4th Mare Forum Hong Kong

The conference will be held in the afternoon on Wednesday 22 November 2023 at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum.  

The conference will take place in an open, daring and stimulating environment combined with transparent discussions, with executives actively participating, discussing, debating and exchanging their thoughts, ideas, visions, and roles in (green) shipping, energy transition, decarbonization, the human factor imperatives, financing, investing models for today and the future and the Hong Kong leasing facilities and Why Hong Kong will become the maritime nodal point of Asia.


No boring company presentations, no long speeches, but only dynamic and lively discussions between the panellists and audience participants.

The participants will be Shipping Executives, Ship-owners, Ship-managers, Charterers, Traders, Capital providers, Investors, Energy Executives, Regulators, Maritime Lawyers, Consultants, shipbuilders and repair managers, Classification Societies, Press, shipping services providers, and smart entrepreneurs.

It will be inspiring. Be There.

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P R O G R A M M E 

The list of speakers and panellists will be published soon

13:00
Registration

13:30
session 1

Opening and Welcome

CONFERENCE CHAIRMAN
- Nicholas Brown Communications Director - Marine and Offshore, Bureau Veritas

ORGANISER
- Georgios (Ilios) Kostoulas Executive Director, Mare Forum
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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
- to be announced

14:00
Session 2‍

Looking Ahead! The voices of Charterers, shipowners, capital providers and regulators.

Discussion themes:

-Challenges, opportunities and risks in today's global trade, shipping, economy, and regulations.
- What are the Shipping and trade markets forecast for 2024 and beyond?
- Energy transition status, energy security, geopolitics, tensions, wars, (de)globalisation, changing trade patterns, supply chain disruption, inflation and USD forecast
- One step back or two steps ahead? Are we stepping back to coal, oil, gas, and nuclear energy modes, and for how long?
- Are the regulators the first movers with global regulations? Are regional rules adding complexity or accelerating the transition? What about the IMO?
- Are the market forces the first movers? What are the incentives for first movers to decarbonization?
- Should the Charterers pay for GHG emissions? OR Should shipowners be the only ones accountable for GHG emissions? What is the role of important stakeholders such as Charterers and Ports?
-  How can (environmental)regulations become better balanced with market realities?
- How can the shipping industry efficiently respond to local, regional, and international regulations?
- How can we create a synergy between the shipping industry stakeholders?
- Do we need talented and charismatic people for the future of shipping
- Where will they come from?
- Do we need new skills and expertise, plus more diversity in shipping?
- What are the visions of the young generation?

SESSION CHAIRMAN:
to be announced

DISCUSSION PANELLISTS:
to be announced

14:40
Session 3‍

The Right Way Ahead to Decarbonizatio - What are the key lessons to be learned?

 Discussion themesDiscussionthemes:
- How exposed is the existing fleet to upcoming legislation, and how do shipowners mitigate risk?
- Are carbon-neutral or zero-carbon operations a target? If so, what are the steps to reach it (e.g. vessel speed, efficiency upgrades, switching to alternative fuels, offsetting etc.)?
- What can we do now to help accelerate the availability of zero-carbon ships while at the same time reducing shipping’s footprint: slow steaming, retrofits,ESG reporting, and verification
- What is now required to start reducing emissions immediately?
- What are possible incentives for first movers to decarbonization?
- How are alternative fuel suppliers preparing to provide carbon-neutral and zero-carbon fuels for shipping at scale?  Are we still stuck in a chicken-and-egg situation, or are we one step further?
- What is the role of charterers, shipowners, capital providers and regulators in the multi-relationship structure of their interests, focusing on sustainable and commercially viable shipping and trading industry?
- Will repair yards have the capacity to deal with an upcoming wave of retrofits? How are they preparing for the challenge?
- What are the necessary changes in port infrastructure, and is there an implementation plan? What are the key priorities?
- Can industry-wide initiatives, such as green corridors, accelerate the industry’s transformation? What does it take for them to be successful?
- What are the key lessons to be learned?

SESSION CHAIRMAN:
to be announced

DISCUSSION PANELLISTS:
to be announced

15:20
Break

 
15:40
session 4‍

What’s the role of ship leasing and Hong Kong’s preferential ship leasing tax regime?
And what are the benefits of the features of alternative Finance and other models to the global shipping industry?

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‍‍Discussion themes:

- Financing and Investments- what are the key performance criteria lenders evaluate when providing funds to shipowners?
- What are the trends in banking, alternative ship finance, leasing, bonds and other models of finance and investments on the way of decarbonization?
- What will be the future role of Asian and global banks in the industry (in the context of the increased role of alternative finance providers)?
- What are the benefits of the features of Alternative Finance to the Hong Kong and global shipping industry?
- Will pension fund money flow into the international shipping debt markets, and what is required for this to happen?
- Will the maritime green trend accelerate in case the role of alternative finance in shipping increases?
- Will alternative finance focus more on new-build financing or on second-hand?
- How do shipping companies choose an appropriate lender?
- Lending has become highly diverse; what are the most common alternative financing structures?
- Is there competition between banks and alternative capital providers?

SESSION CHAIRMAN:
to be announced

DISCUSSION PANELLISTS:
to be announced

CONFERENCE CHAIRMAN16:20
Session 5‍

Hong Kong. The nodal point of Maritime Asia.  What does this mean to shipowners, traders, financiers, and many other service providers

Discussion themes:
- How does Hong Kong compare to other hubs as a maritime ecosystem of shipowners, ship and port operators, charterers, financiers, fuel suppliers etc.?
-  What does it take for such an ecosystem to leverage its diversity to accelerate maritime decarbonization
- What is the role of industry and government?

SESSION CHAIRMAN:
Benjamin Wong Vice President, OASES - Office of Attracting Manufacturing and New Energy Technology

DISCUSSION PANELLISTS:
to be announced

17:10
Closing remarks
Conference Chairman
Organizer

17:12
Drinks 

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