
Preparations are gathering pace for the fifth annual The Maritime Standard Tanker Conference, which will be held in person, in accordance with strict UAE governmental guidelines, on Tuesday 24th November 2020 at Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai. UAE. The conference will be a little different this year, as a ‘hybrid’ event, with some speakers and attendees taking part in person in Dubai, and others joining online. But the standard of speakers remains as high as it has ever been, as reflected in the top quality line up just confirmed by The Maritime Standard.
The theme of this year’s Conference is ‘The 2020s:An Opportunity to Capitalise on a Decade of Innovation and Recovery’, reflecting the underlying optimism within the tanker industry that despite the setbacks of the past year this decade is one the industry can look forward to with confidence. Conference editor, Clive Woodbridge, says, “While the pandemic has changed everyone’s assumptions, and there are massive uncertainties around the global economic and political situation, there is still a strong belief that there are real opportunities in the tanker shipping business for growth and development, which the conference will explore.”
Proceedings will commence in the morning of November 24th with a keynote speeches, by H.E. Eng. Ahmed Mohammed Shareef Ali Al Khoori, Director General, Federal Transport Authority- Land & Maritime; Captain Abdulkareem Al Masabi, CEO of ADNOC Logistics and Services and Shehab Al Rahma, Manager- Oil Terminal, DP World. They will assess the impact of Covid and discuss likely trends and trade patterns in the oil, products and petrochemicals trades in the region as the recovery takes hold.
“Tanker trades-assessing the longer term picture in the new normal” will be the theme of Session 1, which will directly follow the keynote address. Speakers confirmed to date include Ali Shehab, CEO of Kuwait Oil Tanker Company; Mrs H.K Joshi, Chairperson and Managing Director of The Shipping Corporation of India; Peter Sand, Chief Shipping Analyst, BIMCO; Khamis Juma Buamim, Chairman, KBI-UAE; Khalid Alhammad, Director- Fleet Management, Bahri Ship Management; Ibrahim Al Nadhairi, Acting CEO, Oman Shipping and Oman Drydocks Company; Petros Doukas, Mayor of Sparta and former Deputy Minister of Finance and Foreign Affairs, Greece; Jesper Kjaedegaard, Senior Advisor – Board Member, Marcura Group.
“The importance of the development of support infrastructure and services to support long term tanker market growth and development” will be the topic of debate in Session 2 in the afternoon. Confirmed speakers in this session, which will be chaired by well-known industry veteran, Jesper Kjaedegaard, include Capt. Mohammed Al Ali, Senior Vice President, Ship Management, ADNOC Logistics & Services; Fazel Fazelbhoy, CEO, Synergy Offshore FZ LLE; Hans-Christian Mordhorst, COO, Marcura Group; and Andrew Baird, Partner, WFW.
Embracing technical, legal and regulatory challenges will be the theme of the third and final session of the Conference, chaired by Vanessa Welch of Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre, which will have a strong technical, operational and investment focus. Already confirmed to speak in this part of the Conference are Julian Panter, VP Business Development, International Maritime Industries; Pawan Sahni, Business Development Manager, DNV GL; Rashid Isa Rishi Al Heddi, Group Managing Director at Seamaster Marine; Stephenson Harwood Partner, Nijoe Joseph; Roger Harfouch, Regional Director, Marlink Communications; and Capt. Zarir Irani, Managing Director, Constellation Marine Services.
Each of the sessions will be followed by a panel discussion and a Q&A opportunity that will enable those attending in person and those online to interact and debate these vital topics.
Registration for the conference is now open. Details about how to take part, and more information about the programme, can be found at: https://www.tmstankerconference.com/