This week, we’re excited to feature John Pilkington, Director at Ocean Shade Canopies and Awnings.

With years of experience in creating stylish and functional outdoor solutions, John shares his journey in the industry, what drives innovation at Ocean Shade, and how the company is helping transform outdoor spaces across the UK.
Over to you, John! 👇

What do you do at your company, and in what circumstances would I come to you for something?
“Director – I focus on bespoke marine fabrications and shading solutions — reach out if your project needs something specialist, unique, or technically challenging.”

What’s the biggest misconception people have about your position?
“It’s definitely not just a desk job — I’m regularly on site, working with the team and seeing projects through in person.”

Has your company got any upcoming projects you can talk about?
“We’ve just completed work on the Star Princess, Princess Cruises’ latest ship, and we’re currently involved in the transformation of the Celebrity Solstice, due for completion next spring. While we can’t share too much more detail just yet, it’s an exciting time for OSCA with plenty happening behind the scenes.”

What has been your favourite project to work on?
“Utopia of the Seas – Playscape. It was a complex but rewarding build, blending imaginative design with specialist fabrication. You can find more about it in the Projects section of my CSI profile.”

What behaviour or personality trait do you most attribute your success to, and why?
“I think it’s having a fight or flight mentality — and for me, it’s always fight. Being hands-on and driven by a real desire to do good work has helped me push through challenges and deliver projects to the highest standard.”

Could you share the most significant obstacle you have faced in your career so far, particularly in cruise work? Or, have you ever encountered any problems in cruise work that required you to learn a new skillset?
“Raising awareness of what we do is an ongoing challenge. Getting in front of the right people with the right message is crucial, because our projects are highly specialist. We’ve learned that educating the industry on the impact of OSCA’s bespoke fabrications and shading solutions is just as important as delivering the work itself.”

What inspired you to pursue this field of work?
“My background in sailing professionally and traditional boat building laid the foundation for my career. It began with helping my father build boats when I was young and developed into a lifelong focus on creating structures for the marine environment.”

What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
“One thing people might not know is that I’ve sailed thousands of miles at sea, crossing both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans, before ever stepping into the cruise industry.”

Do you have a fun-fact or piece of advice about your company/industry that you can share?
“On board, self-sufficiency isn’t optional — it’s essential.”

Do you specialise in a particular type of product? What makes it different to competitors?
“Yes and no — our strength is in specialist fabrications, but we don’t work from set designs. We strive to create bespoke products that fit each client’s wants and needs.”

If you could recommend only one of your products, what would it be?
“Bespoke fabrications”.

What kind of questions do you ask before beginning a project, and which piece of information is of utmost value in planning a successful project?
“How, when, and where?”

What role does sustainability play in your company? How do you incorporate environmentally friendly practices and materials?
“We design with long life spans in mind, reducing the need for replacement and waste. “All products used in our assemblies can be recycled”

What goals have you met so far in 2025? Or, what goals/milestones are you working to meet this year?
“One of our biggest goals this year has been securing new clients, building fresh relationships, and expanding OSCA’s reach across the cruise and marine industry.”

Thanks for a great interview, John! We can’t wait to welcome you to Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Europe, taking place at the Hamburg Messe & Congress on December 3 – 4.