08.15-08.50

Registration and Coffee

08.50-09.00

Welcome Address: Grant Attwell, Director, Cannon Events

09.00-09.20

Opening Address: TBC

Participants

09.20-10.00

Panel Discussion: Is it the End of Globalisation as We Know it?

Questions are beginning to be asked about the way in which globalisation is evolving and even whether it might be a thing of the past. Much of the conversation is being driven by the failure of the IMO to sign off on its global Net Zero Framework, while Europe and other regions press ahead with their own regional decarbonisation rules. This discussion will consider whether it is time for a new approach on decarbonisation and regulation, looking at what that might mean for the shipping sector and its insurers.

Moderator:

Panellists: Frederic Denefle, President, International Union of Marine Insurance

Jarek Klimczak, Master Mariner. Chief Risk Consulting Officer, AXA XL

Alexandra Couvadelli, Vice President UK Claims, Gard

10.00-10.20

Presentation: Regulations – Shape-Shifting Rules; The Changing Nature of Regulation

The US regulatory landscape has been shifting rapidly of late. In this session, we analyse the latest rules and ask what that means for shipowners and their insurers. We will ask whether ships can still sail safely into US waters, or are owners being forced to re-route to avoid falling foul of the new rules?

Presenter:

10.20-10.40

Presentation: LNG Shipping and The Energy Transition

As global liquefaction capacity grows, the LNG fleet faces a pivotal challenge in scaling safely, efficiently and with lower carbon intensity. In this session, Jeff explores developments in the LNG fleet to meet the capacity challenge and the expanding roles of FSRU and FLNG as flexible transition enablers shaping the next decade of LNG shipping.

Presenter: Jeff Wilson, Divisional Director Marine and Offshore Advisory, Howden

10.40-10.45

Post-Coffee Break Briefing: An Introduction to Stream Two

A quick teaser for Stream Two after the coffee break so that you can decide which sessions to participate in.

Presenter: Ronny Reppe, Chief Executive Officer, Noria Digital

10.45-11.15

Coffee Break and Networking

Stream One

Stream Two

11.15-11.35

Presentation: Changing Trade Routes: The Red Sea Threat – Not Over Yet

Presentation: Marine Insurers Shaping Up in New World Order

The Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have become part of the overall Middle East peace story, with many in the media linking the attacks to the war in Gaza. As a result, the danger is that owners become slightly complacent and confident that peace in Gaza will end the attacks. However, the Houthi targets remain and some owners continue to use the alternative Africa route. In this session, we report on the emerging cost of the changing trade route and the risk of not making those changes. 

In this opening speech, we hear how the marine insurance sector is faring across the world, from underwriting growth to the cost of claims and operating expenses. We look at the emerging opportunities and set the scene for a market ripe for innovation and enhanced use of technology.

Presenter: Herminius TBC

Presenter:  Gard TBC

11.35-12.15

Panel Discussion: Geopolitics – How Can Insurers Support Clients in Navigating the Uncertain World?

Panel Discussion: The Perfect Match – A Single Source of Truth

No one can be blind to the upheaval the last three years has brought to world peace and stability, with most having adapted their way of doing business to cater for this massive uncertainty. In this session, we look at the positives and negatives. Positively, how can the marine insurance industry support Ukraine and negatively, are we headed towards the 5-powers clause being invoked?

So much airtime is being spent on whether, for example, artificial intelligence can be trusted to provide the truth, but the reality is that companies have long had to establish a single source of truth from which to work. This panel will discuss what a perfect match might be, how marine insurers can establish the best match and how can they then structure that source within their businesses to enable the use of the best quality data.

Moderator:

Panellists: Luke Ogilvie, Senior Underwriter – Hull and War, Liberty Specialty Markets

Benjamin Lockwood, Head of Specialty, AEGIS London

Katie Costello, Head of Hull & War, Markel International

Anders Hovelsrud, Chief Underwriting Officer – War, DNK  Den Norske Krigsforsikring for Skib

Moderator: Ronny Reppe, Chief Executive Officer, Noria

Panellists: Ed Davies, Chief Information Officer, West of England P&I Club

Ben Harrison, Chief Technology Officer, Ceto

Ralph Hale, Smart Follow Engagement Analyst, Apollo Underwriting

12.15-12.55

Panel Discussion: War Insurance – Can War Insurance Still Prop Up Other Parts of the Portfolio?

Panel Discussion: Compliance – The Licence to Operate

In a softening market, insurers will look to more profitable lines to help support the overall business. In the marine space, this has often been the war book. But with a higher than normal number of claims, the question is whether that once profitable class will remain so for much longer and with more people choosing to re-route rather than pay the fast-rising war premium rates, this is only likely to get worse, as we discuss.

Compliance has become a major headache for firms of all shapes and sizes as they navigate through an increasingly complex world. From sanctions, regulations and tariffs to IT and environment, the gamut of rules is enormous. Added to that, businesses now have to work around disparate regional rules, making running a global entity even harder, as we hear in this panel discussion.

Moderator:

Panellists: Thomas Cappelen, Director, Hull Division, Cambiaso Risso

Ben McKeith, Senior Underwriter, London P&I Club

Matthew Gysbers, Underwriting Manager, Hull & War,  AXA XL

Iain Henstridge, Class Leader – Hull, Apollo Underwriting

Moderator:

Panellists: SW Burger, Maritime Sanctions and Defence Lawyer, Gard

Jacob Damgaard, Divisional Director – Head of Loss Prevention, Britannia P&I Club

Karol Urbańczyk, Future- Processing

Skuld TBC

12.55-13.45

Lunch and Networking Break

13.45-14.10

Fireside Chat: Plastic Pellets

Presentation: Placing Customers at the Heart of the Digital Journey

Nurdles are now recognised as one of the fastest-growing sources of microplastic pollution, with major spills drawing public scrutiny, legal action and regulatory reform. As governments tighten requirements for pellet containment, traceability and reporting, liability exposure across the plastics value chain is accelerating. This session tries to unpack the evolving landscape of responsibility for pellet loss.

Ensuring the end-customer is happy with any introduction of new technology is essential for any business and they should be firmly at the centre of any innovative thinking. Marine insurers must consider the end-customer at all stages of innovation, from the original concept through to implementation, whether that be the introduction of a new portal, a new way of collecting analytics or simply speed and accuracy of service. As this discussion will outline, there has been a huge leap forward in terms of customer service, but there is, perhaps, still more to do.

Participants: International Group TBC & London Club

Presenter: David Middleton, Head of London Market, Amazon

14.10-14.30

Presentation: Salvage Case Study

Case Study: The Numbers Have It

 TBC

It can be increasingly hard to separate the wheat from the chaff as companies look to embrace the latest technology. In this case study, we use real life examples to show the potential when companies make the right choices, and we consider what companies should be focusing on as they make those tough choices.

Presenter: Maurice Schreurs, Commercial Director, SMIT Salvage

Presenter:

14.30-15.10

Presentation: TBC

Panel Discussion: The Leader’s Playbook – Reshaping Insurance Through Innovation and Talent

Broadly speaking, leadership teams fall into two camps at the moment; those who view technology as a necessary evil and those who want to embrace it at all costs. This dichotomy of opinion is proving a huge challenge as leaders strategize in an uncertain world and at a time when technology is in a huge state of flux. The question for this panel will be how to find the right balance and steer the company ‘ship’ through.

Presenter: KPLER TBC

14.50-15.10

Presentation: TBC

Moderator: Mark Bennett, Chief Growth Offcier, Acord

Panellists: Dan McCarthy, Director of Marine, Markel International

Simon Squires, Head of Market Transformation, UK & Lloyds, AxaXL

Presenter:

15.10-15.40

Coffee Break and Networking

15.40-16.00

Fireside Chat: Criminalisation of Seafarers – Going to Work Shouldn’t Mean Going to Jail

The criminalisation of seafarers is not new, however increasingly, the authorities appear to be using seafarers as bargaining chips in their negotiations post-incident. The IMO recently came out with new guidelines to prevent innocent men and women languishing in ports, or worse, in jail, for years on end. This session examines the guidelines and how these might be enforced, while hearing from a seafarer who lives with this threat.

Participants: International Chamber of Shipping

16.00-16.40

Panel Discussion: Market on the Move – The Rise of the MGA’s

In this session, we consider the changing shape of the marine insurance market as London becomes flooded with MGAs, looking for niches to exploit. We ask whether the market has changed its shape forever, or whether a softening market might slow the arrival of more MGA’s.

Moderator:

Panellists: James Munn, Portfolio Manager – Ports, Terminals, Transportation and Logistics, QBE

Simon Schnorr, Head of Marine and Energy, Chaucer Group

Nick Maddalena, Managing Director – Insurance, Ambrey Global Specialty

Richard Young, Chief Underwriting Officer, Clearwater Underwriting

16.40-17.10

Presentation & Fireside Chat: The Role of Charterers in the Spotlight

We often discuss the insurance needs of owners and cargo, but what of the needs of charterers?  Charterers arrange the ships to move cargo and the cargoes that employ ships.  What are their exposures and to whom are they exposed? This session looks at the ever-developing role of charterers in the marine eco-system: what insurances do they need, how and by whom are they insured and what are the limits on their exposures following The MSC Flaminia?

Presenter: Stephen Kenny, King’s Council, 7 Kings’s Bench Walk

Kunbi Sowunmi, Senior Claims Advisor/Lawyer, Gard (North America) Inc

17.10-17.15

Closing Remarks and End of Conference

17.15-18.00

Drinks Reception