23 March - 26 March
Clarion Hotel Helsinki, Finland
The inaugural Nordic-Baltic Maritime Forum in Helsinki will be a landmark gathering of maritime leaders, innovators, and policymakers from across the Nordic-Baltic Eight: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden.
Headline Conference
The NBMF conference will consider how Nordic-Baltic countries are harnessing their individual strengths in shipping, technology, energy production, digitalisation and port operations, together with a strong heritage in shipbuilding and maritime resilience, to collectively offer innovative, leading-edge solutions to address the global challenge of maritime decarbonisation and wider environmental sustainability imperatives.
Across a series of focused panel discussions and keynote speeches, the conference will examine progress on meeting GHG reduction targets through the prism of pragmatism. With a currently complex world outlook, where shipping is having to constantly adapt to geopolitical realities and economic and trade volatility, and a continuing absence of consensus on a global regulation to reduce its GHG emissions, speakers will consider how the maritime sector – from a Nordic-Baltic and global perspective – is keeping momentum going on the connected issues of decarbonisation and modernisation.
Event Registration
If you feel you could make a significant contribution to the programme, please email Lesley Bankes-Hughes at [email protected] or call +44 1295 814455 to discuss this further.
Programme details are updated regularly and are subject to change as new speakers are confirmed and themes developed.
Forum Week Access Pass: £695
Lulu Ranne, Minister of Transport and Communications, Finnish Government
Minister of Transport and Communications
Finnish Government
Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne heads the Ministry of Transport and Communications and handles all matters covered by it.
Ranne first entered Parliament in 2019. She has served in several committees, for example as member of the Grand Committee and deputy member of the Finance Committee. Ranne chaired the Finns Party Parliamentary Group from April to June 2023 and served as Second Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Group from 2021 to 2023. She was the Vice-Chair of the Finnish Delegation to the Nordic Council for the 2019–2023 term.
Ranne has served in Hämeenlinna City Council since 2008 and was a member of the City Executive from 2013 to 2021. Ranne was also a member of the Board of the Regional Council of Häme from 2017 to 2023.
Ranne completed her general upper secondary education at Tornedalsskolan in 1990 in Haparanda, Sweden, and graduated from Tampere University of Technology in 1998 with a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering.
Before entering Parliament, Ranne’s career included serving as environmental and project expert at Häme Environment Centre and working at the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Häme and Pirkanmaa.
Keynote presentations which address the key short- and longer-term challenges/opportunities for shipping, energy producers, port and technology companies in relation to decarbonisation and also commercial challenges, such as the potential impact on trade flows due to any future major shifts to deglobalisation.
David Osborn, Director, Marine Environment Division, International Maritime Organization
Maja Markovčić Kostelac, Executive Director, European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA)
Mikki Koskinen, Managing Director, ESL Shipping Oy and President of European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA)
Director, Marine Environment Division
International Maritime Organization
David Osborn, an Australian national, joined the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in September 2025. The IMO is the United Nations specialized agency responsible for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships.
Mr. Osborn brings extensive experience in environmental management within the UN system and at national government level. From 2013 to 2020, he served as Director of the Marine Environment Laboratories at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), before taking up the role of Deputy Director in the Ecosystems Division of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi from 2020 to 2021.
At the national Australian level, Mr. Osborn has held several senior leadership positions with the Australian Government. These include serving as General Manager, Safety and Technical, with the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency (2021–2023), and earlier in in his career with the Department of Environment and Water Resources and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. He served as a commissioned officer with the Royal Australian Navy from 1991 to 1995 where he contributed to the preparation of the Navy’s inaugural environment policy.
Mr. Osborn holds a degree in Environmental Science from the University of Canberra and a Master’s degree in Environmental Law from the Australian National University. Throughout his career, he has contributed to both domestic and international programmes and initiatives addressing marine pollution, coastal management, climate change, and biodiversity conservation.
A lifelong advocate for environmental sustainability, Mr. Osborn is driven by a mission to protect ecosystems and promote innovative solutions to complex environmental challenges.
Executive Director
European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA)
Ms Maja Markovčić Kostelac is graduated in Maritime Law with a Master of Legal Science. She started out as a maritime lawyer and has over 20 years long-standing experience in the maritime field in both the public and private sector. Previous to joining EMSA, Ms Maja Markovčić was State Secretary for Croatia’s Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure. She took up the position of Executive Director on 1 January 2019.
Since joining EMSA, Ms Markovčić Kostelac has led the Agency’s work on a range of strategic and operational issues, including the maritime dimension of the European Green Deal, the development of enhanced digital solutions for national level administrations and relevant authorities, and the provision of support at international level to the European Commission and Member States at the IMO.
Managing Director, ESL Shipping Oy and President
European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA)
Mikki Koskinen (M.Sc Econ.) has since 2013 been the Managing Director of Finnish-Swedish shipping company ESL Shipping Ltd, the leading carrier of dry bulk cargoes in the Baltic Sea with fleet of about 40 ice class 1A vessels.
Since January 2026, Mikki Koskinen is serving as President of European Shipowners ECSA. Mikki is also serving as Vice-chairman of the Board at the Finnish state-owned icebreaking and fairway maintenance company Arctia Oy.
Earlier, Mikki has served as the Chairman of the Board of the Finnish Shipowners’ Association in 2021-2023. From 2016 until summer 2024, Koskinen represented the Finnish Shipowners’ Association on the International Chamber of Shipping board.
Mikki’s key area of expertise is sustainable shipping and increasing efficiency in maritime supply chains.
Speakers in this session will consider some of the ‘drivers’ in place which are intended to support and accelerate maritime’s energy transition, capacity building and competitiveness – as well as some of the challenges facing the industry. Referencing Nordic-Baltic initiatives and ‘mechanisms’, the discussion will centre on regulation, finance provision and the intentions (and outcomes) of collaboration and partnerships, including knowledge and innovation hubs and green shipping corridors. Speakers will also consider the industry’s approaches to the increasing threat of cyber breaches and attacks.
Moderator:
Chris Greenwood, Commercial Director – West Europe & America, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore
Reko-Antti Suojanen, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment
Bo Nordberg, Director, Project and Structured Finance, Nordic Investment Bank
Can a regional approach to future fuels adoption provide a template for shipping’s global energy transition?
Sveinung Oftedal, Chief Negotiator – Green Shipping, Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment
Commercial Director, Western Europe & Americas
Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore
Chris Greenwood is the Commercial Director for Western Europe & the Americas at Bureau Veritas. Chris spent more than 14 years at ABS in various operational and commercial roles in South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Dubai, after which he was a VP at Inchcape Shipping Services.
In each role, Chris’ focus has been on decarbonisation, safety, technology, and regulatory compliance.
Chris has a Bachelors in Marine Technology, a Masters in Project & Program Management, an Executive MBA, and is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.
Chief Negotiator – Green Shipping
Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment
Chief Negotiator on Green Shipping in the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment with focus on international negotiations on environmental requirements for the maritime sector.
He started in the Ministry in 1996, but has also executed these tasks for 6 years in the Norwegian Maritime Authority (2000-2006). He started his career as Project Manager in the Norwegian Society for Conservation of Nature in 1990.
He has been heavily involved in negotiations on the hot topics at the IMO such as Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Air Pollution and other issues addressed in MARPOL, Ship Recycling, Ballast Water Management, Ships biofouling, Antifouling Systems and other environmental issues for over two decades.
In addition to his role for establishing the environmental framework for global shipping at the IMO, he has played a key role in developing Norwegian green shipping policies for domestic and short sea shipping.
Vice Chair of the IMO BLG Sub-Committee (2002-2009). Chair of the IMO BLG and PPR Sub-Committee (2010 – 2019). Chair of the IMO Working Group on Greenhouse Gas emissions (2017 – present).
New marine fuels – the demand and supply conundrum
Vitalii Protasov, CEO and Co-Founder, GENA Solutions Oy
CEO and Co-Founder
GENA Solutions Oy
Vitalii Protasov is CEO and co-founder of GENA Solutions, a market intelligence provider focused on renewable and low-carbon fuels and chemicals, including methanol, ammonia, methane, SAF, and related value chains. He has over 15 years of experience in the chemical and fuels industries. Prior to founding GENA, Vitalii held leadership roles in project management, strategic marketing, and strategy and business development.
Shipowners and operators will be at the centre of this session where panellists will discuss their decision-making strategies on fuel and technology choices, fleet renewal and retrofits, regulatory compliance, crew retention and upskilling. How do owners, particularly the small and mid-size companies, balance these issues and future-proof their businesses whilst working within an always unpredictable commercial environment.
How, for example, can shipowners provide future fuel producers with the demand signals they need to take FIDs on fuel projects. What insights and experiences can Nordic-Baltic owners and operators share with others in the global industry, particularly when taking a view on financing newbuilds, retrofits and vessel optimisation.
Moderator:
Mats Björkendahl, Specialist, Environmental and Technical Affairs, Finnish Shipowners’ Association
Björn Blomqvist, Managing Director, Rederi Ab Eckerö, and Chairman of the Board of the Finnish Shipowners’ Association
Laura Langh-Lagerlöf, Managing Director and co-owner of Langh Group Oy Ab and daughter companies, Langh Ship Oy Ab and Langh Tech Oy Ab
Jussi Rämä, Technical Sales Manager, P2X Solutions
Thomas Doepel, President & CEO, Finnlines
Felix Leworthy, Chief Commercial Officer, ETFuels
Managing Director, Rederi Ab Eckerö, and Chairman of the Board
Finnish Shipowners’ Association
Björn Blomqvist was appointed CEO of the Eckerö Group in 2004. Before joining Eckerö he worked for the airline company SAS and the industrial group Munters. Mr Blomqvist holds an MSc in Economics and Business Administration from the Swedish School of Economics in Helsinki. He has studied and worked in Finland, Sweden and Germany.
In addition to his work heading the Eckerö Group, Mr Blomqvist is also active as chairman of the board of the Finnish Shipowners’ Association and a member of the boards of the Swedish Maritime Employers’ Association and the European Community Shipowners´ Associations.
The Eckerö Group is active in ferry and roro shipping in the Baltic under the brands Eckerö Linjen, Eckerö Line and Eckerö Link. Group turnover in 2024 was 223 M€ and number of employees 850.
Managing Director and co-owner of Langh Group Oy Ab and daughter companies
Langh Ship Oy Ab and Langh Tech Oy Ab.
Mrs Laura Langh-Lagerlöf is the Managing Director and co-owner of the Finnish company Langh Group Oy Ab and its daughter companies, shipping company Langh Ship Oy Ab and green tech manufacturer Langh Tech Oy Ab.
Laura has a master’s degree in Economics & Business Administration from Åbo Akademi University and she has since an early age been involved in the family business.
Thanks to the excellent knowledge in the maritime industry and the good business sense, Laura has led the shipping company successfully and has accomplished significant growth in the fleet.
In addition to being a ship owner, Laura has from the start been a very important actor in the development of Langh Tech’s scrubbers, and has thereafter continued to drive the company to constantly look for new areas to innovate.
Nowadays Langh Tech develops several kinds of green tech for vessels, including SOx scrubbers and thereto related water treatment systems, ballast water treatment systems, carbon capture and batteries, which have combined been sold to over two hundred vessels.
President & CEO
Finnlines
Throughout his professional career, Thomas Doepel has systematically expanded his knowledge and experience within the shipping industry. By combining maritime expertise with broad economic insight through his Master Mariner, M.Sc. Economics and MBA studies at Copenhagen Business School, he has developed a deep understanding of the key drivers of the shipping business.
Mr Doepel has been a member of the Executive Committee of Finnlines since 2013 and assumed the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the beginning of 2020. In March 2025, Mr Doepel was appointed President and CEO of Finnlines.
Mr Doepel also serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of Finnish Shipowner’s Association and is a member of the Board of the ICS (International Chamber of Shipping).
Chief Commercial Officer
ETFuels
Leads customer engagement and commercial structuring for ETFuels across shipping and aviation markets. He has 15 years’ experience in the energy transition, working across hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel, renewables and emerging low-carbon fuels. Previously a Director at Guidehouse, where he helped scale the European energy practice to over 250 professionals advising major utilities and energy companies, and supported hydrogen cluster development across the UK, the Netherlands and Germany.
This session will focus on Nordic-Baltic expertise and innovation in key areas such as technology, software, digitalisation, offshore infrastructure, marine equipment, and shipbuilding. These sectors are the ‘fabric’ of the shipping and wider maritime sectors, and are key contributors to national and regional economic growth.
Panellists will consider how industrial policy is supporting these key maritime sectors and how the Nordic-Baltic technology and industrial base is positioning itself to secure global business and partnerships. Collaboration is supporting the evolution of traditional and clean tech industries in the shipping and port sectors, but how are Nordic-Baltic maritime stakeholders moving forward to establish international commercial connections and partnerships. What is the Nordic-Baltic USP?
Moderator:
Lesley Bankes-Hughes, Managing Director, ship.energy
Carmelo Cartalemi, Global Sales General Manager, WinGD
Mikko Pihlatie, Research Professor for Transport Technologies, VTT
Anton Westerlund, Vice President, Product Management, Thruster Systems, Kongsberg Maritime
Joonatan Haukilehto, Head of New Technologies, Foreship
Hannes Lilp, CEO & Founder, SRC Group
Kenneth Widell, General Manager, Research Coordination & Funding, Wärtsilä
Managing Director
ship.energy
Lesley Bankes-Hughes is a highly experienced editor, news journalist and features writer. After a number of years as business editor of Jane’s Defence Weekly, she worked for the International Stock Exchange and Euromoney Publications. She also established a specialist newsletter covering European corporate mergers and acquisitions, and later spent several years at Christ Church, University of Oxford, with responsibility for developing educational outreach projects.
Global Sales General Manager
WinGD
Dr Carmelo Cartalemi is the Global Sales General Manager at WinGD. He has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Genoa, an MBA in Management Technology and Economy from ETH Zurich and a degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the University of Naples.
He has over 20 years of experience within the marine industry. After working some years for Fincantieri (2002-2008) as lead project engineer and for General Electric (2008-2010) as application engineer, he joined WinGD in 2010 where he has held several leadership positions in R&D, Business Development and Sales.
Currently, he leads WinGD’s Global Sales Network as they work to provide the fuel flexibility and confidence our customers need in choosing the right WinGD solution for their next investment on their decarbonisation journey.
Head of New Technologies
Foreship
Joonatan Haukilehto is the Head of New Technologies at Foreship, part of RINA, the naval architecture, marine engineering, and project management services specialist for shipbuilding, conversion, and refurbishment. In this position, he drives the company’s initiatives in innovation and sustainability.
With a resumé that includes design consultancy, R&D in sustainable technologies, technical operations, and newbuilding management at leading cruise lines, Joonatan’s career highlights include a leading role in delivering the first LNG-fueled cruise vessels in Japan and heading an innovative luxury expedition vessel newbuilding project.
Joonatan is deeply committed to leveraging his expertise in ship design, newbuilds, and ship operations to advance environmentally friendly technologies and contribute to the decarbonization of the maritime industry.
CEO & Founder
SRC Group
Hannes Lilp is CEO and founder of SRC Group – a privately held company focusing on design, engineering, technical, and interior refit services for the maritime and offshore sectors.
Founded by in 2001 when Hannes was aged 23 and still a student at the Estonian Maritime Academy, SRC has gone on to complete over 5,000 projects worldwide and establish offices in Estonia, Italy, Norway, US, Poland and the Netherlands.
Holding an Executive MBA from the Estonian Business School, Hannes has also led SRC’s drive to establish an extensive network of partners and subcontractors worldwide to work across projects ranging from small repairs to Engineering Procurement Construction Installation retrofits involving up to 1,000 workers.
SRC Group has been recognized as among Estonia’s Exporters of the Year and ranked No. 1 in the machinery and metal industry by Äripäev, a leading Estonian business newspaper. Hannes was named 2021 Industry Person of the Year in Estonia.
In 2023, Hannes led SRC Group’s development and launch of Methanol Superstorage – a new approach to fuel storage on board ship which will drive maritime decarbonisation by overcoming methanol’s energy density disadvantage against HFO. Where conventional tanks feature 600mm width cofferdams to separate inner and outer walls, Methanol Superstorage uses 25mm thick SPS Technology Sandwich Plate System, offering a route to an alternative design certification for low flashpoint fuel storage which boosts tank volume by up to 85%. Approved in Principle by Lloyd’s Register, Methanol Superstorage is suitable for all vessel types.
While shipping and maritime energy and technology sectors are positioning themselves to do business in a commercial landscape that increasingly requires environmental accountability, ports continue their critical role as the entry and exit points for maritime cargo, ferries and cruise ships, etc., and their operations underpin national logistics and industrial infrastructure.
But, like other maritime sectors, ports are also evolving to meet the needs of the global – and shipping’s – energy transition, and they are also at the forefront of innovation in developing smarter, more efficient and sustainable operations.
This session will discuss the strategies and approaches of Nordic-Baltic ports in relation to new energy storage, bunkering, shore power provision, carbon capture, and more efficient, greener operations. Panellists will discuss how ports in the region are leading a global discussion on redefining the critical role of ports, from an operational, commercial, and energy-aware perspective.
Moderator:
Ulla Tapaninen, Full Professor of Maritime Transport, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia (heading the Maritime Transport Research Group in the Estonian Maritime Academy)
Vesa Marttinen, Vice President, Cargo Services, Port of Helsinki Ltd
Marko Mykkänen, CEO, Port of Oulu
Kristjan Truu, Deputy Secretary General for Maritime Affairs and Water Resources, Estonian Ministry of Climate
Johanna Boijer-Svahnström, Senior Vice President Corporate Communications, Viking Line
Full Professor of Maritime Transport
Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia
Ulla Tapaninen is Full Professor (maritime transport) at Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia, heading the Maritime Transport Research Group in the Estonian Maritime Academy.
She is also Adjunct Professor (maritime economics and logistics) at University of Turku, Finland. Tapaninen has over 30 years’ experience in logistics and maritime transport in academia, public and private sector.
She has worked in key positions in two Finnish shipping companies (bulk and RoRo sector) and worked as a senior expert at City of Helsinki in charge of maritime cluster development. Presently, she in board of Port of Helsinki, one of the busiest international passenger ports in the world.
She has published dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, and reports as well as other publications in scientific and non-scientific journals. She is a frequent speaker in seminars. She has published a textbook Maritime Transport by Kogan Page presenting the fundamentals of maritime business. She is a keen writer of blog https://ullatapaninen.net/ and she was listed #66 in the Top 100 Women in Shipping 2025 by All About Shipping.
Vice President, Cargo Services
Port of Helsinki Ltd
Passionate maritime man, leader and advisor of maritime businesses around northern hemisphere.
While finalizing M.Sc. in Naval Architecture he joined Silja Line in 1997 to take role in CapEx projects, sale & purchase of vessels and in ship management. After the Nordic work culture, he moved to Florida, leading Deltamarin engineering consulting for global cruise lines and local maritime actors. Then he joined Aker Yards to lead global consulting engineering & conversion business. That was followed by a shift to Wärtsilä along with “scrubber” initiative to lead Environmental Services and taking a senior leader role for Marine Lifecycle Solutions.
After corporate life, he worked on assignments in change management from 2013. First as MD for Turku Repair Yard in Finland, followed by structural business in Nordics, Cruise ship public spaces project management in Japan, Advisor in digital businesses at Cruise & Ferry, Logistics IoT scale-up leadership and finally as interim shipyard GM in UK. He has experience from board of Finnish Marine Industries, SeaEurope, SRC Group, Eniram and from several advisory committees.
Since 2023 Vesa Marttinen has served as VP, Cargo in Port of Helsinki. He is also a member of board at Port of Loviisa and Finnish Waterways Association.
Deputy Secretary General for Maritime Affairs and Water Resources
Estonian Ministry of Climate
Kristjan Truu is the Deputy Secretary General for Maritime and Water Resources at the Estonian Ministry of Climate, responsible for the development and implementation of maritime and water affairs and related policies. His focus is on developing Estonia’s maritime sector, increasing the competitiveness of the maritime economy, introducing digital monitoring solutions, and ensuring safe and clean waterways.
Kristjan has extensive experience in the maritime sector, including management experience in the Estonian Maritime Administration, and a master’s degree in maritime transport management and business administration.
Senior Vice President Corporate Communications
Viking Line
Johanna Boijer-Svahnström is Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications, Sustainability and Land-based HR of the listed company Viking Line Abp.
With the roots in the archipelago, Viking Line is today at the forefront of environmental advances on the Baltic Sea. Boijer-Svahnström has a Master’s Degree in Economics from Åbo Akademi University and Communications Studies in the USA.
She is Board Member of the Swedish Shipowners’ Association, Deputy Board Member and Chairman for the Communications Committee of the Finnish Shipowners’ Association and Board Member of the Åland Chamber of Commerce.
In this last session of the NBMF, industry leaders representing each of the eight Nordic-Baltic countries will discuss how national skillsets and strengths in maritime’s energy transition and technology innovation can contribute individually and collaboratively to energise global dialogue, encourage global knowledge sharing, and forge international commercial partnerships.
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