Interest and Support continue to grow for the WISTA Conference

Top flight experts have lent their prestige to a drive by the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association to further the debate on how the shipping industry can meet growing demands for environmental accountability and corporate social responsibility.

With just two months to go to the annual international conference of WISTA, which this year will be in Athens from September 29 to October 1, the host WISTA Hellas has detailed a powerful list of speakers from Greece and from the wider maritime community.

Anna-Maria Monogioudi, President of WISTA Hellas, said: “Our members are keen to engage in a dialogue with the best people in the various areas of the maritime industry, so that they can give a lead to best practice in their home countries and their own companies, at a time when the International Maritime Organization, national and regional legislators, and industry authorities are watching closely to ensure that shipping builds on its excellent record of recent years in minimising risks and efficiently furthering international trade.

“We are proud that WISTA’s 30^th international conference will be held in a country which is a cradle of international shipping and has one of the world’s most substantial shipping sectors. It will be a platform for inspiring and creative deliberation. Our sponsors and speakers are giving magnificent support in making this possible.”

Many leading names have been added to the list of distinguished speakers, which as already announced, is led by IMO Secretary-General Adm Efthimios Mitropoulos. Topics covered will include market prospects, environmental challenges, ship finance, marine insurance claims, legal issues, safety and salvage, as well as piracy. Mr Ilias Tsakiris, Managing Director and Board Director of Diamond Sponsor, Hellenic Hull Management Ltd, together with Mr. Emmanuel Vordonis, Executive Director of Bronze Sponsor, Thenamaris Ships Management, will be among speakers in the session: The Social Profile of the Shipping Industry: Best Practices leading to Excellence.

Shipping is said to produce 3% of world greenhouse gas emissions, and that share is likely to grow. WISTA is thus delighted to have the support of Carbon Positive, a company based in Greece, both as a Gold Sponsor and through the input of commercial director John Palmisano who will speak at the Conference session entitled Safeguarding the Environment: Innovations. Mr Palmisano is one of the pioneers of emissions trading and has advised governments, industry and trade associations on how to benefit from environmental trading. WISTA is privileged to welcome to the Conference Mr Hiroshi Shibako, who has spent the last two decades as a ship surveyor and auditor for the classification society Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK). He will speak in the same session. Mr Shibako’s presence adds to the support that ClassNK has extended to the Conference in agreeing to become a Silver Sponsor. ClassNK’s influence is more important than ever, for its Chairman and President Mr Noboru Ueda, this year has assumed the role of Chairman of the Council of the International Association of Classification Societies.

An up-to-date list of speakers and sponsors can be found on the WISTA website www.wistaconference.org by referring to our bimonthly Newsletters. Among many other supporters, Lloyd’s Register has recently become a Silver Sponsor, and Athenian Sea Carriers, Barclays Wealth and Norton Rose as Bronze Sponsors. A Pearls of Wisdom (the pearl being the emblem of 30^th anniversaries) section has been opened for those making a more modest  contribution appropriate to the size of their organisation.

One of the highlights in Athens will be the selection of the WISTA International Personality of the Year 2010. Nominations have been invited from the various national WISTA associations, and the winner will be announced and the award presented on September 30, during   the Conference. Previous winners have been Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, owner of easyGroup; Rodi Kratsa, vice-president of the European Parliament, who persuaded politicians to launch a European Maritime Day; Elisabeth Grieg, chief executive of Grieg International and co-owner of Grieg Group; and Pamela Conover, president and chief executive of The Yachts of Seaborne,

WISTA is growing, and includes some 28 national associations, with considerably more than 1,200 individual members worldwide. The association encourages mentoring, education, knowledge sharing and the highest professional standards among female executives associated with the maritime industry, and provides mutual support and networking opportunities.

WISTA Hellas looks forward to welcoming delegates from Greece and around the world to this un-missable event. Members of the Press are welcome to attend the public sessions of the Conference. For more information, please see www.wistaconference.org  or email athens2010@wistaconference.gr