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18TH ANNUAL FORUM INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED SHIPBROKERS GREEK BRANCH

Posted on Friday, December 8, 2023

18^th ANNUAL FORUM

Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Greek Branch

28/11/2023

Title: "shipping 2024: sailing with wisdom"

The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Greek Branch held its 18^th Annual Forum, on Tuesday, 28^th of November 2023. The title was: "SHIPPING 2024: SAILING WITH WISDOM".

This year's event took place with physical attendance at the Eugenides Foundation, while it was broadcasted live around the world and attended online by hundreds of friends and Members of the Institute.

A welcome address was made by Ms Natalia Margioli - Komninou FICS, Managing Director of the ICS Greek Branch and Hellenic Management Centre. Ms Margioli-Komninou emphasized the international presence of ICS and welcomed the Members of the Controlling Council representing the 27 Branches worldwide at the Forum. She also highlighted the Institute's commitment to fostering professionalism and uniting industry with young professionals. Special emphasis was given to the 25-year legacy of training over 10,000 shipping practitioners and to the introduction of the ICS Company Membership Scheme.

Mr Nicolas A. Tsavliris, FICS, Chairman of the ICS Greek Branch and Tsavliris Salvage Group addressed a very warm welcome to the attendees of the Forum. Emphasizing the importance of wisdom in the shipping industry, the Chairman reflected on the ICS role in navigating both industry challenges and global crises. He highlighted wisdom as a blend of knowledge, experience, and insightful judgment, drawing parallels with the ancient Greeks' philosophy and ethical decision making.

A special address was made by Mr Kevin Shakesheff, FICS, International President ICS. Mr Shakesheff emphasized the rich history of ICS, exceeding a century which stands as a testament to the vast accumulation of maritime information and expertise. This repository has been pivotal in shaping the careers of many aspiring professionals. He specially recognized the Greek Branch for its remarkable success rate, an accomplishment which underlines the exceptional contribution to maritime education.

The panel included the following distinguished speakers:

Ms Annika Bartels · Head of Tanker Research, IFCHOR GALBRAITHS
Ms Alexia Hatzimichalis · Partner & Head of Athens Office, Watson Farley & Williams
Mr George G. Mangos · Co-Principal, Interunity Group
Mr Aristides J. Pittas · CEO, Euroseas Ltd & Eurodry Ltd.
Mr Filippos Prokopakis · CCO, Danaos Corporation
Mr Valentios (Eddie) Valentis · CEO, PYXIS Maritime Corp.
Mr George Youroukos · Managing Director, Technomar Shipping Inc.

The panel was moderated by Mr Simon Ward, FICS, Director, Ursa Shipbrokers. His expert facilitation of discussions, posing critical questions, and encouraging diverse viewpoints, played a crucial role in the success of the event.

The forum itself was very informative and comprehensive, covering a spectrum of issues facing the shipping industry at a global level.

In her analysis of the current market dynamics, Ms Annika Bartels described the last 18 months as a wild ride, following the low points of 2020-2021. Despite the geopolitical tensions, she noted that a deeper look into the data reveals more positives than initially apparent acknowledging the difficulty in making speculations in such a volatile environment. Ms Alexia Hatzimichalis brought attention to the active role of Greek banks as well as the emergence of new players and leasing companies. She also pointed out the increasing focus on sustainability in financing new shipbuilding projects. Mr George Mangos highlighted the significant impact of war economics on the tanker market while noting the de-escalation between the US and China in the broader economic context, a development which could stabilize market conditions. Mr Aristidis Pittas advocated for diversification beyond reliance on a single market while highlighting the role of adaptation, flexibility and open-mindedness in decision-making. Mr Filippos Prokopakis shifted focus to the specificities of the container fleet, suggesting that price stabilization is still a developing scenario. Mr Eddie Valentis acknowledged that the tanker segment has shown robust performance in the last six months and expressed confidence - despite geopolitical uncertainties - in the growth of ton-miles as a market driver. Mr George Youroukos brought attention to the impeding volatility in the container market and pointed out the capital markets' growing interest in shipping companies, with hedge funds emerging as key investors.

During the panel discussion, there was a vibrant interaction between the audience and the panelists. Participants were asking questions to the speakers, commenting on the topics addressed and expressing their opinions and views. This fact proved once again that the ICS Annual Forum is not only a meeting point for shipping professionals but a platform of exchanging ideas and learning from each other.

The excellent performance of the Greek Branch is translated into 6 International Prize Winners and 5 distinction students, who have excelled in the ICS Professional Qualifying Examinations in 2022-2023. All of them were honored during the Awards Giving Ceremony, which was included in the Annual Forum's proceeding.

The International Prize Winners are:

Konstantinos Deligiannis, Delta Tankers Ltd: Award to the to the candidate with the highest marks in Shipping Law Exams worldwide
Sotirios Sotiriou, Neda Maritime Agency Co. Ltd.: Award to the candidate with the highest marks in Shipping Business Exams worldwide
Eirini Gavala, Vita Shipmanagement: Award to the candidate gaining the highest marks in Foundation or Advanced Diploma in Dry Cargo Chartering
Nikolaos Tolias, Intrum Hellas: Award to the candidate gaining the highest marks in Ship Sales and Purchase
Anastasia Stratigaki, Kyklades Maritime: Award to the candidate with the highest marks in Tanker Chartering
Emiliano Chysa (2 prizes), Delos Navigation Ltd: Award to the most successful candidate overall in Examinations and to the candidate gaining the highest marks in Legal Principles in Shipping Business

The distinction students are:

Dimitris Filimon, Silver Maritime: Award to the candidate gaining a distinction in Shipping Finance Examinations
Panagiotis Georgilis, Watson Farley & Williams: Award to the candidate gaining a distinction in Ship Sale and Purchase Examinations
Olga Kakkava, Lawyer: Award to the candidate gaining a distinction in Shipping Business Examinations
Elena Pavlou, Epsilon Marine Enterprises S.A.: Award to the candidate gaining a distinction in Ship Sale and Purchase Examinations
Jeet Rathod: Award to the candidate gaining a distinction in Economics of Sea Transport & International Trade.

The 18th Annual Forum of the ICS Greek Branch was held with the kind contribution and support of the following sponsors:

AB Maritime Inc., Acropolis Chartering & Shipping Inc, Arrow Shipbroking Group, Capital Ship Management Corp., Clarksons Hellas Ltd, Costamare Inc., Danaos Shipping Co. Ltd, Danaos Management Consultant S.A., Dorian LPG Management Corp, Dynacom Tankers Management Ltd, Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Ltd, Edit Automation, Euronav Ship Management (Hellas) Ltd., GAC Shipping S.A., Hellaschart Ltd, Holman Fenwick Willan International LLP, Insight Shipping Partners SA, The Marshall Islands Registry International Registries Inc., Navios Maritime Partners L.P., Nereus Shipping S.A., Safe Bulkers Inc., Seaborne Shipbrokers S.A., Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp., Target Marine S.A., Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd., Tsavliris Salvage Group, Ursa Shipbrokers S.A, V.Ships Greece Ltd.

The 18^th Annual Forum is available for replay on demand at the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-nB6HSAIfs

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18TH ANNUAL FORUM INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED SHIPBROKERS GREEK BRANCH