Marine Tours is organising the “4th Maritime Trends Conference”, under the academic sponsorship of the University of Piraeus



Marine Tours, the leading travel management company in Southeastern Europe, is organizing -in cooperation with University of Piraeus- the 4th Maritime Trends Conference which will take place on May 14th2016 at the Metropolitan Hotel.

This year’s event, entitled “Trends in Crew Management”, aims to inform and update Shipping Executives on the contemporary trends of the human resources management, as well as cultivate the exchange of views and ideas with regards to the particular challenges in the constantly changing Shipping industry.

Some of the most recognized speakers, both domestically and internationally, will be accommodated by the 4th Maritime Trends Conference.

Specifically, Mr. George Xiradakis, Founder-Managing Director, XRTC Business Consultants, will develop the current economic issues and the latest trends in the financial status of the Maritime market, in his speech entitled “Shipping, Finance at Market’s Bottom”, whileMr Theodore Chouliaras, President of the Shipping Finance Consultants UPMARITIME LONDON Ltd., in his speech entitled “The important role of Geopolitics in the Future of the Shipping Industry”, will present his own perspective concerning the crucial role of geopolitics in the future of the industry. During the final speech of the first panel, titled “Market Developments in the oil tanker and dry bulk sectors”, Mr. Jakub Walenkiewicz, Principal Market Analyst, DNV GL, will analyze the development of the oil tankers and dry cargo market.

With regards to the second panel, Mr Bengt Schager, HMON- Maritime Psychologist and part owner, Marine Profile AB, in his speech entitled “Human error-Stress coping and capacity for situation awareness”, is focusing on the crews staying for a long time on board and the important issue of their psychology management. Right after, Mr. Michael Spanos, Managing Director, Global Sustain, will develop the three Shipping sustainability pillars by mostly emphasizing in the human capital, with his speech entitled “Sustainability Trends in Maritime”. At the end of the second panel, Ms. Joanna Koukouli, Claims Manager, The American Club, with her speech entitled “Loss Prevention in Crew Management-The P & I Club perspective”, will carry out an interesting review of the Club’s Pre-Employment Medical Examination Programme, in the context of the Association’s Loss Prevention.

The representative of Etihad Airways, Mr. David Granville, Sales Opportunities Manager, will deposit his valuable experience regarding the achievement of excellent global customer service in his lecture “What does a ‘Global Supplier’ really mean to you?”

The delegates will also have the opportunity to listen to Mr. Konstantinos Poulis, PhD-General Manager Epsilon, analyze on the crew welfare in the period of an economic crisis, in his speech entitled “Crew Welfare and the Economic Crisis”. The conference will conclude with the speech entitled “Flag, Manning, and Crew” of Mr. Michalis Pantazopoulos, Senior Vice President, LISCR (Hellas) S.A., who will develop the impact of the flag regulations on the crew requirement standards.

It should be noted that the participation in the Conference is offered free of charge (prior registration is required) and one of the participant companies will have the opportunity to win a scholarship to the University of Piraeus postgraduate program “MSc in Shipping”.

For more information regarding the Conference program in detail as well as the speakers’ short bios, please visit the Conference website.