Bureau Veritas Group - Experts & Thought Leaders

The Maritime Standard recently held its most successful Tanker Conference yet, as over 400 delegates registered to attend in person at the Atlantis, the Palm, Dubai on Thursday October 25th. The tenth conference in this series, which had the theme “Tanker Shipping Negotiates Challenging Market Headwinds’ was dominated by market uncertainties, caused primarily by geopolitical factors. Impact on tanker shipping Conference editor, Clive Woodbridge, said: “During the morning session, the word ‘uncertainty’ was heard so many times I lost count! There is no doubt that external factors are having a great impact on tanker shipping right now, with new tariffs and port charges, sanctions, the trade tensions between the USA and China, conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, the IMO’s pause on net zero regulations and the fast pace of technological change all coming into the mix." "Rarely if ever have tanker shipping executives had to make strategic decisions against a backdrop of such volatility and unpredictability.”  Importance of tanker shipping This year’s keynote speakers were HE Sheikh Khaled Al Sabah, Acting CEO of Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC) and Dr Ibrahim Al Nadhari, CEO of ASYAD Shipping & Drydocks. Sheikh Khaled noted the fast pace of change driven by geopolitics, particularly highlighting the impact of sanctions and the presence of the so called ‘dark fleet’. But positively, he stressed the continued importance of tanker shipping as the “backbone of oil supply chains.” Geopolitics was one of a number of factors that Dr. Al Nadhairi said were keeping him awake at night, along with operational disruptions, insurance premiums, regulatory compliance and market volatility. His overall message was that there is a clear need to balance operational actions with long-term strategic planning. “This is key to navigating uncertainties and sustaining profitability in a volatile market,” he added. Long-term commitment to decarbonisation Other panelists in the first session of the conference, which focussed on sustainable strategies to combat uncertainties, included Abdul Bari Alzubaidi, Senior Vice President, Ship Management, ADNOC Logistics & Services; Ali Abouda, Group Financial Officer, Gulf Navigation Holdings; Nafeesa Moloobhoy, Managing Director, Moloobhoy Group of Companies; Navin Kumar, Director, Drewry Maritime Research; Bard Poulsson, Senior Vice President, Lockton; Captain Ankara Arora, Global Market Leader, Tankers, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore; and Dipak Karki, Managing Director, DK2. Abdul Bari stressed the need for a long-term commitment to decarbonisation but said there was a need to strike a balance with commercial day-to-day business requirements. Ali Abouda made the point that, “You can no longer separate geopolitics from shipping profit and loss forecasting,” echoed by Navin Kumar who argued that “Geopolitics is now driving tanker earnings more than market fundamentals.” He presented the audience with a ‘World Uncertainties Index’ which not surprisingly had risen sharply, almost off the scale, during 2025. Session 2 in the afternoon, was expertly moderated by Ali Shehab, Global Director of Special Projects at DNV, who was joined on stage by Richard De Vries, Vice President, Business Development, Lloyds Register; Han Ning, General Manager, ShipBid.Net; Captain Gargan Dhillon, CEO (Dubai), West of England P&I Club; Katherine Yakunchenkova; General Manager, Al Safina Security; Captain Onur Yildrim, Marine General Manager, Advanced Polymer Coatings; Alexandra Burke, CEO, K2 Bunker Fuel Supply; Roger Harfouch, Sales Director, Marlink Communications; Captain Vikas Pandey, Founder and CEO of Shipfinex; and Ramee Rashid, Director, Seamaster Maritime Group. Focus on green shipping Collectively, these panelists discussed how best to boost operational efficiency while maintaining a focus on green shipping. Alexandra Burke argued that the bunker sector can no longer afford to separate profitability from environmental accountability and urged collaboration between stakeholders to reshape bunker trades for a sustainable market future. Han Ning said she believed market volatility can create both risk and opportunities for tanker shipping. “Crises should be seen as being an opportunity to strengthen market position, build flexibility and capitalise on global shipping trade dynamics,” she suggested. Embrace insurance strategies Gagan Dhillon stressed the need for companies to embrace insurance strategies. This he said would “help mitigate the financial impact of operational disruptions, while supporting long-term planning for fleet renewal and green investments.” Reflecting on the positive impact of the 2025 Tanker Conference, TMS Managing Director, Trevor Pereira, added, “It was fantastic to have a packed house right through to the end this year and to hear so many high-quality presentations. Everyone is battling with the unpredictability of market conditions, and this was a terrific opportunity for people to discuss strategies and network to evaluate ways of combating this unprecedented period of instability in the markets.”

AdvanTec Marine is pleased to announce a major milestone: both its Canadian manufacturing facility in British Columbia and its Oregon, USA facility are now certified to produce fire-rated marine doors. With the Canadian site receiving MED Wheel Mark certification — making it the only such facility in Canada — AdvanTec now proudly holds fire-rated door certifications on both sides of the border.  Commitment to safety and innovation New chapter as AdvanTec strengthens its position as a trusted partner for shipbuilders worldwide This achievement underscores the company's unwavering commitment to safety and innovation, and marks an exciting new chapter as AdvanTec strengthens its position as a trusted partner for shipbuilders worldwide. "This dual certification across both our Canadian and U.S. facilities allows us to better serve our customers with shorter lead times, tariff-free manufacturing, and complete compliance with international safety regulations," said Dean Robinson, Director of Products & Business Systems, AdvanTec Marine. Highest international standards AdvanTec Marine offers A0, A15, A30, and A60 fire-rated doors from both its Canadian and U.S. facilities. These doors are engineered to meet the highest international standards and are available in both Watertight and Weathertight configurations: Watertight fire-rated doors are designed for watertight bulkheads below the freeboard deck and are capable of withstanding static head pressure from either side. Weathertight fire-rated doors offer robust protection against driving rain and washdown, making them ideal for above-deck applications. Key classification society requirements AdvanTec fire-rated doors are built in accordance with the IMO 2010 FTP Code Part 3 and hold MED certification All AdvanTec fire-rated doors are built in accordance with the IMO 2010 FTP Code Part 3 and hold MED certification by DNV, ensuring they offer the same fire resistance as the structural bulkhead into which they are installed.  Additionally, the doors meet key classification society requirements, including Lloyd's Register (LR), DNV, Bureau Veritas (BV), and American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). AdvanTec's investment in certification "This dual certification across both our Canadian and U.S. facilities allows us to better serve our customers with shorter lead times, tariff-free manufacturing, and complete compliance with international safety regulations," said Dean Robinson, Director of Products & Business Systems at AdvanTec Marine, adding "We're proud to support shipbuilders with reliable, certified fire-rated doors." With growing global demand for compliant marine safety solutions, AdvanTec's investment in certification and in-house manufacturing reinforces its commitment to innovation, safety, and service across the marine industry.

OrbitMI CEO Ali Riaz has been named among the Top 10 Technology Leaders of 2024 in Lloyd’s List Intelligence’s prestigious annual rankings of the 100 most influential people in shipping, underscoring the NYC-based maritime software company’s major role in the digital transformation of the industry. Riaz, who retained his sixth ranking from 2023, represents the only pure software-as-a-service (SaaS) firm on the keenly watched list of pioneering players “driving real digital change across the maritime industries” that is 2024 dominated by equipment manufacturers. Vessel performance platform Responding to the accolade, Riaz says, “It is a great honour to be featured again on the list. This is a recognition of a collective effort by OrbitMI’s talented team, together with our partners, in developing innovative solutions that are driving sustainability through operational efficiencies." “OrbitMI’s vessel performance platform delivers measurable results, including significant reductions in fuel consumption and emissions. With a commitment to evolving alongside green regulations, the platform continues to meet the dynamic needs of the maritime industry.” Innovative platform built on collaboration Its platform integrates multiple APIs into a single user interface, creating intelligent connected workflows OrbitMI spun out of Stena Bulk in 2019, is dedicated to breaking down software siloes that limit efficiency. Its platform integrates multiple APIs into a single user interface, creating intelligent connected workflows. This approach unlocks hidden data value and delivers actionable insights, empowering more efficient voyage decision-making. Holistic approach The company’s guiding principle of “transformation without disruption” highlights its SaaS solution’s ability to integrate with existing digital systems without requiring additional hardware or software installations. This approach prioritises innovation that is empathetic and tailored to the needs of the end-user. Riaz earlier spearheaded the company’s collaboration with French class society Bureau Veritas' Marine & Offshore division, with the pair focusing on the development of new solutions - for example, geared towards FuelEU Maritime compliance - based on a holistic approach to solving operational challenges and accelerating decarbonisation of the industry. Bolstering leadership in digital transformation The focus of the technology leadership list has shifted from digital transformation two years ago The focus of the technology leadership list has shifted from digital transformation two years ago through hybrid technologies in 2023 to 2024’s emphasis on hardware-based innovations. Consequently, some previously listed software players have dropped out of the top rankings amid increasing competition and consolidation in the market for digital solutions. SaaS model approach Reflecting on this trend, OrbitMI’s Chief Operating Officer Youn Lee says, "The evolving priorities in maritime technology, like cleaner fuels, automation, and greener infrastructure are driving greater competition." "OrbitMI’s repeated inclusion on this list reflects our resilience and leadership in a dynamic market. Our flexible and scalable SaaS model, coupled with a strong focus on partnerships and sustainability, ensures we stay ahead by enabling faster adoption of innovative digital solutions.”