global finance and partnerships.
- Beijing allows direct access to policymakers and state-owned enterprises, which is critical for long-term energy and shipping projects.
Each market had its own challenges — from regulatory hurdles in Beijing to client acquisition in Dubai — but together they provide resilience and balance.
3. Offering both marine services such as heavy lifting and ship management alongside IT solutions is uncommon. How do you integrate technology with traditional shipping operations?
I’ve always believed that true innovation happens when technology is born from real-world operations, not in isolation.
The IT systems we’ve developed came directly from operational challenges — route planning for oversized cargo, vessel resource management, stowage and lashing studies, and even barcode tracking for project cargo. For example, in the Sasan Power Project in India, our financial modeling system helped optimize capital flow, while our barcode tracking improved visibility and safety during transport of hundreds of critical components.
By merging operational expertise with digital tools, we’ve been able to reduce risks, improve transparency, and offer end-to-end accountability — which I think is where the real differentiation lies.
4. Your initiative to build 3D cargo-loading simulation tools suggests you see major gaps in current practices. What inspired this, and where do you see the biggest efficiency or safety gains?
Loading heavy or oversized cargo still often comes down to conversations between a ship’s captain and a terminal supervisor. That lack of standardization leaves room for error and inefficiency.
A 3D simulation system brings rigor into this process. It can handle stowage, lashing, center-of-gravity checks, and even collision detection virtually — long before the cargo touches the deck.
The biggest gains are:
- Safety: Risks can be identified and mitigated during the planning stage.
- Efficiency: Faster loading sequences and reduced port time.
- Economics: Better space utilization and fuel optimization.
In short, it turns loading from an art into a science.
5. You’ve spoken of transforming chartering decisions from broker-dominated to data-led. What are the limitations of the current model, and how do your systems address them?
The broker system has value, but it is heavily relationship-driven, with decisions based on partial or historical data. That creates information asymmetry and limits predictive insight.
Our approach integrates AIS tracking, fuel monitoring, performance databases, and weather routing into one platform. This allows charterers to:
- Compare vessels on actual performance, not just reported figures.
- Run predictive simulations for fuel, emissions, and turnaround times.
- Access standardized, transparent data across fleets.
This moves chartering from being reactive to being evidence-based — and I believe it can reshape how decisions are made across the industry.
6. You’ve estimated significant efficiency gains per vessel using simulation tools. How do these translate into tangible ROI, especially in conservative markets?
Every shipowner or charterer wants the same outcomes: lower costs, fewer delays, and safer operations. Our system directly addresses those.
By improving utilization, reducing turnaround time, and mitigating risk, the return on investment becomes clear. These are not abstract technical gains — they go straight to profitability and competitiveness.
Because the technical barrier to entry is high, there are few credible alternatives on the market right now. That gives us the space to build adoption and show stakeholders that digital tools are not just “nice-to-have” — they’re essential.
7. Leading operations across logistics, vessel ownership, offshore services, and software is complex. What leadership philosophies have helped you manage this hybrid model?
The key has been integration and transparency. Each business unit has autonomy, but all feed into a unified data platform. This ensures decisions are consistent and synergies are realized.
Having spent over 20 years in shipping operations myself, I know the pain points. That operational grounding, combined with a focus on data-driven collaboration, allows us to manage complexity and turn it into a competitive advantage.
8. With rising demand in offshore renewables and new energy sectors, how do you see the role of AHTS and support vessels evolving?
The expectations are rising — EPC contractors demand stricter compliance, better emissions monitoring, and more transparent operations.
We’re responding by developing integrated systems: from real-time fuel monitoring to toxic gas emission tracking, and even video-based crew training software. The aim is to move away from fragmented, ad-hoc solutions toward unified platforms that improve safety, compliance, and efficiency.
9. Building a disruptive technology-led shipping firm is a bold venture. Can you share a major challenge you faced and how you overcame it?
One of the biggest challenges was credibility. Convincing established clients and partners that a young company could deliver advanced solutions required persistence and proof.
We overcame this by showing results — whether it was cost savings through simulation, or safer execution on a heavy-lift job. Over time, successful projects built the trust we needed to expand.
10. Looking ahead five to ten years, what is your vision for Epoch Offshore?
I want to see shipping move toward a model where data and AI guide decisions, where predictive maintenance and emission tracking are the norm, and where vessel management becomes smarter and more transparent.
We’re particularly excited about opportunities in offshore wind and new energy logistics, where digitalization and precision will play a critical role.
More broadly, my vision is for Epoch Offshore to contribute to a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable global shipping industry — one where innovation is not just an add-on, but part of the DNA of operations.
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