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ALTERNATIVE FINANCE & PRIVATE EQUITY

Shipping remains a capital-intensive industry. The changing landscape of finance is enriched with several new platforms which are ready to provide debt financing to the shipping industry. Alternative Finance is becoming a bigger source of capital to the industry next to traditional banks, leasing houses and fixed income capital markets instruments. Furthermore, it is open not just to bigger companies but also to smaller and mid-sized owners, who represent a big portion of the industry. The panel will also discuss the involvement of private equity with shipping.

Moderator: Mr. Joshua Apfelroth, Partner – Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft

Panelists:

Mr. Richard Jansen, Managing Director – Braemar Naves

Mr. Nicolas Duran, Director - Partner – Fearnley Securities

Mr. Andrian Dacy, CEO & CIO, Global Head Transportation Group – J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Mr. Michael Kirk, Co-Founder and Managing Director – RMK Maritime

Mr. Paulo Almeida, Portfolio Manager – Tufton Oceanic Ltd.

DRY BULK SECTOR PANEL

Moderator: Mr. Nick Ristic, Lead Dry Bulk Analyst – Braemar ACM Shipbroking 

Panelists:

Mr. John C. Wobensmith, President & CEO – Genco Shipping & Trading (NYSE:GNK)

Mr. Martyn Wade, CEO – Grindrod Shipping Holdings (NASDAQ: GRIN)

Mr. Ulrik Uhrenfeldt Andersen, CEO – Golden Ocean (NASDAQ: GOGL)

Dr. Loukas Barmparis, President – Safe Bulkers (NYSE:SB)

Mr. Stamatis Tsantanis, Chairman & CEO – Seanergy Maritime Holdings (SHIP) 

CLOSING KEYNOTE ADDRESS

The Honorable Mark Wesley MenezesUnder Secretary of EnergyUnited States Department of Energy

Global Energy Markets & US Energy Policy

NEW YORK KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Mr. Rick Cotton, CEO – NY/NJ Port Authority

CHARTING CORPORATE STRATEGY IN A FAST-CHANGING INDUSTRYGrowth & Consolidation, Diversification, Access to Capital, the Public/Private Dilemma, Capital Allocation Strategies

As the main artery for the global supply chain, shipping plays a uniquely vital role but remains a fragmented and volatile industry that is undergoing rapid change as the result of technological, regulatory and geopolitical trends. This panel comprised of senior executives of major private and publicly listed companies will examine how companies address critical strategic issues, most of which are common to both small and large companies. Should companies focus on a single or multiple sectors; is consolidation feasible in a fragmented industry and does size create competitive advantages; what are the advantages of being public vs private, what companies expect when they go public and how can they optimize their access to the capital markets. Finally, a debate on alternative capital allocation option – debt reduction, dividends, share buybacks, growth. This provides for a discussion on the hot, practical and immediate challenges the industry is facing today, issues that every owner small or big has to face and address. 

Moderator:Mr. Panos Katsambas, Partner – Reed SmithPanelists:

Mr. Ioannis Zafirakis, Director, Interim CFO, CSO, Treasurer & Secretary – Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE: DSX)

Mr. Paul Wogan, CEO – GasLog (NYSE: GLOG) & GasLog Partners LP (NYSE: GLOP)

Mr. Marco Fiori, CEO – Premuda SpA

Mr. Hamish Norton, President – Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (NASDAQ: SBLK)

Mr. Bing Chen, President & Chief Executive Officer – Atlas Corp.  (NYSE: ATCO)

OPENING KEYNOTE ADDRESS

TECHNOLOGY & SHIPPING 

Dr. Martin Stopford, Non-Executive President, Clarkson Research Services

INTERNATIONAL SHIPOWNERS PERSPECTIVE Looking Ahead: Opportunities & Challenges in Shipping Shipping markets outlook, Covid-19 & beyond, energy & commodity flows, investment opportunities, access to capital, operational & regulatory changes, business opportunities with China

 Moderator: Mr. Theodore Jadick, Jr., Managing Director, CEO and President – DNB Markets, Inc. 

 Panelists :

Mr. Jerry Kalogiratos, CEO - Capital Product Partners 

Mr. John Lycouris, CEO - Dorian LPG 

Mr. Aristidis Pittas, CEO - Euroseas; CEO - Eurodry 

Mr. Hamish Norton, President - Star Bulk Carriers 

Mr. John Dragnis, CEO - Goldenport Holdings 

Mr. Robert Burke, CEO - Ridgebury Tankers 

A NEW ERA FOR EQUITY INVESTMENT IN SHIPPINGShipping is a capital intensive industry. China is the world’s largest shipbuilding, ship owning, ship financing nation, also the largest importer and exporter. With decades of development, we are now at a stage to discuss whether and how we can explore more opportunists in this industrially. Panelists will look back in time and ahead to discuss about the opportunities and challenges in this emerging market.

Moderators :Mr. Vincent Xu, Consultant - Stephenson Harwood Ms. Simone Liu, Of Counsel – Stephenson Harwood 

Panelists :

Mr. Nilesh Tiwary, Manager - Drewry Maritime Financial Research

Mr. Steven Xiao, Director - Equator Fund 

Mr. Su Ning, Director - Equator Fund; Founding Partner - Front Line Capital 

Ms. Song Lingling, Director General Manager - DCL Investment 

SMART SHIPPING - WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?

The coronavirus has accelerated digitalization in the industry, reducing environmental pollution and improving operational efficiency and safety. As we look ahead, this panel will examine usage of new management models, technology, and collaboration in the shipping eco-system, and how owners, shipyards, ports and other industry stakeholders can use both digital and human intelligence for future growth.

Session Keynote Remarks

Mr. Vassilios Demetriades, Shipping Deputy Minister - Republic of Cyprus

Moderator : Mr. Norbert Kray, Regional Manager Greater China, Maritime and Senior Vice President - DNV GL

 Panelists :

Mr. Mark Cameron, Executive V.P. & COO - Ardmore Shipping Corporation 

Mr. Andreas Hadjipetrou, Managing Director / Chief Commercial Officer - Columbia Shipmanagement 

Mr. Owen Fu, Deputy General Manager - Liberian Registry, China 

Mrs. Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou, Co-CEO - Tototheo Maritime; President - WISTA International 

OPENING KEYNOTE ADDRESS

TECHNOLOGY & SHIPPING 

Dr. Martin Stopford, Non-Executive President, Clarkson Research Services