Posted on: 7 November 2017
The 42nd International Maritime Industries Forum (IMIF) Annual Dinner was held in association with Maritime London at the Radisson Blu Portman Hotel on Monday, 6th November. The dinner’s keynote speaker was shipping minister John Hayes, who later received the ‘London Shipping Champion of the Year’ award from IMIF council member, Alan McCarthy and Maritime London chairman, the Lord Mountevans.
The event raised over £1,500 on the night for this year’s chosen charity – the Maritime London Officer Cadet Scolarship (MLOCS), which currently has 20 cadets at various stages of training. The scheme provides funds to enable young people to undertake the three to four year training required to become a Merchant Navy deck, engine or electro-technical officer.
Before the dinner, a successful seminar was also held discussing the ‘Effects of e-commerce on shipping’ for the members of both organisations. A panel of expert speakers including Nicholas Berry, partner, Norton Rose Fulbright LLP; Julian Clark, global head of shipping, Hill Dickinson LLP and James Johnston, senior dry analyst, Braemar ACM and Søren Meyer, chief strategy & transformation officer, Maersk Tankers (pictured) considered the growing emphasis of digitalisation in the maritime sector and its impact.
The dinner also provided a platform to inform the attendees that discussions were taking place on a potential merger between Maritime London and the IMIF. Maritime London members will have received a separate communication on the potential merger.
Maritime London Chief Executive, Jos Standerwick, said: “Both organisations complement one and other: IMIF has a 40 year track record of running high level debates and dinners whilst Maritime London fights London and the UK’s corner, promoting our successful cluster of professional services globally. By combining our forces, we will provide a wider platform and create a stronger voice for the members of both organisations who face a future of unprecedented change in the maritime industries.”
Established in 1975, IMIF was originally formed by a group of shipowning, banking, shipbuilding and oil company interests concerned about the devastating economic effects of the over-tonnaged tanker market. Today it runs a programme of intimate talks featuring high level speakers in London and organises a popular annual dinner and is supported by small secretariat based at the Baltic Exchange.
