Speakers

• 

  Henning Gramann

  Managing Director

  GSR Services

  Henning holds a degree as Environmental Engineer (Diplomingenieur, Dipl.-Ing.) and is engaged in various fields of maritime environmental protection since 2000.
  
  He started his career with GAUSS mbH in Bremen, a research institute for environ-
  mental protection and safety in shipping, as a specialist in maritime waste
  management.
  
  Later he was a seafarer (environmental officer) onboard a cruise vessel implementing a comprehensive corporate environmental management system.
  
  In 2005 he joined Germanischer Lloyd, as “Global Head of Practice - Ship Recycling” he was responsible for development and establishment of all ship recycling services of Germanischer Lloyd in line with the Hong Kong Convention. He has created a comprehensive service portfolio for GL.
  
  Henning has established Green Ship Recycling Services e.K. (GSR Services) in January 2011 for supporting all stakeholders for cost effective fulfillment of IMO´s Hong Kong Convention. Services are offered for suppliers, shipyards, shipowners, ship recyclers, IHM Experts, classification societies and administrations.
  
  In addition he holds the following positions:
  - Technical advisor for the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Town Development, representing Germany at the MEPC of IMO
  - Project leader for ISO - Ship recycling management system standards (ISO 30003 and ISO 30005)
  - Board member of the International Ship Recycling Association (ISRA).

• 

  Gerhard Aulbert

  Global Head of Practice Ship Recycling

  Germanischer Lloyd
• 

  Dr Alexander Berg

  Haz Mat Expert
• 

  Junichi Hirata

  Project Manager

  Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK)

  Junichi Hirata began his career at Japan’s Ministry of Transport (now the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism) in 1985, shortly after graduating from Yokohama National University with a degree in naval architecture. In the 19 years he spent with the Ministry, he not only worked to ensure ship safety, but also spent time working at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as well as the Japanese Embassy in Singapore. In 2004, he left his position as Director for Global Environment at the Ministry’s Policy Bureau to help oversee the establishment of a newly established R&D program at the Japan Ship Machinery Equipment Association (JSMEA). In 2007, following 3 years of service as General Manager of JSMEA’s Planning Division, he joined ClassNK, where he helped found the ClassNK the Ship Recycling Project Team, of which he remains a core member. He is currently a Manager in ClassNK’s Practical R&D Promotion Division, where he directly oversees the entirety of ClassNK’s joint R&D programs.

• 

  Rakesh Khetan (Billu)

  CEO

  Wirana

  Mr Rakesh Khetan (Billu) – CEO, Wirana Shipping Corp has vast experience in business, especially as a leading and prominent cash buyer of vessels for recycling. A very well known name in shipping circles, especially in ship recycling, he has been at the helm of Wirana for more than 15 years and is responsible for all its sale and purchase. He has handled various types of businesses including an on-shore oil block in West Africa, two gas blocks and one gas producing field in CIS, commodity trading, ship owning, properties and investments in financial products apart from the main business as a cash buyer of ships.
  
  Originally from Mumbai, India he is an Electonics Engineer by training. The 47 year old has led the company, which is the oldest cash-buyer , into rapid growth due to its impeccable reputation, aggressive pricing and professional handling of commercial and operational matters. Wirana has been averaging in excess of 100 vessels annually and in the past three years in 2009, 2010 and 2011 has sold in excess of 150 vessels a year. Under his leadership, the company has twice achieved a mention in the Guinness Book of World Records, in 2002 and 2003, for purchasing the largest vessels for recycling, they were the “Kapetan Michalis” (about 515,000 dwt) and “Sea Giant” (about 555,000 dwt).

• 

  Yuichi Sonoda

  Secretary General

  Asian Shipowners’ Forum

  Yuichi Sonoda was appointed as the Secretary General of the Asian Shipowners’ Forum (ASF) on 1 January 2010 and is currently based in Singapore. Prior to this current role, he was the Managing Director of the Japanese Shipowners’ Association (JSA), Tokyo.
  
  Upon his graduation with a law degree from the Keio University in Tokyo in 1976, Sonoda joined the JSA. He has been mainly involved in the works of the International Affairs Division. During his tenure at JSA, he was also sent to JSA’s London Branch Office for a period of five years. Since the inception of Asian Shipowners’ Forum (ASF) in 1992, Sonoda has been actively involved in the works of ASF till today. In 1996, he was appointed as the Secretary of the Shipping Economics Review Committee (SERC), one of the five Standing Committees of ASF. He has also served as the Vice Chairman of the Maritime Transport Committee of Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC) to the OECD.

• 

  Dr Nikos Mikelis

  Head, Marine Pollution Prevention and Ship Recycling Section

  IMO

  Dr. Nikos Mikelis graduated in naval architecture from the University of Newcastle and obtained Master’s and Doctorate degrees from London University. He has worked in ship classification; for a shipping company; and as an independent consultant. Currently he is Head, Marine Pollution Prevention and Ship Recycling Section in the Marine Environment Division of the International Maritime Organization. He has written around 50 learned papers and numerous articles in the maritime press. He is a freeman of the City of London.

• 

  Soledad Blanco

  Director for Sustainable Resources Management, Industry and Air, DG Environment

  European Commission

  As Director, she is responsible for development and implementation of sustainable production and consumption policies, sustainable resource management and waste policies, with particular emphasis on resource efficiency and lifecycle impact of products. Her responsibility also extends to the prevention and control of industrial emissions to air, water and soil, air pollution, urban environment and noise.
  
  With a background as a Nuclear Physicist, she joined the European Commission in 1987 and before joining DG Environment in 2000, she worked in other policy areas such as Energy, Public Health and Social Affairs.

• 

  Nisha Pillai

  International journalist & broadcaster

  Nisha Pillai brings 25 years of experience as a BBC journalist and news anchor to her role as moderator. Until recently, Nisha was one of the main news anchors for BBC World News, presenting rolling news programmes to global audiences. She also has many years of investigative reporting for the BBC’s Panorama and Money Programme under her belt.

• 

  Dr Ahmed Firoz

  Chief Economist, Economic Research Unit

  Ministry of Steel, India

  Dr. A.S.Firoz is one of the most distinguished economists from India, known worldwide for his work on the steel and minerals industries. He worked on the problems of market disequilibrium for his Ph.D. in India's most prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He has worked for 19 years on the steel and minerals industries, of which 15 years were in the capacity of Chief Economist in the Economic Research Unit of India's Steel Ministry. He is currently on sabbatical to pursue his own research projects and is heading his own research organisation SMStrat India as the Chief Executive Officer. The organisation is fully devoted to market and strategy research in the fields of steel, minerals and coal.
  
  Dr. Firoz has a large number of research papers and articles published in major research journals and top Indian business newspapers. He has also addressed a very large number of international and national conferences and seminars on subjects ranging from the industrial development to government policy issues. He contributed immensely to the formulation of several industrial and trade policies while in the government. He has also been involved in several global trade dialogues on matters related to anti-dumping and subsidies, mainly with the European Union.

• 

  Bart Lawrence

  Founding Partner

  Compass Maritime Services

  Bart has sold hundreds of demolition ships in addition to his activities in the second hand ship sales market. Bart has been especially active in the sale of U.S. flag vessels and is one of the leading authorities on Jones Act and foreign transfer of U.S. flag vessel requirements as they apply to the U.S. flag fleet.
  
  Bart joined A.L. Burbank in March 1981. He spent two years in the Dry Cargo Chartering Department and the New Construction and Project Department prior to joining the Sales and Purchase department.
  
  Bart graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1975. After completing his undergraduate studies, Bart joined Chemical Bank as a management trainee. Upon completion of the management training program he was promoted to branch manager within two years. In 1979 Mr. Lawrence joined the staff of the commodity exchange (COMEX). In the past year Bart had talked at both Connecticut Maritime Association annual conference in Stamford, Connecticut as well as OSG (Overseas Shipholding Group) “Schedulers Conference” in Florida.

Panelists

• 

  Tim Wilkins

  Regional Manager Asia-Pacific

  INTERTANKO

  Tim Wilkins is INTERTANKO’s Regional Manager Asia-Pacific, managing INTERTANKO’s Asia representative office in Singapore and representing member’s interests in the Asia-Pacific regions. He is secretary to INTERTANKO’s Asian Regional Panel and is responsible for the association’s regional issues.
  
  Mr. Wilkins also fulfils the role as Senior Manager - Environment in charge of coordinating and managing INTERTANKO’s environmental agenda, liaising with environmental organisations, national governmental organisations and international organisations such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

• 

  Ingvild Jenssen

  Co-ordinator

  NGO Platform on Shipbreaking

  Ingvild Jenssen is Director at the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human rights and labour rights non-governmental organisations working for safe and clean ship recycling. She has since 2005 been the Platform’s spokeperson and represented the coaltion in negotiations and advocacy work at the United Nations and European level. Ingvild has also contributed to several publications on the shipbreaking issue and visited the shipbreaking yards in India, Bangladesh, Turkey and Belgium. She holds a MSc in Political Science from the University of Oslo. Prior to joining the Platform, Ingvild was part of ARENA, a leading research program on European policies, where she contributed to the CIDEL project on the issue of minority rights and held courses in political theory for graduate students.

• 

  Stephen Drury

  Partner

  Holman Fenwick Willan

  Stephen's practice encompasses all aspects of financing, leasing, registration, operation, construction and management of ships, environmental / pollution aspects as well as general company / commercial advice. His clients include banks, ship owners, ship managers, operators and entrepreneurs in a range of activities connected to the transportation and energy industries. In 1988 Stephen became a visiting lecturer for the City University Business School M.S.c course on the legal aspects of ship finance. During the 1990s he was a member of the faculty on Euromoney's successful 'Practical Techniques of Ship Finance' residential course for bank and shipping company executives. From 1989 to 1992 he lectured on bareboat charters for Lloyds of London Press. He is a regular contributor of journal articles and book reviews. Since 1999 he has been nominated an “Expert” in the Legal 500, “Legal Experts” directory for expertise in the field of ship finance. Stephan has a particular interest in the business of ship recycling, having represented the interests of banks, shipowners and shipbreaking yards for many years.

• 

  Claude Wohrer

  Secretariat General for the Sea

  Prime Minister's Office, France

  Currently attached to the “Secretariat Général de la mer” (Secretariat general for the Sea), office of the prime minister.
  
  Graduated as a doctor in ocean sciences from the University of Paris.
  
  Undertook research on environmental issues of nuclear plants, and joined the MoD as a civilian engineer for the Navy. In addition, she spent several periods in practicing research in ocean sciences both in France and overseas.
  
  From April 2006 to April 2007, was part of the Interministerial Committee on the Dismantling of Civilian and Military end of life ships
  
  As french delegate to Maritime Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), and national focal point, she has been in charge of Ship dismantling issue for the last 5 years and was the Head of the french delegation in Hong Kong for the adoption of the IMO Convention. She was designated as the chairperson for the last working groups within Basel Convention meetings (Conference of Parties COP 10 ) and IMO (MEPC).

• 

  Hideaki Saito

  Director for International Regulations

  Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Japan

  Hideaki Saito started his carrier in the Japanese Government in 1989, and currently is in charge of all maritime environment issues including the GHG emissions from ships as well as the ballast water management. Within the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), he is an expert for the maritime field, and participated in a number of international meetings and negotiations, such as the IMO and OECD. In addition to the posts in Tokyo, he was a Shipbuilding Economist in the OECD Secretariat in Paris between 1998-2002, and a Director at the Japan Ship Centre in London during 2008-2011. During his post in London, he was a lead speaker in the Japanese delegation for ship recycling issue in IMO/MEPC.

• 

  Capt. Salah Uddin Ahamed

  Technical Adviser

  Bangladesh Ship Breakers Association
• 

  John Stawpert

  Senior Adviser (Environment & Trade)

  International Chamber of Shipping

  John joined ICS in September 2002 and his portfolio includes Maritime Security and Piracy, Containers, Dangerous Goods and MAPOL Annex V. He is secretary to the ICS Environment Sub-Committee and ICS lead on Ship Recycling.
  
  John has extensive experience of the shipping industry and is a key industry player in the international effort on Ship Recycling. He participated in the development of the IMO Guidelines and worked on the Hong Kong Convention from its inception. During his extensive involvement with the ship recycling issue, he has headed the ILO Employers delegation at the IMO/ILO/ Basel Convention Joint Working Groups and represented the industry at the Basel Convention. John has also served on IMO Ship Recycling Seminars in Turkey, China and Thailand and is Secretary to the Industry Working Group on Ship Recycling.

• 

  Gao Feng

  Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co

  Gao Feng, Vice President of both Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Ship Recycling Co., Ltd. and Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Marine Services Co., Ltd., is in charge of construction of ship-recycling base, production management and marketing of DSISR as well as construction of ship-repairing base and production management including ship-repairing, conversion, and offshore engineering of DSIMS. He has 11-year experience of ship-repairing operation and management in COSCO and during this period he was responsible for the repairing operations of more than 100 vessels.

• 

  Tom Peter Blankestijn

  Managing Director

  Sea2cradle

  Tom Peter studied Business Administration in Canada after his graduation in Economics in the Netherlands.
  
  He started his maritime career in 1984 in the Region Europe sales department for Nedlloyd. He has held various positions since as project- and marketing manager North America services. After the merger of P&O with Nedlloyd he worked as trade manager North America services. He was appointed in a position as Maritime Policies and Regulatory Affairs globally for P&O Nedlloyd in 2000. He was one of the initiators of the ship recycling project in China, which he is responsible for since 2002. He actively participated in setting-up and improving the project and was directly involved in the discussion of the IMO convention.

• 

  Syed Rizwana Hasan (tbc)

  Executive Director

  Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association
• 

  Steve Wansell

  General Manager

  Mideast Shipping and Trading

  Steve Wansell will be a well known face to many in the audience. Steve has worked in International Banking in the City of London for over 24 years. Formally Deputy General Manager of Bank Mandiri London, Steve pioneered offering recycling loans to ship owners packaged with related services. He also helped finance and develop many of the current crop of competitive cash buyers. Steve resigned to take up the exciting role of General Manager at the Mid East Group of Companies. Mid East is an established "name" in the ship recycling industry with over twenty years experience and is headed by Managing Director Mr Shabbir Baig. Mid East are one of the leading buyers of vessels for recycling worldwide. The Group continues to expanded , and has now established a London Office headed by Steve demonstrating the ambition and appetite of the Group.
  
  Steve's deep knowledge of the industry makes him the ideal person to provide insight and analysis into key industry trends and to offer an insiders view of the future. Steve draws on a life time of experience in this sector that few can match.
  
  Steve was recently featured in leading industry publication Tradewinds magazine as someone whose "solid banking experience will change the image of recycling". You can expect strong opinions on the need for the industry to reform its image and to promote a green agenda and transparency , whilst dealing with, as Tradewinds describes, "the dirty end of the market".

• 

  Thomson Kam

  General Manager

  Airmington Holding

  Thomson Kam is the General Manager of Airmington Holdings Limited and its subsidiary, the Maritime Delivery Inc.– a cash buying company for recycling ships to China. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial & Operational Engineering from the University of Michigan, United States of America. He is also an associated member of the International Ship Recycling Association (ISRA). He has over 10 years experience in handling recycling ships’ sale from Sellers all over the world to China and has been working closely between sellers/sellers’ brokers and individual ship recycling yard in China in terms of safety and environmental protection.

• 

  Nicholas C Dean

  General Manager

  Dubai Trading Agency

  Nick Dean has over 30 years experience of international shipping and finance. He qualified as a Solicitor in 1979 specialising in maritime law. After 4 years practising in London with McHale & Co. he moved to Monaco in 1981 as the in house lawyer for United Shipping Group dealing with ship sale and purchase and financing transactions. In 1992 he set up his own maritime consultancy business in Monaco and in 1997 joined forces with Eric Ravera to form MCMS as an independent maritime services, corporate and legal consultancy in Monaco. MCMS is also the Maritime Registrar for the St. Kitts & Nevis Registry in Monaco. In 2009 he accepted a managerial role with DTA which is a very active cash buyer of vessels for demolition.