Procureship, provider of one of the world’s leading e-procurement platforms for marine buyers and suppliers, has partnered with fellow Greek company Oriani to further expand the digitialisation efforts of Greek shipping companies.
Oriani advises shipping companies that are looking to enhance their businesses through digitalisation. It works with shipping companies primarily in Greece to connect them with relevant maritime digital transformation partners.
The partnership between Procureship and Oriani brings together two of the largest digital transformation players in the Greek shipping market to streamline the procurement process, improve decision making and offer significant cost savings for Greek ship owners.
“Procurement departments need the right tools. There is so much data and so little time to analyse the market and trends and see if shipping companies are spending their money in the best way and using the most efficient processes to inform their decisions. Procureship offers a digitally advanced platform that uses machine learning (ML) to eliminate hours of manual work, seamlessly connecting marine buyers , suppliers and service providers in a cost-effective and timely manner,” said Grigoris Lamprou, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Procureship.
“By partnering with Oriani, we can offer our platform to more shipping companies in Greece and be a part of their digitalisation journeys by improving their procurement departments and making things faster and more secure.”
Digitalisation efforts are becoming a priority amongst Greek shipping companies as they look to reduce the administrative burden on vessels and improve their overall competitiveness and sustainability offerings.
“The Greek shipping community has long been a driver of change for the global maritime industry. We see a real appetite for embracing new and emerging digital solutions that streamline the administrative tasks that are so crucial to keeping ships running on time and within budget. Procureship offers the most advanced e-procurement service in the market in terms of functionality, speed and support. Crucially the platform is nimble enough to adapt to varying company sizes and needs, while also being large enough to offer a wide range of suppliers and value to the procurement market,” said John Vandoros, Business Development Director, Oriani.
Procureship’s e-procurement platform has been built with digitalisation at its core. The company has recently added new features to the platform including IHM maintenance documentation compliance, advanced e-invoicing processing, service providers recommendation algorithm and detailed freight forwarding optimisation, all of which utilize machine learning (ML) to improve the operational efficiency of the entire procurement process.

Caption: (L-R) Nikolaos Diamantopoulos, Sales Manager, Oriani; Aris Manassakis, Co-founder and COO, Procureship; George Karistinos, Sales Development Director, Oriani; Angeliki Papathanasiou, Head of Operations, Procureship; Philip Uhrskov Nielsen, Co-founder, Oriani; Grigoris Lamprou, Co-founder and CEO, Procureship
Credit: Procureship

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The deadline for submission of candidacies is March 24, 2023. All companies and organizations active in the shipping sector and with a presence in Greece, regardless of size or type, have the right to submit a candidacy, at no cost, for actions which have taken place within 2022 or up until the submission date. Entities can nominate up to 3 different actions/practices per award category, and up to 3 award categories. Any nomination submitted and its supporting material will be kept confidential by the Organizers and the Judging Committee. Award Winners’ ceremony will take place at the Megaron Concert Hall on Tuesday, 30 May 2023.

The ESG Shipping Awards (ESGSA) is a new institution globally under the Auspices of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy and the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping. ESGSA vision is to encourage the maritime industry to embrace sustainability as part of its culture and strategy, as well as to develop a viable business model. Within this context, the ESGSA mission is to promote and recognize initiatives regarding ESG and sustainability by the maritime industry. The ESG Shipping Awards are a 100 percent Greek initiative, held under the auspices of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs & Insular Policy, along with the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping. The awards create surplus value and competitive advantage to the winners and finalists, showcasing their willingness to incorporate sustainability into their business model.

Awards Categories are as follows:

1. ESG Leader Award
2. Environment Leader Award

2.1. Climate Change Award
2.2. Biodiversity Award
2.3. Eco Efficiency Award

3. Social Leader Αward

3.1. Health & Safety Award
3.2. Community Contribution Award
3.3. People Award

4. Governance Leader Award

4.1. Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Award
4.2. Technology Award
4.3. Business Ethics Award

The Organizer, upon the recommendation of the Judging Committee, reserves the right, after the submission of nominations, to merge or cancel categories, as well as to transfer nominations to a different category subject to the quantity and quality of the nominations.
For Applications: Apply Now – esgshippingawards.com
For info: https://esgshippingawards.com

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Golf and the maritime community join forces for another year offering competitive action and countless thrills on a historic golf course of Athens. Glyfada Maritime Pro-Am is the first pro-am golf tournament for the maritime industry that takes place in Greece, at the Glyfada Golf Course, on Saturday April 1, 2023, with the participation of both professional and amateur golfers.
The first maritime pro-am tournament is expected to attract the interest of Greek and global maritime industry, as more than 70 leading executives will take part. Participants will compete, at a team level, in a shotgun scramble, having the opportunity to play golf on an 18-hole, par 72 championship course.
In the pro-am tournament, teams, consisting of four members, include both professional and amateur athletes. In the Glyfada Maritime Pro-Am format, each team consists of one professional golfer and three amateur athletes from the maritime industry. The benefits of a pro-am tournament are multiple, as it offers an opportunity for amateur athletes to compete and learn alongside a professional, it reduces the pressure a player can have as everyone competes with their own handicap, develops teamwork, offers highly valuable gifts to the participants, and most importantly it provides athletes with the chance to compete on a top golf course.
The Glyfada Golf Course “K. Karamanlis” of the Municipality of Glyfada, is a spot for sport, recreation and culture, with an excellent view. The golf course matches international standards and is a green space, set in a landscape of low hills, large trees and low Mediterranean vegetation. At the same time, it acts as a venue for daily participation in the Greek and International institutional events and competitions, also contributing to the creation of cultural awareness and values in golf. The Glyfada Maritime Pro-Am event will contribute to the development of golf’s relations with the maritime industry and the promotion of sports tourism in the Municipality of Glyfada and the wider region.
Teams participating in Glyfada Maritime Pro-Am will claim prizes for the top three positions in the overall standings; while special awards will be given to players who will achieve the best scores in the special categories of “Longest Drive” and “Closest to the Pin”. Moreover, non - golfers will have the opportunity to attend a Golf Clinic.
The event will conclude with the awards ceremony which will be held at the outdoor area of the all-day highly aesthetic Colonial restaurant at Golf Prive in Glyfada, of the Papatheoharis Group of Companies, with an unlimited and beautiful view of the golf course.
You may find the event’s full schedule here: Mainline Shipping Company is the event’s Gold Sponsor.
IRI/The Marshall Islands Registry, Jotun Hellas, DNV and Marine Tours are Silver Sponsors.
Miele is the Official Sponsor.
Under Armour is the Official Clothing Partner.
Minoa Water is the event’s Official Water.
Beluga, Ipirotissa and Miran are the event’s Partners.
Boo Productions is the Audio Visual Partner.
The tournament is organized by Birdie Events and ActiveMedia Group and it is an initiative of the recognized Greek PGA golfer, Mr. Thanos Karantzias. The event is exclusively addressed to distinguished executives of the Greek shipping community.
The award-winning sports marketing agency of ActiveMedia Group has undertaken the event’s Golf Production.  
Hashtag: #glyfadamaritimeproam
Information for the Glyfada Maritime Pro-Am:
website: www.greekmaritimegolf.gr/glyfada-maritime/ 
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

image: Glyfada Maritime Pro-Am (photo by Boo Productions)

Classification society, RINA, has granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) certificate to MAN Energy Solutions for its methanol-ready MAN L/V 32/44CR engine. The AiP covers an upgrade concept for the four-stroke engine for conversion to dual-fuel running on methanol to provide greater flexibility to shipowners.
Patrizio Di Francesco, EMEA Special Projects Manager, RINA, said: “This AiP is based on our recently published Methyl Alcohol Fuelled Ready notation. Methanol is a fuel with a lot of potential as clean, carbon-neutral fuel and the industry is already showing concrete appreciation of it.  The successful cooperation with MAN is a further step towards the availability of future-proof solutions for shipowners.”
Elvis Ettenhofer, Head of New Marine Solutions, MAN Energy Solutions, said: “This approval by RINA is significant as we move towards net zero. A major advantage of our four-stroke portfolio is its inherent retrofit potential, which enables us to provide shipowners with cost-effective solutions and flexibility regarding future fuels. In this latter respect, there is no doubt but that interest in methanol is growing and that it will have a prominent role to play within shipping.”
Methanol has several, physical advantages as a fuel, including a liquid state at ambient temperatures and its accordingly easy handling aboard vessels, compared to gaseous fuels. Under combustion, methanol also emits fewer NO_x emissions and no SO_x nor soot emissions.
In preparation for the fuels that will power a decarbonised future, MAN Energy Solutions is also developing solutions for methanol, which can become carbon-neutral if synthesised with green hydrogen.
Finally, methanol is also much less hazardous to marine life compared with conventional marine fuels. The AiP certificate permits the use of outer ship hulls as bunker tanks, thereby increasing fuel-storage capacity on-board.

Image: The MAN 32/44CR engine

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With the auspices of the new Deputy Minister of Shipping Mrs. Marina Hadjimanolis the 6^th Cyprus Shipping Forum took place in Limassol in March 2023.
In a fast and changing world Capital Link organizes gatherings in key shipping locations around the globe to promote the future challenges of shipping which have to do with the decarbonisation path in shipping and the industry’s needs for capital.
The first panel of speakers were Mr. Roine Ahlquist, CEO - Barber Ship Management, Mr. Andreas Hadjipetrou, Managing Director– Columbia Shipmanagement, Mr. Dimitrios Vastarouchas, Deputy Chief Operating Officer – Danaos Corporation, Mr. Dieter Rohdenburg, CEO – Intership Navigation and Moderator Mr. Theodosis Stamatellos, South Europe Marine & Offshore Manager – Lloyd’s Register discussed the new challenges for technical and commercial fleet management.
The speakers told that reduction of emissions can be achieved by joining forces with all stakeholders in the maritime industry and optimize the efficiency of vessels’ operations as well as the use of green zero carbon fuels.
We have also to wait until we see mature technological solutions in the field of energy transition taking into account the severe conditions of ships operations.
Dr. John Kokarakis, Technical Director -SEEBA Zone – Bureau Veritas, Mr. Ioannis Efstratiou, Director, Safety and Environmental Protection Directorate – Republic of Cyprus,  Mrs. Charis Plakantonaki, Chief Strategy Officer – Star Bulk Carriers, Mr. Philippos Philis, CEO – Lemissoler Navigation; President – ECSA, Dr. Loukas Barmparis, President – Safe Bulkers and Moderator Mr. Panayiotis Theodorou, Director | Assurance - Deloitte Cyprus discussed the Green initiatives of IMO and the EU regional policies.
The speakers remarked that the various rules are posing a complex regulatory burden on the arms of shipowners. It is therefore, necessary to ensure that the charterers will contribute to the operational expenses for the reduction of emissions and ETS revenues are reinvested in shipping.
A speaker pointed out “we as an industry has to focus on the efficiency of our fleet. The technology gives today many options to improve the energy performance of ships such as monitoring tools, digitalization, speed optimization, hull cleaning and other technical solutions which pay back the investment done by the shipping companies.
These are all short term solutions but we have to prepare for the mid and long term measures. In the following years there will be several schemes that will be based in R&D initiatives that reduce the carbon & GHG emissions.
However, we have to note that the cost of investments for the development of new green fuel will be imposed to the end consumers.
The most effective way to achieve a sustainable future is to carry out fisibility studies for long term planning, mitigate the risk of environmental solutions and collaboration in putting together all the stake holders of shipping.
Finally the speakers discussed several other solutions such as hydrogen which is the main ingredient of synthetic fuels combined with the carbon capture technology.
Mr. Vassilios Kroustallis, Senior Vice President, Global Business Development & Global Marine ABS presented the topic of “Navigating the alternative fuels landscape – impact on fleet renewal”.
Mr. Kroustallis discussed the new technologies and alternative fuels LNG, methanol, biofuels, ammonia and remarked that oil based fuels will be used less and less as we are approaching towards 2050.
Regarding CII told that biofuels blends may reduce the carbon factor.
Other considerations include:
- China is the major new construction area
- Asia, leads new orders, we expect increased number of new orders with new technology ships
- Big ships will adopt conventional fuels, LNG, methanol, ammonia and small ships will adopt batteries, fuel cells, hydrogen and hybrid solutions.
- Embracing of carbon capture and LCO2 carriers.
- Half of the orderbook is dual fueled and 81% of this is LNG
Finally it is not possible to replace the global fleet until 2050 and retrofits will play a significant role.
Captain Pankaj Sharma, Group Director Digital Performance Optimisation, Columbia Shipmanagement, Mr. Konstantinos Stampedakis, Co-Founder & CEO – ERMA FIRST,  Mr. Aristos Philis, Co-Founder & CEO – KeelX, Mr. Osher Perry, Founder & CEO – Shipping Systems and moderator Mr. Jason Stefanatos, Regional Decarbonization Director – DNV discussed the issue of developing cutting edge solutions for global shipping.
They said: As technology providers we don’t only produce equipment but we have to care of the installation commissioning and after sale service. Ongoing regulatory pressure such as CII ETS scheme and other forthcoming environmental rules will accelerate the adoption of cutting edge solutions for global shipping.
Constantinos Herodotou, Governor of the Central Bank of Cyprus presented to the audience the prospects of Cyprus economy.
It must be noted that Cyprus had a GDP growth of 5.8% and expected to stand at 2% in 2022 which is a very positive development taking into account the negative economic impact in EU economy from the Russia – Ukraine conflict.
Cyprus continues to maintain a prosperous shipping community in the sectors of 3^rd party shipmanagement and shipowning activities.
Regarding Sanctions are imposed at individual Russian’s state assets, financial institutions, Central Bank of Russia and Trade of Commodities and Energy.
The importance of due diligence is critical including adequate protection in the contracts.
Moderator Jasel Chauhan, Partner, Head of International Finance – Hill Dickinson and Panelists Mr. Michael Burgess, Associate Director – Ascension Finance, Mr. Constantinos Milios, Head of Shipping Finance – Eurobank Cyprus, Mr. Atef Abou Merhi, Managing Director – Pelagic Partners, Mr. Andreas Christofides, Board Member – Safe Bulkers Participations  addressed the shipping industry’s need for capital.
The Speakers underlined that it is important for a shipping company with corporate structure to have access to the capital markets in order to obtain more diversity and stability.
There were also some bond issues showing the increasing investing interest especially in the sectors of LNG carriers, drybulk and tankers.
Regarding other types of alternative sources of capital the cost is fundamental either for equity or leasing finance. Another obligation is to comply with the latest and future environmental requirements as banking institutional and private equity investors have become very sensitive on ESG standards. 
In addition all stakeholders in shipping are being educated on the new environmental challenges, adopting a new approach and focusing on sustainability aspects in shipping.
Mr. Fedon Tomazos, Managing Director Cass Technava Shipbroking discussed the Shipbuilding Trends – Impact on Fleet Renewal & Fuel Landscape.
Each alternative fuel has its own pros and cons. Therefore, for shipping methanol is much more easily applied to the shipping industry’s requirements however the price stands at around $800 per tonne, threefold more expensive than Heavy Fuel oil. It is quite toxic as well as ammonia and very intensive.
Carbon capture systems are premature and we need to know for each kind of fueling solution the carbon footprint from the production to the consumption.
In newbuilding prices we have a very inflationary market. Market driven forces (few berths) and cost (inflation labour costs), steel prices, interest costs and cost driven forces causing newbuilding prices to rise.
Consequently the energy transition is not easy task in such an inflationary environment. Projects backed by charterers are growing in numbers as the majority of newbuilding orders adopt dual fuel propulsion.
The shipowners’ perspective was presented by the following prominent shipping personalities. Mrs. Nicole Mylona, CEO – Transmed Shipping Co., Mr. John Michael Radziwill, CEO - C Transport Maritime (CMT) / GoodBulk, Mr. Andreas Hadjiyannis, CEO – Cyprus Sea Lines / Hellenic Tankers; President – Cyprus Union of Shipowners, Mr. Lars Barstad, CEO – Frontline, Mr. Polys Hajioannou, CEO - Safe Bulkers and moderator Mr. Stavros Pantzaris, Chairman - EY Cyprus.
They said that Cyprus continues to attract ship operators from all over the world during a difficult and uncertain global environment in the economic and geopolitics era. The shipping industry faces a polyphony in terms of the current and forthcoming regulations posing more complexity in shipping operations however over the past 12 years shipping reduced emissions by 60%.
At the end of the day the cost of the environmental compliance will be paid by the consumer especially the European citizen who imports the majority of the commodities that are carried by ships. 
The emissions that are produced by fossil fuels in shipping is only 2.2% of the global. Why shipping has to reduce emissions at the same volume since pollutes much less than the other industries? asked speakers.
In this uncertain environment shipowners maintain a wait and see attitude as there is not mature technology for alternative fuels.
The world will come out for this disruptive situation gradually taking much time, perhaps 10 years to find out a new equilibrium.
The industry’s transformation is driven by the liner companies that dictate the changes are to be taken place in view of the environmental regulations. The speakers also argued that the war in Ukraine is totally unnecessary as Europe is hurting from sanctions and therefore we must sit down to find solutions.
Speakers agreed that sanctions are causing more pollution to the environment. However, all shipping market segments present positive fundamentals and the orderbook is quite low especially in the dry bulk sector.
The shipping industry’s speakers hope that transformation will favor more M&A (Mergers & Acquisitions) activities and consolidation process exploring more investment opportunities.
We have seen a lot of consolidation the last decade due to the regulatory burden, volatility of market and scarcity of capital.
Relocating to Cyprus is good for business, as the administration can solve quickly the problems tacking with the ship management functions and other related services.
Cyprus tries to accommodate shipping offering a friendly and welcoming environment and that’s why it is an attractive location for shipping operators.
Cyprus must be very proud what has been accomplished in shipping.

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Exploiting its accumulated experience in shipping through its dedicated team ABC Maritime has established ABC Hellenic Management in Glyfada, Athens to fully serve the Hellenic maritime community.
ABC Maritime took advantage of its 40-year anniversary in the field of shipmanagement services to organize an outstanding event at Glyfada with the presence of remarkable personalities from the Greek shipping community.
Switzerland’s ABC Maritime AG is a veteran of ship management with traditional family values and ship owning background. Since its founding in 1982, the company has taken over 200 ships of every description, under its management care while rather than just focusing solely on the care of ships, the company is also invested in a holistic management approach that includes investment in people either working on board or ashore.
Daniel Tanner, CEO of ABC Maritime AG, noted that "Hellas has a long history and tradition in shipping and I trust our new office will support and contribute to the further development of the most important global shipping community. We also pride ourselves on customising our service offering to match our clients’ expectations and particular requirements whilst ensuring that we always go the extra mile to achieve the defined joint objectives".
ABC Hellenic Management Ltd, capitalising on the economies of scale created in conjunction with the global HQ in Switzerland provides full Ship Management services which include Technical, Quality & Safety, Crewing (incl. Selection, Recruitment, Planning, Training, Deployment, Payroll, Victualing), Operations, Commercial, Supply Chain, Finance & Accounting and Maritime IT Systems & Services.
Nikolas Theodorou, Chief Strategy Office of ABC Maritime AG and Director of ABC Hellenic Management added that “With our new offices in Glyfada we are in close proximity to all the maritime hubs in Athens and have the ability to employ undisputable shipping professionals while being close to our trusted partners thus being able to provide them with top-tier services and solutions which exceed their expectations. At the same time, we remain a family values company serving the largest maritime family in the world”.
ABC currently owns and manages a diverse fleet of Chemical Tankers, Bitumen Carriers and offshore vessels while re-entering the Bulk Carrier market.
ABC Maritime is particularly proud of the various prestigious international certifications that it has achieved. The company holds a 35-plus year Document of Compliance and Safety Management System certified by DNV and Bureau Veritas. The company is also certified with ISO 9001:2015 and ISO14001:2015 by DNV.
It should be noted that on February 23rd, an event was held for traditional pita-cutting and for ABC Maritime's new "chapter", which is no other than its expansion in Greece. The CEO and son of the founder of the company, together with the Swiss Ambassador to Greece, executives of Swiss and Hellenic shipping companies and esteemed members of the shipping community were present.
Since 1982, ABC Maritime, a Swiss based group of companies, offers complete solutions to the world’s maritime communities of ship owners, trading houses, oil companies, financial institutions, and international organisations.
ABC Maritime AG manages a fleet of vessels including asphalt and chemical tankers, offshore support vessels and bulkers. The company is known for quality services provided to shipowners, charterers, including Oil Majors and leading commodity traders.

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The 7th Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum will bring together top executives and industry leaders from the international cruise sector to discuss the challenges and potential of the industry and highlight the importance of the Southeast Mediterranean region and the need for new destinations to keep pace with the industry's rapid growth and emerging trends.
To be held on 25-26 April in Thessaloniki’s Makedonia Palace Hotel, the biennial event comes at a time when the cruise industry is looking to fully recover from the pandemic and chart a path towards a sustainable future.
The high-ranking participation of CLIA at the event is testament to the importance of the region and the need for new destinations and markets to emerge.
The forum is set to feature a high-profile line-up of speakers and the keynote speech will be delivered by Pierfrancesco Vago, CLIA Global Chair and Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises.
Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises, who has also confirmed her presence at the event, emphasized the importance of sustainable cruising and integrated planning. "Cruising is a sustainable mode of travel, and together with the ports and destinations, we will continue to develop while taking everyone's interests into account - through integrated planning and better management of guest flows."
The speakers will focus on a number of key issues including destination delivery, the development and upgrade of port and tourism infrastructure to encourage and enable growth, the need to properly assess the economic benefit and environmental impact for a given destination and the capacity for shore-side electric power-connectivity, amongst others. They will also discuss the challenges of berth reservation and assignment, particularly in marquee ports with limited berthing ability.
With a line-up of top industry executives, the Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum is poised to generate significant interest and provide valuable insights for all participants.
Confirmed speakers include: Manolis Alevropoulos, Vice President, Celebrity Cruises, Spiros Almpertis, VP Port Operations, Itinerary Planning and Fuel Management, Crystal Cruises, Figen Ayan, President of MedCruise, Michele Bosco, Manager Shore Excursions Mediterranean, North Africa & Black Sea, Holland America Group, Linden Coppell, Vice President Sustainability & ESG of MSC Cruises, Aziz Gungor, East Med Ports Regional Director, Global Ports Holding PLC & General Manager, Kusadasi Cruise Port, George Koumpenas, President of Hellenic Cruise Ship Owners & Associated Members’ Union, Ukko Metsola, Vice President, Government Relations, EMEA, Royal Caribbean Group, Marie-Caroline Laurent, Director General of CLIA Europe, Athanasios Liagkos, Executive Chairman of the BoD & Managing Director, ThPA SA, Minas Papadakis, Chief Executive Officer, Heraklion Port Authority, Theodora Riga, Chief Commercial Officer & Strategic Communications Director, ThPA SA, Mark Robinson, Senior Vice President Cruise Operations, Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours, Chris Theophilides, CEO, Celestyal Cruises, Constantine Venetopoulos, Director of Communications & PR, Variety Cruises and and Yu Zenggang, Chairman, Piraeus Port Authority SA.
The event promises to be an opportunity for the cruise industry to come together and find solutions for the challenges facing the sector.
Theophilides, Celestyal Cruises, commented: “We are delighted to participate in this year’s Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum, particularly as it takes place in our homeport of Thessaloniki, an up-and-coming city that has plenty to offer visitors in the way of history, culture and unrivalled gastronomy.  As Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean are our home, we look forward to constructive dialogue between the authorities and cruise companies to ensure sustainable development within the area which will benefit both the national and the local economy.”
Almpertis, Crystal Cruises, said: “I am very happy to participate in Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum which is a key event for cruise and passenger shipping in Greece, the Eastern Med and the Black Sea. We can gain advantage by meeting great leaders from all sectors of the cruise industry, such as owners, Governmental authorities, ports and port agents, and altogether we can explore ways of developing the importance of every brand service level and what the expectation is.”
Bosco, Holland America Group, added: “I expect to meet and reconnect with international industry leaders and authorities, and possibly tie new business relations. Furthermore, I look forward to discussing topics and challenges of common interest and learn of the most recent ship’s industry innovations. Meeting professionals from every sea tourism sector, interchanging viewpoints and new ideas is not only beneficial to everyone’s business, but also very awarding.”
CLIA Europe highlights the importance of the event as it is organising a session titled ‘Pathways to Net Zero’ to offer practical examples of implementation and a guide through the maze to net zero. The session will cover topics ranging from decarbonisation, port infrastructure, and safety requirements to the Poseidon principles. The imperative need to decarbonise is a challenge faced by the entire maritime sector, and the cruise industry has stated its commitment to pursuing net zero carbon cruising by 2050. The session will explore the pathways available to achieve net zero and the challenges that need to be overcome. The three pillars of environment, social, and governance (ESG) offer a framework to measure and understand how sustainably an organisation is operating, and the session will provide insights on how these principles can be put into practice in the cruise industry.
The Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum will also host the ‘YES to SEApping Forum 2023’ to reach out to the younger generation in Thessaloniki. The forum aims to inform young people about the evolving Blue Economy by covering both the shipping and sea tourism industries. The forum has invited representatives of shipping organisations and institutions so that the young participants from northern Greece can gain a global view of the breadth of the industry and the opportunities that shipping offers across its entire spectrum.
Theodore Vokos, Managing Director, Posidonia Exhibitions SA, said: "The Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum is an important event that brings together industry leaders and offers a platform for them to share their insights on the challenges and potential of the industry. We are thrilled to have CLIA Europe organise a session at the event, and we are excited to see the younger generation engage in the ‘YES to SEApping Forum 2023’. This year's event promises to be one of the most significant events of the year for the cruise industry.”
The 2023 PSTF is sponsored by Diamond Sponsor Thessaloniki Port Authority S.A., Silver Sponsor Piraeus Port Authority SA, Bronze Sponsors Celestyal Cruises, Global Ports Holding, Heraklion Port Authority SA,  Kyvernitis Travel and Thessaloniki Tourism Organisation. The official airline is SKY express. It is organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs & Insular Policy and the Ministry of Tourism and supported by the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports (MedCruise) and the Union of Cruise Ship Owners & Associated Members. 

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METIS Cyberspace Technology has signed a formal agreement with global data, analytics, and technology company DTN®, to integrate its Vessel Routing API into METIS Augmented Routing Optimization, in a new demonstration of the way weather-enhanced decision-making and AI-based analytics deliver measurable gains to ship performance.
Rather than aiming to avoid adverse weather completely, weather-optimized routing helps find the most efficient route available to plan and maintain safe navigation, with the officer of the watch updated with actionable insights and alerts throughout the voyage. 
Based on the unique characteristics and specifications of individual ships and their cargoes, both METIS Augmented Routing Optimization and the DTN Vessel Routing API continuously optimize for speed, cost, fuel consumption and emissions. Powered by AI, the integrated analytics cover not only the efficiency of the ship but its changing operating environment: routing optimization can adapt to conditions and to the relationships between different performance parameters. 
Integrating weather-optimized decisions with Augmented Routing Optimization delivers a comprehensive analysis of ship performance in real time, so that vessels can respond to the needs of ETA, contracted speeds, bunker consumption or emissions reporting. Onshore, managers can calculate and recalculate routes to optimize schedules, propose route adjustments, and better evaluate voyage performance against charter party expectations.
“Formalising the agreement with DTN is highly significant, because integrating weather-optimized routing functionality with Augmented Routing Optimization changes what is achievable for ship performance,” said Andreas Symeonidis, Marketing & Partner Relations Manager, METIS Cyberspace Technology. “Just as METIS analytics optimize performance for machinery, hull fouling and damages, maintenance and repairs, fuel oil and crew skills on each and every vessel, Augmented Routing Optimization can now adapt to weather conditions.” 
Including all variables in a single interface to choose the ‘best route’ is highly beneficial to ship safety, as well as for efficiency and emissions, Symeonidis emphasised.
“With every ship needing to report efficiency and emissions on an individual basis under the International Maritime Organization’s new EEXI and CII regimes, owners, managers and charterers have already entered a new era of accountability,” said Eleni Polychronopoulou, CEO, METIS. “Rather than simply avoiding ‘unwanted weather’ in a generalised way, this integration of weather-optimized routing from DTN means Augmented Routing Optimization helps ensure the safety of the ship, its crew and its cargo while simultaneously basing routing decisions on optimized performance

Image 1: Eleni Polychronopoulou, CEO, METIS
Image 2: METIS Augmented Routing Optimization

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Marine-Fields Holding Ltd, has acquired BM Bergmann Marine GmbH at a transaction, which was completed in Hamburg on 27^th of January 2023 reflecting the formal validation of the close and successful cooperation between the two companies over the past few years. The two innovative organisations join forces  to create a leading team of marine services and solutions.
The acquisition is a further step in the growth of Marine-Fields Holding, part of the Tototheo Maritime Group of companies which brings together the expertise and resources of BM Bergmann Marine, a well-established provider of maritime consultancy and advisory service, and Marine-Fields Holding, a leader in maritime consultancy, digital solutions and training. Under the same umbrella BM Bergmann Marine and Marine-Fields, will offer a comprehensive range of services and products to customers in the maritime industry, including ship owners, and operators, ports, coastal administrations and hinterland logistics.
Bringing BM Bergmann Marine in the Marine-Fields family will significantly enhance the companies' ability to meet the growing demand for marine services and solutions, while also creating new opportunities for growth and expansion. The combined companies will have a strong presence in key markets around the world and will be well-positioned to take advantage of emerging trends and opportunities in the maritime industry, especially as it relates to digitalization, data sharing and collaborative decision making as well as port and related supply chain optimization.
"We are excited to join forces with Marine-Fields and to build on the strengths of both companies," said Michael Bergmann, MD of BM Bergmann Marine. "Together, we will be able to offer an even broader range of services and solutions, to our customers and we look forward to mutual growth and serving the needs of the maritime industry in the challenging times of digitalization."
Andreas Chrysostomou CEO of Marine-Fields Holding and Chief Strategy Officer at Tototheo Maritime stated: “The addition of BM Bergmann Marine GmbH to the Marine-Fields Holding portfolio comes at a crucial time as the maritime industry is at the crossroad of decarbonisation and digitalisation.  Marine-Fields has been offering services to the industry since 2017 as an independent provider of maritime related services and now is expanding those services to include the knowledge and expertise of BM Bergman Marine.  We look forward to new achievements by this new setup.’
For further information about the services provided by Marine-Fields Holding, please visit www.marine-fields.com.

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