Mrs Natalia Margioli- Komninou and Mr George A. Tsavliris with lecturers of the ICS Greek Branch and the students that distinguished worldwide at the ICS Examinations 2016 – 2017
The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, Greek Branch held its 13th Annual Forum, on Wednesday, 29 th of November 2017 at Eugenides Foundation.
The title was: « Sailing into calmer waters? Cautious optimism returns » and the Forum was well attended by over 400 shipping professionals – from the Greek and International shipping community.
Eminent personalities constituted the panel and gave their valuable views on current shipping issues.
• Mr Konstantinos Bitounis, FICS, Solicitor, Piraeus office Manager, Waterson Hicks
• Ms Amalia Miliou- Theocharaki, MICS, Chartering Manager, TEO Shipping Corporation Ltd
• Mr Menelaos Pangalos, MICS Managing Director Chios Navigation (Hellas) Ltd
• Mr Peter Sand, Chief Shipping Analyst, BIMCO
• Mrs Katerina Stathopoulou, Executive Director, Investments & Finance Ltd.
• Mr Simon Ward, FICS, Director, Ursa Shipbrokers
• Mr Adrian Wooldridge, MICS, Chief Commercial Officer, Navios Maritime Acquisition Corporation
• Mr Fotios Zeritis, FICS Commercial Shipping & Strategic Planning Analyst, Qatar Gas Transport Company
The panel moderator was Mr Ilias Bissias, Director of Naftika Chronika
The Panel
Mrs Natalia Margioli – Komninou, FICS, Managing Director of the ICS Greek Branch and Hellenic Management Centre opened the 13th ICS Annual Forum, welcomed and thanked everyone for their support at the ICS Greek Branch all these years.
Mr Nicolas Tsavliris, the Chairman of the ICS Greek Branch and of the Tsavliris Salvage Group welcomed the attendees at the Forum and highlighted the role of the Institute of Chartered shipbrokers at preparing the young generations for their future in the shipping industry. He underlined that ICS not only provides them with Knowledge but also with ethics and values such as professionalism.
This year the distinguished speakers were part of a Q&A session where they were called to answer questions related to the field of their practice.
The Audience
Mr Peter Sand, Chief Shipping Analyst, BIMCO gave a forecast of the wet market, mentioning that oil market has yet some way to go, before a ‘balanced’ market can be called He referred also to the container marker, concluding that for 2018 the market seems fairly on the surface with demand growth matching that of fleet growth.
Mr Simon Ward, FICS, Director, Ursa Shipbrokers gave his insight on the types of bulkers which might be better of in 2018, based on the past bad years for the dry cargo operators and he was asked about which owners and/or managers should be more optimistic about the market. Also, he commented on the question if owners learn from their mistakes in the past in relation to the decision of new orders which may lead to an extra overcapacity due to the recent yet limited prosperity in the dry market.
Mr Adrian Wooldridge, MICS, Chief Commercial Officer, Navios Maritime Acquisition Corporation listed the implications that the increased energy demand in Asia and the renewables, have in shipping. In addition, he explained how a tanker shipping company can manage its OPEX and how the international stock exchange markets can be a ‘’safe bed’’ for shipping companies.
Mrs Natalia Margioli – Komninou, FICS, with principles of Tsavliris Salvage Group – Mr Nicolas Tsavliris, FICS, Mr Giorgos Tsavliris and Mr Alexandros A. Tsavliris
Mr Fotios Zeritis, FICS Commercial Shipping & Strategic Planning Analyst, Qatar Gas Transport Company referred the current situation in Middle East Region after the embargo against Qatar and the status of Qatar and Nakilat on the global energy market. Besides that, he discussed the short-terms and long-terms LNG Shipping outlook and how this will affect the LNG carriers who have been suffering currently.
Mr Menelaos Pangalos, MICS Managing Director Chios Navigation (Hellas) Ltd, representing a traditional shipping company, expressed his views on how a shipping company will manage to readapt to new technological and environmental realities, such as BWM and the 2020 Sulphur Cap. Also, he explained how the shipping companies react on the shortage of competent crews with a fleet continuously growing and increasing demand on board both with advent technology and the new regulations being adopted.
Mrs Katerina Stathopoulou, Executive Director, Investments & Finance Ltd. analysed the element that a banker needs today in order to assist a company to fulfil its vision for development, based on the view of some analysts that the traditional relationship between a banker and an owner does not suffice anymore. Moreover, she discussed the possibility of new players to emerge in today’s difficult sipping market on the basis that small and middle sized companies will be able to attract funding.
Ms Amalia Miliou- Theocharaki, MICS, TEO Shipping Corporation Ltd., Mr Nicolas Tsavliris, FICS, Mrs Natalia Margioli – Komninou, FICS, and Fotios Zeritis, FICS, Qatar Gas Transport Company
Mr Konstantinos Bitounis, FICS, Solicitor, Piraeus office Manager, Waterson Hicks shared his views on taxation and if the tax heavens will be history in a few years. He also commented on the statement that Paris and Dubai will be the new maritime arbitration centers at this moment, especially in the post-Brexit era.
Ms Amalia Miliou- Theocharaki, MICS, Chartering Manager, TEO Shipping Corporation Ltd was called to comment on the rising interest of young people /students to follow a career in shipping despite the fragile state of the market and the fact that most of them want to become Shipbrokers and Chartering Executives. She mentioned that young people should find what the market needs, evaluate themselves carefully, find their niche – within this competitive market – and persuade the ‘traditional office shipping posts’ that they can ameliorate the shipping industry and keep it viable for the long run
At the end of the Q&A session, there was an impressively interactive discussion between the audience and the panel, proving the fact that the ICS Annual Forum is not only a meeting point of shipping professionals but a place of exchanging ideas and learn from each other.
Once again, the year’s proceedings included the Awards Giving Ceremony for the students that excelled at the ICS Examinations in November 2016 and May 2017.
The ICS Greek Branch was once again the largest examination centre in the world with the most students participating at the ICS Examinations. More than 500 shipping executives attended the ICS Professional Training Programmes and took the ICS Examinations.
This year 8 candidates have distinguished in their exams and were awarded for their efforts and achievements.
• Ms Alexia Adrianopoulos, Cape Maritime, distinction in Ship Sale & Purchase examination
• Ms Froso Alvanou, Regal Agencies, distinction in Shipping Business examination
• Mrs Dimitra Gelti, Attorney-at-Law and Mediator, excellent performance in Marine Insurance Examinations within the Greek Branch
• Mr Ioannis Ioannides, Ursa Shipbrokers distinction in Ship Sale & Purchase examination
• Mrs Christina Karasarli, Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Limited, distinction in Shipping Finance examination
• Mr George Kefalos, distinction in Shipping Finance examination
Also, two Greek Students were distinguished internationally, achieving the highest marks worldwide and were also awarded during the Prize Giving Ceremony held in the Trinity House of London in October 2017.
• Mr Dimitris Lamprou, Super Eco Management, for achieving the highest mark worldwide in Ship Sale & Purchase examination
• Mrs Eleni Mavrea, distinction in Ship Sale & Purchase examination, highest mark worldwide in Shipping Law and in Dry Cargo Chartering examination
The 13th Annual Forum of the ICS Greek Branch was held with the kind contribution and support of the following sponsors:
Acropolis Chartering & Shipping Inc., Capital Ship Management Corp., Cass Technava Maritime S.A., Danaos Corporation, Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Ltd., Element Shipmanagement S.A., European Product Carriers Ltd., Gac Shipping S.A., Gregale (Dry Bulk) Shipping, Hellaschart Ltd., Hollman Fenwick Willan International, Navios Maritime Holdings Inc, S. Frangoulis Shipmanagement, Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp., Springfield Shipping Co Panama S.A., Super Eco Tankers Management Inc., Target Marine S.A., The Marshall Islands Registry, Technomar Shipping Inc., Tsavliris Salvage Group, Tsakos Energy Navigation
