The Malta Maritime Forum has recently held its annual general meeting at Europa House, Valletta. The programme included a number of distinguished speakers who made presentations to highlight progress and issues relating to the maritime sector.
The International Maritime Law Institute was represented by Norman Martinez Gutierrez, a professor at IMLI who has been rendering services in Malta for the past 20 years.
Prof. Martinez has acted as an international maritime law consultant since 2000 and joined the IMO roster of experts in 2003. That same year, he also became a member of the panel of arbitrators of the Camara Arbitral Maritima no Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Ann Fenech was invited to explain her important role within the Comité Maritime International, a non-governmental, not-for profit international organisation established in Antwerp, whose aim is to contribute by all appropriate means and activities to the unification of maritime law in all its aspects.
Dr Fenech was awarded best in shipping law at the European Women in Business Awards held in London. In October 2014 she was appointed honorary patron of the Malta Law Academy and in June 2014 was elected on the CMI executive council.
Alex Montebello, Malta Freeport Terminals Ltd CEO, gave an update regarding the container transshipment activities within Malta Freeport. Mr Montebello’s presentation to attendees provided a detailed update regarding the investment carried out in the terminal, which was instrumental to place Malta as a transshipment hub of excellence with the possibility to handle container vessels having a capacity of 20,000 Teus. Mr Montebello has been responsible for the operation of the terminals, the marketing of the container terminals as well as for negotiations and the management of contracts with the shipping lines, resulting in the client mix that has been attracted to the Freeport’s facilities.
Another interesting presentation was delivered by Cornelia Zammit German, CEO at Falzon Group of Companies, one of Malta’s longest established fuel suppliers. Dr Zammit German’s presentation focused on questions frequently raised as a result of the IMO’s new requirements relating to sulphur emissions. She took the opportunity to raise pertinent questions regarding ships trading in designated emission control areas, which will be obliged to use fuel oil on board with a sulphur content of no more than 0.10 per cent.
Dr Zammit German read for a Master’s in international maritime law at the IMO’s International Maritime Law Institute and is a member of the International Bunker Industry Association, the Energy Institute and the Committee of the Yachting Trade Section within the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry.
The Malta Maritime Forum took the opportunity to explain to its members and other attendees the extent of initiatives taken during 2017, within the local and international scenarios. The members were pleased with the MMF’s extensive work and also endorsed changes to the statute to allow the MMF to be recognised as a legal entity. Joseph Bugeja, CEO and board director, represented the MMF.
Joe Borg, MMF chairman, concluded the AGM with a general review of the MMF’s various initiatives for 2017 and the vision and target for the coming year 2018. Dr Borg announced that the European Network of Maritime Clusters will he holding its general meeting in Malta around October 2018.