22nd Mare Forum Greece 2024

The 21 previous Mare Forum Greece conferences have bristled with ideas and dynamic debate. A high-level audience consisting of leading executives from the shipping industry appreciates and makes the most of the dynamic format and honest debate.

It is an exclusive annual shipping conference hosting principals and high-level executives actively participating, discussing, debating, and brainstorming about the future of shipping, trade, logistics, geopolitics, energy transition and security, decarbonisation, investments, ship finance, and the Human Factor imperatives.

● As Greece is a rising star on the logistic performance indicator and Gateway to East & Central Europe we included the logistics business opportunities in the programme.

The participants are Shipping Executives, Ship owners, Ship managers, Charterers, Traders, Logistics providers, Capital providers, Investors, Energy Executives, Regulators, Lawyers, Consultants, Shipbuilders, Classification Societies, Press, Shipping services providers, and Smart Entrepreneurs.

No boring company presentations or long and predictable speeches, only dynamic and lively discussions between the panellists and audience participants.

‍If you are in shipping, trade and logistics and want to know what will happen next, come to Mare Forum.

Good answers will be there.

P R O G R A M M E

[to view the speakers and discussion panellists, scroll down...]

TENTATIVE LIST OF PANELLISTS (as of 15 April 2024)

- Leonidas Dimitriadis-Evgenidis President and CEO Eugenides Group | Chairman, Eugenides Foundation | IMO Goodwill Maritime Ambassador representing Greece.
‍- George Tsavliris Principal, Tsavliris Salvage Group
- Dinos Arcoumanis Member of Board, Safe Bulkers Participations
- John Platsidakis Costamare Shipping Company S.A. | Shipping Executive | Honorary Chairman of Intercargo
- Petros Doukas President, International Chamber of Commence (Greece) and President, Capital Partners SA
- Nicolas A. Vernicos President Vernicos Maritime Group
- Sotiris Serbos Associate Professor in International Politics, Democritus University of Thrace
- Antonios Venieris President, International Maritime Union of Greece and Managing Director, Venieris Maritime S.A./HMM AGENCY (GREECE) S.A.
- Kostas Gkonis Director/Secretary General, INTERCARGO
- Christina N. Baboulaki COSCO SHIPPING Lines (Greece) S.A.
- Leonidas Polemis CEO, Empire Chemical Tankers
- Takis Koutris Managing Director, Roxana Shipping S.A.
- George Xiradakis Founder & CEO, XRTC Business Consultants
- Theodosis Stamatellos Global Technical Client Care Director, Lloyd's Register
- George Maronidis Managing Partner Maronidis & Associates Law Firm
- Panos Zachariadis Fleet Technical Director, Atlantic Bulk Carriers Management Ltd.
- Nicholas Rodopoulos Chairman & Managing Director, On Line Data
- Jason Stefanatos Regional Decarbonization Director, DNV
- Marina Tzoutzouraki CFO and co-founder eShipfinance.com
- Dimitrios Lyridis Associate Professor, National Technical University of Athens
- Dagfinn Lunde Chairman and Co-founder eShipfinance.com, DagMar Navigation Ltd / Chairman, Cleaves Securities AS
- Akis Tsirigakis CEO, Nautilus Offshore
- Ioannis Alexopoulos Managing Director, Eurofin
- Fabrizio Vettosi Managing Director, VSL Club SpA - Investment & Advisory
- Ioannis Kostoulas President Mare Forum
- Nikos Panagiotopoulos Managing Director, BRS Shipbrokers Athens
- Maarten Sickler Director Sales, Conoship International
- Panikkos Poutziouris Professor of Entrepreneurial Management, European Institute of Management and Finance (EIMF ) and Fellow at Cambridge Judge Business School
- Tamara Apostolou Senior Maritime Analyst, BARRY ROGLIANO SALLES ATHENS
- Anastasia Kiritsi, Professor,Arden University
- Mike Konstantinidis Managing Director, Vessel Optimisation Technology, ZeroNorth A/S
- Dimitris Lyras Managing Director, Ulysses Systems
- Jan Fransen Managing Director, Green Award
- Evina Fotiadou Policy Advisor, European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA)
- Irene Notias Country Manager - Greece, Sing Fuels Pte Ltd (Hellas)
- Wanda Costopoulos  Managing Partner Arkas Hellas Group & Vice President Greece & Serbia Arkas Logistics
- Harilaos Petrakakos Senior Consultant Claims New Building and Design Dept Director, P & P Marine Consultants Inc.
- Nimrod Ganzarski Head of Marketing, nT-Tao Compact Fusion Power
- Vasilis Kamitsis Regional Technical Manager, IRI/The Marshall Islands Registry
- Stavros Kyriakoulias Member of the EEL Board, and Supply Chain Quality Safety/Health & Environment Manager, Southern Europe, Beiersdorf MU
- Nicolai Hansteen Business Director – Bulk Carriers and Tankers Sales & Marketing Maritime, DNV AS, Norway
- Alexandra Nassou Head of Department for the Development of Supply Chains, General Secretariat for Commerce, Ministry of Development
- Nikolas G. Theodorou Chief Strategy Officer & Director, ABC Maritime AG & ABC Hellenic Mgt. Ltd.
- more panellists to be announced; stay tuned‍

‍

P R O G R A M M E

‍

12:30
Registration

13:15
Session 1

● Opening and Welcome

- Ioannis Kostoulas President, Mare Forum
- Leonidas Dimitriadis-Evgenidis President and CEO Eugenides Group | Chairman, Eugenides Foundation | IMO Goodwill Maritime Ambassador representing Greece.
- John Platsidakis Costamare Shipping Company S.A. | Shipping Executive | Honorary Chairman of Intercargo

13:40
Session 2

● Everything flows! Trade and Trade Patterns, Geopolitics, Economy, Energy Transition and Security, Investments and Finance.  

‍- Geopolitics, tensions between Russia, China, Middle East, Europe and USA. Inflation, immigration,  regionalisation vs globalisation, energy transition, changing trade patterns, and supply chain disruption.
- What are the Shipping market forecasts for 2024 and beyond, and what are the shipping and trade opportunities today while sailing in unknown waters? (containers, coal, agri-commodities, iron ore, liquids)
- What is the role of charterers, shipowners, capital providers and regulators in the multi-relationship structure of their interests, focusing on sustainable and commercially viable shipping and trading industry?
- Regulations imperatives: Creating the right balance between regulations and market realities.
- What are possible incentives for first movers to decarbonization?
- Who is afraid of the future?

‍SESSION CHAIRMAN:
- Petros Doukas President, International Chamber of Commence (Greece) and President, Capital Partners SA
DISCUSSION PANELLISTS:
- Sotiris Serbos Associate Professor in International Politics, Democritus University of Thrace
- John Platsidakis Costamare Shipping Company S.A. | Shipping Executive | Honorary Chairman of Intercargo
- Antonios Venieris President, International Maritime Union of Greece and Managing Director, Venieris Maritime S.A./HMM AGENCY (GREECE) S.A.
- Nicolai Hansteen Business Director – Bulk Carriers and Tankers Sales & Marketing Maritime, DNV AS, Norway
- Akis Tsirigakis CEO, Nautilus Offshore
- Nicolas A. Vernicos President Vernicos Maritime Group
- Tamara Apostolou Senior Maritime Analyst, BARRY ROGLIANO SALLES ATHENS
- Harilaos Petrakakos Senior Consultant Claims New Building and Design Dept Director, P & P Marine Consultants Inc.
- Dagfinn Lunde Chairman and Co-founder eShipfinance.com, DagMar Navigation Ltd / Chairman, Cleaves Securities AS
- Nicholas Rodopoulos Chairman & Managing Director, On Line Data
- Nikolas G. Theodorou Chief Strategy Officer & Director, ABC Maritime AG & ABC Hellenic Mgt. Ltd.
‍
14:10
Session 3

● Exploring the Logistics Expansion in Greece.
The Greek logistic nodal point for East & Central Europe!
The Maritime supply chain - imperatives; Ports, infrastructure, Ship parts logistics

SESSION CHAIRMAN:
- George Maronidis Managing Partner Maronidis & Associates Law Firm and Board member of EEL
DISCUSSION PANELLISTS:
- Antonios Venieris President, International Maritime Union of Greece and Managing Director, Venieris Maritime S.A./HMM AGENCY (GREECE) S.A.
- Nicholas Rodopoulos Chairman & Managing Director, On Line Data
- Christina N. Baboulaki COSCO SHIPPING Lines (Greece) S.A.
- Wanda Costopoulos  Managing Partner Arkas Hellas Group & Vice President Greece & Serbia Arkas Logistics
- Stavros Kyriakoulias Member of the EEL Board, and Supply Chain Quality Safety/Health & Environment Manager, Southern Europe, Beiersdorf MU
- Alexandra Nassou Head of Department for the Development of Supply Chains, General Secretariat for Commerce, Ministry of Development

‍

14:40 Break

‍

15:00
session 4

● Pioneering to infinity and beyond. The EnergyTransition:
- Are We Getting Any Closer?
- Investing and Financing the Green Shipping and Logistics.
- What are the key lessons to be learned? 

Discussion themes

- How exposed is the existing fleet to upcoming legislation,and how do shipowners mitigate risk?
- Are carbon-neutral or zero-carbon operations a target? If so, what are the steps to reach it (e.g., vessel speed, efficiency upgrades, switching to alternative fuels, offsetting)?
- What is now required to start reducing emissions immediately?
- What can we do now to help accelerate the availability of zero-carbon ships while at the same time reducing shipping’s footprint: slow steaming, retrofits, ESG reporting, and verification
- How are alternative fuel suppliers preparing to provide carbon-neutral and zero-carbon fuels for shipping at scale?
- Will repair yards have the capacity to deal with an upcoming wave of retrofits? How are they preparing for the challenge?
- What are the necessary changes in port infrastructure, and is there a plan of implementation by the relevant authorities? What are the key priorities?
- Can industry-wide initiatives, such as green corridors, accelerate the industry’s transformation? What does it take for them to be successful?
- What are the trends in banking, alternative ship finance,bonds and other models of finance and investments on the way to decarbonisation?
- What will be the future role of the European and global banks in the industry (in the context of the increased role of alternative finance providers)?
- What are the benefits of the features of Alternative Finance to the global shipping industry?
- Will the maritime green trend accelerate in case the role of alternative finance in shipping increases?
- Will alternative finance focus more on new-build financing or on second-hand?
- Lending has become highly diverse; what are the most common alternative financing structures?

- Lessons to be learned

SESSION CHAIRMAN:
- Theodosis Stamatellos Global Technical Client Care Director, Lloyd's Register
DISCUSSION PANELLISTS:
- Dinos Arcoumanis Member of Board, Safe Bulkers Participations
- Kostas Gkonis Director/Secretary General, INTERCARGO
- Leonidas Polemis CEO, Empire Chemical Tankers
- Panos Zachariadis Fleet Technical Director, Atlantic Bulk Carriers Management Ltd.
- Nimrod Ganzarski Head of Marketing, nT-Tao Compact Fusion Power
- Nikos Panagiotopoulos Managing Director, BRS Shipbrokers Athens
- Jason Stefanatos Regional Decarbonization Director, DNV
- Marina Tzoutzouraki CFO and co-founder eShipfinance.com
- George Xiradakis Founder & CEO, XRTC Business Consultants
- Maarten Sickler Director Sales, Conoship International
- Petros Doukas President, International Chamber of Commence (Greece) and President, Capital Partners SA
- Fabrizio Vettosi Managing Director, VSL Club SpA - Investment & Advisory
- Ioannis Alexopoulos Managing Director, Eurofin
- more panellists to be announced
‍

16:00
session 5

● The human factor trends in Shipping, Trade and Logistics – imperatives
- The human factor trends vs. the new technological trends
- Strategic Development of Family Shipping Businesses & Business Families Through the Generations

A Holistic Approach, dilemmas, and imperatives  

‍Discussion themes

- Artificial Intelligence- challenges and Opportunities
- Digitalization: efficiency, data, digital broking, automated ships
- Shipping, trade,  smart ports, management, data, interconnections  
- Why are New Skills, Charismatic and Talented people needed in the Shipping and trade industry?
- Diversity and inclusion
- Do we need new skills and expertise, plus more diversity in shipping and trade?
- How to attract new talents in shipping and trading
- What is the role of shipping and trading education institutes in the era of sustainability?
- Remote and flexible work?
- What are the trends in shipping management?
- What are the visions of the young generation?
- What are they looking for to enter a shipping and trade carrier?
- How to attract young people to shipping and trade?
- Public perception and branding

SESSION CHAIRMAN:
- George Tsavliris Principal, Tsavliris Salvage Group
DISCUSSION PANELLISTS:
- Panikkos Poutziouris Professor of Entrepreneurial Management, European Institute of Management and Finance (EIMF ) and Fellow at Cambridge Judge Business School
- Takis Koutris Managing Director, Roxana Shipping S.A.
- Dimitrios Lyridis Associate Professor, National Technical University of Athens
- Anastasia Kiritsi, Professor, Arden University
- Mike Konstantinidis Managing Director, Vessel Optimisation Technology, ZeroNorth A/S
- Paul Katsouris Managing Associate, Stephenson Harwood Middle East LLP
- Dimitris Lyras Managing Director, Ulysses Systems
- Vasilis Kamitsis Regional Technical Manager, IRI/The Marshall Islands Registry
- Irene Notias Country Manager - Greece, Sing Fuels Pte Ltd (Hellas)
‍

16:40
session 6

● Expansion!
Designing the Future of Entrepreneurial Greece, in Shipping, Logistics, Trade, Finance, Energy and Luxurious Tourism.

‍-Opportunities ahead
- A comparison of the global maritime shipping and logistics hubs and Piraeus/Athens
- The competitiveness of the Greek shipping Cluster
– What has been done, and what to do next?
- A maritime and shipping regional/global financial and trading services hub?
- The Maritime Tourism expansion – infrastructure, regulations, creating incentives
- Energy hub, gas, exploration, distribution, energy alternatives and exports.
- There is a need for an increase in startups and the entrepreneurial environment in Greece.  
-  What is more needed?
- Taxes, Incentives, and quality business environment
- What must be the role of the State?
- What is needed from the industry?

SESSION CHAIRMAN:
- Leonidas Dimitriadis-Evgenidis President and CEO Eugenides Group | Chairman, Eugenides Foundation | IMO Goodwill Maritime Ambassador representing Greece
DISCUSSION PANELLISTS:
- George Tsavliris Principal, Tsavliris Salvage Group
- Dinos Arcoumanis Member of Board, Safe Bulkers Participations
- John Platsidakis Costamare Shipping Company S.A. | Shipping Executive | Honorary Chairman of Intercargo
- Petros Doukas President, International Chamber of Commence (Greece) and President, Capital Partners SA
- Nicolas A. Vernicos President Vernicos Maritime Group
- Sotiris Serbos Associate Professor in International Politics, Democritus University of Thrace
- Antonios Venieris President, International Maritime Union of Greece and Managing Director, Venieris Maritime S.A./HMM AGENCY (GREECE) S.A.- George Xiradakis Founder & CEO, XRTC Business Consultants
- Nicholas Rodopoulos Chairman & Managing Director, On Line Data
- Dagfinn Lunde Chairman and Co-founder eShipfinance.com, DagMar Navigation Ltd / Chairman, Cleaves Securities AS
- Akis Tsirigakis CEO, Nautilus Offshore
- Ioannis Kostoulas President, Mare Forum
‍

17:20 - 18:20

● DRINKS
‍