08.00-08.55

Registration and Refreshments sponsored by West of England P&I Club

08.55-09.00

Conference Chair: Fareed Lutfi, Secretary General, Emirates Insurance Association

09.00-09.10

Welcome Address:

Presenter: H.E. Hessa Ahmed Hamdan Al Malek, Advisor to the Minister for Maritime Transport Affairs, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, United Arab Emirates

09.10-10.10

Conflict in the Middle East: Resilience, Reform and Regional Opportunity

In this headline session, we will break up the various insurance classes impacted by the Gulf conflict and discuss the impact on each, from the way wordings performed to the claims experience, and what it might all mean for the future.

Facilitator: Jasmin Fichte, Managing Partner, Fichte & Co

Participants: Bozidar Ljubisavlevic, Regional Head of Marine – Middle East and Africa/Regional Marine Chief Client Officer Asia, Howden

Tim Davies, Head of Claims (Eastern Team), West of England P&I Club

James Petrie, Senior Underwriting Director, The UK P&I Club

Omar Shalan, Head of Marine, Sukoon Insurance

Lia Konstantopoulou, Marine Director, City Marine Insurance Brokers

Cargo: Owners had entered into charter policies to discharge cargo and of course, as the Gulf erupted, they invoked their Conwar clauses. In this session, we look at how cargo policies fared in the face of war.

Hull, including loss of hire and blocking and trapping: Loss of hire claims started to emerge rapidly at the start of the confilict, so in this session we look back at the overall claims experience. We also consider the thorny question of blocking and trapping and how such policies might have been enacted, had the need arisen.

P&I: From a P&I perspective, we take a look at owners and charterers and at the changes to war risks.

Ports: Some terminals in the UAE were hit by missiles and damaged by debris, events which were not covered under most of their policies. We look at what was actually hit and at the claims landscape as we emerge from the conflict.

Geopolitical Issues: One Iranian suggestion was the imposition of tolls on all vessels using the Strait of Hormuz in the future. In this session, we look at how any such levy might work and at how both the international fleet and the dark fleet would be positioned to pay such a toll.

10.10-10.30

Fireside Chat: Post-Salvage Environmental Solutions and Waste Management

In an effort to lower the environmental footprint of a casualty, reducing waste, recycling resources and generating energy more efficiently is of paramount importance. In this session, we consider the post-salvage integration of hazmat control of a distressed vessel and the cooperation between the parties to control any dangerous release from her cargo, bunkers, or ship systems. 

Participants: Sofia Falida, International Business Relations Director, Polygreen

Elias Psyllos, Vice President, T&T Salvage and President, American Salvage Association

10.30-11.00

Coffee and Networking Break sponsored by

11.00-11.40

Panel Discussion: Crew Matters – Keeping the Crew Safe

This is not just about crew issues, but also about the importance of the crew. The past year has shown the vulnerability of crew when conflict breaks out and in this session, we explore how the maritime sector is stepping up its responsibilities in terms of crew welfare. We investigate how P&I cover works to protect the crew and look at what the after effects might be.

Moderator: Puneet Sareen, Partner, Hill Dickinson

Panellists: Caglar Coskunsu, Partner, Cavus & Coskunsu

Annie Hickson, Claims Manager, West of England P&I Club

Aaron Williams, Head of Accident and Health, elesco

Chris Bhatt, Head of Transportation and Logistics and Strategic Growth Lead – MENA Specialty, Aon Reinsurance Solutions MENA

11.40-12.20

Panel Discussion: What Comes Next in Middle East Maritime Risk and Why?

As geopolitical tensions continue to evolve, the Middle East remains a key source of uncertainty for global shipping. This session will explore potential future scenarios from escalation and de-escalation to prolonged instability and will examine how brokers, insurers and shipowners can adapt their risk management and insurance strategies. Drawing on lessons from recent maritime incidents, the discussion will provide practical insights into navigating an increasingly complex risk landscape.

Moderator: Richard Hugg, Partner, Stephenson Harwood

Panellists: Nick Maddalena, Managing Director – Insurance, Ambrey

Marsh TBC

Rob Crichton, Group Director – Logistics and Marine Insurance, DP World

12.20-12.40

Fireside Chat: The Challenge of Force Majeure

Ports and terminals in the UAE and the wider Middle East quickly became targets of Iranian missiles as the Gulf conflict erupted. The challenge for owners and operators was the lack of insurance coverage and the question became one of force majeure and whether it would be brought into play in these circumstances. In this case study, we look at what and was not covered.

Participants:

12.40-13.40

Lunch and Networking sponsored by

13.40-14.20

Panel Discussion: Finding a Safe Haven – The UAEs’ Plans

Middle Eastern port authorities have had an interesting role to play throughout the Gulf conflict, providing a safe haven, but coming under attack themselves. In this session, we look at how ports have coped and what it means for the concept of ports of refuge going forward. We also review the law drafted for the UAE government on ports of refuge to see what might happen next and what the expectations are for the future.

Moderator:

Panellists: Julien Horn, Partner – Ports and Transportation Liabilities, McGill and Partners

Elisabeth Baker, Director, Transportation and Logistics, Aon Reinsurance Solutions MENA

Captain Ibrahim Ahmad Albooshi, Executive Director, Dubai Ports Authority

14.20-15.10

Panel Discussion: State of the Market – Continuity of Cover

In this session, we discuss the current state of the insurance market across the Middle East and the wider world. As select markets soften, we look at the impact of mergers and acquisitions as well as at the risk of insurers disappearing altogether and ask why that is happening and what it means for insurers, brokers and the insureds. Finally, we consider the shift away from London and ask whether that is a reality or just a perception.

Moderator:

Panellists: Ravi Jawani, Partner, Fichte & Co

Kirill Patyrykin, Director, Surety Marine

Manoj Kumar, Senior Vice President, Marine Specialty- Risk Solutions, Lockton 

15.10-15.30

Coffee and Networking Break sponsored by

15.30-15.50

Presentation: UAE Maritime Law Update

The latest edition of the UAE Maritime Law introduces a forward-looking framework for maritime operations, covering key areas including carriage of goods by sea, multimodal transport, maritime services, safety and insurance. This session will examine the critical role of having Executive Regulations to provide greater procedural clarity, technical standards and consistency in the application of the law. Through practical insights and case studies, Saif will explore how stakeholders can navigate the transitional period, anticipate regulatory developments and adapt to the evolving maritime landscape, while supporting the UAE’s ambition to remain a leading hub for international maritime activity.

Presenter: Saif Almobideen, Partner, Stephenson Harwood

15.50-16.10

Presentation: The Reality of AI Spoofing

As soon as the Middle East conflict started, spoofing incidents went through the roof. Like Russia-Ukraine, only on a bigger scale. We had more than 3000 vessels attacked in one day. There was a real danger of collisions and/or groundings.

Presenter: Jean-Charles Gordon, Vice President – Maritime and Logistics, Kpler

16.10-17.10

Role Play: Fire on Board

In this role play, we take an example of a fire on board a container ship and consider the end-to-end journey of the consequences, including a look at the immediate aftermath through to any arising disputes.

Facilitator: Gagan Dillon, Chief Executive Officer Dubai, West of England P&I Club

Participants: Ian Teare, Partner, Hill Dickinson

Tom Peat, Principal Associate, Hawkins

Fieke Nijland, Vice President Legal, Emirates Shipping Line

Dhananjay Das Podiyatvariyam, Senior Claims Manager, London P&I Club

17.10-17.15

Closing Remarks: Fareed Lutfi, Secretary General, Emirates Insurance Association

17.15-18.30

Drinks Reception sponsored by