Capital Link is hosting the 5th Annual Capital Link Japan Maritime Forum on Friday, October 16, 2026, at the Tokyo American Club in Tokyo, Japan.
The Forum is held in partnership with Eurofin Group, SpringLiner, and Columbia Group.
This event explores business development opportunities linking leaders from the international and Japanese ship owning, finance, shipbuilding, and trading communities. The Forum provides networking opportunities with major banks, leasing firms, shipyards, trading houses, and industry participants.
Forum Agenda
REGISTRATION & COFFEE
8:00 – 8:55 AM
WELCOME REMARKS
9:00 – 9:05 AM
- Mr. Michael Zolotas, Managing Director – Eurofin Group
- Mr. Demetris Chrysostomou, Deputy Chief Executive Officer – Columbia Group
- Mr. Nicolas Bornozis, President – Capital Link, Inc.
GLOBAL COMMODITY & ENERGY MARKETS: TRENDS, TRADE FLOWS & SHIPPING
9:10 – 9:50 AM
Moderator: Mr. Hoyoon Nam, Shareholder – Vedder
Panelists:
- Mr. Ted Young, CFO – Dorian LPG Ltd. (NYSE: LPG)
- Mr. Michalis Livanos, CFO – DryDel Shipping Inc.
- Mr. Gautam Khurana, CFO – Precious Shipping Public Company Limited
- Mr. Soeren Bibow, Group CFO – SAL Heavy Lift GmbH & Co. KG.
- Mr. Shailesh Bhala, COO – SPM Energy Shipping FZCO
OPTIMIZING FLEET PERFORMANCE:
DECARBONIZATION, TECHNOLOGY & ASSET LIFECYCLE
9:55 – 10:35 AM
Moderator: Mr. Matthew Mueller, Vice President, Business Development Northern Pacific Region – ABS
Panelists:
- Mr. Demetris Chrysostomou, Deputy Chief Executive Officer – Columbia Group
- Mr. Torben Kölln, Managing Director – Leonhardt & Blumberg Shipmanagement GmbH & Co. KG
- Capt. Eberhard Koch, Chairman, CEO and Partner – Oesterreichischer Lloyd Shipping Group (OL Shipping)
- Mr. Hitesh Vyas, VP Middle East & Green Recycling Coordinator – Wirana Shipping
JAPAN’S SHIPBUILDING REVITALIZATION ROADMAP
10:40 – 10:55 AM
1×1 Discussion Between:
- Mr. Shin Imai, Assistant Vice-Minister for Engineering Affairs, Deputy Director-General for Engineering Affairs, Maritime Bureau – Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Japan
- Mr. Masaki Matsunaga, Executive Vice President – ClassNK
BUILDING THE AMMONIA FUTURE:
JAPAN’S LEADERSHIP IN NEXT-GENERATION VESSEL DEVELOPMENT
11:00 – 11:40 AM
Moderator: Mr. Masaki Matsunaga, Executive Vice President – ClassNK
Panelists:
- Mr. Kuniaki Kato, Director of Innovation Policy Office, Ocean Development and Environment Policy Division, Maritime Bureau – Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Japan
- Mr. Toru Motoda, Deputy Division Director, Marine Power Systems Business Division – IHI Power Systems Co., Ltd.
- Mr. Akihiro Miyanagi, Executive Officer, General Manager, Ammonia Fueled Engine Development Office – Japan Engine Corporation
- Mr. Koji Tomioka, Deputy General Manager, Ammonia Fuel Vessel Development Department, Design Division – Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd.
- Mr. Takahiro Rokuroda, Senior General Manager of the Next Generation Fuel Business Group – NYK Line
KEYNOTE MINISTERIAL ROUNDTABLE – GLOBAL MARITIME LEADERSHIP
POLICY, COMPETITIVENESS & INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
11:45 – 12:25 PM
Minister Marina Hadjimanolis Shipping Deputy Minister to the President Republic of Cyprus
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs & Insular Policy of the Hellenic Republic will be represented either by the Minister, Mr. Vasilis Kikilias, or the Deputy Minister, Mr. Stefanos Gkikas.
NETWORKING LUNCH
12:30 – 1:30 PM
RAISING CAPITAL IN JAPAN – THE INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
1:35 – 2:15 PM
Moderator: Mr. Gerasimos Zolotas, Executive Director – Eurofin Group
Panelists:
- Mr. Steve Wagner, Director of Finance – Midstar Shipping FZE
- Mr. Harris Antoniou, Founder & Managing Director – Neptune Maritime Leasing Ltd.
- Mr. Gianni Del Signore, CFO – Pangaea Logistics Solutions Ltd. (NASDAQ: PANL)
- Mr. Iraklis Sbarounis, CFO – Okeanis Eco Tankers, Corp. (NYSE: ECO) (OSLO: OET)
- Mr. Stavros Gyftakis, CFO – Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: SHIP); CFO & Director – United Maritime Corporation (NASDAQ: USEA)
JAPANESE SHIP FINANCE SOLUTIONS FOR GLOBAL SHIPPING
2:20 – 3:00 PM
Moderator: Mr. Takuya Aiba, CEO – SpringLiner
Panelists:
- Mr. Michio Ouchi, Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance Department Division 4, Joint Head of Ship Finance Team – Development Bank of Japan
- Ms. Ruri Hatano, Team Manager – Ship Finance, Aircraft and Ship Business Division – NTT TC Leasing Co., Ltd.
- Mr. Satoshi Kawasaki, Managing Executive Officer – SBI Leasing Services Co., Ltd.
- Mr. Kazuto Kunii, Head of Business Planning Team, Ship Finance Department – Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited
- Mr. Jigo Hayashi, Director, Ship Business Division – Tokyo Century Corporation
NAVIGATING A NEW MARITIME REALITY – SANCTIONS & THE DARK FLEET
3:05 – 3:15 PM
1×1 Discussion Between:
- Dr. Anil Sharma, Founder and CEO – GMS & Lila Global
- Mr. Nicolas Bornozis, President – Capital Link, Inc.
GLOBAL SHIPOWNERS DOING BUSINESS IN JAPAN
3:15 – 3:55 PM
Moderator: White & Case LLP
Panelists:
- Mr. John Su, Founder, President & CEO – Erasmus Shipinvest Group
- Mr. Moritz Fuhrmann, Co-CEO & CFO – MPC Container Ships ASA (OSLO: MPCC)
- Mr. Marco Fiori, CEO – Premuda SpA
- Mr. Polys Hajioannou, CEO – Safe Bulkers, Inc. (NYSE: SB); President – Cyprus Union of Shipowners (CUS)
- Mr. Stamatis Tsantanis, Chairman & CEO – Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: SHIP); Founder, Chairman & CEO – United Maritime Corporation (NASDAQ: USEA)
COCKTAIL RECEPTION
4:00 – 5:00 PM
Venue
Tokyo American Club
2-1-2 Azabudai Minato-ku 106-8649
Tokyo, Japan
Tel: +813-4588-0381
For more information, please visit: https://www.tokyoamericanclub.org/
Contacts
For sponsorship and speaking opportunities, please contact Nicolas Bornozis, Olga Bornozi, Anny Zhu, Anna Wichmann at forum@capitallink.com, Tel: +1.212-661-7566 (NY) or +30 (210) 610-9800 (Greece).
For more information, please contact Eleni Bej at ebej@capitallink.com, Tel : +1 (212) 661-7566 in NY.
