23rd Mare Forum Greece 2025

It is an exclusive annual conference in which principals and high-level executives actively participate, discussing, debating, and brainstorming about the futureof shipping, trade patterns, logistics, geopolitics, energy transition and security, decarbonisation, investments, ship finance, Human Factor imperatives,and how Greece can become the leading maritime, logistics, and services provider Hub in the world.

●  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 again.

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

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.

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

Good answers will be there.
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P R O G R A M M E 

[The final speakers and panellists will be published soon. Stay-tuned]

THE PANELLISTS: (tentative)

- Miltiadis Varvitsiotis CEO, Skaramangas Shipyards
- Leonidas Dimitriadis-Evgenidis President and CEO Eugenides Group | Chairman, Eugenides Foundation | IMO Goodwill Maritime Ambassador representing Greece.
‍- Peter Doukas President, International Chamber of Commerce (Greece) and President, Capital Partners SA
- George Tsavliris Principal, Tsavliris Salvage Group
- Antonios Venieris President, International Maritime Union of Greece and Managing Director, Venieris Maritime S.A./HMM AGENCY (GREECE) S.A.
- John Platsidakis Costamare Shipping Company S.A. | Shipping Executive | Honorary Chairman of Intercargo
- Ioannis (Jannis) Kostoulas President, Mare Forum
- Dimitris Monioudis Managing Director - Rethymnis & Kulukundis Ltd INTERCARGO Technical Committee Chairman [CONFERENCE CHAIRMAN]
- Constantinos Capetanakis Chair, International Bunker Industry Association and Bunker Director, STAR BULK
- Takis Koutris Managing Director, Roxana Shipping S.A.
- George Christopoulos, COO, LASKARIDIS Shipping 
- Jason Stefanatos Decarbonization Director, DNV
- Panos Zachariadis Fleet Technical Director, Atlantic Bulk Carriers Management Ltd.
- Alexandra Nassou Head of Department for the Development of Supply Chains, Ministry of Development
- George Maronidis Managing Partner, Maronidis & Associates Law Firm
- Nicholas Rodopoulos Chairman & Managing Director, On Line Data
- Mike Konstantinidis Managing Director, Vessel Optimisation, ZeroNorth A/S
- Nikos Panagiotopoulos Managing Director, BRS Shipbrokers Athens
- Dimitris Lyras Managing Director, Ulysses Systems
- Tamara Apostolou Senior Maritime Analyst
- Lloyd's Register Representative
- Stefanos Fragos, CEO, Allied Shipbroking
- Andromache Demetriou 2^nd Officer on m/v STENA BALTICA of STENA LINES.
- Jan Fransen Executive Director, Green Award Foundation
- George Xiradakis President, Association of Banking and Financial Executives of Hellenic Shipping
- Irene Notias Founder and DirectorFounder and Director, Project Connect
- Dimitris Dafnis Chairman & CEO of Cosmos Business Systems
- Erhan Esinduy Foreign Relations Commission Member, Turkish Shipbuilders Association, GISBIR
- Ioannis Alexopoulos Managing Director, Athens office, Eurofin Group
- Theodore Talbot Head of Climate Finance & Economics, Fonden Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping
- Chris Vartzis Partner, Head of Greece maritime finance, Stephenson Harwood
- Rania Sifounopoulou Safety & Quality Manager, Dioryx Maritime Services Corporation
- Evina Fotiadou Senior Advisor for Shipping Policy and Communications, European Shipowners (ECSA)
- Nikos Marmatsouris Commercial Partner, Next Maritime
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more to be announced - stay tuned

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P R O G R A M M E 
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Eugenides Foundation in Athens

12:15
Registration

13:00
Session 1

‍Opening and Welcome

- Ioannis Kostoulas, President, MARE FORUM
- Dimitris Monioudis, Managing Director, Rethymnis & Kulukundis and INTERCARGO Technical Committee Chairman, and [CONFERENCE CHAIRMAN]
- Leonidas Dimitriadis-Evgenidis President and CEO Eugenides Group | Chairman, Eugenides Foundation | IMO Goodwill Maritime Ambassador representing Greece.
- Miltiadis Varvitsiotis CEO, Skaramangas Shipyards
- more speakers to be announced
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13:20
Session 2

Geopolitics first!

Challenges and Opportunities in a Multipolar World
How will Maritime Europe increase its competitiveness vs Asia, USA (and the rest of the World)?

The global maritime landscape is evolving rapidly, shaped by shifting geopolitical dynamics, including tensions in Russia/Ukraine, China, the Middle East, Europe, and the USA.
- Key factors such as the balance between regionalisation and globalization, the energy transition and security concerns, changing trade patterns, and supply chain disruptions are redefining the industry.
- How will Maritime Europe increase its competitiveness vs Asia, USA (and the rest of the World)?

DISCUSSION PANELLISTS:
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- John Platsidakis Costamare Shipping Company S.A. | Shipping Executive | Honorary Chairman of Intercargo
- Peter Doukas President, International Chamber of Commerce (Greece) and President, Capital Partners SA
- Nicholas Rodopoulos Chairman & Managing Director, On Line Data
- George Tsavliris Principal, Tsavliris Salvage Group
- Erhan Esinduy Foreign Relations Commission Member, Turkish Shipbuilders Association, GISBIR
- Evina Fotiadou Senior Advisor for Shipping Policy and Communications, European Shipowners (ECSA)
- Miltiadis Varvitsiotis CEO, Skaramangas Shipyards
- Leonidas Dimitriadis-Evgenidis President and CEO Eugenides Group | Chairman, Eugenides Foundation | IMO Goodwill Maritime Ambassador representing Greece.
more panellists to be announced

14:10
Session 3

Waiting for Godot? - The Maritime Energy Transition

The energy transition and energy security: Are we getting any closer, or are we taking one step ahead and two steps backwards?
- Sense and nonsense about alternative fuels.
- Are there good predictions on alternative fuel production, capacities, rates, ports, and infrastructure?  
- How will the need to scale up the production of clean fuels and innovative technologies for shipping in Europe be realised?
- How are alternative fuel suppliers preparing to provide carbon-neutral and zero-carbon fuels for shipping at scale?
- Will the need to use the ETS revenues generated under the EU ETS to organise the transition of the shipping sector, particularly for the uptake of clean fuels and technologies?
- Will repair yards have the capacity to handle an upcoming wave of retrofits?
- How about circularity, materials, and shiprecycling?
- 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
- Who will design the zero-carbon ship of the future, and who will build the zero-carbon ship of the future?
- How do we incentivise early movers while creating effective global regulations that will take more time?
- Is regional regulation a bad thing in the meantime? What are the incentives from governments and the finance industry to renew European (short-sea) shipping?
- What steps must be taken to enhance circularity and ship recycling in Europe?
- Successful Decarbonization achieved - lessons to be learned  
- Where does the money come from to finance (green)ships, and how do you get it?
- Where to invest your money today?
‍- Making Profitable Investments in an Unpredictable Future
- The Views of analysts, brokers, owners, charterers, and investors.
- The Shipping Markets forecasts, Supply and Demand, unpredictable events,
- Containers, dry bulk, oil and gas.
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DISCUSSION PANELLISTS:

- Panos Zachariadis Fleet Technical Director, Atlantic Bulk Carriers Management Ltd.
- Constantinos Capetanakis Chair, International Bunker Industry Association and Bunker Director, STAR BULK
- Representative Lloyd's Register
- Jason Stefanatos Decarbonization Director, DNV
- Theodore Talbot Head of Climate Finance & Economics, Fonden Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping

- Chris Vartzis Partner, Head of Greece maritime finance, Stephenson Harwood
- Stefanos Fragos, CEO, Allied Shipbroking
- Ioannis Alexopoulos Managing Director, Athens office, Eurofin Group
- George Xiradakis President, Association of Banking and Financial Executives of Hellenic Shipping
- Nikos Panagiotopoulos Managing Director, BRS Shipbrokers Athens
- Tamara Apostolou Senior Maritime Analyst
- more panellists to be announced

15:10
Networking Break

15:30
session 4

Creating the Future Talent in Shipping, Trade and Logistics, Investing in People
Realities and Myths surrounding the future of AI in shipping.

- Addressing the human capital trends essential for the industry’s evolution.
- Skillset Demands: The necessity for new skills, charisma, diversity, and talent in shipping. How to achieve this?
- Attracting New Talent: What are the strategies to engage and recruit the next generation?
- Educational Role: What is the role of shipping and trading education in a sustainable context?
- Future Trends: Understanding what the younger generation seeks in a career.
- Industry Image: Strategies for improving the public perception of shipping. 

Realities and Myths surrounding the future of Artificial intelligence in Shipping.
- The transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in shipping, addressing both its realistic prospects and the common misconceptions surrounding its adoption.
- Dispelling the myth that AI will replace human roles entirely.
- What are the key challenges in implementing AI at scale in the maritime sector?

DISCUSSION PANELLISTS:
‍
- Takis Koutris Managing Director, Roxana Shipping S.A
- Andromache Demetriou 2^nd Officer on m/v STENA BALTICA of STENA LINES.
- Rania Sifounopoulou Safety & Quality Manager, Dioryx Maritime Services Corporation
- Irene Notias Founder and DirectorFounder and Director, Project Connect
- Nikos Marmatsouris Commercial Partner, Next Maritime
- Jan Fransen Executive Director, Green Award Foundation

- Mike Konstantinidis Managing Director, Vessel Optimisation, ZeroNorth A/S
- George Christopoulos, COO, LASKARIDIS Shipping
- Dimitris Dafnis Chairman & CEO of Cosmos Business Systems
- Dimitris Lyras Managing Director, Ulysses Systems
- more panellists to be announced

16:10
Session 5

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
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- George Maronidis Managing Partner, Maronidis & Associates Law Firmo be announced soon
- Alexandra Nassou Head of Department for the Development of Supply Chains, Ministry of Development
- 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
- more panellists to be announced

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16:40
session 6

Transforming Maritime Greece into the “Singapore” of Europe, the Middle East and NorthAfrica”

How can Maritime Greece position itself as a leading hub in shipping, logistics, trade, finance, energy, and luxurious sea tourism? This session explores the vision, challenges, and opportunities for Greece to rise as a global maritime powerhouse.
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Discussion themes:
- Opportunities for Greece: Unlocking its potential in maritime and related sectors.
- Global Comparisons: How Greece measures up to the world’s top maritime and logistics hubs.`
- Competitiveness: Strengthening the Greek shipping cluster to sustain and enhance to global
leadership.
- What has been achieved so far, and what lies ahead?
- Establishing Greece as a regional and global center for maritime finance and trade.
- Maritime Tourism Growth: Expanding infrastructure, streamlining regulations, and creating
incentives for high-end sea tourism.
- Leveraging Greece's position in gas exploration, distribution, alternative energy, and exports.
- Encouraging startups and entrepreneurial ecosystems in the maritime and logistics sectors.
- Taxes, incentives, and fostering a high-quality business environment.
- Create the Centre of Excellence in maritime education and research
- What responsibilities lie with the government, and what contributions are essential

DISCUSSION PANELLISTS:
General Discussion with all panellists and audience participants

17:20

Conclusions and recommendations

17:30- 18:30

Drinks

The 22 previous Mare Forum Greece conferences have been full of ideas and dynamic debate. The high-level audience, consisting of leading executives from the shipping trade and logistics industries, appreciates and makes the most of the dynamic format and honest debate.