The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) will focus clearly on its core agenda this year, with experts from key areas of industry across the board speaking at its 2016 International Shipping Conference, to be held at the British Library on Wednesday 7 September.

Principal speakers include Kitack Lim, Secretary-General, IMO; Ian Parry, Principal Environmental Fiscal Policy Expert, International Monetary Fund (IMF); and Esben Poulsson, new Chairman of ICS.

Reducing CO2 emissions is high on the list of priorities for the industry, and this is reflected in the programme, with an ‘all parties’ session on the issue, chaired by John Adams, Managing Director, Teekay (Glasgow) and Chairman of the Bahamas Shipowners’ Association, and with perspectives from all sides of the debate including regulators, NGOs and ship operators.

Kathy Metcalf, President, Chamber of Shipping of America will address the challenges of the Ballast Water Convention and Guy Platten, CEO, UK Chamber of Shipping will be focusing on EU Brexit and the decisions faced by the shipping industry as a consequence.

Other key issues in the spotlight at the Conference include over-capacity in the shipping industry, with guest speaker Olaf Merk, OECD International Transport Forum, and a strong cross discipline panel; and sessions on seafarer supply issues; tackling corruption; shipowner liability; and the NATO response to piracy and refugees.

“The issues on the table today cover a broad spectrum and affect us all,” says ICS Policy & External Relations Director, Simon Bennett. “It is important to fully debate them at all levels and across all sectors of the shipping community. The 2016 ICS International Shipping Conference offers the ideal opportunity to bring all parties together to share ideas and test established positions.”