08.15-09.00

Registration and Coffee in the Pre-Function Area sponsored by NorthStandard

PLENARY: Atrium Ballroom

08.55-09.00

Welcome Address: Daniel Creasey, Managing Director, Cannon Events

09.00-09.30

Keynote Address: A Perspective on the Current Market

Tom will give a general overview, including statistics on the current state of Asia’s marine insurance market, along with comments on the most important topics from an IUMI perspective.

Presenter: Tom Shinya, Executive Committee Member, IUMI, Senior Expert – Marine Underwriting Department, Tokio Marine and Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. (Japan)

09.30-10.15

Panel Discussion: State of the Market

This session analyses the state of the local and global insurance markets, including a look at the way reinsurers are influencing changes in insurance policies. We look at the gaps in cover for certain risks and ask whether insurers are running the risk of becoming irrelevant by writing out too many risks from policies.

Moderator: Amanda Bjork, Claims Manager, Cambiaso Risso Asia

Panellists: Nicholas March, Head and Senior Vice President, Skuld Singapore

Mark Stevens, Managing Director, Coastal Marine Asia Holdings

Priscilla Foo, Head Marine and Aviation Reinsurance Asia Pacific – Director, Swiss Re Asia

10.15-11.00

Panel Discussion: War, War or Jaw, Jaw?

With wars in Europe and the Middle East and threats in Asia, too, this session will look at the way marine insurance war cover is evolving and how the cover has reacted in the past two years. It will include a look at the Singapore War Mutual and how that operates.

Moderator: Alex Lim, Senior Underwriter, Hull and Liability, QBE Asia

Panellists: Bozidar Ljubisavljevic, Executive Director – Marine, Cargo and Logistics, Howden Specialty Asia Pacific Pte Ltd

Chris Lambe, Senior Underwriter, Gard

Jack Marriott-Smalley, Head of South East Asia Pacific, NorthStandard

11.00-11.30

Coffee and Networking in the Pre-Function Area

11.30-11.50

Fireside Chat: Decarbonisation – Who is Going to Pay?

The need for a transition to greener processes has been highlighted by the 1-in-100-year events happening almost annually, but what has actually been done to offset the new threats in the marine space? How is the shipping sector responding to the need for greener fuels and processes? This presentation includes a look at what has changed and how those new risks are viewed by insurers. It will also include a look at the changing regulatory framework, particularly in Singapore, and the potential impact of that on shipping and its insurers.

Participants: Capt. Hari Subramaniam, Regional Head – Business Relations, The Shipowners’ Club

Taylor Wamberg, Regional Maritime Commercial Markets Manager, SAMEA, Lloyd’s Register

11.50-12.30

Panel Discussion: Getting to the Shops on Time?

Supply chains were disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, but now it is the turn of the changing climate to have an impact, most notably in the Panama Canal. The subsequent delays have enormous repercussions in terms of costs and claims, but have also sparked debate about developing trading routes, from China to the Artic, as we explore.

Moderator: Ravi Muthusamy, Group General Counsel – Legal, Claims and Insurance, X-Press Feeders

Panellists: Dr. Nick Chapman, Regional Director – Marine, Asia; Commercial Risk Solutions, Aon

Amanda Hastings, Legal Counsel, Western Bulk

Riya Kaur, General Counsel, Tata NYK Shipping

John Sullivan, Managing Director, V.Scope Risk Management

12.30-13.00

Fireside Chat: Working in the Shadows – The Dark Fleet Grows

The past year has seen an increase in the numbers of the so-called dark fleets, while other vessels are having to turn off any tracking systems to navigate certain waters. We ask: what is the scale of the problem and what are the implications of that for insurers? What are the emerging threats and how should insurers respond?

Participants: John Martin, Chief Executive Officer – Singapore, Gard

Jeremy Maynard, Regional Marine Claims Leader, Marsh

13.00-14.00

Lunch in the Pre-Function Area

STREAM I: Moor and Morrison

STREAM II: Hullet

14.00-14.40

Panel Discussion: Sanctions – Are the Wordings Fit for Purpose?

14.00-15.00 – Deep-Dive Session: Cargo – The Challenges End-to-End

No matter where business is done in the world, sanctions are having an impact. This session considers the changing nature of sanction rules but also at the insurance wordings and ask whether they remain fit for purpose. We take a look at how insureds can ensure they remain compliant as well as discussing the new attestation regime for Russian cargoes and the issues around due diligence with the recent US advisory.

Not declaring dangerous cargoes remains a huge issue for the insurance market, with vessels and crew exposed to immense danger. However, that is not the only challenge facing cargo insurers. Gen Zs are among the greatest online shoppers, and fast-growing, young populations in Asia and Africa alike are placing extra demand on shippers. Do insurers understand those changing patterns and are they responding? This deep-dive into the cargo market also tackles the thorny question of online retailers. Without bricks and mortar, but with hundreds of shipments all needing insurance, the insurance market needs a better solution.

Moderator: Tony Paulson, Head of Asia and Corporate Director, West of England P&I

Panellists: Simon Leslie, Associate Director, London P&I Club

Neil Watts, Sanctions and Maritime Security Expert, Culmen International

Paul Collier, Legal Director, Clyde & Co

14.40-15.00

Presentation: The Test of Insurance – Claims from Oil Bunkering

With an increased numbers of claims from oil bunker incidents, particularly from vessels using off-spec fuel, this session hears about the claims and  emerging trends. We consider why these claims are happening and any risk management solutions to mitigate the losses, as well as take a look at the changing regulations for insurers?

Presenter: Ansuman Ghosh, Director Risk Assessment, Thomas Miller P&I (Europe)

Moderator: Xi Ying Tay, Associate, Clasis LLC in association with Clyde & Co

Panellists: Alexandros Ampatzis, Marine Manager Southeast Asia, Starr International Insurance (Singapore)

Capt. Deha Aydin, Maritime Consultant, Esenyel Partners, Lawyers & Consultants

Athanasios Giakos, Senior Vice President, Marine, Cargo and Logistics – Asia, Marsh

15.00-15.20

Coffee and Networking in the Pre-Function Area

15.20-15.40

Presentation: Adding up the Aggregation

Presentation: What is a Ship?

Aggregation remains really worrying for the cargo insurance market, as cargo insurers struggle to keep up to date with where a cargo is at any given time. The risks associated with not having full visibility on cargo movements is leading to concerns from senior management about levels of exposure for the insurers, as we uncover in this session.

We will unravel the sometimes-surprising complexities surrounding what constitutes a ship, exploring various legal frameworks and regulatory requirements. From traditional definitions to contemporary interpretations, we will examine the evolution of what constitutes a ship and, accordingly, whether it will be amenable to being arrested.

Presenter: Andy Yeoman, Chief Executive Officer, Concirrus

Presenter: Andrew Bicknell, Partner, Clyde & Co

15.40-16.20

Panel Discussion: Changing the Shape of P&I

Deep-Dive Session: Salvage – Why do We Never Learn?

With the merger of NorthStandard last year, the market was abuzz with chatter about the implications for the whole P&I market. This session dives into the detail on the state of the market since then, both in terms of rates and performance.

Set in 2030; the discovery of Special J, a rare mineral crucial for hoverboard production, has reshaped global trade dynamics. With high demand and limited supply, transporting Special J becomes a critical endeavour. However, a mishap occurs when a bulk carrier carrying Special J grounds, obstructing the only channel to Nowhere Land’s port.

The panel, comprising a moderator, SCR, P&I representative and Salvor representative, navigates this crisis. Drawing parallels with real-world incidents like the Ever Given and more recent Baltimore bridge disaster, the panel will discuss the implications and challenges of a major channel obstruction. This discussion explores the potential maximum foreseeable loss from such an incident and offers insights into mitigating such risks in marine insurance.

Moderator: Mike Walls, Marine Cargo Logistics Leader – Asia, Managing Director, Marsh

Panellists: Nick Shaw, Chief Executive, International Group of P&I Clubs

David Griffiths, Regional Head of Underwriting, West of England P&I

David Roberts, Head of Asia Pacific, NorthStandard

Moderator: Capt. John Silberberg, Master Mariner, Asia-Pacific Director of Operations, TMC Marine

Panellists: Roger King, Master Mariner, Specialty Casualty Representative and Marine Consultant, TMC Marine

Bas Wiebe, General Manager, Resolve Salvage & Fire (Asia)

Kenny Choo, P&I Claims Director – Asia Pacific, South-East Asia Pacific Lead, NorthStandard

16.20-17.00

Panel Discussion: Wind Farms – Blowing Hot and Cold

16.20-16.50: Focus Session 1: Lithium-Ion Battery Fires – A Forensic Insight

 Asian waters have seen wind farms springing up in the past year with plans for more to come, as the push for green energy continues. This session examines the current state of play and both the risks and opportunities that poses for marine insurers.

Join us on a whistle-stop journey through the smouldering world of lithium-ion battery fires, as seen through the eyes of a forensic investigator. We will delve into the science behind these explosive incidents, the techniques used to tackle lithium-ion battery fires and their potential limitations, and discover how modern forensic investigation techniques can shed light on the causes of battery failures.

Presenter: Tom Peat, Senior Associate, Hawkins & Associates

16.50-17.20: Focus Session 2: Throwing the BMW Out with the Bath Water

Moderator: Toby Stephens, Partner, HFW

Participants: Jacob Damgaard, Divisional Director – Head of Loss Prevention, Britannia P&I Club

Rupert Banks, Head of Specialty Claims – Asia Pacific, P&I Claims Director – Asia Pacific, North Asia Pacific Lead, NorthStandard

Fiona Pounds, Associate Director and Deputy General Manager (HK Office), London P&I Club

Insurers have shown a` lack of appetite to insure car carriers with electric vehicles on board. But, as more consumers choose to buy EVs, more carriers will have them on board. Why are insurers taking this stance and what will free up the market into the future? This deep dive considers why insurers are so risk-averse and whether insurers can ever make a profit out of this business?

17.00-17.20

Presentation: Navigating the Future – New Technologies in Risk Management and Claims Automation for Marine Insurance

Explore how cutting-edge technologies are transforming risk management and claim handling, revolutionising marine insurance operations.

Moderator: Karnan Thirupathy, Partner, Kennedys

Panellists: Capt. Nitin Chopra, Senior Risk Consultant – Marine Risk Consulting Asia-Pacific, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty

Kenneth Cheong, Marine Underwriting Manager, HDI Global SE Singapore

Benjamin Fong, Head of Marine, Gallagher

Presenter: Mike Gerasymov, Risk and Insurance Manager, Swire Shipping

17.20-17.25

Closing Remarks: Daniel Creasey, Managing Director, Cannon Events

17.25-18.30

Closing Drinks Reception – Pre-Function Area