1st Mare Forum Chios 2026

Mare Forum is proud to announce the 1st Mare Forum Chios 2026 — our newest conference, taking place for the first time on the island of Chios. Backed by our leading partners, Chartworld Shipping Corporation and IRI/The Marshall Islands Registry, this event carries serious high-level positioning and genuine global relevance.
It will take place on Friday, 8 May 2026, at the Chios Chandris Hotel.

Chios is not only a cornerstone of Greece’s maritime heritage but also a place of immense historical and cultural significance. It aligns perfectly with our philosophy of hosting Mare Forum conferences in exceptional locations, both major global hubs and distinguished, characterful destinations that have shaped maritime history and presence.

Chios and Oinousses are not simply islands — they are pillars of global shipping. Remarkably, nearly 12% of the world fleet is controlled by shipowners originating from these two historic maritime communities. Their legacy, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit have shaped international shipping for generations.
‍That fact alone tells you everything you need to know about why this conference matters.

Here, in this storied setting, maritime leaders, bright minds, thinkers, and innovators come together to explore the future of shipping, exchange ideas, and spark new collaborations inspired by the island’s enduring spirit of seafaring excellence.

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🔴 Why Attend the 1st Mare Forum Chios 2026?

The Mare Forum conferences:

The Mare Forums are a hallmark for their vibrant exchanges of ideas and spirited debates. High-level executives from the shipping, trade and chartering, capital providers, regulators and almost all shipping services providers come together in an interactive and dynamic setting to discuss the pressing issues shaping the future of the global shipping industry.‍

Engaging Discussions:

Forget monotonous presentations. Mare Forum is all about meaningful dialogue, where panellists and audience participants engage in stimulating, unscripted conversations.

Thought Leadership:

Explore key topics like shipping's future, trade patterns, logistics, geopolitics, energy transition, decarbonisation, investment strategies, ship finance, and human capital imperatives.

Networking Opportunities:

Connect with industry leaders, including shipowners, capital providers, investors, charterers, logistics professionals, energy executives, regulators, and other decision-makers shaping the maritime world.‍

Realistic Solutions:

If you are in shipping and want to know what will happen next, come to Mare Forum. The good answers will be there.‍‍

🔴 Who Will Be There?

The event brings together a diverse group of participants, including Shipping Executives, Shipowners, and Ship Managers, Capital Providers, Investors, and Traders, Logistics Providers, Energy Executives and Charterers, Regulators, Lawyers, Consultants, Shipbuilders, Classification Societies, the Press, and Smart Entrepreneurs.‍

🔴 Why You Can't-Miss This

‍Mare Forum is more than a conference; it’s an annual think tank where innovation meets collaboration. It’s where the future of shipping is shaped. `
If you want answers, connections, and inspiration, this is where you’ll find them.
Don’t miss this opportunity to join the conversation defining the maritime industry’s future.

We look forward to your participation in an exciting and invigorating event in Chios.

🔴 Tentative list of Speakers & Panellists

- Marina Hadjimanolis, Shipping Deputy Minister, Cyprus
- Antonios Faraklas, Managing Director, Chartworld Shipping Corporation
- Ioannis Kostoulas, President, Mare Forum
- Theofilos Xenakoudis, Chief Commercial Officer, IRI/The Marshall Islands Registry
- Dwain Hutchinson, Managing Director and CEO, Bahamas Maritime Authority
- Jonathan Jones, Managing Director of JLJ Maritime
- Dimitris Monioudis, Managing Director - Rethymnis & Kulukundis Ltd and Chairman, INTERCARGO Technical Committee
- George Koufos, Manager Business Development, ABS
- Theofanis Moustakatos, Head of Shipping, National Bank of Greece, NBG
- Dionyssios Theodoratos, Deputy CEO of Attica Group  &  President  of the Association of Passenger Shipping Companies (SEEN)
- Plamen Tonchev,  Head of Asia Unit, Institute of International Economic Relations and MERICS European China Policy Fellow
- Chengi Kuo, Professor Emeritus, University of Strathclyde
- Gregory Spourdalakis, Managing Director, Columbia Shipmanagement Greece Ltd.
- Charles Ellinas, CEO & Founder, EC Cyprus Natural Hydrocarbons Company Ltd (eCNHC)
- Dimitris Patrikios, Managing Director, VShips Greece
- Leonidas Polemis, CEO, Empire Chemical Tankers
- John Cotzias Projects & Finance, Xclusiv Shipbrokers Inc
- Dimitris Lyras, Managing Director, Ulysses Systems
- Jan Jaap Nieuwenhuis, Managing Director, Conoship International
- Costas Kontes, Chief Commercial Officer, Navilands Management Holdings S.A.
- Serafeim Kapros, Professor, University of the Aegean
- Marina Christoulaki, OPERATIONS FLEET MANAGER, NAVARONE SA
- Theodoros Kontes, Honorary President, GreekCruise Ship Owners Association
- Ilias Bissias, Asst. Professor | Dept. of Shipping, Trade & Transport, University of the Aegean
- Angelos Roupas Pantaleon, Greek Representative,European Mar LDA
- John Fafalios, General Operations Manager, Fafalios Limited and CEO, Care4C
- Georgios Kostoulas, Executive Director, Mare Forum
- Erhan Esinduy, Foreign Relations Commission Member, Turkish Shipbuilders Association, GISBIR
- Evangelos Boulougouris, Professor, Head of Department at Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering, University of Strathclyde
- Theodosis Stamatellos, Global Technical Client Care Director, Lloyd's Register
- Dionissis Christodoulopoulos Managing Director, Greece, Cyprus, Balkan & Black Sea Region, Everllence Hellas Ltd
- Vassilios Dimoulas, Technology & Innovation Director, East Europe, Mediterranean Sea, Middle East, India and Africa, BUREAU VERITAS
- Stefanos Fragos, CEO, Allied Shipbroking
- Costas Constantinou, Managing Partner, Moore Greece and Moore's Global Shipping Leader
- Helen Thanopoulou, Professor, Department of Shipping, Trade and Transport, University of the Aegean
- Konstantinos Markou, General Manager, Greece, ClassNK
- Andromache Dimitriou, 2nd officer,STENA BALTICA of STENA LINES
- John Faraclas Director/writer, ALL ABOUT SHIPPING LIMITED
- Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, CEO, Skaramangas Shipyards

‍more to be announced soon‍
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🔴 Please note that, according to the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (YPA), infrastructure upgrade works are currently underway at Chios Airport.
As a result, flight capacity to and from Chios may be limited during the period of the Mare Forum Chios conference.

Participants are therefore kindly advised to arrange and issue their air tickets at their earliest convenience in order to avoid possible availability constraints closer to the event dates.

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P R O G R A M M E

[Stay tuned — the final list of speakers, panellists, will be announced soon!]

Bold Ideas. Dynamic Discussions. Real Opportunities. Join shipowners, financiers, innovators, policymakers, charterers, entrepreneurs, and visionary leaders for a full dayof high-level debates, networking, and strategic insights shaping the future of maritime industries.

08:30 – 09:30

Registration- Welcome Coffee – Executive Networking

‍Warm conversations to start the day. Connect with leaders from across themaritime world.

09:30 – 10:20
Session 1

Setting the Scene - Opening & Welcome - Keynote Speakers

A dynamic start featuring visionary leaders who will frame the global, regional, local and industry challenges ahead.
A roadmap for a day filled with strategy and forward-thinking dialogue.

SPEAKERS:
- Ioannis Kostoulas, President, Mare Forum
- Marina Hadjimanolis, Shipping Deputy Minister, Cyprus
- Antonios Faraklas, Managing Director, Chartworld Shipping Corporation
‍- Theofilos Xenakoudis Chief Commercial Officer, IRI/TheMarshall Islands Registry
- Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, CEO, Skaramangas Shipyards
- Dimitris Monioudis, Managing Director - Rethymnis & Kulukundis Ltd and Chairman, INTERCARGO Technical Committee and
CONFERENCE CHAIRMAN

10:20 – 11:10
Session 2

Geopolitics First: The Game Has Changed

Mastering Global Waters Under Threats

Topics to be discussed:

- Towards a World Without Rules?
- As trade blocs harden, is the era of the truly global shipping company over? Are we heading toward a world where your flag, your ownership structure, and your financing source determine which ports you can call at?
- Shadow fleets, sanctions evasion, and dual-registry vessels are these symptoms of a broken system, or are they the new system? At what point does the industry stop calling this an aberration and start writing it into business models?
- Chinese leasing houses now rival European banks in ship finance. Is that simply marketevolution, or does it mean that the financial leverage Europe once used as a geopolitical tool is quietly being handed to Beijing?
- Europe is talking about strategic autonomy while simultaneously depending on US security guarantees and Chinese-manufactured goods. Is European maritime influence a genuine force in the new geopolitical order, or a movie player without a say in the film's plot?
- East Mediterranean gas was supposed to be Europe's energy independence story. Given theregional tensions and infrastructure delays, is that window still open, or has LNG from the US already closed it permanently?
- Every owner's risk map looks different depending on where their ships sail and who finances them. Is there actually a shared "shipping industry" view of geopolitical risk anymore, or has fragmentation made collective advocacy impossible?
- The provocative question no one wants to answer: if a direct confrontation over Taiwan disrupts Pacific shipping lanes for even 90 days, which parts of the global maritime system survive intact, and which do not?
- What are the emerging risks and unexpected opportunities in a fractured world?
- Can Europe maintain global influence, or will East–West competition redraw the map?
A fast, sharp, high-level session to understand tomorrow’s geopolitics - today.

PANELLISTS:
- Plamen Tonchev,  Head of Asia Unit, Institute of International Economic Relations and MERICS European China Policy Fellow
‍- Charles Ellinas, CEO & Founder, EC Cyprus Natural HydrocarbonsCompany Ltd (eCNHC)
- Costas Th. Kontes Chief Commercial Officer, Navilands Management Holdings S.A
‍- Erhan Esinduy, Foreign Relations Commission Member, TurkishShipbuilders Association, GISBIR
- Konstantinos Markou, General Manager, Greece, ClassNK
‍- Theofilos Xenakoudis Chief Commercial Officer, IRI/TheMarshall Islands Registry
- Dwain Hutchinson, Managing Director and CEO, Bahamas Maritime Authority
- John Faraclas Director/writer, ALL ABOUT SHIPPING LIMITED
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‍- Audience Participants

11:10 – 11:40 ‍

Networking Break

11:40 – 12:30
Session 3

Is the Maritime Energy Transition Under Siege?
Between Ambition and Reality — Where Do We Stand?

- What strategies can deliver impact after the IMO?
- With green fuels scarce, costs rising, and geopolitics unstable, where do we stand?
- Is FuelEU Maritime accelerating decarbonisation, or will it accelerate the flight of tonnage from European trades?
- Can Europe realistically produce green fuels at the scale and price required for shipping, or is the transition plan built on imports we don't control?
- Are current decarbonisation goals realistic, or is zero-emission ambition slipping away?
- LNG, methanol, ammonia, hydrogen; which fuel is actually betting on, and is anyone being honest about the infrastructure gap?
- What about nuclear?
- Is energy security now more important than energy transition, or are they the same problem with different timelines?
- Are Greek and European shipowners leading the energy transition or being regulated into it, and does the difference matter?
- Who will lead, and who will lag, in the transition?
- Will the first European operator to achieve genuine zero-emission shipping at scale gain a competitive advantage — or simply prove it cannot be done profitably?

PANELLISTS:
- Chengi Kuo, Professor Emeritus,University of Strathclyde
- George Koufos, Manager Business Development, ABS
- Jan Jaap Nieuwenhuis, Managing Director, Conoship International
- Theodosis Stamatellos, Global Technical Client Care Director,Lloyd's Register
- Evangelos Boulougouris, Professor, Head of Department at Naval Architecture, Ocean and MarineEngineering, University of Strathclyde
- Dionissis Christodoulopoulos, Managing Director Greece, Cyprus and Balkan Countries, Everllence Hellas Ltd ‍
- Audience Participants

12:30 – 13:30‍

Networking Light Lunch

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13:30 – 14:30
Session 4

SmartCapital: Where Should the Money Go in 2026 and Beyond?
Finance & Strategy: What Owners Want — What Capital Providers Expect

Your competitive advantage begins with the right intelligence.

- Market outlook across segments: containers · dry bulk · tankers · cruise · LNG/LPG · short sea
- What are the next profitable cycles—and where are the pitfalls?
- Leasing, alternative finance, bonds, and new ship finance models
- What Owners Want, What Capital Providers Expect
- Private equity, alternative lenders, and capital markets: are new sources of maritime finance a sign of a healthy, diversifying ecosystem — or evidence that traditional banks are withdrawing?
- Chinese leasing houses now rival European banks in ship finance. Is that simply market evolution, or does it mean that the financial leverage Europe once used as a geopolitical tool is quietly being handed to Beijing?
- Greek shipping finance was built on relationships with European banks that are now retreating. Is the National Bank of Greece ready, and will other Greek banks fill that gap, or will Chinese leasing houses get there first?
- Is European ship finance still the centre of gravity for global maritime capital, or is that a story we tell ourselves?
- Is the capital available for the maritime energy transition sufficient, or is there a funding gap that no one in the room wants to be the first to quantify?
- Government incentives and subsidies, - The investment case for short sea shipping

PANELLISTS:
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The market:

‍- John Cotzias, Projects & Finance, Xclusiv Shipbrokers Inc
- Theodoros Kontes, Honorary President, Greek Cruise Ship Owners Association andDirector, Majestic International Cruises Inc
‍- Cass Technava Representative (to be confirmed)
‍Shipfinance:
‍-Theofanis Moustakatos, Head of Shipping, National Bank of Greece, NBG
‍- Stefanos Fragos, CEO, Allied Shipbroking
- Angelos Roupas Pantaleon, European Mar LDA- Greek Representative
- Audience Participants

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14:30 – 15:20
Session 5

The rise of next-gen tech - challenges and opportunities: Cybersecurity, AI,automation, Digitalisation

- What is the number 1 issue in maritime digitalisation, preventing it from attracting broader

adoption?
- From paperwork to decision-making: can AI-LLMs finally unlock the value buried in maritime data?
- As AI-LLMs make maritime expertise more accessible to smaller operators, can a three-ship owner compete on operational intelligence with the largest fleets?
- If an LLM can brief a captain on a port's regulatory requirements in seconds, what does that mean for crew competency, training, and the value of experience?
- As LLMs take on more of the cognitive load of navigation, passage planning, and regulatory compliance, are we already on the autonomy spectrum without having made a conscious decision to be there?
- Will Cybersecurity become a “Competitive advantage”?
- When AI causes a collision, who stands in court — the captain, the CEO, or the software engineer?
- Autonomous ships, efficiency or strategic risk?
- Accountability matters. Who pays when it fails?
- Fragmented World, Fragmented Technology; Will ships soon need a “digital flag state”?
- Is AI in shipping a genuine operational revolution or an expensive experiment that has yet to prove its return on investment?
- Is cyber risk becoming fundamentally uninsurable?
- Will financiers start pricing cyber resilience like credit risk?
- Are we surrendering strategic control to a handful of global tech giants?
- Are we creating ships that cannot function without constant satellite connectivity?

PANELLISTS:
- Vassilios Dimoulas, Technology & Innovation Director EMA zone, BureauVeritas
- Panos Theodosopoulos, CEO, METIS
- John Fafalios, General Operations Manager, Fafalios Limited and CEO, Care4C
- Jonathan Jones, Managing Director of JLJ Maritime
- Dimitris Lyras, ManagingDirector, Ulysses Systems
- Audience Participants
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15:20 – 16:10
Session 6

The Shipowners’ Roundtable: The Gamble for Tomorrow – Investing in People

Creating the Future Talent in Shipping, Trade and Logistics

- Is the maritime workforce crisis a recruitment problem, a retention problem, or a fundamental failure to make seafaring a credible career in the 21st century?
- As automation reduces crew sizes, are we solving the talent shortage, or destroying the pipeline of experience that keeps ships safe?
- Does Greece and Europe have a realistic plan to attract the next generation into maritime careers, or are we competing for talent with industries that are simply more appealing?
- Is diversity in maritime, gender, nationality, background, a values question or a competitiveness question, and does the distinction matter?
- Are Greek and European maritime academies producing the officers the industry will need in ten years, or training people for ships that will no longer exist?
- Mental health, welfare, and working conditions at sea: Is the industry's progress genuine, or is it reputational management that stops short of structural change?
- What are the trends in shipping management that are attracting characters and passionate personalities?
- What are the visions of the young generation? What are they looking for to enter a shipping carrier?
- How can the image of shipping and trade be improved?
- If the most talented young Greeks can choose any industry, what is the honest case for choosing maritime, and is anyone making it compelling?

PANELLISTS:
- Antonios Stamos Faraklas, Managing Director, Chartworld Shipping Corporation
- Leonidas Polemis, CEO, Empire Chemical Tankers
- John Fafalios, GeneralOperations Manager, Fafalios Limited and CEO, Care4C
- Dimitris Patrikios,Managing Director, VShips Greece
- Gregory Spourdalakis, Managing Director, Columbia Shipmanagement Greece Ltd.
- Marina Christoulaki, OPERATIONS FLEET MANAGER, NAVARONE SA
- Andromache Dimitriou, 2nd officer,STENA BALTICA of STENA LINES

Building the human capital of tomorrow: the evolving role of universities in maritime education and industry developments
- Serafeim Kapros, Professor,University of the Aegean
- Helen Thanopoulou, Professor, Department of Shipping, Trade and Transport, University of the Aegean
- Kostas Petrakis, HSQE Director at ChartworldShipping Corporation

16:10 – 17:00
Session 7

Greece towards The Singapore of Europe.
How can Maritime Europe and Greece strengthen its competitiveness in an increasingly complex, highly competitive global market?

- If MaritimeGreece were a company, would you invest in it today?
- How can Greece expand its role as a global maritime, energy, and logistics hub?
- Greek shipowners built the world's largest fleet while being based in Greece, but banked, structured, and flagged elsewhere. Is the real question not how to attract shipping, but why so much of it has already left?
- Singapore and London are all competing for the same maritime talent and capital. What does Greece offer that they don't, and is that actually enough?
- Greece sits at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and Asia, with ports, pipelines, and LNG infrastructure. Is the logistics hub story real, and will it take the logistics business to the sky?
- Will Greece become a “Petro-gass- land” and will the Greek shipping increase its offshore maritime business ahead?
- Innovation, regulation, talent, research, and global positioning -
- If a 30-year-old maritime tech founder had to choose between Athens, London, US and Singapore today, what would it take for them to choose Athens?
- What must change today to win tomorrow?
- How can Europe and Greece lead the new maritime era?

PANELLISTS:

- Costas Constantinou, Managing Partner, Moore Greece and Moore'sGlobal Shipping Leader
- Charles Ellinas, CEO &Founder, EC Cyprus Natural Hydrocarbons Company Ltd (eCNHC)
- Theodoros Kontes, Honorary President, Greek Cruise Ship Owners Association
- Theofanis Moustakatos, Head of Shipping, National Bank of Greece,NBG
- Dionyssios Theodoratos, Deputy CEO of Attica Group  & President  of the Association of Passenger Shipping Companies (SEEN)
‍- Ilias Bissias,Asst. Professor Dept. of Shipping, Trade & Transport, University of theAegean
- George Xiradakis, President of the Association ofBanking and Financial Executives of Hellenic Shipping, CEO, XRTC BusinessConsultants Ltd, (to be confirmed)
- Audience Participants

17:00 – 17:30
Session 8

Roadmap for the future
Strategic Conclusions and Recommendations

PANELLISTS:
- Ioannis Kostoulas, President, Mare Forum
- Antonios Stamos Faraklas, ManagingDirector, Chartworld Shipping Corporation
- Theofilos Xenakoudis, Chief Commercial Officer, IRI/TheMarshall Islands Registry

18:00 – 19:30 ‍

DRINKS - Relaxed,elegant, and unforgettable, end the day with great company and Chios hospitality

19:30 - 21:30

CONFERENCE DINNER

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SATURDAY 9 MAY‍

Social Programme

09:00 - 13:30 Visiting the famous villages of Chios

(You can still register, please reply with YES or NO at hello@mareforum.com

Start time: 09:00 - End time: 13:30
Location, start and end: Chios Chandris hotel

1st stop :
Pyrgi village: known as the "painted village" on account of the decoration of the houses.
2nd stop:
Mesta village: a Greek traditional village on the island of Chios.
3rd stop:
Perivoli (Citrus – Kampos): a cultural and gastronomic destination in the heart of Chios’ Kampos region
4th stop (around 13:30) :
Chios airport for those who are travelling to Athens

Back at the Chios Chandris hotel at 14:00

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CONFERENCE VENUE/HOTEL:

If you wish to book your room at the conference venue, CHIOS CHANDRIS HOTEL, at special Mare Forum discounted rates:
‍Visit: https://www.chioschandrishotel.gr/
‍Select your stay dates and room preferences, then enter the special booking code mare26fo (at the top of the hotel webpage) to access the Mare Forum rates.

ADDRESS: CHIOS CHANDRIS HOTEL, 2nd Evgenias Chandri str., Chios Island - GRTEL: 0030 2271044401-10