Marine Insurance Greece
The Eugenides Foundation, Athens
Day One: 6th May 2026
(All times are in EEST)
08.30-09.25 | Registration and Coffee in the Pre- function Area sponsored by |
09.25-09.30 | Welcome Address |
Conference Chair: | |
09.30-09.50 | Keynote Address: |
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Presenter: | |
09.50-10.40 | Panel Discussion: State of the Market |
The shape of the market is changing once again as rates soften. In this session, we will explore the impact of the renewal season for P&I and take a look at what is happening in the commercial market. We will consider the rise of the MGAs and the influx of new capacity, alongside the behaviour of market players and the impact on trust and confidence in insurance. | |
Moderator: Manos Lorentzos, Managing Director, Seascope Hellas Panellists: Ilias Tsakiris, Chief Executive Officer, Hellenic Hull and Ocean Hull Committee Chair, International Union of Marine Insurance Davinia Melachrinos, Partner-Marine, McGill and Partners Ludvig Nyhlen, Regional Executive Director Team Greece, The Swedish Club | |
10.40-11.00 | Case Study: X-Press Pearl – Setting a New Bar |
The judgment on the X-Press Pearl incident came out in July 2025, sending shockwaves through the industry as the court ruled compensation should be set at the maximum US$2 billion limit of International Group payments. In this session, we discuss the case and compensation, but also consider the implications for the future and the limits of liability more generally. | |
Participants: Simon Leslie, Associate Director, The London P&I Club | |
11.00-11.30 | Coffee and Networking Break sponsored by |
11.30-12.10 | Panel Discussion: Complications Arising from the Collision of Dark Fleet Vessels |
| Even the mainstream media has started to consider the risks of the dark fleet as President Trump took action off the coast of Venezuela. In this panel discussion, we look at how the dark fleet has grown in the past year, including a drift away from traditional International Group Clubs and the increasing risks of a major pollution incident, not just from a collision, but from deliberate attacks, as we have witnessed. |
Moderator: Stavriana Asprogiannidou, Managing Director- Marine, Howden Panellists: Fay Lampropoulou, Deputy General Manager, The London P&I Club Cedric Chatteleyn, Senior Claims Director, UK P&I Club Dimitris Ampatzidis, Senior Risk & Compliance Analyst, Kpler | |
12.10-12.50 | Panel Discussion: War – Scars Running Deep |
The world has been so uncertain in the past few years, from the Russian attack on Ukraine to the more recent clashes between Venezuela and the US. Questions for the marine market include how to move forward with such uncertainties, how do you arrange charterparties and fix in such an environment and how have the past few years left the relationship between the war risks market and P&I clubs? | |
Moderator: Panellists: Dmitry Vavilov, Managing Director, Maritime Risk Management | |
12.50-13.50 | Lunch and Networking break sponsored by |
13.50-14.10 | Fireside Chat: Can the Greek Market Deliver on LNG? |
The US and Greece have agreed a new deal on LNG supply at government level, representing an expansion opportunity that mirrors growing regas and production demand globally. In this fireside chat, we talk about the changing shape of LNG as it accommodates new and emerging demands, while also considering what that will mean for the insurance sector. | |
Participants: Jeff Wilson, Divisional Director, Marine and Offshore Advisory, Howden | |
14.10-14.30 | Presentation: Winds of Change – US Policy |
The old saying goes, the US sneezes and Europe catches a cold. In this presentation, we hear how fast-changing US policy is impacting the marine market from geopolitics, to sanctions and tariffs. We consider the implications for trade routes, profitability and costs. | |
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14.30-15.10 | Panel Discussion: It’s all in the Name – Fires |
Fires are not all caused by lithium batteries, but also by mis declared cargoes, chemicals and inappropriate storage. Sadly, the number of fires on board vessels is continuing to rise, despite the sector’s best efforts to improve risk management. Even more tragically, fires continue to cost lives, as we saw at the end of 2025. In this session, we will hear from the cargo perspective as well as experts on what more the industry can do to reduce the risks. | |
Moderator: Dimitris Monioudis, Managing Director, Rethymnis & Kulukundis Panellists: Anna Shipilli, Regional Representative, T&T Salvage David Nichol, Senior Advisor, Loss Prevention and Claims, The Swedish Club | |
15.10-15.30 | Presentation: To Vote or Not to Vote?The IMO Net Zero Framework |
In 2025, Greece chose to abstain from the IMO’s Net Zero Framework vote and ultimately, the final vote was suspended until later this year. This conference comes just ahead of Posedonia, one of the greatest new-build signing events globally. We are asking what the delay in the Net Zero Framework agreement means for owners deciding on the right ships for the future. | |
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15.30-16.00 | Coffee and Networking Break sponsored by |
16.00-16.40 | Panel Discussion: Claims Trends and Costs in the Spotlight |
Insurers exist to pay claims, however in recent years, the cost of those claims has risen dramatically. In this panel, we explore where claims are coming from and why the costs have risen so dramatically, including a look at the impact on costs of dark vessel incidents and the impact of the drive towards environmental protection. We consider the ways insurers and insureds might row back on the escalating trend. | |
Moderator: Ian Clarke, Chief Executive Office, West of England P&I Services Panelists: Konstantinos Samaratis, Head of Greek Office, Divisional Director, Britannia P&I Club SMIT POSS | |
16.40-17.00 | Presentation: Salvage – Practical Challenges |
Salvage operations have always been tricky, but in today’s world the complexities are growing rapidly, from environmental requirements to hazardous cargoes. In this session, a salvor outlines the difficulties encountered on a daily basis, from dealing with local authorities, the ship owner, to cargo interests and to the insurer. | |
Presenter: SMIT TBC | |
17.00-17.20 | Technical Session: Bad Bunkers – Are Bunker Tests Good Enough? |
There has been a spate of claims resulting from contaminated bunkers, impacted by chemicals or microbes that are not showing up on the regular tests. In this technical breakout, we investigate why this is happening and whether the tests need to be changed. We will also look at the subsequent claims process and suggest ways to ensure the claim is made successfully. | |
Participants: | |
17.20-17.30 | Closing Remarks |
Conference Chair: | |
20.00-LATE | Polygreen are proud to sponsor the Marine Insurance Greece Party 2026 (details to follow) |
Marine Insurance Greece
Day Two: 7th May 2026
09.15-09.55 | Registration and Coffee in the Pre-Function Area sponsored by |
09.55-10.00 | Welcome Address |
Conference Chair: | |
10.00-10.20 | Fireside Chat: Marine Cyber and Navigation |
The threat of zombie ships, spoofing, faking and hacking have all become so much easier thanks to technology and the ability of criminals to create new threats faster than the authorities can eradicate them. In this conversation, we analyse the growing threat from this type of activity and consider the options for both insurers and insureds. | |
Participants: | |
10.20-11.20 | Role Play: Imagine If… Playing Out a Local Claim |
A Greek container ship is in collision with a dark vessel, filled to the brim with oil, in the Aegean Sea: the stuff of nightmares for most in the marine market. In this role play, we bring in the voices of a P&I Club, a hull and machinery insurer, a lawyer and a salvor to understand all the different perspectives at play and how they would work together for the best possible outcome. | |
Participants: | |
11.20-11.40 | Presentation: Claiming on your FD&D Policy |
FD&D is one of the most popular marine covers sold in Greece, accounting for a significant proportion of many Club’s books. It is also something that is frequently claimed against, so in this presentation we hear about the claims scenario in this space and look at why Clubs are so willing to sell a product that has proved to be more of a service than a profit centre. | |
Presenter: Maurius Vitas, Senior Manager, West of England P&I Services | |
11.30-12.20 | Case Study AI – Steering a Straight Course |
Much has been said about the potential impact of artificial intelligence on the marine insurance market. However, much of its impact is likely to be felt at sea as owners adapt vessels to cater for advanced technology. In this session, though, we look back at the success and often failure of AIS and ECDIS and ask what lessons can be learned as owners look to bring even more next technology on board. We will study some of the examples from the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Bureau to see what mistakes to avoid in the future. | |
Moderator: Panellists: Dmitry Vavilov, Managing Director, Maritime Risk Management | |
12.20-13.20 | Lunch and Networking sponsored by |
13.20-13.40 | Presentation: A Year is a Long Time in Convention Terms |
It is almost a year since the Hong Kong Convention came into law, so in this discussion we take a look back at that year and consider the changes that have followed. We will also explore the ongoing debate about the differences between the Hong Kong Convention and the Basel Convention, debating which Convention is the most appropriate to follow and why. | |
Presenter: Dido Shipping TBC | |
13.40-14.20 | Fireside Chat: Managing a Salvage in US Waters |
In this fireside chat, we learn how the US regulators operate in terms of salvage in US waters and the impact of regulation OPA90. We not only look at this in terms of what it means for Greek owners and their insurers, but also from a US perspective, to consider what is included in the regulation. While there has not been a major oil pollution event recently, the risk continues, so we also explore how P&I Clubs can support owners through media management, crew safety and responding to the incident itself. | |
Participants: Elias Psyllos, President, American Salvage Association | |
14.20-15.00 | Panel Discussion: Keeping the Money Flowing |
We have all become used to sanctions as a weapon of war and the consequences for the insurance market. In this session, we take a practical look at how they impact day-to-day operations, including withholding money from innocent parties. We discuss the various ways sanctions disrupt routine operations and include an update on the latest approach to sanctions from various authorities around the world, while providing some practical tips to continuing to work as normal. | |
Moderator Panellists: | |
15.00-15.05 | Closing Remarks |
Conference Chair: | |
15.05-16.00 | Farewell Drinks sponsored by |
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