The following press release has been provided by Conference Connection as part of pre-event coverage for the upcoming 12th International Fujairah Bunkering & Fuel Oil Forum (FUJCON 2021), where Manifold Times is an official media partner. Readers can register for the virtual event by clicking on the link here. 

The 12th Fujairah International Bunkering and Fuel Oil Virtual Forum (Fujcon 2021) is set to take place on March 23-24, 2021 at 10:00am (+ GMT 4) UAE time, gathering industry experts to what has become a key destination for players from the global fuel oil, bunkering and oil storage markets. Nearly 400 participants from 36 countries have registered for #Fujcon2021 and Fujairah Bunkering Week (FBW) events.

The two-day biennial virtual and iconic event in the Middle East markets, is held under the Patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamad Bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Member of the UAE Supreme Council and Ruler of Fujairah.

Organised by Conference Connection and hosted by the Government and Port of Fujairah, Fujcon which enjoys a reputation as the biggest and best attended event of its kind in the Middle East, will maintain its tradition of excellence in providing thought leadership, industry insights and pave the way to promote commercial opportunities and growth in the Emirate, post Covid-19.

In the gracious presence of H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, the Crown Prince of Fujairah and H.H. Sheikh Saleh Bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Chairman of the Port of Fujairah and of the Department of Industry and Economy, the Opening Session for #Fujcon2021 will commence on Tuesday March 23rd, at 10:00 UAE time, with a Ministerial Address by video from His Excellency Eng. Suhail Muhammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy & Infrastructure UAE. Joining the Opening Session live, Dr. Fereidun Fesharaki Chairman, FGE and Mr. Mike Muller, President, Vitol Asia, will deliver the State-of-the-Oil and Gas Markets and State-of-the-Global FuelOil Industry, Keynote Addresses respectively, to be moderated by Dr. Jeff Brown, President, FGE. This will be followed by a video message and IMO Address from Mr Roel Hoenders, Head of Air Pollution & Energy Efficiency, Marine Environment Division, International Maritime Organisation, UK, with Ms Unni Einimo, Director of IBIA and its IMO representative, who will join the same live session for Q&A.

A record number of forty-six speakers, all well-known global personalities, key decision makers, thoughts leaders and marine experts, will discuss and debate at eight (8) distinct panels over twodays from March 23-24, in a combination of live and pre- recorded sessions and live Q&A, covering the shipping, bunkering, refining, crude and product trading, risk management,, oil storage, marine and alternative fuel markets and innovations in digitalization under the tagline “Fuelling the Future: Solutions and Challenges”.

The first 12 months of the post IMO 2020 landscape interwoven with the challenges wrought by COVID-19 on the marine and bunker industries will be recurring motifs of Fujcon 2021 discussion, addressing tanker movements, impact on trade routes, OPEC+ and regional oil production, refining growth in the Gulf, prospects for LNG Bunkering and alternative fuels, with the spotlight on Fujairah and its position to support the changing dynamics in the recovery and growth of this vibrant ecosystem.

Prominent Fujairah personalities expected to participate include, Dr. Mohammed Saeed Al Kindi, Former Minister of Environment & Water, UAE & Chairman of the Fujcon 2021 Steering Committee, who will deliver the Welcome Address during the Official Opening on Tuesday March 23rd. Mr. Mohammed Obaid Majed, Director General of the Department of Industry and Economy will preside as Conference Chairman, and also present the Closing Remarks for Fujcon 2021 on Wednesday March 24.

Other participating speakers and moderators from Fujairah include, Capt. Salem Al Hamoudi, Director, Fujairah Oil Industry Zone with Capt. Mayed Alameiry, Deputy Harbour Master and Mr. Martijn Heijboer, Business Development Manager, Port of Fujairah, who together with Mr. Siavash Alishahpour, Managing Director of VTTI, Fujairah will enlighten attendees on Fujairah Energy Hub Developments, highlighting growth of oil storage, refining, FOTT, trading, bunker market developments and business continuity and crew changes during COVID-19, as well as project updates.

Industry leaders addressing #Fujcon2021 will include Ms Katharina Stanzel, Managing Director of Intertanko, Mr. Philippe Khoury, EVP Sales & Trading, Adnoc Group, Mr. Sharief Al Awadhi, Director-General of the Fujairah Free Zone, Mr Andrew Laven, COO Sahara Energy, Mr. Neill Robertson-Jones, Head of Corporate Banking, National Bank of Fujairah, Mr. Soren Meyer, CEO Zero North, Mr. Sonnich Thomsen, Managing Director, Bunkers, Sing Fuels and Mr. Anders Onarheim, CEO, BW LPG.

Ahead of the path-breaking launch of IFAD and the Murban Crude Oil Future contract, Mr. Dave Ernsberger, Global Head of Content and Market Insights, S&P Global Platts, will conduct a one to one fireside discussion on Tuesday March 23rd with Mr. Philippe Khoury, Adnoc Group, sharing their strategic vision for moving into the trading sphere.

Two new panels at Fujcon 2021 on Wednesday March 24, will examine digitalization and the alternative fuels landscape. The large scale adoption of and role of digital technologies and increased partnership in data-sharing driven by COVID-19, will be the focus of the Digitalization in the Marine Industry Panel. Speakers include digitalization specialists Mr. Kevin Peng, Managing Director, BrightTree and Ms. Deanna MacDonald, CEO of of Bloc and Co-Founder BunkerTrace. The global trend in net carbon commitments accelerating the investment in alternative fuels, including LNG, LPG, Methanol, Ammonia and Hydrogen will be addressed at the Post 2020 Future Fuels Landscape Panel, with Mr. Chris Chatterton, CEO of the Methanol Institute, proponents of LNG, Mr. Saunak Rai, GM of Fuel LNG and best-selling Pennwell author and LNG entrepreneur Mr. Vivek Chandra, with Mr. Anders Onarheim, CEO BW LPG and other specialists.

The rapidly changing business landscape in Fujairah is reflected in the global composition of delegates from thirty six countries from the GCC, EU, Mediterranean and Asia-Pacific represented at FUJCON, which will also witness the deepening ties and collaboration between Fujairah and Abu Dhabi, with high level participation from Abu Dhabi Ports, Adnoc Global Trading, sponsor Adnoc Logistics and Services and the Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure.

Specially convened as part of Fujairah Bunkering Week (FBW), was the recently concluded and highly successful, two-day course on Introduction to Oil Trading with a Special Focus on Shipping and Marine Industries, on March 17-18 2021, led by Independent Consultant, Mr Daniel Carr. The course enlightened marine, supply, trading, business development managers and marine planners from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Russia, India, South Africa, UK, Singapore and China, including participants from Saudi Aramco, Chevron, HMEL, Sakhalin Energy, FFS Refiners, Max Midstream Texas, FOIZ, and Port of Fujairah, on fundamentals of oil trading, price risk management, with a focus on the very large middle distillate markets.

Also scheduled during FBW, is a virtual roundtable on “Fuel Management Challenges” hosted by in-house experts from VPS, including Mr. Rahul Choudhuri, Managing Director, will take place at 10:00am Gulf Standard time on Thursday March 25, engaging attendees from more than 20 countries on the trends of very low sulphur fuel oil and oil condition monitoring. Mr. Choudhuri, will also address the Shipping Outlook Panel on Tuesday March 23.

#Fujcon2021 sessions will be fully interactive and accessed via an all-in-one platform, allowing participants to browse the Virtual Lobby, build their own agenda, access sessions, with a combination of pre-recorded and live formats for Panels, Keynotes and a 1-2-1 one Fireside chat, navigating to pose questions, interact with speakers via chats and visit interactive booths and download resources upto 30 days after #Fujcon2021 ends. Delegates can set up their virtual profile, see who else is at the event with pinpoint accuracy, identify, network and initiate audio and video meetings with key leads and prospects, before the Forum starts and after it ends, replicating the in-person experience of the physical Fujcon. More information about the Virtual Forum and registration is available at www.fujcon.com and [email protected]

FUJCON as the pre-eminent bunkering gathering in the Middle East, enjoys the outstanding support of authorities and the global bunker trading community from the Asia Pacific & Europe. #Fujcon2021 welcomes Adnoc Logistics & Services, VTTI, Vopak, National Bank of Fujairah, Adnoc Logistics and Services, S&P Global Platts, Glander International Bunkering and VPS as sponsors. The Forum also enjoys support from Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, IBIA, Intertanko, Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers ME and the Nautical Institute UAE Branch as Endorsers, attracting wide interest and coverage from the global maritime media.

Amidst the backdrop of Fujairah’s importance as an international anchorage & crude oil hub, FUJCON 2021 Virtual Summit promises to deliver an outstanding platform for key players to meet and engage virtually with a distinguished array of marine experts & industry leaders addressing the bunkering and fuel oil community.

The Fujcon series is organised by Conference Connection, and hosted by the Government and Port of Fujairah. Contact [email protected] for further details and registration or log on to www.fujcon.com

Fujcon attendance and the pre-conference courses can be accessed here.

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Photo credit: FUJCON 2021
Published: 23 March, 2021