Smart Maritime Network Rotterdam Conference
7 February 2024
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The SMN Vision
SMN Rotterdam 2024 will be a comprehensive exploration of the maritime industry's evolution towards sustainability, digital transformation, and collaborative leadership.
The conference will open with our Keynotes, followed by Session 1, with a focus on enabling leadership in the maritime sector's digital era, recognising the pivotal role of leadership in navigating complexities, driving innovation, and steering the industry towards a more efficient, sustainable, safer and robust future.
Session 2 emphasises fostering trade, transformation, and resilience through collaboration, exploring how joint initiatives and innovative solutions can amplify trade efficiency and strengthen the industry against evolving challenges.
Session 3 navigates the Maritime Digital Landscape, investigating the financing aspects of the sector's digital transformation. We’ll discuss how investments in emerging technologies like AI, IoT, and blockchain can optimise operations, enhance safety, and streamline logistics. Diverse funding avenues, strategic partnerships, and innovative financing models are explored to facilitate the adoption of cutting-edge digital solutions for sustainable growth..
The conference culminates with Session 4, where participants will delve into strategies for steering the industry towards sustainability and decarbonisation, looking at implications and opportunities arising from the integration of the EU ETS. We will also evaluate frameworks, incentives, and sustainable investment practices to drive impactful changes, promote eco-friendly technologies, and align businesses with emission reduction goals.
Throughout the day we will also provide increased opportunities for networking and developing the conversations further through bespoke roundtable sessions. And of course, the day will end with the all-important SMN Conference Networking Reception – a chance to unplug and chat with fellow delegates and speakers.
For more details please contact cathy.hodge@smartmaritimenetwork.com
Conference Sponsors
Supporting collaboration in the maritime technology sector
Smart Maritime Conferences Global Sponsor
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
With an expert line up ready to share their knowledge and experience:
- Anne Lebreton-Wolf, Founder, ALW Finance & Innovation
- Bart Huybrechts, Manager MCA, Facilities & Alliances, CMB
- Bartlomiej Gurba, Policy Officer, DG ENER, European Commission
- Cédric Vermeulen, Senior Manager & Head of Antwerp Office, Plug and Play
- Chris Insall, Head of Maritime Market Development, ST Engineering iDirect
- Christel Pullens, Director AI, PortXL
- Elena Matzaridou, Digital Strategy Coordinator & AMMITEC member
- Emma Forbes-Gearey, Loss Prevention Officer, West P&I
- Erwin Verstraelen, Chief Digital & Innovation Officer, Port of Antwerp-Bruges
- Gert-Jan Panken, Vice President Direct Sales, Inmarsat
- Haris Zografakis, Partner, Stephenson Harwood & Blue Visby Consortium Coordinator
- Henk Venema, CEO Western Europe, DHL Global Forwarding
- James Wroe, Head of Hub Investment & Integration, APM Terminals
- Jan Egbertsen, Manager Innovation, Port of Amsterdam
- Jon Key, Founder and Managing Director of Key and Co Ltd
- Luke Shu, Technical Advisory Manager – Maritime Commercial Markets, Lloyd’s Register
- Mare Straetmans, Founder, Platform Zero (Conference Chair)
- Martijn Schouten, Investment Director, Vopak Ventures
- Monica Kohli, Senior Lawyer, FD&D, Gard (UK) Limited
- Naomi van den Berg, Program Manager Sustainable Supply Chains, Port of Rotterdam
- Ritesh Gupta, Senior IT Advisor / Digital Leader, Shell
- Ronald Root, Manager Data and Analytics, Van Oord
- Sean Crowley, Snr. Electrical Project Manager, Stolt Tankers
Learning
Learn from our expert speakers and get up to date on the latest technology developments.
Sharing
Share ideas on how to transform the shipping business using digital technologies.
Networking
Reconnect with your peers in the maritime IT sector and make new contacts to benefit your business.
Conference Agenda // 7 February 2024
Registration and Welcome Refreshments 8.30 AM
Introduction & Welcome from Smart Maritime Network 9.15 AMCathy Hodge, Chief Operating Officer, Smart Maritime Network
Mare Straetmans, Founder, Platform Zero 9.20 AMOpening Notes from Conference Chair
Welcome to the day's events
Hanna Stelzel, Head of Port and Supply Chain Performance, Port of Rotterdam 9.45 AMKeynote Address: Charting Legacy, Navigating Future: Unveiling Ancient Seafarers' Insights in Digitising Maritime and Logistics Challenges
What we can learn from the first circumnavigation when facing challenges in digitising our future?
Panel Session 1 - ENABLING LEADERSHIP IN THE MARITIME SECTOR'S DIGITAL ERA: NAVIGATING CHALLENGES & SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES 10.15 AM- Recognise the pivotal role of leadership in navigating the complexities of digital transformation within the maritime sector.
- Discuss strategies and insights to inspire and equip leaders, fostering resilience, driving innovation, and effectively addressing challenges.
- Aim to steer the industry toward a more efficient, sustainable, and technologically advanced future through effective leadership.
Moderated by:
• Jon Key, Founder and Managing Director of Key and Co Ltd
Panellists include:
• Christel Pullens, Director AI, PortXL
• Elena Matzaridou, Digital Strategy Coordinator & AMMITEC member
• Hanna Stelzel, Head of Port and Supply Chain Performance, Port of Rotterdam
• Henk Venema, CEO Western Europe, DHL Global Forwarding
• Ronald Root, Manager Data and Analytics, Van Oord
Tea/Coffee Break with Technology Display Zone 11.00AM
Gert-Jan Panken, Vice President Direct Sales, Inmarsat 11.30 AMUnlocking the Business Value of Maritime Connectivity
How can companies unlock the power of maritime connectivity to improve the ‘triple bottom line’ of increased profits, efficiency, and decarbonisation?
Panel Discussion 2: EMPOWERING PERFORMANCE & RESILIENCE THROUGH COLLABORATION & ENHANCED DATA STANDARDISATION 12.00 PM- Exploring how collaborative initiatives and solutions within the maritime industry can amplify trade efficiency, facilitate transformation, and support resilience against evolving challenges.
- Discussing the role of open data standards in driving optimsation of vessel operations and the wider supply chain.
- Analysing the impact of standardisation on risk management, decarbonisation and improved decision-making processes, through advanced analytics and the application of emerging technologies.
Moderated by:
• Rob O’Dwyer, Chief Network Officer, Smart Maritime Network
Panellists include:
• Chris Insall, Head of Maritime Market Development, ST Engineering iDirect
• James Wroe, Head of Hub Investment & Integration, APM Terminals
• Ritesh Gupta, Senior IT Advisor / Digital Leader, Shell
• Sean Crowley, Snr. Electrical Project Manager, Stolt Tankers
Lunch & Networking 12.45 PMEnjoy some food and take the opportunity to tour our partners’ Technology Display Zones to learn how they are working towards a smarter shipping future.
Roundtable Discussion Groups – Hosted by our Partners 2.00 PMEach table will focus on a unique topic centred around the Smart Maritime Network goal of establishing better collaboration and standardisation in maritime technology. The roundtable discussions will take place simultaneously and will last 45-minutes with each table host then asked to summarise their discussions for the whole room, to ensure that all participants get the most from their attendance.
There will be a total of 10 table discussions to choose from. Delegates are sent the list in advance and invited to choose the table they would most like to join.
Short Break for Delegates to Return to Seats 3.15 PM
Panel Discussion 3: NAVIGATING THE MARITIME DIGITAL LANDSCAPE: FINANCING & OPTIMISING TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT 3.45 PM- Session opens with an overview of the maritime VC landscape by Plug and Play, followed by opportunities to:
- Assess the current state of the maritime industry and how is embracing innovation and sustainability.
- Delve into the digital transformation of the maritime sector and its financing aspects, considering how investments in emerging technologies (AI, IoT, blockchain) can optimize operations, bolster safety, and streamline logistics.
- Risk and reward – how to align financing goals with longer term objectives, paying attention to barriers.
- Investigate funding avenues, strategic partnerships with industry giants as well as smaller-medium sized players, and innovative financing models to facilitate the adoption and integration of digital solutions.
- Summarise and review industry trajectory; what trends can we expect to see coming in 2024?
Moderated by:
• Caspar Rehder, Corporate Partnerships Associate
Panellists include:
• Anne Lebreton-Wolf, Founder, ALW Finance & Innovation
• Bart Huybrechts, Manager MCA, Facilities & Alliances, CMB
• Erwin Verstraelen, Chief Digital & Innovation Officer, Port of Antwerp-Bruges
• Jan Egbertsen, Manager Innovation, Port of Amsterdam
• Martijn Schouten, Investment Director, Vopak Ventures
Panel Discussion 4: LEVERAGING INNOVATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY & DECARBONISATION 4.45 PM- Review strategies for steering the maritime industry towards sustainability and decarbonisation, with a particular focus on the implications and opportunities arising from the EU ETS integration.
- Evaluate how frameworks, incentives, and sustainable investment practices can drive impactful changes, promote eco-friendly technologies, and align businesses with emission reduction goals. (e.g. GDSC initiatives)
Moderated by:
• Haris Zografakis, Partner, Stephenson Harwood & Blue Visby Consortium Coordinator
Panellists include:
• Bartlomiej Gurba, Policy Officer, DG ENER, European Commission
• Emma Forbes-Gearey, Loss Prevention Officer, West P&I
• Luke Shu, Technical Advisory Manager - Maritime Commercial Markets, Lloyd's Register
• Monica Kohli, Senior Lawyer, FD&D, Gard (UK) Limited
• Naomi van den Berg, Program Manager Sustainable Supply Chains, Port of Rotterdam
Conclusions, followed by the SMN Rotterdam Networking Party 5.45 PMSummary of conference conclusions followed by the SMN Rotterdam Networking Party - at Queen's Lounge, SS Rotterdam
Kindly sponsored by Inmarsat Maritime
PHOTO GALLERY
Conference Sponsors
Supporting collaboration in the maritime technology sector
Smart Maritime Conferences Global Sponsor
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Technology Display Zone Partners
Venue
SS Rotterdam
3e Katendrechtse Hoofd 25
3072 AM Rotterdam
Registration
Shipping Company VIP Pass
€ 0
- Free conference registration for qualifying vessel operators (includes ship owners, ship managers, ship builders, ports & terminals, and other selected industry stakeholders - subject to confirmation by the organisers).
Conference Delegate Pass
€ 695
- Delegate pass for admission to all conference sessions, and the evening Networking Party. (Discounts are available for multiple delegate bookings.)