Franco Porcellacchia

VP Sustainable Innovation and Infrastructural Development, Costa Group

Franco Porcellacchia was born in Genova on 30th April 1953. After graduating from the University of Genoa with a degree in Naval Architecture and Mechanical Engineering in 1979, Franco commenced his career with RINA, the Italian Naval Classification Society, holding several roles in the field of ship classification and safety both in Italy and the US. In January 2002, after a 22-year career with RINA, Franco joined Costa Crociere S.p.A., where he was assigned responsibility for all the company’s technical activities as Vice President and Director of Technical Operations, managing Costa Crociere’s fleet of twelve cruise ships and overseeing the construction of a further 5 vessels. In July 2008 he took up a position with Carnival Corporate Shipbuilding to head the team providing technical support across all of the Carnival Corporation brands in a variety of priority projects. In August 2009 he was appointed to the role of Vice President of Carnival Corporate Ship Refit within Carnival Corporation & plc. In 2012 he was appointed to lead the Ship Owner’s team in the Costa Concordia Wreck Removal Project, with the task of coordinating all the project activities at Isola del Giglio on behalf of Carnival/Costa Crociere. He was responsible for overseeing the engineering design for the wreck removal completed in July 2014, as well as for the subsequent activities for the site seabed recovery currently ongoing, ensuring their compliance with health and safety, and acting as link between the parties involved: the Salvors, the Insurers and their Technical Consultants, the Italian Authorities. Currently Franco is involved, on behalf of Carnival Corporation, in its program of exhaust gas cleaning system installations on board of a large number of vessels for all of the group’s Operating Lines. He covers the position of Vice President and Director of Marine Department in Ecospray Technologies.

Tom Strang

Senior Vice President, Maritime Affairs Carnival Corporation & plc

Tom Strang is Senior Vice President Maritime Affairs for Carnival Corporation and plc, responsible for developing a group wide strategy for the supply of LNG for the next generation of cruise ships under order. He also provides representation for the Carnival group at various maritime authorities in Europe and other regions relating to marine and technical regulatory activities. Tom began his career as a Naval Architect with Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd and then moved to Lloyds Register where he rose to the level of senior passenger ship specialist before joining Carnival’s Corporate Shipbuilding team in 2000. Since then Tom has been involved in various areas of the business including Maritime Development and Compliance, HESS and Corporate Maritime Policy. Prior to taking up his current role, Tom was SVP Marine Operations at Costa with responsibility for marine and technical operations, manning and newbuilding for the Costa fleet. Tom is currently chair of the ICS Passenger Ship Panel, the UK Chamber of Shipping Safety & Environment Committee, the CLIA EU Environmental, Safety and Security Sub-Committee and the Royal Institution of Naval Architects Environmental Committee. Married with 3 children his hobbies outside of work include sailing and walking.

Jörg Erdmann

Senior Director Sustainability Management, Hapag-Lloyd

Jörg has more than 36 years of experience in container shipping and gained deep knowledge holding various management positions in broadly diversified functions and in several locations around the world. He is a business administration graduate (Dipl. Kfm.) from the University of Hamburg. Since 2017 Jörg leads the Sustainability Management, being responsible eg for quality (ISO) standards, the annual sustainability report and a project developing the future marine fuel strategy. Jörg joined Hapag-Lloyd in 1982. His previous positions included management responsibilities as Senior Director in Singapore (Regional BA Asia), in Barcelona (Area Iberia and Sub-Saharan Africa), in Chile (Integration of a Chilean Shipping company), in Dubai (Integration of an Arabic Shipping company), as well as in his hometown Hamburg (Group Controlling).

Bud Darr

Executive Vice President, Maritime Policy and Government Affairs, MSC Group

An experienced global maritime leader in the areas of policy, government, and related law, Bud Darr is Executive Vice President, Maritime Policy and Government Affairs of MSC Group. Having served in the US Navy, US Merchant Marine, and US Coast Guard, as well as being an accomplished ocean yacht racer, Bud’s longstanding connection with the sea and ships that sail upon it is both personal and professional. Bud began his education with the US Navy in Submarine Nuclear Engineering and later furthered his formal education at the US Merchant Marine Academy, where he was trained as a Deck Officer and received his undergraduate degree. Later, during his service with the US Coast Guard, he studied law at the George Washington University Law School. In 2010, he retired from his government career to join the Cruise Lines International Association, where as its Global Senior Vice President of Technical and Regulatory Affairs, he led the cruise industry’s efforts in a broad range of maritime subject areas, including countless international treaty negotiations, sector-wide policy development, and engagement with government bodies around the world. He has conducted work in more than fifty countries throughout his career and consistently served in leadership roles for more than three decades. Today, Bud is engaged across MSC’s Cargo and Passenger divisions, including MSC Cruises, in applying his skills toward developing the company’s central Government Affairs function, based at the Group’s headquarters in Geneva. He is closely involved in MSC’s response to developments in environmental public policy and regulation and other industry-wide issues such as carbon reduction, maritime security, safety at sea, illegal wildlife trafficking and international shipping policy.

Monika Griefahn

Senior Advisor, Sustainability, Costa Cruises

Former Minister, Germany
Dr. Monika Griefahn is a founding member of Greenpeace Germany and was Co-CEO (1980-1983). She organized campaigns against chemical pollution of rivers and the North Sea. From 1984-1990 she was the first female board member of Greenpeace International and responsible for trainings and founding new offices all around the world.
From 1990-1998 she was Minister of the Environment in the German state of Lower Saxony. She put her main emphasis on working for renewable energy and the phasing out of nuclear power.
From 1998-2009 she worked as Member of Parliament in the German Bundestag. Her main responsibilities were in the sectors culture and media, especially new media and foreign cultural policy.
In 2012 she founded the Institute Media, Environment, Culture (IMUK) – a company with advisory services and educational occupation in the sustainability sector. Griefahn is CEO of the Institute.
From 2012 -2018 she was Director for Environment and Community at cruise company AIDA Cruises, too. In that position she accompanied the company’s new alignment towards the use of LNG as sustainable fuel. Since 2018 she is doing business as Senior Sustainablity Advisor at Costa Group (AIDA, Costa and Costa Asia) within the context of her IMUK work focusing on strategic advisory services.
Monika Griefahn is engaged in numerous voluntary commitments – among others as board and jury member of the Right Livelihood Award Foundation (“Alternative Nobel Prize”) and chair of Cradle to Cradle e.V.

Wolfgang Hintzsche

Marine Director, VDR - German Shipowners' Association

58 years old, more than 40 years of experience in worldwide shipping and shipbuilding business:

• 6 years education and service as Naval Officer on Minehunters & Minesweepers
• Studies in Hamburg for Master Mariner
• 9 years service on Bulk Carriers, RoRo-, Heavy-Lift- and Semi-Container-Vessels with Owners Frigga, C.F.Ahrenkiel and Sloman Neptun
• Sales & Project Engineer for Marine Electronics (ELNA)
• Area Sales Manager Cargo Handling Systems (MacGREGOR)
• Managing Director Manoeuvring & Propulsion Systems (JASTRAM)
• Technical Director Shipyard (SET)
• General Manager Crewing Agencies (PETER DÖHLE)
• Since 03-2006 Marine Director at German Shipowners’ Association (VDR)

Marcel Flipse

Head of Marine Applications, Orcan Energy

Orcan Energy AG is a provider of turnkey solutions for optimizing energy efficiency in industrial processes and engine systems. The clean-tech company, based in Munich,was established in 2008, and originates from the Technical University Munich. With its efficiency PACK series, Orcan Energy offers cost-effective, reliable modules that are based on Organic Rankine Cycle technology, producing CO2-free electricity or mechanical power from waste heat.

Lucienne Damm

Senior Environmental Manager, TUI Cruises

Lucienne Damm is a political scientist and working in the sustainable and environmental field for over 12 years. For over 8 years now, she is working as Senior Environmental Manager at TUI Cruises, a German premium cruise line operator. Among others, she is responsible for the company’s environmental strategy & supporting projects, environmental management systems (ISO 140001) and reporting processes. She is involved in TUI Cruises new build projects, always looking for sustainability innovations. Since 2015, Lucienne is Vice Chairwoman of Futouris e.V. and member of the Sustainability Committee of DRV (German Travel Association). Her former positions included a Research position at the Research Centre for Environmental Policy in Berlin and a position as Policy Officer for Transport at NABU e.V. in Berlin, one of Germany’s largest nature and biodiversity conservation NGO.

Michele Francioni

Senior Vice President, Cost Optimization & Process Improvement, MSC Cruises

Michele Francioni joined MSC Cruises in September 2018 as Senior Vice President. Michele has strong depth in Maritime and Sustainability issues. He has a degree in Naval Architecture and a Master’s in Marine and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Genoa.
He started his career at the Italian Classification Society RINA, working as a structural engineer and marine surveyor before being appointed as Manager of Plan Approval Centre in Korea, Manager of Hong Kong and Singapore Office and lately as Asia General Manager.
Before joining MSC Cruises, he served as CEO of RINA Services for over six years. He also served as Council Member of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) from 2013 to 2018.

Andreas Slotte

Head of Sustainable Development, Port of Helsinki

Andreas Slotte is the Head of Sustainable Development at Port of Helsinki Ltd, where he is in charge of the port’s sustainable development strategy and activities. Foremost on the agenda at the moment is the implementation of the port’s carbon neutrality program, the expansion and adaption of used sustainability reporting metrics, as well as further development of the port’s environmental incentive program for vessels. Andreas is also in charge of the port’s LNG accreditation process.
Joining Port of Helsinki in 2013, Andreas worked in operations before assuming his current role. Andreas has an MBA from Aalto University, Helsinki, and is also a Master Mariner. 2018.

Juha Tanttari

Lead Consulting Engineer in Technical Analysis, Elomatic

Juha Tanttari has 20 years’ experience of working in fluid dynamics consulting. His experience covers a vast range of industrial segments including marine hydrodynamics and aerodynamics, project management and sales. Juha joined Process Flow in 1999, which was acquired by Elomatic in 2017. He currently holds the position of Lead Consulting Engineer in Technical Analysis

Mike Guggenheimer

President & CEO, RSC Bio Solutions

Mike joined Blumenthal Holdings 10 years ago and currently serves as its President and CEO. He oversees daily operations of its three portfolio companies; Blumenthal Brands Integrated (BBI), Blumenthal Business Services (BBS), and RSC BIO Solutions. Mike initiated the company’s move into industrial biotechnology with a 2012 investment in Terresolve Technologies, a leading biolubricant company with a record of accomplishment dating back to the 1980’s. The RSC Bio Solutions platform has developed into a global leader in performance environmental lubricants and cleaners with a unique focus on marine applications. Prior to joining Blumenthal Holdings, Guggenheimer was an operating partner for Blackstreet Capital Management, a private equity group that focused on control buyouts of under- performing corporate orphans. He also held a variety of general management positions for Milliken & Company, from manufacturing management to strategic business development. Guggenheimer holds a B.A. in psychology from Davidson College and an M.B.A. from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.

Michiel Vermeiren

Shipping Lines Manager, Port of Antwerp

At Antwerp port authority, Michiel Vermeiren leads the commercial department focusing on the shipping lines. A very important focus goes to preparing the Antwerp port to make sure carriers are served as efficient as possible and the port’s product is future proof. Sustainability, Innovation and digitalization are crucial drivers. He is involved in strategic projects as ‘on shore power supply’ and ‘multifuel port’ .
After a 10 year career within the Maersk Group in different management roles (trade & commercial), Michiel started at the port of Antwerp in 2016.

Karstein Nygard

Sales Manager, Ulmatec Pyro

Mr Karstein Nygård is 56 years old, he is a Mechanical engineer in construction and energy systems. Mr Nygår has worked since 2010 as Sales Manager at Ulmatec Pyro AS. Before that, he was a Service Manager for the Automation department in Rolls-Royce Marine for 23 years.

Kai Latun

Director, Sales and Public Affairs, Yara Marine Technologies

Kai Låtun (62), has education from Norwegian Technical University (NTNU, Trondheim, Norway) and post-graduate from London Business School, covering engineering and finance/economy. He has extensive experience from the marine industry, with more than 18 years in management positions. He has been working specifically with marine emissions to air abatement technologies (NOx, SOx and PM) since 2007.

Kim Kjaer

Global Segment Manager, Marine / Offshore, C.C.JENSEN

Kim Kjaer joined technical sales in C.C.JENSEN A/S in 1998 and have since been responsible for technical consultancy and sales to various segments and geographical areas, where he has assisted and guided customers to obtain increased reliability and longer lifetime on hydraulics, engines, gearboxes and many other systems, where oil is an essential part of the operation. This being in mining environments, in plastic molding machines, steel mills or on all types of marine applications. He has in the past 4 years had the commercial lead in a R&D project for engine oil treatment and condition monitoring in thrusters and cranes. Part of the project funded by The Danish Maritime Fund. Today Kim is part of the global sales management team at C.C.JENSEN A/S and leads the global marine/offshore segment team.

Andrew Shaw

Managing Director, Lloyd's Register GMT

Andrew Shaw qualified from Birmingham University in 1985 with a degree in Metallurgy & Materials but chose to enter the world of commercial challenges in various sales roles in metals related industries such as the Swedish stainless steel manufacturer, Sandvik AB. For the next 17 years he worked as Sales Manager for international companies selling to the aluminium, chrome, steel and titanium industries. 2002 presented Andrew with a complete change of industry when he entered the world of marine fuel testing taking the sales manager role with what was then known as Lintec Testing and later become a part of the Intertek group. In 2007 Andrew with 2 colleagues in the industry started a new fuel testing company called Guardian Marine Testing (GMT) which grew from a standing start to then in 2015 being acquired by Lloyd’s Register to then run the joined up business renamed Lloyd’s Register GMT Ltd which is now well known as FOBAS