“Gas Shipping - Shaping the future today”

The 1^st LR Gas Shipping Forum in Greece

 

On Wednesday 11 May Lloyd’s Register (LR) held its first Gas Shipping Forum in Greece, ‘Gas shipping – shaping the future today’. The forum took place at the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation in Piraeus and combined presentations and panel discussions on technical and commercial aspects. The programme was focused on essential technologies and commercial opportunities in the LPG sector, a market where LR has the leading share of the orderbook both in Greece and world-wide.

In the Technical session LPG containment systems, storage and handling technology were areas of focus, including very interesting presentations by high-level representatives of Wartsila, Babcock-LGE, M.E.S., GTT, TGE Marine and MAN. LR’s Jose Navarro addressed on how legislation is driving design and made special reference to the IGC Code. The technical session was followed by a very fruitful panel discussion where representatives of Shipping Companies and Shipyards contributed their views on technology and innovation. Knut Erik Heggem (Wartsila), Li Xiaoling (JiangNan), Antonios Georgantzis (CMM), George Paul Perantzakis (Naftomar) and Diamantis Andriotis (StealthGas) framed the technical panel.

In the commercial session of the forum Dr Jonathan Gaylor of Affinity Shipbrokers provided a thorough look at broader gas market opportunities. Furthermore, LR’s Leonidas Karistios provided an overview of the essential LPG technologies and presented the positioning of LR in the Gas Markets, whereas LR’s Panayiotis Mitrou addressed on Small Scale LNG as alternative fuel.

The day ended with a Market Outlook panel discussion where Shipowners’ perspectives on the Gas markets were provided by Kostas Vlachos (CMM), Alexander Hadjipateras (Dorian LPG), Harry Vafias (StealthGas) and Nikolaos Ioannou (Benelux).

LR’s Anthi Miliou commented, ‘our role is to help shipowners and technology providers make the best decisions based on the best technical independent insight. Bridging the technical and the commercial today, we shared a useful dialogue with engine makers, containment and gas handling technology providers, shipyards and owners.’

 

“It is great to see how the Greek shipping community embraces new technologies especially in the gas sector. The Gas Shipping Forum in Piraeus was a milestone for LR and further enhanced our engagement to promote innovation and ensure that new technologies that enter the market are safe, reliable and meet the needs of the Greek industry.” said Leonidas Karistios, LR Global Gas Technology Market Manager.