Seatrade Europe 2007 Conference Programme
Tuesday 25 September
Morning session 0900 – 1130hrs
The European Cruise Dynamic
Five leading cruise industry personalities discuss Europe's pivotal role in the expansion of the global cruise industry
Participants will include:
SEBASTIAN AHRENS, Managing Director, Hapag Lloyd Cruises
DAVID DINGLE, Chairman, European Cruise Council, and CEO, Carnival UK
SUSAN HOOPER, Senior Vice President International, Managing Director, EMEA, Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises
MICHAEL THAMM, President, AIDA Cruises
PIERFRANCESCO VAGO, CEO, MSC Cruises
Afternoon sessions (sessions run concurrently) 1500-1700hrs
River Cruise: Europe and the Wider World
The gathering momentum of river cruise in Europe and the parallel developments around the world which are transforming this sector.
Participants will include:
TORSTEIN HAGEN, Chairman, Viking River Cruises
JENS HUHSE, President, IG RiverCruise, and Owner, Cruise Advance Jens Huhse
STUART PERL, Managing Director, Peter Deilmann River & Ocean Cruises Ltd
RUDOLF STÄUBLE, Vice President Special Tours, DERTOUR GmbH & Co. KG
CHRISTINE SUSTREANU, Managing Director, Global River Cruises
Green Technology Workshop
At a time of unprecedented interest in the environmental footprint of the cruise and ferry sectors, the twin issues of air emissions and waste management will be analysed. What are the options available for addressing these challenges, and what is the likely nature of the regulatory framework in which the industry will operate in the future?
Participants will include:
CLAUS ALTENBERG, Vice President, Technical Services, Deerberg-Systems
ALLAN BENTLEY, Managing Director, Hamworthy Water Systems Ltd
DENVER EHRLICH, Director Audit & Compliance, AIDA Cruises
JAN-OLOV FORSSTRÖM, Manager Blade Design & Hydrodynamics, Rolls-Royce AB
JENS KOHLMANN, Principle Technical Manager Newbuildings, AIDA Cruises
ANDY OSBOURNE, Business Development Director, Krystallon Limited
RICHARD VIE, Vice President, Newbuilding and Technical Department, Carnival Corporate Shipbuilding
PETER WILD, Director, G P Wild (International) Ltd
Wednesday 26 September
Morning sessions (sessions run concurrently) 0900 – 1130hrs
The State of the Ferry Industry in North Europe Session Sponsored by 
Participants will include:
WILLIAM GIBBONS, Director, Passenger Shipping Association
PETER ILES, Director, Strategic Transport Solutions International Ltd
EERO MÄKINEN, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Cruise & Ferries, Aker Yards
AXEL MEYNKÖHN, Managing Director, Wyker Dampfschiffs-Reederei Föhr-Amrum GmbH
The challenges and opportunities for Europe's ferry lines.
- Innovation and investment in the ferry sector
- Developments in the Western Baltic, both international and domestic routes
- The development of traffic-flows between Scandinavia and the new EU member States of Eastern Europe
- The regulatory framework for the ferry industry
Hotels Afloat
A modern cruise ship has all the characteristics of a small town at sea, with a theatre, sports facilities, a convention centre and, of course, multiple dining outlets.
This panel will provide a detailed insight of how this highly sophisticated hotel operation caters to the changing needs and tastes of its guests. What are the opportunities for existing and future suppliers to the cruise and ferry sectors?
Participants will include:
ENRICO BORNIOTTO, General Manager, MSC Italcatering SpA
HANS HEGER, Director Hotel Operations & Catering, V. Ships
SEBASTIAN HEINEMANN, General Manager, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski
RALF HÜBNER, Managing Director, Hobart GmbH
DR. CHRISTOPHER C. MULLER, Professor, University of Central Florida, Rosen School of Hospitality Management
MANFRED SUSSMANN, General Manager, Convotherm Elektrogeräte GmbH
SAKARI KROUVILA, Director, SeaKing Finland
Afternoon sessions (sessions run concurrently) 1500-1700hrs
Finance for Passenger Vessels
In a changing environment for cruise, ferry and river cruise sectors this session will look at sources of finances for passenger vessels, private and institutional investors, the German KG-System, tax regulations and benefits, harmonisation of VAT rules within the EU, and tonnage tax etc.
Participants will include:
VINCENZO DI BARTOLO, Manager Shipping Finance, SG Equipment Finance Switzerland AG (Société Générale Group)
HELGE GRAMMERSTORF, Managing Director, SeaConsult HAM GmbH
JAN-THIESS HEITMANN, Head of Legal Department & KG-Finance Specialist, Verband Deutscher Reeder (VDR)
RICHARD JANSEN, Senior Vice President, Global Head, Cruise, Ferry & Yacht Group,
DVB Bank AG
MATHIAS MUENCHAU, Vice President, Business Development, International Shipping Partners Inc
On-board Revenue Workshop
- New strategies to maximise revenue generation on-board
- Systems to ensure that cruise guests are fully informed of all discounts and promotions on-board
- Software to capture all transactions and analyse revenue generation
- Opportunities to generate post-cruise revenue streams from passengers' stay on-board
Participants will include:
LAURA GIORGETTI, Onboard Revenue Manager, Cruise Operations Department, Costa Crociere SpA
ANTONIUS HEUER, President, Fidelio Cruise
TONY PEISLEY, Cruise Industry Analyst, and Author “2020 Vision: New Focus for the Global Cruise Industry”
DAVID STANLEY, Shipboard Revenue Consultant (formerly VP of RCCL)
STEVE SYBELDON, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales, SeaMobile
Thursday 27 September
Morning session 0900 – 1130hrs
Destination Europe
Europe has a ‘golden pool’ of cruise destinations, and with more passengers and more and bigger ships cruising its waters more creativity in itinerary, destination, port infrastructure and shorex planning will be needed.
- Terminal design, check-in, baggage handling, security. The ship/shore experience for the passenger. Can it be improved and if so how?
- With bigger ships calling in a greater diversity of European ports, what will be the guiding principles for the shore excursion programmes of the future?
Participants will include:
MONICA BENGTSSON, Business Area Manager Tourism, Trade & Tourism Helsingborg
MAI ELMAR, Executive Manager, Cruise Europe
BOB HARRISON, Director – Cruise Operations, Destination SouthWest
MARK ITTEL, Partner, Bermello, Ajamil & Partners, Inc.
JOACHIM KÖHN, Terminal Manager, Hamburg Cruise Center EV
NIGEL LINGARD, Marketing Director, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
PHILIP NAYLOR, General Manager-Fleet, Marine & Shore Operations, Carnival UK
JOHN TERCEK, Vice President, Commercial Development, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd