Shipping is once again at the centre of the global economic conversation. As the backbone of international trade, the industry has absorbed geopolitical shocks, regulatory pressure and rising operational costs while simultaneously committing to an unprecedented decarbonisation agenda.
Yet the postponement of the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework in late 2025 has exposed a widening gap between ambition and execution. Shipowners face a paradox: capital-intensive investment decisions must be made amid regulatory uncertainty, evolving fuel pathways and fragmented global policy signals. At the same time, geopolitical tensions and longer trade routes are reshaping supply chains, contributing to inflationary pressures and tightening tonnage availability.
The 9th Slide2Open Shipping Finance Conference, taking place on 4 March 2026 in Athens, positions this moment not as a setback, but as a test of leadership. Under the theme “The Shipping Nexus – The Urgency for Convergence,” the conference will examine why shipping has already converged around its responsibilities—and why the wider ecosystem must now urgently align.
The conference brings together shipowners, financiers, policymakers, energy providers and technology leaders to confront the structural risks created by regulatory hesitation, fuel uncertainty and capital misalignment.
At stake is not only the pace of decarbonisation, but the stability of global trade itself. The Athens dialogue will focus on restoring coherence between policy, capital and operational reality—because without convergence, transition becomes distortion.
A Leadership-Driven Dialogue
The conference will be co-Chaired by Yuri Bender, Editor-in-Chief of Professional Wealth Management (Financial Times), regular contributor to FT Newspaper, and a leading authority on international asset management and capital markets.
The event’s prestigious Advisory Board is chaired by Leonidas Dimitriadis-Eugenides, IMO Ambassador in Greece and President of the Eugenides Foundation. Distinguished board members include:
- George Sp. Alexandratos, President of the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping and General Manager of Apollonia Lines;
- Dr. Dimitrios J. Fafalios, Secretary of the BoD, Union of Greek Shipowners and President of Fafalios Shipping SA;
- Dr. George D. Pateras, Deputy Chairman of ContShips Management Inc. and former President of the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping.
- Prof. Ioannis Golias, Governor of Eugenides Foundation, Emeritus Professor, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA)
“Shipping has stepped up; now, the ecosystem must align,” says Despina Travlou, Managing Director of Slide2Open Communications and Maritime Ambassador of the IEEE Standards Association. “We are facing a unique opportunity to approach the transition with renewed realism. Our goal is to discuss how regulators, energy producers, and financiers can converge to provide the clarity required for global trade to thrive.”
Expert Insights on Geopolitics and Global Stability
Geopolitics and global economic stability will take centre stage, alongside global trade trends and shipping perspectives.
A stellar lineup of Keynote Speakers includes:
- Arnab Das
Global Economic Counselor & Macro Strategist, Invesco Ltd. - Evgenia Goti Koukoumaki
Managing Director, Global Head of Wealth Planning, EFG Bank, Zurich - Edmund Shing
Global Chief Investment Officer, BNP Paribas Wealth Management, Paris - Professor Tristan Smith
Professor of Energy and Transport, UCL Energy Institute
IMO expert on maritime decarbonisation - Dr Louise Tumchewics
Research Fellow, Centre for War Studies, University of Southern Denmark
Visiting Research Fellow, King’s College London
Assistant Professor, Rabdan Academy
Key Discussion Topics include:
- The Cost of Inaction: How technological lags and regulatory pauses impact global inflation.
- The Post-IMO Landscape: Navigating the interplay between regional mandates (EU ETS/FuelEU) and global policy shifts.
- The Investment Dilemma: Hedging risks in newbuildings as technology catches up with regulatory demands.
- Capital in Flux: How financiers view transition risk during periods of deferred enforcement.
- Geopolitics & Supply Chains: The impact of “fragmented seas” on fleet deployment and freight rates.
The 9th Slide2Open Shipping Finance Conference is where urgency meets leadership, shaping the next phase of maritime strategy to ensure shipping remains resilient, affordable, and climate aligned.
For Media Inquiries, Registrations & Sponsorships:
Nancy Vogiatzi, Marketing and Communications Director, Slide2Open Communications,
Email: nvog@slide2open.net, mob.: (+30) 6976 411 114,
Website: https://www.slide2open.net/en/shipping-finance-2026/
