Ferry Shipping Summit 2024

Mathieu Girardin was born in 1982. He graduated from ESCP Europe with a Master in Management in 2005 and later earned an Executive MBA from INSEAD in 2018.
After 8 years in Strategy and Management consulting, Girardin began his career in the maritime industry by joining CMA CGM in 2013. Over nearly a decade, he held various senior management positions in Europe and Asia (Singapore), contributing significantly to the company’s operational and corporate strategies.

In 2022, Mathieu Girardin joined DFDS as the Executive Vice President for the Ferry Division. In this role, he oversees all Passenger, Ro-Ro, and Ro-Pax activities, along with their associated terminals. His leadership has been pivotal in strategic decisions, such as the acquisition of Spanish-Moroccan ferry operator FRS Iberia, or the sale of the Copenhagen-Oslo cruise ferry route to Gotlandsbolaget, which aimed to refocus DFDS’s efforts on transport and logistics services.

Girardin is known for his forward-thinking approach, particularly in expanding DFDS’s presence in high-potential freight corridors like the Strait of Gibraltar. His vision includes introducing environmentally friendly vessels powered by electric, methanol, and ammonia by 2030.

Outside of his professional life, Mathieu is passionate about sustainable maritime practices and innovation in the shipping industry. His contributions continue to shape the future of maritime transport, balancing commercial success with environmental responsibility.

Background
• ESCP Business School
• INSEAD Master of Business Administration

Career
• Accenture 2005 - 2007
• RISE CONSEIL 2007 – 2013
• CMA CGM:
- Deputy Line Manager 2013 – 2014
- Line Manager 2014 – 2015
- Senior Line Manager 2015 – 2016
- Deputy Chief Trade Officer APL, Singapore 2016 – 2018
- CEO Asia Regional Office, Singapore 2018 – 2019
- Chief Trade Officer CMA CGM Asia and APL, Singapore 2019 – 2020
- Senior Vice President Group Operations 2020
- Senior Vice President Short Sea Lines 2020 – 2022

Volunteer work
• Maritime Industry Cluster President – French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore
• French Trade Advisor Denmark

Board work
• Board Member - French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (2019-2021)
• Board Member – French Chamber of Commerce in Denmark (since 2024)

Björn Boström is since 2008 Managing Director at Port of Ystad. He has 40 years of experience in shipping in companies like Saga Line, DFDS, Lion Ferry, DSØ A/S (i.a. The Hydrofoils Copenhagen-Malmö), the domestic island ferry company Ven-Trafiken AB and for 16 years now Port of Ystad. He has a broad experience of ferry operations and has worked as Sales Representative, Sales- and Marketing Manager, Route Manager and Managing Director.

The port has undergone a major development as two new ferry berths, for vessels up to 240 meters, were built ready for service in January 2021, an investment of more than 100 million euro securing the future port operations.

Since 2008, Port of Ystad has strengthened its position as Sweden's third largest ferry passenger port. Port of Ystad is now also developing as a cruise port as the city of Ystad is well suited as cruise destination. The new berths make this possible.

Matteo Della Valle, based in Genoa, Italy, is currently the Chief Commercial Officer at GNV.
Shortly after earning his Ph.D. in Economics and completing a Master's degree at the Paris School of Economics, he began his career in the shipping industry within the Revenue Management department at Costa Crociere.
He then joined GNV, where he has gained extensive experience through a series of leadership roles, starting as Business Development Manager in 2014. He then progressed to Business Development and Trade Manager in 2017, Trade Business Development and Charter Manager in 2018, Passengers Sales & Marketing Director in 2021, and Chief Passenger Commercial Officer in 2023.
Matteo also holds an Executive Master in Sales and Marketing from Bologna Business School (2016-2017).

Brian Thorsted Hansen joined Fjord Line AS as the CEO in 2021.

Fjord Line was founded in 1993 and is Norway's second largest shipping company for international passenger traffic and freight transportation between Norway and Denmark. Being a link between coastal communities and in connecting Norway and Continental Europe has always been important throughout Fjord Line's history.
Fjord Line has led the way in the green transition at sea being pioneers within green shipping and sustainable fuels. This includes being an early adopter of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) technologies.
Brian is a seasoned executive within the shipping industry and has previously served as Head of DFDS' passenger business including successfully led DFDS' digital transformation within the passenger division. His focus has always been on innovation, growth and execution based on people, customer centricity and value creation

Mr. Achille Onorato, the eldest son of Vincenzo Onorato, represents a fifth generation ship – owner.
He graduated in Business Administration at Bocconi University in Milan. Later received his Master always Bocconi in Logistics and Transport Infrastructure.
Even before his degree, he already participates actively in the business of the company, working on board of the ship fleet of the family alternately to studies
from the age of 13 years old until the end of university, spending on board a total of more than 3 years.
He then later started to work in the commercial area of the group and then became the Hospitality and on Board Services Director of the company Moby SpA.
On January 2012 he became the CEO of the company Toremar, first public shipping company that was privatized in Italy, achieving a radical revolution and innovation of the company.
Mr. Achille Onorato has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Moby and Tirrenia – CIN since 2015 and he has also served as the sole director of both companies from its formation until its conversation into a joint stock companyand the subsequent appointment of the Board of Directors.

On July 2015 Mr. Achille Onorato has become the Vice Executive Chairman of Moby SpA and subsequently on April, 2016 he became the Chief Executive Officer and in the same time he still keeps the position of Vice Executive Chairman of the company.
In addition to the Ship - owner's family tradition, just like his father, he has also the passion for sailing on regattas.

Summary of Current Position in the Company:
* Moby CEO and Vice Executive Chairman
* Member of the BoD of Tirrenia – CIN
* Executive Member of the BoD of Toremar
* BoD Member of San Cataldo
* Chairman of Agemar and Renzo Conti sr

Mikael has a background as an IT developer and architect. Mikael was involved from the beginning when Stena Line started the project to replace their mainframe-based booking systems for passengers and freight in the early 2000s. Mikael served as the chief architect at Stena Line for 4 years.

During his time at Stena Line, Mikael realized that a booking system could be made much simpler by focusing on what is important and using modern technology.
Therefore, the project to build a proprietary booking system was started as a test at Mikael's consulting company.
When Mikael realized how good the proprietary system could become, the booking system was spun off into its own company.

Kjell Teepen is a Naval Architect at Kockumation Group. He graduated from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm in 2016 and worked at Saab Kockums until approximately 18 months ago, when he transitioned to his current role at Kockumation.
In his role, Kjell is responsible for the Loading Computer Loadmaster X5, a widely recognized system utilized on various types of ships worldwide, with a strong industry presence spanning over 40 years.
A hot topic at Kockumation is Safe Return to Port, Passenger ships constructed before 1 January 2014 shall comply with above not later than the first renewal survey after 1 January 2025, meaning these regulations will now be applicable to not only new builds. This means (if the vessel meets the requirements for having these capabilities) we forecast an increase of demand for us to deliver great solutions. The “Type 4 Loading Computer” and the “LevelMaster SRtP-box in combination with Kockumation sensors” are there for essential products not only to keep the passengers safe but also to substantially reduce the amount of wiring within the vessel.“

marco.pavoncelli@e-dea.it

E-Dea is a leading maritime software provider for ferry reservation systems and port automation. Marco has joined E-Dea 10 years ago as CCO, his role is to build international relationships and provide high-value, business-critical solutions to ferry companies and ports.

Marco has over 20 years of international experience in the maritime industry, including several years as Head of the Fast Ferry Division for a major Italian shipbuilder and in charge of all commercial aspects for an iconic player in the private yacht industry.

Mr Georgios Papaioannidis
Partner at Saronic Ferries - Owner & Managing Director of 2wayferries Shipmanagement

Georgios Papaioannidis, MBA graduate, brings over 24 years of extensive experience in ship management and shipbuilding to the ferry industry. As the driving force behind 2wayferries Shipmanagement, he has led the construction and modification of over 10 vessels, strategically expanding the fleet to serve various short-distance routes in Greece, with a special focus on the Saronic Islands. His 15-year tenure on the board of the Domestic Ferry Owners Association, which includes over 100 members, highlights his pivotal role in shaping industry standards and introducing forward-thinking solutions. Additionally, Georgios is leading the development of Greece’s first fully electric Ro-Pax Ferry through Saronic Ferries, reinforcing his commitment to innovation and environmental sustainability in maritime transport.

Paul Kyprianou has studied economics at the L.U.I.S.S. Guido Carlo University (Rome) and holds a Master’s degree in Shipping, Trade & Finance (City University, London). He entered the Grimaldi Group in 1995. By covering the position of Commercial Executive at the Group’s offices in London.
In 1997 he was transferred to the Group’s Headquarters in Naples as Area Manager for Greece and Cyprus. Since 2000 he also holds the position of External Relations Manager. From 2005 to 2010 he was Managing Director of Grimaldi & Louis Dreyfus Lines which run a freight & passenger service between Civitavecchia (Italy) and Toulon (France).
He is a Board Member of various companies of the Grimaldi Group among which Scandinavian Auto Logistics (1999-2000), Grimaldi Belgium, Antwerp Euroterminal and Minoan Lines. Paul Kyprianou represents the Grimaldi Group at various associations such as ECSA (European Community Shipowners’ Associations), Interferry and he is at the Advisory Board of the Italian-Cypriot Chamber of Commerce.

Morten Larsen is a Master Mariner in ground with 40 years of maritime experience from both ashore and onboard positions and nowadays he works for Echandia Marine who is supplier of first class maritime LTO batteries, he also works as independent consultant where one focus is especially on the upcoming maritime environmental regulations and related fuel transition versus GHG reductions.
Morten has worked as Fleet Manager (CTO) and Project Director for several new building and retrofit projects within the passenger vessel segment. He was one of two pioneers bringing LNG onboard Fjord Lines large international Cruise Ferries back in 2013 and was overall responsible managing the two Cruise ferry new buildings which under the construction period was retrofitted from MGO to single LNG fuelled vessels. Morten has been stationed as Owner's representative in shipyards in Norway, Finland, Poland, Japan and the Philippines building new or retrofitting large Ro/pax and High-Speed Ferries.
New and retrofitted Ship to Shore port interfaces in relation to effective harbour turnarounds including three LNG/LBG production, bunker and tank storage plants has also been under his umbrella whereof two of the three facilities have been realized and are in operation today.
He has also participated in several Norwegian Nox Fund and EU Ten-T financial supported maritime projects both managing the overall founded projects and as a stakeholder.
Finally, he has been board member of shipowner and ship-holding companies and are still board member in a green energy company.
All with a true passion for ferries and the sea.

Gotland Tech Development AB
christer.bruzelius@gotlandtechdevelopment.se

As a senior partner with Gotland Tech Development. Christer drives innovation in shipping, enabling the industry to become more sustainable by advancing the technical solutions of tomorrow. Gotland Tech Development was launched in 2021 by Rederi Gotland to drive technical development
by building partnerships with leading maritime companies.
Christer Bruzelius has more than 20 years of experience in senior management positions, as CEO and MD, for shipping companies in Sweden, Finland, and Denmark.
For 9 years, Christer was the CEO of Destination Gotland (part of the Rederi Gotland Group), which operates the RoPax ferry traffic between the island Gotland and mainland Sweden. During his time as a CEO, Christer led several initiatives to place the company at the forefront in sustainability, including adding two RoPax-ferries powered by natural gas and biogas to the fleet.

With a distinguished career and educational background, Panagiotis G. Anastassopoulos seamlessly blends technological expertise with strategic leadership.
As CEO OLPA, he oversees overall strategic management, implementing innovative approaches to enhance port services and fortify the port's position at the national and international levels. He has spearheaded initiatives for the development and enhancement of port infrastructure, elevating the efficiency and competitiveness of Organization. Actively seeking and promoting strategic collaborations with other ports, businesses, and agencies,
he strengthens the position of OLPA in blue economy. Panagiotis G. Anastassopoulos boasts a BA in Mathematics from the University of Patras
and an MBA from the Hellenic Open University and several IT accreditations.
Furthermore, he holds specialized knowledge in the development of IT systems, particularly in WEB2.0 applications.
With over 25 years of experience, he possesses excellent expertise in innovative business models and digital transformation.

Olav Denker Product Management Gyro Compasses, Autopilots and Steering Gear Control Systems, Anschütz GmbH
Anschütz GmbH has its headquarters in Kiel, Germany and subsidiaries in UK, Brazil, Panama, China and Singapore as well as 200 service partners worldwide.
Olav started his career as an electronics engineer in the German Navy. During this time, he was responsible for the maintenance and repair of radio equipment and gyrocompasses on destroyers.
He has worked in the maritime industry for 20 years after completing a degree in industrial engineering. At Anschütz he is head of Product Management for Gyro Compasses, Autopilots and Steering Gear Control Systems.

Martin is delighted to give his insight to P&O Ferries fleet fuel and energy efficiency. He has been emersed in the maritime industry for 32 years. Beginning his career at sea with P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises & Cunard and remined there for 18 years. During this time he reached the rank of Chief Electrical Engineer. While ashore he has advanced his career as a technical manager at P&O Maritime, CLDN and Disney Cruise line. At Carnival Corporations centre for simulator maritime training academy located in the Netherlands, he was the Senior Electro Technical Instructor.
A dynamic Individual with a wealth of experience gained within the Maritime industry.
Demonstrating a varied technical career, specializing in fuel and energy efficiency.
A genuine people-person with a proven track record in achieving results through a motivating and enthusiastic approach.

Theodora Riga is the Director of Strategic Communications of ThPA S.A., President of MedCruise (Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports), Member of the Board of Directors ofThessaloniki Tourism Organization and the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping Representative onthe Hellenic Government’s National Cruise Committee.Born in 1973 in the USA, she holds an MBA in Business Administration and has held seniormanagerial positions in port, shipping and financial services companies over the last 20 years,a member of the National Cruise Committee and a Board Member of a shipping companylisted on the Athens Stock Exchange, as Commercial Director and as Management Consultanton Strategic Development, Sales, Marketing and Communication in the largest shippingcompanies in Greece, providing communication support to the Association of ShippingCompanies.

As Head of Machinery and systems, Brian Bender Madsen is together with his colleagues
developing new Ship designs and conversions at KNUD E HANSEN A/S.
Brian also responsible for coordinating overall development and design within
Ships machinery and electrical systems, from environmental performance to the cost-efficient
solutions and helping the Shipping companies to determine and deliver on future fuel strategies.
This includes our successful integration of the new fuels such
Methanol, Ammonia, LNG etc. in the KNUD E HANSEN ship designs.

Brian is educated Mechanical engineer at the University of Southern Denmark
and started his career as a Project Engineer at MAN B&W and moved on to
MAERSK SHIP DESIGN working with technical part of specifying,
negotiating, test, approving and delivery of ships for the shipping companies
within A. P. Moller-Maersk.

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Per is a seasoned SmartPort pioneer with 45 years of extensive experience in international shipping and logistics.
As the Director of Business Development at SMARTPORTS, he is renowned for his expertise in operations, data collaboration, system development for OEM manufacturers, and advisory roles in intelligent operations and traffic systems utilizing cutting-edge imaging technologies.

Throughout his career, Per has led numerous transformations, designing innovative solutions that enhance operational efficiency and transparency for +100 RoRo Ferry terminals. He specializes in leveraging and adapting top-tier proven technologies from various sectors to facilitate real-time transparency and collaborative data utilization. His dedication to enhancing transparency and providing genuine metadata, combined with his use of data-driven insights, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics, positions him as a forward-thinking leader in the industry.

Per's commitment extends beyond technological advancements; he is focused on driving operational transformation through strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, aiming to create a safer, more sustainable, and efficient future. Have received several awards for his achievements with bringing for RoRo Ferries into a the next generation of Technology.

Ethan Faghani is the CEO and founder of Cetasol. Before Cetasol, Ethan was Chief Engineer of Automation and AI at Volvo Penta. Ethan has experience working with cutting-edge technologies in other transportation segments in both big enterprises and his own founded startup. Ethan obtained his Ph.D. in mechatronics from UBC and Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Stanford Business School.

Randi Blidensol is the current Head of Projects at Adonis by Ripple Operations where she leads a team ofhighly skilled Project Managers to deliver the full scope of implementation and onboarding projects for ourcustomers.For the last 18 years she has worked in the innovation, technology and product sectors within themaritime industry. Her experience encompasses business development and establishing business start-ups as well as developing strategic partnerships.Randi has held management positions within the technology, property, fintech and maritime sectorsincluding the Wilhelmsen Group in Norway and also later Inchcape Shipping Services in the UK.With more than 20 years of international management experience, she has been an invaluable asset tothe Adonis Team since 2020.

Juan Pablo Molina, born in Madrid in 1971, is MSc. In Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering by Polytechnic University of Madrid and MBA by IDE.
With more than 25 years of experience in different areas in maritime industry and with a large worldwide background, in Latin America, Singapore and The Netherlands.
He has developed different projects and business management responsibilities in ship repairs and ship building shipyards like NAVANTIA, VULKAN SHIPYARD and DAMEN SHIPYARDS GROUP both on commercial vessels, military ships as well as mega-yachts.
Since 2021, he joined for a second time the ferry and ro-pax owner BALEARIA, where in total has accumulated almost 10 years of experience as Technical Director.

Position at MAN Energy Solutions: Head of Sales, Propeller & Aft Ship
With a background as a mechanical engineer, Karsten Borneman has worked at MAN Energy Solutions (MAN ES) for more than 30 years in project engineering as well as sales and sales management.
For several years with the world-wide sales responsibility of complete propulsion solutions formerly offered out of the MAN ES production facilities in Frederikshavn, Denmark - covering both low-speed two-stroke engines and medium speed engines as main propulsors in packages with CP propeller and controls.
Since 2011, the Propeller and Aft Ship Solutions has been a separate business areawithin MAN ES – where Karsten Borneman is heading world-wide sales of the complete MAN ES propeller portfolio.

Chief Commercial Officer of OSK Group comprising OSK-ShipTech A/S and Steen Friis Design A/S – leading Danish marine consultancy group specialising in innovative ferry designs and ship interiors, maritime risk assessment and green propulsion technologies to name just a few.

Anders has served as Secretary General of Danish Society for Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and has been recommended as fellow of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects in London. He spends the majority of his time advising shipowners on Fleet Strategy, concept development and technical advisory on tender processes and negotiation of newbuilding projects.

Anders holds a master’s degree in Naval Architecture and Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark and is a specialist in the field of RoRo and RoPax ferries, innovative concept designs, passenger flow, and on-board experience economy.

Efthymios Stasinos is a Naval Architect, with postgraduate studies in Shipping at University of Piraeus, Maritime Studies.
In 2011, he joined RINA classification society as marine surveyor and followed various projects for different types of ships in service, major conversions and newbuildings.
In 2018, he was placed in charge as Head of the newly established Yachting Centre of RINA in Greece, while also performed the duties of marine surveyor.
From 2022 until today, he holds the position of Marine Senior Business Development Manager in Southern Europe & Africa.
He is member of Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA), the Royal Institution of Naval Architects and the Nautical Club of Paleon Faleron, as well as other associations.

Stamatia Tzevelekou has studied in the department of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Peloponnese (city of Patras –Greece).
After her graduation worked for nine years in a Greek private engineering company and since 2007 she has been working in Piraeus Port Authority S.A. She worked in Pier I (container terminal) dept. for nine years as a Head, in Ro-Ro Terminal dept. for one year as Assistant Manager and in Cruise and Ferry Terminal dept.
since 2018 until today as Deputy Manager. Also she has been assigned to participate to European Programs where PPA has participated as a partner.
She is married and has two children.