London International Shipping Week

London plays a pivotal role as shipping seeks to reframe risk in a complex marketplace

How does the shipping industry reframe ‘risk’ in what has become a complex marketplace today? And what role does London play in this?

With its wide range of relevant expertise and home to key hubs for many sectors of the international maritime community, London is uniquely placed to lead the international shipping industry as it seeks to drive innovation, build skills, and meet its ambitious climate goals.

Since its inception in 2013, London International Shipping Week has become synonymous with thought leadership, providing a high-level platform for the maritime world to debate crucial issues and solutions. Launching LISW23 on January 17th in London, guests will hear how “Reframing Risk In A Complex Marketplace” will be the central theme of this year’s 10th-anniversary event in September.

As the leading maritime professional services and shipping/green finance center, London is uniquely positioned to drive discussion on how to manage commercial risk on a global scale. The concept of risk as it applies to shipping is changing. It is becoming more complex, and London can provide all the necessary expertise (including legal, insurance, risk assurance, finance, cargo trading, chartering, and shipbroking) in one place.

The importance of supply chain resilience has been highlighted in recent years by the war in Ukraine, stringent international sanctions, the pandemic, and the temporary blocking of the Suez Canal. Harnessing the long-standing expertise of London’s maritime services, LISW23 will consider the business actions needed to protect and promote international trade. Throughout the week, threads will examine ways of sourcing investment to drive and support maritime innovation; explore the development of new fuels, ships, and infrastructure; and scrutinize the world’s seaborne supply & demand dynamics.

Denis Petropoulos, chair of the LISW Board of Advisors and immediate past chairman of the Baltic Exchange Council, said: “London is internationally acknowledged as having a pivotal role in international shipping. London, boasting pre-eminent maritime services, offers well-established commercial shipping expertise across all sectors and is uniquely positioned to lead international debate and developments.” 

Achieving Net Zero 2050 will be a central topic for LISW23. Decarbonization is driving everything from finance to skills, innovation, and technology. During a packed week-long program of events encompassing all sectors of the international maritime industry, LISW23 will examine how shipping can meet and exceed its environmental, social and governance (ESG) targets, considering the commercial cost of regulatory compliance across the decarbonization timeline, as well as contemplating how best to navigate the regulatory landscape in the short, medium and longer term.

LISW23 is organised by Shipping Innovation in partnership with the UK Government and Maritime UK. It will not shy away from challenging issues and will question how governments around the globe can best facilitate positive maritime change as well as confronting shipping’s responsibilities in protecting ocean environments while maximising the blue economy.

Looking to shipping’s horizon, LISW23 will ponder where are the next, tangible, opportunities for the industry to contribute to energy transition while also generating profits, in areas such as CO2 shipping,  and offshore wind.

Seafarers remain at the heart of international shipping, and they are also fundamental to LISW23 considerations. Crew welfare, training, skills, recruitment, retention, and the impact of digital technology on seafarers will be a central discussion stream throughout the week.

John Hulmes, chair of the LISW Steering Group and chair of Mersey Maritime, said: “LISW21 was the first sign-in-person maritime event after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and highlighted the resilience of the sector during times of crisis. LISW23 will build upon the messaging of previous years and showcase how, in increasingly turbulent times, the industry looks at and deals with risk.”

London International Shipping Week 2023 will take place from September 11 to 15 throughout various locations in London and the UK. The LISW23 Headline Conference will be held at the London headquarters of the International Maritime Organization on Wednesday, 13 Sept, while the glittering gala dinner on Thursday, 14 Sept is hosted for the first time beside the River Thames at ‘Evolution London’ in Battersea Park and is scheduled to go on late into the night.

For further information about LISW23, including event details, sponsorship opportunities and delegate guidance, please see the dedicated website: 
www.londoninternationalshippingweek.com