Posidonia 2024: Shipping Experts to Set Global Maritime Agenda in Athens
Posidonia 2024, the world’s most prestigious shipping exhibition, is set to commence from June 3 to 7 at the Athens Metropolitan Expo Center for a week packed with more than 65 thought-provoking and informative seminars and conferences where a strong line-up of prominent industry leaders and decision makers will cover a spectrum of critical topics shaping the future of shipping.
With Posidonia known as the Home of Shipping, the “TradeWinds Shipowners Forum” once again is expected to attract much of the attention. This year the forum will delve into the roles of shipowners, charterers, financiers, and regulators in fostering a new paradigm against a backdrop of geopolitical turmoil, economic flux, and climate crisis considerations. Distinguished leaders including Katerina Bodouroglou, Dr John Coustas, Angeliki Frangou and Evangelos Marinakis will explore the push for cutting-edge technologies and eco-friendly fuels in relation to the need of shipping companies to maintain robust financial health.
Coinciding with World Environment Day, the “HELMEPA Conference” will delve into sustainability and climate issues impacting the industry. The conference will feature a high-level panel discussion – exclusively for shipowners – to explore the multifaceted impacts of climate change on global shipping, covering both operational challenges and financial implications fostering awareness and igniting actionable strategies for resilience and sustainability.
The “Greener Shipping Summit 2024” conference will also focus on sustainability. Under the theme “New Technologies and Education”, the day-long summit, organised by Newsfront/Naftiliaki and supported by MARTECMA (Marine Technical Managers Association), will host panel discussions focusing on managing the next generation of ships, education for the future of shipping and green shipping technology. Prominent figures including Dimitris Fafalios, Panos Kourkountis, David Taylor and Dimitris Fokas will contribute their insights on a wide range of topics spanning technology, jobs, energy transition, digitalisation, training and education onboard, Artificial Intelligence as threat and tool of marine education, energy-efficient new and second-hand vessels, carbon capture and many more.
The 9th Maritime Leaders’ Summit, organised by Capital Link, another high-profile event under the auspices of Posidonia, will be titled “Dashing Ahead – Leadership in Action”. This year’s summit will provide invaluable insights into critical industry topics and highlight the sector’s impact on the global economy. In partnership with ABS (American Bureau of Shipping), the summit anticipates a record turnout of industry leaders, including prominent Greek and international shipowners.
And with the recent geopolitical upheavals in key shipping routes, supply chain disruptions, port bottlenecks and safety concerns, the “Marine Insurance Greece Conference” is expected to attract many delegates to Athens also the week before Posidonia, providing the platform where brokers, insurers and industry experts will discuss the latest trends and challenges in marine insurance affecting the region.
Other key events Posidonia’s conference agenda include:
– the “Challenges by Japan” seminar, which will focus on greenhouse gas reduction measures and alternative fuels towards decarbonization, organised by the Japan Ship Exporters’ Association
– the 4th Trading in U.S. Waters Seminar “Future Trends & Innovations in the Maritime Sector”, which will discuss the geopolitical developments impacting global shipping, and explore future trends and innovations in the maritime sector, including digitalisation and decarbonisation. The US Seminar is organised by the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce (AmChamGR), the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA), the U.S. Embassy in Athens.
– a “SHARK TANK: Competition of Innovative U.S. Maritime Technologies” will be held during the Posidonia week and the judge panel includes many prominent officials and industry leaders, including George J. Tsunis, U.S Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic; George Pateras, President, Hellenic Chamber of Shipping & Deputy Chairman, Contships Management Inc..
– the “4th Korean-Hellenic Maritime Cooperation Forum”, organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE). This event serves as a platform for esteemed experts and businesspeople from both Korea and Greece to engage in fruitful discussions regarding maritime and shipping policies and the latest advancements in eco-friendly shipping and shipbuilding technologies.
– a seminar on the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) that will provide insights into the inclusion of the maritime sector in the EU ETS and its implications for shipowners.
– a seminar on Nuclear Energy in Maritime, a presentation of Fission and Fusion that will explore if nuclear energy is a viable and possible option for ships.
– the Crew Insights @ Posidonia 2024 conference, organised by Kyvernitis Leading Travel Companies, which will put crew management in the spotlight.
– a seminar named “POLAND – Thinking out of the box about the maritime industry”, organised by the Polish Embassy, which will cover thematic blocks such as Polish seaports, renewable energy, shipbuilding and maritime logistics, showcasing the country’s role in the maritime industry.
– the “S&P Global Commodity Insights Forum” where experts and market participants will convene to discuss the impact of geopolitics, changing trade dynamics, and energy transition on shipping markets.
– the “UES: The Ferry Experience” series of seminars – during three sessions participants will focus on enhancing the passenger and operator experiences in ferry travel, featuring insights into seating design and operational considerations.
“With such a robust and diverse programme of knowledge-sharing events, Posidonia 2024 promises to be an unparalleled gathering of industry leaders, fostering dialogue and innovation to propel the shipping industry towards a sustainable and prosperous future for the global maritime community,” says organizer Posidonia Exhibitions.
Posidonia 2024 is organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs & Insular Policy, the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping and the Union of Greek Shipowners and with the support of the Municipality of Piraeus and the Greek Shipping Co-operation Committee.