Dubai, UAE – February 2026: The Maritime Standard Ship Finance and Trade Conference 2026 will take place on 9 February 2026 at Grosvenor House, Dubai, bringing together more than 300 senior decision makers from ship finance, banking, shipping, ports, shipbroking, maritime law, logistics, and trade. The conference will focus on how financial institutions, shipowners, and maritime stakeholders are responding to market volatility, regulatory uncertainty, and the evolving requirements of sustainable shipping.
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The conference will open with a keynote address by Capt. Ammar Al Shaiba, CEO of Maritime Cluster & Noatum Maritime, AD Ports Group. His address will outline key developments influencing the maritime sector and set the context for discussions on financial strategy, operational resilience, and long-term industry positioning. The conference will be anchored by Nawal Al Maghafi, Senior Broadcast Journalist at the BBC.
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Session 1, titled ‘Financial strategies in a volatile world’, will examine the impact of geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments, and changing capital markets on shipping finance. The session will explore emerging trends in ship finance and assess the implications of trade wars, tariffs, and sanctions. It will also address regulatory uncertainty, including the IMO pause on net zero, and consider whether mergers and acquisitions activity is set to increase.
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Further discussion will focus on the outlook for conventional bank lending, the growing role of alternative lenders, and the challenges of financing newbuildings in the current environment. The session will also examine approaches to risk mitigation, developments in ship classification, and the role of Shariah compliant financing in the maritime sector.
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Speakers contributing to Session 1 include Niaz Bin Yusuf, Senior Vice President M&A, Funding and Projects at AD Ports Group; Daniel Richards, Senior MENA Economist at Emirates NBD; Jianjun Wang, CEO of Goldsea International Company Limited; Ahmed Al Shukaili, Senior Vice President Finance at ASYAD Shipping; Daejin Lee, Global Head of Research at Fertmax FZCO; Ali Abouda, Group CFO at Gulf Navigation Holding; Capt. S.R. Patnaik, Managing Partner and CEO of Panbulk Shipping; Tony Dagher, Managing Director of TMC Shipping; Thomas Stjernholm, Managing Director Commercial at Tomini; Han Ning, General Manager of ShipBid.net; and Maxim Syn, Sales Director at Ebury.
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Session 2 will focus on developing financial tools to sustain support for the green transition, examining how capital, regulation, and innovation are shaping the move toward lower carbon and more sustainable shipping. The session will address sustainable finance frameworks, alternative funding models, decarbonisation investments, digital solutions, and the role of registries, banks, and advisors in supporting the transition.
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Speakers in Session 2 include Tien Tien, Partner at HFW; Navin Kumar, Head of Bulk Shipping Research at Drewry Maritime Research; Theo Xenakoudis, Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director of the Piraeus office at International Registries, Inc.; Jonathan Keyes, Head of Sustainable Solutions Group Middle East and Director Wholesale Banking Middle East at ING Bank N.V. Dubai Branch; Capt. Vikas Pandey, Founder and CEO of ShipFinex; and Shailesh Bhala, Chief Operating Officer of Best Oasis Limited.
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The TMS Ship Finance and Trade Conference 2026 will provide a focused platform for discussion, bringing together perspectives from across shipping, finance, and advisory sectors. It will assess current challenges and explore practical approaches to resilience and long-term value creation in an increasingly uncertain global environment.
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