Speakers 

Keynote Address

Christos Stylianides has been Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy of the Hellenic Republic since September 13, 2023. On June 25, 2023 he was elected Member of the Greek Parliament with the New Democracy Party.

From September 2021 to May 2023 he served as the first Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection of Greece.

Between 2014 and 2019 he served as European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management. During the same period he was EU Ebola Coordinator after his appointment by the European Council. He is considered the "architect" of rescEU, the bold initiative that upgraded significantly the European civil protection system.

In 2014 Christos Stylianides was also elected Member of the European Parliament (Democratic Rally Party of Cyprus/European People's Party). In two different periods he served as Government Spokesperson of the Republic of Cyprus (2013-2014 and 1998-1999). During the period 2006-2013 he was a Member of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus (elected in 2006 and 2011 with DISY) with a strong parliamentary record. From 2006 to 2011 he was also a member of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and was elected a Member of its Bureau in 2012.

He has been Visiting Professor at the Department of Health Policy at the London School of Economics (LSE) in Great Britain, Visiting Professor in Practice at the Medical School of the University of Nicosia-Cyprus and at the Ruhr Universität Research School of Germany.

In May 2021, he was appointed EU Special Envoy for Freedom or Religion or Belief (FoRB).

In recognition of his work, Christos Stylianides received important honorary awards from governments and international organizations and institutions. Among other, he received the Golden Decoration of Honour by the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Honorary Award of Civil Protection of the Land of Baden-Wurttemberg (Germany) for his contribution to the upgrading of the European civil protection system. He was also named "Global Champion for Education in Emergencies" by the international organization Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and "Political Champion for Education in Emergencies" by the Malala Foundation. For his humanitarian action and contribution to coexistence and reconciliation he was awarded the "Peace and Reconciliation Prize" of the historic city of Guernica, Spain.

Keynote Address

George James Tsunis presented his credentials to the President of the Hellenic Republic on May 10, 2022. He was nominated by President Biden and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 10, 2022.

Ambassador Tsunis is the proud Greek-American son of immigrants to the United States, with deep roots in the village of Platanos in the beautiful mountainous region of Nafpaktia.  Growing up, his parents instilled in him the Hellenic ideals of καλοσύνη (goodness), αγάπη (love), and above all, φιλότιμο (the love of honor).  He learned Greek as his first language.  Deeply engaged with the Greek-American community, Ambassador Tsunis was a founding trustee of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, and is a trustee of the Hellenic Initiative among other roles.

Prior to his nomination, Ambassador Tsunis was the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Chartwell Hotels, LLC.  He served as Chairman of Battery Park City Authority.  He was also a Trustee for the New York City Convention Development Corporation and the New York City Convention Operating Corporation and helped manage a 1.5 million square foot expansion of the New York Convention Center, transforming it into one of the worldʼs most modern and beautiful convention centers.  Ambassador Tsunis served as the chairman of the Nassau University Medical Center, a large public safety net hospital with a focus on providing care to vulnerable communities.

Previously, Ambassador Tsunis was a Counsel and Partner (Attorney of Law), at Rivkin Radler LLP, Uniondale, NY, and Legislative Attorney, New York City Council.  He served as Counsel for Dix Hills Water District, Dix Hills, NY and Town of Huntington Committee on Open Space Preservation, Huntington, NY.

Ambassador Tsunis earned a B.A. from the New York University, New York, NY and a J.D. from St Johnʼs University of Law, Queens, NY.  He was an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate (Order of Saint Andrew), the highest ecclesiastical honor that can be bestowed upon a layman by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and is the recipient of numerous awards including the Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award for Long Island Cares and the lifetime achievement award for civic engagement for Long Island Business News.  Ambassador Tsunis is married and has three children.

Session three: Regulatory updates and decarbonisation policy

Carlo Aiachini is a Mechanical engineer that graduated in Genova in 1990.

In 1991 he joined RINA as a Plan Approval Engineer in the Machinery department, up to reaching, in 2007, the role of Head of the Machinery and Automation Plan Approval Team.

In 2010 he took the role of Manager of the Machinery and Automation Group in the Technical Function Unit.

Since 2020, he is the manager of the Marine Environmental & Safety Innovation unit of the RINA Marine Excellence Center.

Carlo participated in the IACS activities since 1998, as member of the IACS Working party on Engines, the Ad Hoc Group on Exhaust Emission Control, Joint Working Group on Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), various project teams and the Machinery Panel, which chaired in the period 2017-2019.

He is presently chairing the Safe Decarbonisation Panel.

Session one: Leadership Discussion

Llewellyn has worked in bunkering, oil and shipping since 1980, as journalist and broker, in London and New York, working for Argus, Petroleum Intelligence Weekly, Eperon Petroleum, Albion Oil and Energy Information. He joined MRC in Oxford to launch BunkerNews, before establishing Petrospot in 2003 to publish Bunkerspot magazine, news and pricing services, and highly-respected bunker and shipping books. Llewellyn was a founding member of IBIA and organised the first IBIA Annual Convention in Orlando in 1993

He has created and run globally-recognised events in 25 countries around the world, including Maritime Week Americas, ARACON, London International Shipping Week and European Shipping Week, and runs internationally-renowned training programmes, including the Oxford Bunker Course and BunkerExperience.

Session two: State of the Bunker Industry discussion – an assessment by leading industry shipping associations. 

Simon Bennett is Deputy Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping, the principal global trade association for ship operators. 

As secretary to the ICS Board of Directors, Simon is responsible for co-ordinating overall development and representation of ICS positions on a wide range of issues, from environmental performance to the maintenance of free trade principles, and helping the Board to determine and deliver on ICS priorities. This includes the promotion of global regulation for a global industry, which is sound and carefully considered, and ensuring that shipping’s regulators fully understand the implications of their important decisions. 

A history graduate from Oxford University, during a 30 year career with ICS, Simon has represented the industry at, among others, IMO, ILO, the UN in New York, UNFCCC, UNCTAD, OECD, WCO and WTO, as well as APEC and the EU. 

A particular current focus for 

Moderator - Session seven: Changing face of the bunker & shipping industry

After her degree as a Chemical Engineer and a number of years in industrial analytical measurements, Claudia switched to the maritime industry in 2011 with selling and developing the Certified Bunker Measurement Solution for Emerson, focusing on shipowners and barge operators for conventional fuels and LNG.

In those days, she was also a member of the first working group in SGMF, developing the guidelines for Quality and Quantity of LNG as fuel.

That interest in LNG brought her into her next job at Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, where she was commercially responsible for LNG Bunkering systems and biogas upgrading and liquefaction systems (bioLNG).

From September 2020 until the end of 2023, Claudia worked as a Global Account Manager for the VT Group; an independent, global barge operator providing high quality maritime logistics and bunkering services, where besides the global responsibility for the commercial activities of the VT Group, she was heavily involved in VT’s strategy to enable transport and bunkering of alternative fuels on behalf of their customers.

That passion for alternative fuels led her to establish her own consultancy and training company C4fuel, assisting stakeholders in the maritime industry in their journey to meeting the climate goals.

Welcome Address

Constantinos studied Law in Greece (LLB) and England (LLM in Maritime Law – University of Southampton). He is a qualified Greek lawyer since 1997 and English solicitor since 2002.

From 1998 to 2002 he was the Legal Counsel of Excel Maritime Carriers, a Piraeus-based shipping company listed in NYSE. From 2002 to 2004 Constantinos worked as a marine litigation solicitor at Holman Fenwick & Willan, both in London and Piraeus. Between 2004-2013 he was a shareholder and Director of Quantum Shipping Ltd., a shipping company of Constantinos’ family interests, where he was responsible for the company’s investment strategy as well as for all legal, commercial and managerial issues.

In 2014 Constantinos joined Starbulk, serving as General Manager of a number of private vessels and subsequently as Executive Vice President – Control Director of the group’s procurement arm, Ship Procurement Services SA. Since 2019 Constantinos is serving as Starbulk’s Bunker Director, responsible for bunkering procurement / strategy and Starbulk’s cooperation with bunker industry stakeholders.

In 2020, Constantinos first entered the elections for IBIA’s Board and was successfully elected as a Board Member. Currently, he holds the positions of IBIA Chair, Chair of IBIA’s Future Fuels Working Group, and previously served as IBIA’s Vice Chair from 2022 to 2024.

Moderator - Session four: Shipowners and Buyers panel 

Timothy started his career as a Consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers first in London and then in Madrid, in the Valuation & Strategy department, focusing on M&A transactions. He then got his MBA from INSEAD and later on joined the A.P. Moller Maersk Group in The Netherlands as a General Manager, focusing on New Terminals acquisition and development. In 2010 Timothy joined his family business, Fratelli Cosulich, where he sits on the Group Board of Directors and holds the role of CEO – Marine Fuels.

Fratelli Cosulich is a diversified Group founded in 1857, fully owned by the Cosulich family, now at its sixth generation. The Group is active in a number of aspects of the Shipping Industry, from ship-owning, to ship-agency, freight-forwarding, catering, manning, yacht-services, and marine fuel trading and supplying. Fratelli Cosulich has offices in 15 countries, approx. 1,000 employees worldwide and a yearly turnover of USD 1.9bn.

Session five: Bunker Sellers panel 

Kenneth Dam joined Trafigura’s fuel oil team in 2017 and in May 2019 became Co-Head of its newly formed bunkering team. In 2020, Kenneth was appointed Global Head of Bunkering for TFG Marine, a joint venture created between Trafigura and ship owning companies Frontline and Golden Ocean to supply quality marine fuels to ship owners at global strategic bunkering hubs.

Before joining Trafigura, from 2011 to 2016, Kenneth worked for Monjasa and played a key role in developing its West Africa bunkering operations.

TFG Marine is a leading international marine fuel supply and procurement joint venture between physical commodity trading company Trafigura Group Pte and ship owning companies Frontline Ltd and Golden Ocean Group Ltd. Formed in 2020, the company provides modern, simplified and transparent services that bridge every stage of the bunkering process for its customers, supplying over 10 million metric tonnes of marine fuels per annum across 35 strategic bunkering hub locations globally.

Session five: Bunker Sellers panel 

 Keld R. Demant is the CEO of Bunker Holding Group - the global leader in supplying marine fuel and lube oil. For more than 25 years Keld R. Demant has helped shape the company through positions as COO, Vice CEO, and CEO since 2013.

Under Keld R. Demant’s leadership, Bunker Holding Group has transformed from a company with a turnover of 0.2 billion USD to a leading global player with a turnover of 17.8 billion USD. The company has grown to become the world's largest bunker supplier, with over 60 offices in more than 30 countries and a global workforce of over 1,500 employees.

Keld R. Demant has substantial experience from leading positions in international companies. Strong operational competences and extensive knowledge within strategic management and marketing as well as substantial management experience. He has completed several educational efforts from institutions such as Oxford University, Harvard, IMD, INSEAD and Copenhagen Business School.

Bunker Holding Group has a long history but remains forward-looking and focused on answering the needs and challenges of an ever-changing industry. During recent years Bunker Holding Group has taken a leading position regarding green transformation and demonstrates extensive specialist knowledge in the supply of green fuel to ships.

Bunker Holding Group is a part of the family-owned USTC Group.

Moderator - Session six: Resetting Bunker Quality in an Alternative World

Jeroen De Vos is Head of Global Operations at Peninsula and being based in Gibraltar. He began his career in the maritime industry as a marine engineer where he gained valuable seagoing experience from various companies including the Royal Dutch Navy. Jeroen joined DNV Petroleum Services in 2000 as a Technical Advisor and wore many hats over the next decade and a half. In 2015 Jeroen became Global Technical Director at VPS when he moved to Peninsula in 2019 to build and head up the dedicated Quality Department. He is also an active member in several international working groups including ISO 8217 (TC28/SC4/WG6).

Session eight: Navigating the Alternative Fuel future in the Mediterranean with increasing regulation and disruptive geopolitics

Dionysis Diamantopoulos, FICS, is an experienced maritime professional currently serving as the Head of Alternative Fuels at Baseblue. With a focus on alternative fuel procurement, regulatory compliance, and international bunker trading, Dionysis plays a key role in providing tailored solutions to clients. His expertise in strategic account management and green transition initiatives underscores his commitment to driving sustainability in the industry. With academic and professional qualifications such as the one from the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, Dionysis brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his role. As a lecturer of Strategic Maritime Management at the M.Sc. level, he shares his expertise with the next generation but also experienced maritime professionals. 

Session three: Regulatory updates and decarbonisation policy

Vassilios Dimoulas is a Naval Architect and Marine Engineer with an experience of 27 years in providing classification and technical consulting services to the marine and offshore industry. He graduated from the National Technical University of Athens and subsequently obtained a Master’s degree in Marine Engineering from University College London.

Throughout his career he has been involved in numerous projects including new construction and major conversion, which he has followed both at design and implementation phases.

His current position at Bureau Veritas is Technology & Innovation Director for BVs South East Europe Balcans and Adriatic zone. His task and major focus is on assisting clients to meet the growing challenges posed by new and upcoming regulations, by applying novel and often innovative technologies with which they may not be fully familiar. In this task he is bringing together Class, ship owners, shipyards and technology providers through joint development projects aiming to achieve technological progress in our industry.

Session seven: Changing face of the bunker & shipping industry: 

NIGEL DRAFFIN served at sea as an engineer with Shell from 1966, coming ashore in 1979 working in the Shell International Marine’s New Building, Research and Operations departments.  In 1996 he moved to Bunker broking, first at Gibsons then at LQM Petroleum Services where he was Technical Manager before retiring in 2015. He has sailed on and supervised the construction and operation of bulk carriers, oil tankers and gas carriers. He has acted as a consultant on technical issues for over 25 years and. He given expert opinions and is a supporting member of LMAA. A founder member of the International Bunker Industry Association serving as Chairman in 2012, and most recently as Treasurer (2022). He was re-elected to the Board in 2023. He was one of the authors of the JIP preparing the Guide to safe operation with 0.50% sulphur fuels (2019). He is a member of the Institute of Marine Engineering Science and Technology, Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Fuellers and Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights. He is the course director of the Petrospot bunkering courses and has presented many courses on bunkering  topics for IBIA, Malta Maritime, Gibraltar Port Operators and many others. He is a regular presenter at bunker conferences. He has written 13 books on Bunkering and Shipping published by Petrospot.

Session eight: Navigating the Alternative Fuel future in the Mediterranean with increasing regulation and disruptive geopolitics

Can has a 16 year experience in shipping and bunkering as ship financier, bunker fund raiser, credit risk manager, commercial director and bunker trader. Achievements have included onboarding credit insurance policies and receivable finance facilities for bunkering companies as well as restructuring finance facilities. In addition, providing consultancy on ship finance transactions including S&P finance and refinancing and setting up shipping and bunkering joint-ventures, funding working capital requirements of ship operators and owners, originating and executing M&As and company valuation work have been part of the experience.

Can is currently working for the Hamburg-headquartered worldwide independent bunker trading firm ElbOil GmbH as the Head of Trading for East Med. He previously held senior management positions in the Singapore based Sing Fuels and the former Glencore subsidiary OceanConnect Marine. Can has been a regular speaker in Platt’s and Ibia events since 2013.

Session eight: Navigating the Alternative Fuel future in the Mediterranean with increasing regulation and disruptive geopolitics

Captain Samir Fernandez has been involved in the maritime industry for 30 years, both at sea and ashore. 

He has led global teams specialising in the management of cargo operations, marine fuel sales, procurement and fuel blending as well as fuel efficiency and sustainability for commercial shipping. A self-confessed "geek" dabbling in the development of bespoke software solutions to improve commercial and operational efficiency, he has more recently been actively involved in the development of the logistics chain for green fuels to decarbonize shipping. 

He is currently the Director of CEPSA MARINE FUEL SOLUTIONS, responsible for CEPSA’s global marine fuel sales, solutions for maritime decarbonisation, development of new markets, and customer experience/satisfaction.

Session seven: Changing face of the bunker & shipping industry: 

Yofis Florentin is the founder and CEO of Learning Seaman. He has been in the IT and Shipping industry for more than 20 years and holds a BSc in Business Computing & IT (Aston University, UK) and an MSc in Analysis, Design & Management of Information Systems (London School of Economics, UK).
He is a dedicated advocate for the well-being and mental health of seafarers, recognizing the unique challenges faced by those working at sea. Yofis has a deep understanding of the psychological and emotional strains that seafarers endure. This insight drove him to create Learning Seaman, the first worldwide content platform dedicated to seafarers’ well-being, mental health, and resilience onboard.
Under his leadership, Learning Seaman has become a vital resource, offering a comprehensive suite of tools and educational content aimed at improving the quality of life for seafarers. The platform includes features such as mental health support, wellness and self-development courses, and activities designed to enhance emotional resilience. His vision is to create a more compassionate and supportive environment for seafarers, helping them to manage the unique stresses of their profession while fostering a culture of well-being at sea.

Session three: Regulatory updates and decarbonisation policy

Stamatis Fradelos is Vice President in ABS’ Regulatory Affairs Department. The ABS’ Regulatory Affairs Department is responsible for the ABS interface with IMO, Flag Administrations and IACS, facilitating the application of regulations and maintaining ABS and clients’ awareness on regulatory issues being progressed and developed internationally. Stamatis is also member of IACS Board of Directors, the IACS Council and the IACS Sub-Committee on Quality Policy participating in IACS governance and strategic decisions.

Stamatis has worked as a marine field Surveyor for five years at the Hellenic Register of Shipping, spent six years as a plan approval engineer and two years as business development manager and regional bulk carriers segment director at other class societies. 

He has more than eight years at ABS in different roles as principal engineer at environmental performance team, manager at advisory services and director at business development. He was also representing ABS on the IACS Environmental Panel and representing IACS in IMO correspondence and working groups. Stamatis has a M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, a M.Sc. in Marine Technology and Science and a M.Sc. in Engineering - Economic Systems. He is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects and a Chartered Engineer of the UK Engineering Council

Session seven: Changing face of the bunker & shipping industry

Sofia founded Fürstenberg Maritime Advisory (FMA) in 2017, which has since developed into a specialised consultancy focused towards holistic sustainability strategies for progressive maritime stakeholders, as well as a leading analyst house related to the sustainable maritime energy transition. Located in Sweden, FMA is a supporting member of the Nordic Roadmap; a Nordic Council green corridor project, as well as of the Getting To Zero Coalition, and FMA collaborates in various focus groups for the International Bunker Industry Assocation (IBIA) as well as for the Ammonia Energy Association (AEA). Previously, Sofia has lead technology innovation programmes at Maersk and the early development of DNV’s green shipping advisory portfolio. She has close to 20 years experience in the maritime industry, having worked and lived in Oslo, Singapore and Copenhagen. She has a background as Chemical Engineer from Lund Institute of Technology, Executive Diploma from Haas Business School, UC Berkeley, and an Executive MBA in Shipping & Logistics from Copenhagen Business School.

Session two: State of the Bunker Industry discussion – an assessment by leading industry shipping associations. 

Kostas holds the position of Director / Secretary General of INTERCARGO since Oct. 2016. During this time, the Association’s membership has more than doubled to currently bringing together 250 forward thinking companies from 30 countries in uniting and promoting quality dry bulk shipping.

Kostas is passionate about sustainability, ESG, and innovation, having worked for over 20 years in shipping and the energy industry earlier on, and on varying topics from policy, environmental soundness and decarbonisation to market dynamics and intelligence. His background ranges from engineering and operations research to business and corporate responsibility.

Moderator - Session three: Regulatory updates and decarbonisation policy

Dr Hughes is Director of Green Marine Associates Ltd. an independent consultancy based in the UK specialising in maritime policy development, regulatory implementation and risk management with a focus on the control of emissions from ships. Recently, he has supported the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) in its work to develop regulatory measures for international shipping to address GHG emissions from ships including a ‘Fund and Reward’ mechanism and a Simplified Global Fuel Standard. His current work also includes working as a Specialist Adviser to the UK Parliament’s House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee for its inquiry into ‘Net zero aviation and shipping’.

Previously, Dr Hughes was Head, Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency in the Marine Environment Division of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). As a member of the IMO Secretariat he was responsible for MARPOL Annex VI, the International Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships, including regulations on controlling emissions to air including IMO 2020 and energy efficiency for ships. He was also responsible for IMO’s work to address GHG emissions from international shipping which included being Secretary to the IMO working group that developed the Initial IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG emissions from ships adopted in 2018.

Prior to joining the IMO, Dr Hughes worked in the UK civil service for some eight years. This included six years at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), where he held policy roles in safety management (ISM Code) and environment (Ballast Water Management and Air Pollution) including preparing and overseeing the implementation into UK law of IMO and EU instruments: MARPOL Annex VI and EU Sulphur Directive
respectively.

When in the UK civil service Dr Hughes spent two years in HM Treasury, the UK’s Finance and Economics Ministry, where he worked on risk management and corporate governance for the public sector. Before joining the civil service he worked in academia researching engineering design and systems failure at the University of Bath. He has a PhD and an engineering degree from Cranfield University in the UK.

Session seven: Changing face of the bunker & shipping industry

Kenneth Juhls oversees ZeroNorth’s global customer portfolio and is the executive lead for ZeroNorth Bunker - a fully integrated bunker optimisation platform that caters to all end-users in the marine fuel ecosystem, from suppliers to customers - which he has been instrumental in building and scaling. He also serves as Chairman of the Digitalisation of Bunkering working group within the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA). Kenneth has 25 years of experience in the shipping and trading industry. His extensive background includes senior leadership roles in finance, risk management, and strategy, with a strong focus on driving transformational agendas.

Session two: State of the Bunker Industry discussion – an assessment by leading industry shipping associations. 

Michael Lund serves as the Deputy Secretary General, overseeing key aspects of BIMCO's operations with a focus on business development. His primary responsibilities include membership development and engagement, overall business development, shipping market analyses, coordinating training activities, and managing offices in key global locations such as Singapore, Shanghai, Houston, and Athens. Originally from Denmark, Michael Lund earned a Master of Science in Economics degree from Copenhagen University in 1992, with a specialization in international trade and politics. His professional journey began with roles in Danish government administrations, contributing to World Trade Organization (WTO) and EU council negotiations. In 1999, Michael transitioned to the shipping industry, joining the Danish Shipowners’ Association. During his tenure in Copenhagen, he focused on tonnage tax, trade policy, and other pertinent issues. In 2003, he moved to Brussels, representing shipowners and concentrating on regulatory developments within the EU. Michael returned to the Association’s headquarters in 2007, dedicating his efforts to addressing Greenhouse Gas issues. In December 2007, Michael Lund embraced the challenge and opportunity of joining BIMCO, drawn by the prospect of working in an international shipping environment.

Session five: Bunker Sellers panel 

Kenny MacLean is the Chief Operating Officer for Peninsula, based in Gibraltar. A corporate banker by trade, he joined Peninsula in 2010 and has performed a wide variety of roles with the group. As a member of the Board, he contributes to the strategic direction of Peninsula and currently has management responsibility for credit risk, marketing and communications amongst other functions.

Presentation: Anticorruption/MACN

As Chief Operating Officer, Vivek is responsible for engaging the maritime industry towards MACN’s vision, executing MACN’s Collective Action initiatives, leading and overseeing MACN’s operational tools & services, and co-lead private-public partnerships in combating corruption in the port and maritime sector.

Prior to joining MACN, Vivek was the head of the maritime occupational safety and health department at Sea Health and Welfare, a Danish non-profit private consultancy and service organization for Danish Shipping. Vivek is a master mariner with more than 25 years of experience in the maritime industry at sea & shore. He holds a Master’s degree in maritime affairs with a speciality in maritime law and policy from the World Maritime University, where he is also a guest lecturer.

Session two: State of the Bunker Industry discussion – an assessment by leading industry shipping associations. 

Dr Antonis Michail is an engineer in background with 20 years of professional experience on port environmental and sustainability management. In 2018, Antonis joined the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) as Technical Director and coordinator of the World Ports Sustainability Program (WPSP). As such, Antonis supervises the work of the IAPH Technical Committees on Climate and Energy, Risk and Resilience and Data Collaboration and oversees all initiatives under the WPSP umbrella.  

Before joining IAPH, Antonis worked for 8 years as Senior Policy Advisor on sustainability and safety matters at the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO). Since 2003 and until 2017, Antonis has been involved in the EcoPorts network of ports from various posts, including managing projects and coordinating the network’s activities and development.    

Session five: Bunker Sellers panel 

Niels den Nijs is the founder and current CEO of Titan, a leading clean fuels provider company in the maritime sector. He counts over 25 years of expertise in the energy industry and many achievements with Titan.

His journey commenced with noteworthy roles, including his tenure as the Head of Natural Gas Trading EMEA at Cargill. Here, he managed a substantial portfolio and oversaw physical storage, pipeline exposure, and LNG regasification. Before this, as the Managing Director of Oil and Gas Trading at Vattenfall, Niels directed a comprehensive pan-European trading portfolio encompassing Brent, gasoil, fuel oil, and gas markets.

Niels earned his MSc in Engineering from Delft University and solidified his academic prowess through his career trajectory. Renowned for his visionary leadership, he continues to steer Titan towards innovating advancements in the path towards maritime decarbonization.

Session three: Regulatory updates and decarbonisation policy

Mr. Eirik Nyhus holds the position of Vice President, Director Environment in DNV Maritime. His key responsibilities include following and engaging in the development of maritime environmental policies and regulations at international, regional and country level. Sharing gained insight with customers is an integral part of these responsibilities. 

His background includes activities within marine classification and consulting, field work both offshore and as a maritime CAP-surveyor, and a five-year period at DNV Research & Innovation specialising in maritime energy efficiency and air emission issues. He has supported the Norwegian government as an advisor to its IMO MEPC delegations since 2008 and represents DNV in the European Commission’s European Sustainable Shipping Forum. He is also the DNV member in the IACS Environmental Panel.

Eirik Nyhus graduated from the Norwegian Technical University in 1991 and holds an MSc in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.

Welcome Address 

Alexander is the Executive Director of IBIA. Under the direction of IBIA’s Chair and Board he is leading the Secretariat, heading all the activities of the organization and he is responsible for the overall management of the Association.

Alexander was the founder and CEO of PRO Holdings and the architect of the probunkers project. Prior to founding probunkers, he served Mamidakis Brothers Group as a senior executive, leading all of the Group’s Shipping, Bunkering and Aviation activities, through its respective companies: JetOil, JetTank and STYGA Compania Naviera. Mr. Prokopakis has over 25 years of professional experience in leadership positions, over which he has attained deep knowledge and expertise mainly in the industry of shipping and bunkering. He is a Graduate of St. John’s University with an MBA in Executive Management and holds a BSc Degree in Business Management from the State University of New York.

Session eight: Navigating the Alternative Fuel future in the Mediterranean with increasing regulation and disruptive geopolitics

He was born in Naples in 1983, degree in management engineering (2007). He works for Grimaldi Group since 2007 always in Bunker & Chartering Dept. following the full Grimaldi fleet including Acl, Finnlines, Minoan and Trasmed. 

Ibia member since 2024.

Session four: Shipowners and Buyers panel 

Mr. Rescos is the Chief Operating Officer of Star Bulk Carriers Corp., a position he has held since July 2014. He has also served as COO and Commercial Director of Oceanbulk Maritime S.A. since May 2010. With 30 years of experience in the shipping industry, Mr. Rescos has held various senior commercial management positions, gaining expertise in the dry bulk, container, and product tanker markets. He has successfully led over 200 vessel acquisitions and dispositions and structured multiple joint ventures in the dry bulk and tanker sectors. Mr. Rescos holds a BSc in Management Sciences from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) and an MSc in Shipping Trade and Finance from City University Business School.

Session eight: Navigating the Alternative Fuel future in the Mediterranean with increasing regulation and disruptive geopolitics

Pablo Sansó is the EMEA Regional Head of Sales of Minerva Bunkering. He was part of the initial group founding Minerva back in 2015.

He has more than 18 years of experience in the energy business. He started as a trainee in OW Bunker where he was part of the development of the Group in Panama and the US.

Pablo holds a Degree in Marketing and Economics (IEES, Madrid), as well as Degree on Shipping from IME.

He is currently involved in Minerva´s expansion in the Middle East Region (Egypt, Jebel Ali, Red Sea, etc.) as commercial lead. He is also playing a key role in the ADP (Advance Delivery Platform) implementation and marketing globally. 

Session four: Shipowners and Buyers panel 

Mr. Saroglou has been Chief Operating Officer of the Company since 1996. Mr. Saroglou worked for a private Greek information technology systems integrator from 1987 until 1994. From 1995 to 1996 he was employed in the Trading Department of the Tsakos Group. He graduated from McGill University in Canada in 1987 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Science (Mathematics).

Moderator - Session eight: Navigating the Alternative Fuel future in the Mediterranean with increasing regulation and disruptive geopolitics

Maria Skipper Schwenn joined Bunker Holding as Director of Environmental Regulatory and Public Affairs in 2023. Her primary tasks include securing Bunker Holding staying ahead of the curve in the transition to a low-carbon maritime industry. Before joining Bunker Holding Maria worked as Executive Director, Climate, Environment and Security at Danish Shipping for 13 years advocating the interests of Danish shipowners. She served as advisor to the Danish IMO delegation and was a member of ICS Marine Committee and ECSA Safety and Environment Committee. In her current position, Maria chairs the EWABA Maritime Task Force and is member of the Advisory board to ReFlow – environmental performance made easy and the board of Danfoss IXA, producer of marine emission monitoring systems.

Maria holds a master’s degree in Political Science from University of Southern Denmark and a master’s degree in European Politics and Administration from the College of Europe, Belgium.

Session six: Resetting Bunker Quality in an Alternative World

Bill (Vassilis) Stamatopoulos holds a Bachelor and an MBA with specialization in Total Quality Management from the University of Leicester.

He joined Det Norske Veritas (DNV) in 1991 and in 2010 Bill became the Regional Manager of DNV Petroleum Services for Europe, responsible for sales, lab operations, technical, surveys and consultancy.

Since 2004 he has been appointed to the Hellenic Organization for Standardization (ELOT), Committee 66 for Petroleum Products, by the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping.

Bill is the Author of 'Marine Fuels', a specialized book in shipping, published in Greek in 2018 and 2021 on marine fuels and lubricants.

During the last 25 years, Bill has given several presentations and training courses on all fuel related issues and has also been involved in numerous quality disputes and bunker claims as a fuel expert.

He is a member of advisory panels and working groups such as Intertanko Bunker Sub Committee, IMO MSC (Fuel Oil Safety) and the leader of the Greek CIMAC NMA – WG 7 for fuels.

On October 1st, 2015, Bill joined Bureau Veritas and is currently the Global Business Development Director for the organization’s Marine Fuel Services brand, VeriFuel.

Session six: Resetting Bunker Quality in an Alternative World

As Director, Marine Technical, John is heading the talented WFS Marine Technical group, focused on the on-going transition to sustainable fuels, the post 2020 MARPOL Annex VI challenges and delivering added value to WFS and their customers. His group performs training, both internally and externally, on marine sustainability, general fuel properties, marine technical issues, the complex emission control regulations, and quality/quantity disputes. 

A previous long serving IBIA Board member, John also represents Norway as an active member of ISO 8217 Work Group (WG) as well as being the Secretary of the CIMAC WG7-Fuel.

Before joining WFS 11+ years ago, John was a 24+ year veteran of the fuel testing industry where at DNV Petroleum Services he had a multitude of responsibilities covering lab fuel testing, quantity surveys, customer service, business development, energy management projects and in addition statistical analysis of their fuel test data base.

Presentation - Regional Challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean (Supply and demand analysis)

Adrian Tolson is the owner of 2050 Marine Energy and is widely recognized as one of the shipping industry’s leading marine energy experts. With more than 35 years of experience, he has both detailed knowledge and unique insight into the bunker supply chain and its many related infrastructure developments.

2050 Marine Energy was formed in late 2022 to provide commercial insight to all stakeholders in the marine fuel supply chain navigating the disruption of this decade and future transformation. This new venture comes as Adrian leaves his role as Insight Lead at BLUE after more than decade of close cooperation with the brand and communications consultancy. He will continue to act as a Strategic Advisor to the company, working with specific existing clients and providing consultancy on marine energy trends.

Adrian has led numerous global business development projects across the marine energy sector.  This includes assisting ship owners and physical suppliers on future fuel procurement and supply strategies; the development of bunkering infrastructure projects for existing and alternative fuels; as well as working with the financial and investment community on the opportunities in the future marine energy landscape.

Adrian’s experience spans leadership roles with some of the industry’s largest marine fuel suppliers, including Chemoil Energy, where he was responsible for successfully driving the company through to IPO; and as Vice President and General Manager of OW Bunker where he established its physical supply operation in the USA.

Elected to the board of the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) in 2020, Adrian is currently its Treasurer and Chairman of the IBIA’s Americas Regional Board.

Session four: Shipowners and Buyers panel 

Stamatis Tsantanis is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. (the “Company” or “Seanergy”) (NASDAQ: SHIP). He joined the Company in 2012 and led its significant growth to a world-renowned pure-play Capesize company listed in the U.S., with cargo carrying capacity exceeding 3.4 million dwt.

Stamatis is also the Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of United Maritime Corporation (NASDAQ: USEA), an independent diversified public shipping company that was initially established as a subsidiary of Seanergy.

He has more than 24 years of experience in shipping and finance and previously held senior management positions in prominent private and public shipping companies and financial institutions.

Stamatis is also a member of the board of directors of Breakwave Advisors LLC, the advisor of ETFMG which is the manager of the NYSE listed BDRY and BSEA.

He holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Shipping Trade and Finance from Bayes Business School (formerly known as Cass Business School) of City University in London and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Shipping Economics from the University of Piraeus and he is also a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers

Session five: Bunker Sellers panel

Mr. Sifis Vardinoyannis graduated from Boston University with a BA in Biology and Genetics and Johns Hopkins University with a MS in Biotechnology. He currently serves as Executive Director of SEKAVIN S.A., a leading physical supplier and trader of marine fuels and lubricants in Greece and globally. Mr. Vardinoyannis actively participates in the Hellenic Shortsea Association as an elected member of the Board for the past year and since 2023 he is a Governor of the Propeller Club, Port of Piraeus.

Session six: Resetting Bunker Quality in an Alternative World

Monique Vermeire holds a Master Degree in Chemistry of the University of Ghent, Belgium and joined Texaco Technology in 1987, where she was responsible for the Analytical division within the Chemical and Analytical Section group. In 1998 she moved to Texaco’s Heavy Fuel Technology department where she provided technical and marketing support on marine fuels. Since 2004, she has been in charge of all global technical support for marine distillate and residual fuels to Chevron’s marine and powergen business.

Monique is member of CIMAC WG7 Fuels and since 2011 she is the Convenor of the ISO Classification and Specification of Marine Fuels Working Group. In 2021 she was appointed as Convenor of the Working Group for Specifications of alternative fuels for marine applications. She is actively involved in many industry initiatives related to marine fuels quality and decarbonisation of shipping, represents Chevron in industry organisations such as IPIECA and the OGCI Transportation Workstream and regularly attends IMO MEPC/MSC/PPR meetings

Session six: Resetting Bunker Quality in an Alternative World

From 1995 with Lloyd’s Register as principal specialist in marine fuels and exhaust emissions with the LR fuel advisory service (FOBAS), previously at sea for 19 years as marine engineer, with the final 3 years as Chief Engineer - passenger ship.

Member of the CIMAC Fuels WG7 and the ISO TC 28/SC 4/WG 6 ISO 8217 committee for over 15 years and involved in the revised editions of the 2010/12 and 2017 and the current 7th edition of the ISO 8217 marine fuel specification, recently published May 2024.

Involved in a wide range of technical consultancy support tasks involving the rapidly growing market for the use of biofuels as a transitional solution to meet CII and FuelEU targets. Earlier and today as requested providing consultancy support to NGOs at the IMO MEPC, PPR, EU ESSF forums. Particular focus was given through the step change in fuel composition during 2020. and company fleets regarding the implementation of S2020 0.50% addressing technical, operational, and training challenges, this involved defining the ship implementation plans to ensure a smooth transition.

Focus is now on assessing the suitability of alternative drop-in biofuel which do not meet the standard specifications of FAME and HVO as to their fitness for purpose as well as alternative fuels as a whole include

Trainer Future Fuels - LNG

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Trainer Future Fuels - Amonia

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Trainer Future Fuels - Methanol

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Trainer Future Fuels - Biofuels

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