Agenda

Registration

Indian Ocean Hall

In-conversation

Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, India

Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation, India

Indian Ocean Hall

Speed Talk: The Climate Crisis: Using Images to Bridge the Gap Between Science, Industry, and Policy

Christian Clauwers, Ocean & Polar Explorer, Environmental Reporter, Documentary Photographer, Belgium

Indian Ocean Hall

The Euro-Afro-Asian Century: Connecting the Heartlands of Future Growth

The economies of India and the African Continental Free Trade Area will both approach $5 trillion in the coming years. This growth will be catalysed and supported by the investment and markets of Europe and West Asia. Reimagining the partnership with improved maritime connectivity holds the potential to quadruple trade, unlocking immense economic benefits for these interconnected regions.

• What do African countries, India, and their partners in Europe and West Asia require in terms of infrastructure to turn this potential into reality? How can they use multimodal corridors to propel trade-led development?
• How can pools of global finance and world-class technology be made available for the task of building this connective infrastructure?
• How can future trade patterns be made more inclusive, as well as politically and economically sustainable?

Panellists:

Anusha Kesarkar Gavankar, Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India

Geoffrey E. Kaituko, Principal Secretary, State Department for Shipping & Maritime Affairs, Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy & Maritime Affairs, Kenya

Lord Karan Bilimoria, House of Lords, United Kingdom 

Ruben Eiras, Secretary General, Fórum Oceano, Portugal

Unmesh Wagh, Chairman, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, India

Moderator

Ayoade Alakija, Chair, Board of Directors, FIND; Co-Chair, G7 Impact Investment Initiative in Global Health

Indian Ocean Hall

Energy and Shipping: Charting a Course to Sustainable Trade

The global green transition, if it is to be just and effective, will need the shipping and broader trade sector to deal with a critical challenge: Decarbonising its operations without disrupting global supply chains. Such a transition to environmentally conscious, sustainable strategies presents significant hurdles, but also promising opportunities.

• ⁠What are the key obstacles and potential benefits of the shipping sector’s shift to cleaner energy sources?
• How can digitalisation of logistics aid the greening of trade?
• Which low-carbon fuels hold the most promise for the shipping industry, and what obstacles prevent their widespread use?
• How can financial incentives and public-private partnerships accelerate investment in clean maritime technologies?

Panellists:

Ahmed Mohamed Hussein Selim, Senior Economic Research Specialist, Suez Canal Authority, Egypt 

Arun Sharma, Advisor to the Chairman, Group Head for Sustainability and Climate Change, Adani Group, India

Dawoon Jung, Lecturer, Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security, University of Wollongong, Australia

Johannah Christensen, Chief Executive Officer, Global Maritime Forum, Denmark

Luc Arnouts, Vice President, Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Belgium

Moderator:

Sunjoy Joshi, Chairman, Observer Research Foundation, India

Arabian Sea Hall

Ministerial Roundtable over Lunch (Invite-only) | The New Blue: Collaboration and Creation for an Ocean-Based Economy

This invite-only roundtable will focus on how global collaboration and domestic energy is revitalising our approach to the blue economy. It will share creative solutions and new policy directions that empower coastal communities and oceans-based businesses; identify the pathways and trade routes of the future that will catalyse prosperity and secure supply chains; and provide examples of effective partnerships between the local, the global and the corporate.

Opening Remarks

Shantanu Thakur, Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, India 

Keynote Address

Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, India 

Interventions:

Yuvraj Narayan, Group Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, DP World, United Arab Emirates

Ahamed Saïd Abass, Special Envoy, Government of Comoros

Johannah Christensen, Chief Executive Officer, Global Maritime Forum, Denmark

M. Angamuthu, Chairman, Visakhapatnam Port Authority, India

Madhu S Nair, Chairman & Managing Director, Cochin Shipyard, India 

Mads Qvist Frederiksen, Executive Director, Arctic Economic Council, Norway

Moderator:

Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation, India

Vote of Thanks: 

Susanta Kumar Purohit, Chairman, V O Chidambaranar Port Authority, India

Bay of Bengal Hall

Technical Lunch Session – Riding the Currents: Creating a Circular Blue Economy

Our relationship with the oceans can no longer be purely extractive. From fishing, to leisure travel, to biodiversity, sustainability at sea must become a priority. Global agreements and domestic norms must both shift to make this a reality. 

• How can the common resources of the oceans be sustainably used to promote human welfare? What regulatory models find the right balance between sustainability and growth of the blue economy? 
• How can recycling, conservation, and circularity work for businesses, and what is their importance for the preservation of the oceans? 
• Can our norms surrounding fishing be altered so that traditional and artisanal mechanisms, which prioritise a symbiotic relationship between fishing communities and ocean resources, are preserved? 

Panellists:

Nadeem Nazurally, Associate Professor, University of Mauritius, Mauritius

Nancy Karigithu, Special Envoy and Advisor, Blue Economy, Executive Office of the President, Kenya

Nwabisa Matoti, Research Director, South African International Maritime Institute, South Africa

Oda Korneliussen, Program Manager, Avfall Norge, Norway

Peter Aukamp, Senior Advisor, goodcarbon, Germany

Moderator:

Rolf Rødven,  Executive Secretary, Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program, Arctic Council, Norway

Indian Ocean Hall

A Decade of Development: Ship-building Hub for the 21st Century

It is necessary for economic and maritime security and resilience that Simlding and recycling resources not be dominated by any one country or areas. India, for example, is investing in shipbuilding, repair, and recycling and aims to be one of the five largest shipbuilding nations in a decade.

Why is it necessary to restore resilience and decentralised production to global shipbuilding?

What are the frameworks and incentives required to foster innovation and streamline processes in the shipbuilding industry?

What lessons could be drawn and locally adapted from the world’s leading shipbuilding nations?

How can shipyards compete for space in a tough global marketplace?

Scene-Setting Remarks:

R. Lakshmanan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, India

Panellists:

Arjun Chowgule, Executive Director, Chowgule and Company, India

Harrie de Leijer, Partner, Nestra, Netherlands

José Digerónimo, President, Maritime Chamber of Panama, Panama

Line Ollestad, Advisor, Norwegian Shipowners’ Association, Norway

Sherine El Naggar, Chief Executive Officer, Naggar Maritime Ltd., Egypt

Moderator:

Erin Watson, Managing Director, Baker & York, Australia

Arabian Sea Hall

Rethinking Labour at Sea: Overcoming Enduring Inequalities

On any given day, millions of seafarers support the tens of thousands of vessels that make up merchant shipping. Yet they labour under dire working conditions — and can be unprotected by decent labour regulations or subject to contradictory and oppressive laws. The outcome, frequently, is actual or apparent discriminatory treatment of maritime labour based on their nationalities, particularly those from the Global South.

• Is the maritime labour force a  new domain for the old scourge of imperialism?  How can we work towards a level playing field for all seafarers irrespective of their nationalities?
• How can we ensure that the industry is more inclusive — of both marginalised communities and of women?
• How can we frame global conventions, rules and regulations that are just, equitable and sustainable for all nation-states and how do we monitor their implementation?
• How do we address the problems of overexploitation and abuse within the international maritime community?

Scene Setting Remarks:

Shyam Jagannathan, Director General of Shipping, Directorate General of Shipping, India

Panellists:

Angelos F. Vlachos, Chief Executive Officer, Kavala Port Authority S.A., Greece

Anil Devli, Chief Executive Officer, Indian National Shipowners’ Association, India

Helene Tofte, Executive Director, Norwegian Shipowners’  Association, Norway

Luisito delos Santos, Director, Planning and Policy, Maritime Industry Authority, Philippines

Shyam Jagannathan, Director General of Shipping, Directorate General of Shipping, India

Moderator:

Sophie Deyon, Team Lead Policy & Government Engagement, Global Maritime Forum, Denmark 

Indian Ocean Hall

Gateways & Debt-traps: Financing the Future of Development

Developing ports and associated infrastructure is vital to accommodate evolving shipping markets, ship sizes, and cargo profiles. However, financing costs to build and run these infrastructural assets pose a significant obstacle. The global lending landscape is plagued by mismatched gains, which severely affect project viability, particularly for nations in the Global South, leading to a debt trap for many countries, making it imperative to think of innovative financial solutions and mechanisms.

• What kind of innovative financial solutions and approaches could be explored to make projects viable and competitive, especially for nations for whom the cost of borrowing through traditional routes is high?
• Is there room to reduce the cost of capital for nations most impacted by mismatching gains, within the existing lending frameworks?

Panellists:

Carl Bildt, Former Prime Minister of Sweden and Co-Chair, European Council on Foreign Relations, Sweden

Mehdi Jomaa, Former Prime Minister, Tunisia

Mohamed Nasheed, Former President, Maldives

T K Ramachandran, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, India

Moderator:

Harsh V. Pant, Vice President, Observer Research Foundation, India

Bay of Bengal Hall

Minister’s Interaction with Youth Delegates (Invite-only)

Chair 

Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, India 

Remarks by
 
Captain Radhika Menon, India's first merchant navy captain; Nari Shakti Awardee 2022 by the President of India

Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi, Master Pilot, India’s first woman river pilot; Nari Shakti Awardee 2018 by the President of India

Moderator:

Sugandha Grover, Section Officer, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, India

Indian Ocean Hall

Smart Seas: Innovations in Shipping and Beyond

Growth along new corridors, and in a competitive geo-economic environment, requires cutting-edge innovation. New corridors and trade routes will survive only if they modernise infrastructure and streamline supply-chain processes – integrating solutions such as smart ports, automated shipping systems, and real-time data analytics. Meanwhile, the fleets of the future may also be unrecognisable, requiring advances and shifts in shipbuilding and fleet management, and new skills for the maritime workforce.

• What will the fleets and ports of the future look like? How are AI, new energy, and digitalisation transforming processes and mechanisms? 
• What role does investment in public infrastructure, whether physical or virtual, have in supporting this transformation? 
• What can like-minded countries learn from each other, and how can we support each other in creating resilient, innovative and secure supply chains?
• How can large datasets be leveraged to ensure security at sea?

Panellists:

Brent Sadler, Senior Research Fellow, Naval Warfare and Advanced Technology, Allison Center for National Security, The Heritage Foundation, United States of America

Dhruv Kotak, Group Managing Director, J.M. Baxi Group, India

Edwin Kleingeld, Senior Policy Advisor, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Netherlands

Jens-Uwe Schröder-Hinrics, Vice-President, Strategic Initiatives, World Maritime University, Germany 

Siv Remøy Vangen, Managing Director, Norwegian Electric System, Norway

Moderator:

Ishita Sharma, R&D Manager, Port of Esbjerg, Denmark

Arabian Sea Hall

Shaping Investment Flows: The Oceans Imperative for the Global South

The West no longer rules the oceans unchallenged. It is the Global South’s markets, populations, and resources that will determine the shape of ocean trade in the 21st century. As the balance of power shifts South, the governance of oceans must be reformed in tandem.

• As the balance of power shifts and investment flows are reshaped, how can we think of pathways to engage with this new political order that affects global economic equity?
• What mechanisms are needed to balance the influence of dominant maritime nations and ensure that global governance architectures and trade networks serve common global interests?

Panellists:

Feride Gulsen İnan, Director, Center for Geoeconomic Studies, The Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey, Türkiye

Harry Theoharis, Member of Parliament, Greece

Juita Mohamad, Resource Person, All Party Parliament Group on SDGs, Malaysia

Renato Flôres, Director, International Intelligence Unit, Fundação Getulio Vargas, Brazil

Tomasz Łukaszuk, Researcher, University of Warsaw; Former Ambassador of Poland to India, Poland

Moderator:

Kanishka Narayan, Member of Parliament, United Kingdom

Indian Ocean Hall

Blue-Green Strategies: Building Resilience and Prosperity Along our Coasts

Coasts are at the frontline of both the war against climate change, and the fight for future prosperity. Maritime trade hubs, coastal areas, ports, and marine ecosystems are extremely vulnerable to rising sea levels, increasing salinity, weird weather, and pollution. Alongside this, economic development in these coastlines is demanded by their populations – but it is expected, also, that this development be green and sustainable.

• What do the communities along our coastline expect in terms of development? How can they be given the tools to be resilient in the face of the climate challenge?
• How can we ensure maritime development and port operations respect the climate challenge and embrace the energy transition? Will knowledge and technology sharing between nations help, and how can we facilitate it?
• Coastal communities and maritime businesses are already adapting to the effects of climate change. What do they need in terms of adaptation finance? 
• How can we facilitate the transition toward a sustainable circular economy within the blue sector?

Panellists:

Ayla Bajwa, Group Senior Vice President, Sustainability, DP World, United Arab Emirates

Mohamed Aslam, Former Minister of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure and Housing and Enviroment,  Maldives

Renato Salvatteci, Scientific Project Manager, Kiel University, Germany

Roberto Danovaro, Professor, Polytechnic University of Marche, National Biodiversity Future Centre, Italy

Sushil Kumar Singh, Chairman, Deendayal Port Authority, India

Moderator:

Nancy Karigithu, Special Envoy and Adviser, Blue Economy, Executive Office of the President, Kenya 

Break

Indian Ocean Hall

New Routes for New Resources: Connectivity for Critical Minerals

The routes and infrastructure of the 20th century will not serve the goods and geographies that determine the fortunes of the 21st century. The value of new-age resources such as critical minerals will increase manifold in the coming decades; as a consequence, new locations where value is added in Latin America and the Indo-Pacific will become vital nodes in the global trade map. Connectivity between regions such as India, Southeast Asia and Latin America will need to be upgraded to match this economic reality.

• How can regions such as Southeast Asia and Latin America redesign their connectivity paradigm to reflect these economic realities? Who are the global partners in this effort, and what can India do to help? 
• How can we learn from the experiences of the past to make new resource-powered growth more inclusive and less extractive?
• Who will invest in, finance and construct the capacity upgrades  required to connect these emerging geographies with areas where critical minerals can be consumed or processed?
• What are the geo-economic drivers of trade in critical minerals and how is the private sector preparing for them?

Panellists:

Dulciana Somare Brash, Development Specialist, DevCom Pacific, Papua New Guinea

Jhanvi Tripathi, Associate Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India

Raimund Bleischwitz, Scientific Director, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT); Professor, Global Sustainable Resources, University of Bremen, Germany

Renato Flôres, Director, International Intelligence Unit, Fundação Getulio Vargas, Brazil

Witold Sobków, Minister Plenipotentiary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Poland

Moderator:

Gunter Rieck Moncayo, Economic and Trade Policy Advisor, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Germany

Indian Ocean Hall

Valedictory Ministerial Address

Shantanu Thakur, Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, India

Indian Ocean Hall

Valedictory Session: In Conversation

This session will tease out the themes that emerged from the previous days’ discussions, and examine how partnerships can be developed and enhanced going forward. It will discuss in particular how a concert of democracies can emerge on the seas – in domains from shipbuilding to logistics to infrastructure.

Panellists:

Bruce Jones, Senior Fellow, Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology, Brookings Institution, United States of America

Sanjeev Sanyal, Member, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, India

Moderator:

Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation, India

Dinner

Ganga Hall

Arteries of Civilisation: How Inland Waterways are Key to the Past and the Future

Inland waterways are, both in terms of cost and in terms of safety, the most efficient form of transport — particularly of large and bulky commodities. Canals and rivers have been the incubators of civilisation from time immemorial; and, in the 21st century, may prove to be a crucial and transformative addition to multi-modal logistics strategies — if they receive focused attention, new forms of finance, and technological upgradation.

• How are large markets like India and the European Union improving internal connectivity through upgrading their inland waterways?
• Does inland shipping provide an answer to the problem of how to make freight transport more environmentally sustainable?
• Are there some good recent examples of the integration of inland waterways into multimodal transportation that can serve as templates for future development?

Panellists

Nicole van Spronsen, Project Manager, Maritime Research Institute Netherlands( MARIN), Netherlands

Vijay Kumar, Chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India, India

Moderator

Dhaval Desai, Senior Fellow and Vice President, Observer Research Foundation, India

Ganga Hall

Cruising to Growth: Blue Tourism and Sustainability

Tourism, including cruise tourism, is an integral component of many island and coastal nations’ plans to grow their blue economy. The industry supports millions of workers directly and indirectly and is a crucial source of income for many otherwise underdeveloped parts of the world. Already trying to shake off its pandemic-era losses, it must also transform itself structurally to thrive in an era of climate action and e-tourism.

• What are some of the technological advances that can make sustainable blue tourism a possibility?
• How does blue tourism affect the coastal and island communities that depend on it, and is it a truly symbiotic relationship?
• What new models of tourism management and novel forms of travel experience show promise for the industry’s future?

Panellists

Alexis Papathanassis, Rector and Professor, Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences, Germany

Angelos F. Vlachos, Chief Executive Officer, Kavala Port Authority S.A., Greece

Moderator

Malshini Senaratne, Assistant Head of Department, University of Seychelles, Seychelles

Ganga Hall

From the Keel Up: Redesigning the Ships of the Future

Ensuring that the shipping industry of the future is sensitive to the environment begins with the transformation of shipbuilding. Vessels – whether coastal, inland or seagoing – will have to be reimagined if sustainable shipping is to become a reality.

• What are the ways in which ship design is changing to reflect these new requirements?
• How are new energy sources and propulsion systems being incorporated into these designs, from batteries to hydrogen?
• What are the possibilities for retrofitting existing fleets? Are costs coming down fast enough for novel designs?
• Can future customers of sustainable ships expect greater efficiency and an enhanced user experience?

Panellists

Madhu S Nair, Chairman & Managing Director, Cochin Shipyard Ltd., India

Siv Remøy Vangen, Managing Director, Norwegian Electric System, Norway

Moderator

Jaibal Naduvath, Vice President and Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India

Ganga Hall

Trust and Integrity: Reviving Cooperation at Sea

Nations are increasingly rushing to seek access to trading routes and critical resources, including minerals, energy, and food in oceanic theatres. This high-stakes competition has fostered a climate of mistrust and suspicion among countries, leading to significant and adverse consequences, including environmental degradation, livelihood loss, and disruptions in global trade. Intergovernmental organisations are poised to play a critical role in the mitigation of such imminent challenges by advancing efforts for inclusive and collective cooperation.

• How can maritime players foster trust and promote transparency in efforts to mitigate environmental challenges?
• How can existing systems that undergird ocean governance be made more effective for environmental protection of the seas and to preserve freedom of navigation?
• What new frameworks or mechanisms need to be developed to enhance cooperation and trust among stakeholders, ensuring equitable access to and sustainable use of marine resources?

Panellists

Dawoon Jung, Lecturer, Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security, University of Wollongong, Australia

John Ulanga, Director of Economic Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, United Republic of Tanzania

Moderator

Vishal Surbun, Senior Law Lecturer, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Ganga Hall

Plastics in the Ocean: Cleaning Up Our Common Heritage

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for legal restrictions on single-use plastics across the G-20 nations and committed the Indian Navy to directly cleaning up plastic pollution in the oceans.

• What measures can be taken to make the dream of plastic-free maritime regions a reality?
• What sectors can be quickly reformed to reduce their reliance on plastics that cause pollution?
• How can the various stakeholders be given the right incentives?

Panellists

Paritosh Chakor Deshpande, Associate Professor, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway

Simone Smith-Godfrey, Founder, Blue Heritage Chamber of Commerce, South Africa

Moderator

Jaibal Naduvath, Vice President and Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India

Ganga Hall

Gender in the Maritime Domain: Breaking Barriers

Shipping, whether on the oceans or inland, has traditionally been a gendered occupation. Yet, in past decades, women have broken into previously male-dominated professions in this sector.

• What are their experiences? 
• How can we make the sector more welcoming?
• Are there regulatory or norm changes that are required, in various geographies and at the multilateral level, that would help?

Panellists

Captain Radhika Menon, India's First Merchant Navy Captain and Nari Shakti Awardee, 2022 by the President of India

Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi, Master Pilot, India’s First Woman River Pilot and Nari Shakti Awardee, 2018 by the President of India

Moderator

Nicole van Spronsen, Project Manager, Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN), Netherlands

Ganga Hall

Not So Distant: The Arctic and Us

The Arctic region is a fragile and yet vitally important ecosystem — and one under pressure from the intensifying effects of climate change. The indigenous communities, biodiversity, and traditional ways of life in the regions are under threat. At the global level, swifter climate action is needed; but, at the local level, adaptation to a changing climate is already underway.

• How are the settlements, communities and indigenous peoples of the region dealing with a changing Arctic?
• Can we find new ways to increase global awareness of the effects of climate change on the Arctic, and its implications for the globe?
• What forms of international cooperation and multilateral action are needed to manage and mitigate these changes?

Panellists

Christian Clauwers, Ocean & Polar Explorer, Environmental Reporter, Documentary Photographer, Belgium

Erkki Parkkinen, Mayor, Municipality of Salla, Finland

Ishita Sharma, R&D Manager, Port of Esbjerg, Denmark

Moderator

Rolf Rødven, Executive Secretary, Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program, Arctic Council, Norway

Ganga Hall

The Internet of Maritime Things: Automation, AI, and the New Blue Economy

The shipping industry is on the verge of a profound technological transformation. New energy and autonomous vessels poised to revolutionise shipping; AI and the Internet of Things will transform logistics. This will examine how new tech is transforming the maritime business and examine how governance and regulatory frameworks will need to be updated to stay in alignment with this altered reality.

Panellists

Martin Røymo Skedsmo, Key Account Manager, Kongsberg Satellite Services, Norway

Venkata Ramana Akkaraju, Chairperson, New Mangalore Port Authority, India

Moderator

Erin Watson, Managing Director, Baker & York, Australia

Ganga Hall

Europe in the Indo-Pacific: Markets, Manufacturing and Sustainability

The nations of Europe increasingly have well-defined and converging strategies for engagement with the Indo-Pacific, most of which prioritise the sustainable development of the region. The prosperity of the two regions is inextricably linked, and secure supply lines between them is important for that prosperity. This session will deliberate on exactly how the nations of Europe envision their interests in the Indo-Pacific, and the role that ocean trade and maritime security plays in that vision.

Panellists

Bart de Jong, Special Advisor, International Relations, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Government of the Netherlands

Anna Maria Corazza Bildt, Former Member of the European Parliament

Moderator 

Kabir Taneja, Deputy Director and Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India