08 March - 10 March
Hilton Dubai Jumeirah, UAE
Now in its seventh year, the Middle East Bunkering Convention (MEBC) has built a strong reputation for the quality and scope of debate it provides on the key issues and challenges facing the marine fuels sector and wider shipping industry
MEBC22 Programme
Wednesday 9 – Thursday 10 March ~ One and a half-day Conference
The one and a half-day conference will combine hard-hitting and absorbing intellectual content. It is aimed at shipowners and operators, bunker supplies and traders, surveyors, agents, maritime lawyers and related service industries.
Programme details are subject to change as new speakers are confirmed.
Main Conference Location: Almas Ballroom
Standard Pass: £750
This session will focus on how the industry is coping with a demand side which, in some regions and shipping segments, remains sluggish. Speakers will look at the impact of the pandemic on trading and physical supply in the Middle East bunker market, fuel availability, credit lines, bunker pricing and the prospect of industry consolidation.
Adapting to Change: The Commercial Outlook for the Bunker Industry
Mark Williams, Managing Director, Shipping Strategy Ltd
Middle East Bunkering – Developments
Colin Holloway, Global Head – Technical, Cockett Group
2022 – Bunkering in the Spotlight
Adrian Tolson, Director, Blue Insight Lead
Adapting to Change: Commercial Outlook for the Bunker Industry from a Tanker Owners Perspective
Mads Bjornebye, Manager, Bunker Services, Teekay
Panel Discussion / Q&A
CEO & Founder
ship.energy
Joint CEO, Shipping Innovation | Director, Maritime UK
Llewellyn began his career in the oil industry in 1980, working both as a journalist and as oil broker in London and New York, with Petroleum Argus, Eperon Petroleum, Albion Oil, Petroleum Intelligence Weekly and OPEC Listener, before joining MRC Business Information Group in Oxford – which later became Lloyd’s List Intelligence after MRC’s acquisition by Informa – where he rose to Managing Director before leaving in May 2003 to establish Petrospot Ltd.
He is a Founding Member of the International Bunker Industry Association, which he helped create in 1993 and has organised conferences, seminars, training courses and multiple other events in 35 countries around the world and attended events as a journalist or conference speaker in a further dozen countries.
Llewellyn is co-creator, co-founder and co-owner of the biennial London International Shipping Week, whose first edition took place in September 2013 and has become one of the largest maritime events in the world.
Llewellyn was born in Abergavenny, Wales, in 1957 and lives in Oxfordshire.
Global Head - Technical
Cockett Group
Colin Holloway’s career in the oil and maritime industry spans more than 30 years during which he has gained extensive knowledge of a broad range of technical, as well as commercial and operational activities throughout the Middle East and Africa region.
As Global Head Technical at Cockett Group, Colin is responsible for all technical aspects of marine fuel, reselling, petroleum products and services worldwide, while being in charge of the Group’s technical strategy and approach, including the implementation of new systems, tools, policies and procedures.
As part of his responsibilities, he overlooks the monitoring and updates of the Group’s accreditation to and in line with the most current ISO 9001 framework, ensuring all offered products and services meet international customer and regulatory requirements.
In his role, he manages the Group’s vetting process, selecting the suppliers and service providers based on a strict auditing protocol, while addressing the technical needs of the Group’s globally diverse client base.
Additionally, Colin designs and implements training programmes for the Group’s technical staff members covering all technical aspects of the business and contributing to the Group’s consistent high-level performance.
Colin started his career as a chemist at the Coryton oil refinery in Essex, England, and eventually relocated to the Middle East for the SGS Inspection Group, where he gained extensive product knowledge, including the full spectrum of petroleum products, petrochemicals and bulk commodities.
Further landmarks of his career saw Colin at DNV Petroleum Services, where he was introduced to the technical world of bunkering and the maritime side of the business, as well as at a local bunker trader and Fujairah-based physical supplier strengthening his comprehensive industry know-how.
Colin holds an MBA in International Business from University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD), UAE.
This session picks up on the current buzzword – transparency – and will ask what it really means in the context of the marine fuels sector. Speakers will look at credit management and credit reports, the impact of digitalisation on the operational and commercial sides of bunkering, including e-documentation, the uptake of mass flow meter systems and the use of bunker procurement platforms.
Chairs Opening Remarks
Adrian Tolson, Director, Blue Insight Lead
Getting What You Pay For
Peter Grunwaldt, Vice President, Bunker Procurement, Hafnia
Bunker Transparency
Ali Jourabchi, Director, Prosmar AS
Do you get what you pay for?
Argyrios Schoinas, Global Operations Manager, VeriFuel, Bureau Veritas
Transparency, Digitalisation and Difficult Credit Decisions
Anna Stefanou, Credit Manager, PMG Holding
Panel Discussion / Q&A
Global Operations & Key Account Manager
Bureau Veritas VeriFuel
Argyrios Schoinas commenced his career at Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) as a bunker surveyor, where he developed foundational knowledge in fuel quantity assessment and maritime operations. Since joining Bureau Veritas’ Marine Fuel Services (VeriFuel) in 2016, he has demonstrated progressive responsibility and technical proficiency. Initially focused on organizing and coordinating bunker fuel-related inspections across various ports in the Americas under the VeriFuel program, his role was expanded in 2018 to encompass global operations, culminating in his appointment as Global Operations Manager for Marine Fuel Services.
Throughout his professional career, Argyrios has presented at several bunker industry conferences, conducted specialized seminars, and authored publications on quantity surveys, industry best practices and “Tricks of the Trade” for marine fuels. His comprehensive knowledge of the field has proven instrumental in assisting shipping companies identify and mitigate operational and financial risks while implementing cost reduction strategies in bunker operations.
Argyrios holds a strong academic foundation with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, obtained in 2011. He has further advanced his qualifications with a Master of Engineering (MEng) degree from the same university and a Master of Science (MSc) in Chemical Process Engineering from UCL, UK.
This session takes a close look at trends and developments in marine fuel quality, with a particular focus on the composition of very low sulphur fuel oils and their well-documented stability and storage challenges. Speakers will also discuss potential revisions to ISO 8217. Looking ahead, alternative fuels are now entering the bunker pool and industry experts will look at issues such as availability, scale and cost, and the potential appetite in the Middle East for these fuels, including biofuels.
Chairs Opening Remarks
Lesley Bankes-Hughes, Director of Publishing/Executive Editor, Bunkerspot/Petrospot
Biofuels: Cargill Ocean Transportation
Gaetan Perret, Head of Strategic Bunker Sourcing, Cargill International
VLSFO, the Continued Challenges
Chris Turner, Manager, Bunker Quality and Claims, Integr8 Fuels
Monitoring Fuel Quality Trends
Tracy Wardell, Global Technical Manager, Intertek Lintec
Panel Discussion / Q&A
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.
Technical Manager
Integr8 Fuels
Chris Turner, Technical Manager at Integr8 Fuels, joined the bunker trading firm in 2017 and is based in Dubai, UAE.
During his career spanning over 30 years in Oil & Shipping Industries, Chris has vast experience in Laboratory Management, Physical Supply, Bunker Broking, Trading and, more recently, providing technical supervision of the exclusive buying for Owners, Charterers and Operators including the development and design of online bunker resources.
Chris also sits on the International Bunker Industry Association’s (IBIA) technical working group.
Through a series of case studies, this session will focus on trade flows to and from Middle East ports and plans for the expansion of existing port and terminal infrastructure, as well as new projects which could provide opportunities for the bunker sector.
Chairs Opening Remarks
Adrian Tolson, Director, Blue Insight Lead
RAK Ports – Port Development plans / Opportunities for the Bunker sector
Roger Clasquin, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Ports
Emerging Ports in the Middle East: The Total Cost of Bunkering
Christophe El Kati, Head of Marine & Bunkers, Oman Oil Marketing Company
Panel discussion / Q&A
Owner
2050 Marine Energy
Adrian Tolson is the owner of 2050 Marine Energy and is widely recognized as one of the shipping industry’s leading marine energy experts. With more than 35 years of experience, he has both detailed knowledge and unique insight into the bunker supply chain and its many related infrastructure developments.
2050 Marine Energy was formed in late 2022 to provide commercial insight to all stakeholders in the marine fuel supply chain navigating the disruption of this decade and future transformation. This new venture comes as Adrian leaves his role as Insight Lead at BLUE after more than decade of close cooperation with brand and communications consultancy. He will continue to act as a Strategic Advisor to the company, working with specific existing clients and providing consultancy on marine energy trends.
Adrian has led numerous global business development projects across the marine energy sector. This includes assisting ship owners and physical suppliers on future fuel procurement and supply strategies; the development of bunkering infrastructure projects for existing and alternative fuels; as well as working with the financial and investment community on the opportunities in the future marine energy landscape.
Adrian’s experience spans leadership roles with some of the industry’s largest marine fuel suppliers, including Chemoil Energy, where he was responsible for successfully driving the company through to IPO; and as Vice President and General Manager of OW Bunker where he established its physical supply operation in the USA.
Elected to the board of the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) in 2020, Adrian is currently its Treasurer and Chairman of the IBIA’s Americas Regional Board.
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