Energy Developments in South east Mediterranean – day 2

The London Hellenic Centre

The second day of this international conference was dominated by the shipping sector’s energy and propulsion systems, technology and economics under the broader title “Energy and Shipping: how can the two fields  complement each other? Is LNG a marine fuel of the future? Is LNG bunkering a viable prospect in the next decade?” Over 170 delegates and speakers attended the second day and given that it is a Saturday, one can see the success of the conference without any frills attached; a full house at London’s Hellenic Centre!

With an extended morning coffee networking and following a brief and to the point introduction of the second day’s themes by Prof. Dinos Arcoumanis, Prof. John Carlton from City University’s Marine Engineering faculty and former Lloyd’s Register executive, and friend of the undersigned, took the podium presenting us with eighteen excellent slides the “Future Ship Powering Options”.

Yannos Michopoulos from Vestas, Evi Fournatzopoulou from the Greek Embassy, Antonis Katepodis the Greek Embassy’s Commercial Attache and Spyros Polemis

In twenty-five minutes he covered more or less the entire issue recommending the delegates to obtain the Royal Academy of Engineering report (July 2013)  “Future Ship Powering Options” –  a report exploring the alternative methods of ship propulsion.

It only took fourteen minutes for Finn Wollesen from Knud E. Hansen A/S from Denmark, to present us his case on “Approach to energy Efficiency in Shipping” with just over a dozen well prepared slides. Based on experience and technical capabilities the speaker also left us to think the collateral problems that might arise… Excellent!

Prof. Dinos Arkoumanis, Yanos Michopoulos, Spyros Polemis and Radm. Efthimios E. Mitropoulos

John Grubic  from Shell International, the LNG Business Development Manager – Global Marine had also an excellent slides presentation: “LNG: tomorrow’s Fuel Today, LNG into Marine”. A very powerful presentation by the young Canadian who holds one of the top positions in the well known corporation. He left us wondering with his last slide under the title: “ A once in a lifetime opportunity to write history with an early last century vessel and the inscription on the right: Deep sea LNG 2016/2017 ?

Prof. John Carlton

The legal part of this conference was also well presented by our good old friend Stephen Drury of Holman Fenwick Willan  – who greeted the audience in Greek as the 50 centum of the delegates where Greeks , a very good gesture –  under the title: “Energy & Shipping: drivers towards new forms of marine fuels  and the economic alternatives”.

Stephen Drury

The last speaker was Spyros  Polemis  from the ICS and ABS UK National Committee whose account on the improvement strides the shipping industry develops every single day was warmly applauded by a full audience. The importance of ships and shipping in carrying safely and with the less emissions cargoes of any kind around the globe in the busy shipping lanes to serve humanity was greeted by all as a sign that there is an industry which respects the environment and slowly, steadily and with utmost safety measures gets adjusted to the needs of preserving the environment and serving the world. Imagine if ships don’t do what they do, half of the world’s population was going to die from starvation and the other lot from cold…”.

Kostas Andriosopoulos, Radm. Eftimios E. Mitropoulos, John Grubic, Spyros Polemis, Finn Wollesen, Prof. Dinos Arkoumanis, Prof. John Carlton and Stephen Drury

Interesting questions followed and after the coffee break the Energy and Renewables session come with six speakers specialists in the field form the world’s major corporations and specialists companies too. Their deliberation as well as the entire conference will be covered and have references in all papers as possible. Watch this space.

Click here for the first days events/speeches: https://allaboutshipping.co.uk/2013/09/20/energy-developments-in-south-east-mediterranean/

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