Columbia Shipmanagement and Marlow Navigation have announced confirmation of regulatory approval allowing their previously reported intended merger to proceed. The merged company will be named Columbia Marlow.

"Columbia Marlow will continue to deliver the high-level quality services that are, and will continue to be, in demand by today’s fast-changing shipping industry. It will focus on its core services of technical and crew management, together with whatever support services are required by its clients," Columbia said in a statement.

"The merger is seen as a perfect fit and brings together two of the shipping industry’s most highly respected privately owned shipmanagement companies," it continued.