MARE FORUM presents:

Iron Ore & Coal
World Shipping Summit 2009

Thursday 1 October 2009
Divani Apollon Palace

Athens - Greece

Shipping moves the commodities the world depends on. Without shipping half the world would freeze and the other half would starve. We all need ore and coal and shipping is the way we get it. However, being the catalyst of world trade is a two-edged sword. It makes shipping vulnerable to swings in the world economy and unforeseen geopolitical events. When the boom comes, the whole chain serving the sector prospers, when the market crashes, they all crash.

Swings in demand drive shipping fortunes, but shipping itself cannot control the demand. So any investment in shipping is at the mercy of economic factors beyond our industry’s control. In many ways, ore and coal trades are the most exposed, so they both suffer and prosper the most.

With today’s credit crunch slowing everything down the global economy is suffering. So is ore and coal shipping. This conference addresses and explores opportunities as well as dangers while we strive toward global economic recovery.

The conference will focus on the maritime transportation of iron ore and coal and make an attempt to forecast the global economy, iron ore and coal production and distribution, the trading markets, shipping capacities and shipping requirements, the financing and investment climate and the environmental imperatives.

This will be a unique forum for the shipping and mining industry to explore common challenges. It will feature many high profile speakers from shipping companies, charterers, traders, mining companies, steel mills, shipbuilders, classification societies, financial institutions, politicians, regulators and the media.

The entire production and maritime chain will gather at this prestigious conference where the interaction and exchange of information and ideas will make this an unforgettable experience.
 

Topics:

• Learn from the iron ore and coal producers and end-users what are their market perceptions and expectations.
   

• Discuss who has the real hard information on current trends and how it should be valued.
   

• Debate with charterers, traders, brokers, operators and ship-owners on when the markets will recover, what ships will be needed and how shipping will be affected.
   

• Debate with leading personalities if quality will be affected in the market downturn.
   

• Learn about shipping innovations needed for the future.
   

• Learn how to mobilize money in the current and future climate.

Come to Athens on October 1st 2009 and join the leading CEO's from the iron ore and coal industry, shipping, trading, brokerage companies, politicians and regulators, charterers, key investors in shipping, bankers, consultants and entrepreneurs in a very personal and tailor made discussion of where iron ore and coal shipping is going, what challenges and opportunities it must face up to and where the smart shipping investments are going next.