The inaugural Madeira Maritime Week, which opens (15 May) in Funchal with a spectacular reception hosted by EUROMAR and the European International Shipowners Association of Portugal , marks the start of a week of high level debate, presentations and networking designed to emphasise the increasing importance of the International Shipping Register of Madeira (RIN-MAR) in establishing a bridge between European and international shipping, as well as focusing on the key environmental, commercial, regulatory and welfare issues impacting on shipping in the twenty-first century.

The opening reception will feature welcome speeches by José Maria Costa, His Excellency, the Secretary of State for the Sea, Portugal, and Pedro Calado, His Excellency, the Mayor of Funchal.

The event is a pre-cursor to a prestigious, two-day flagship conference (16-17 May) where over 200 participants, including key shipowners and top decision makers in European shipping, will have the opportunity to attend specially curated sessions which will consider how European shipping hubs, particularly Madeira and Portugal, can work to support and increase the industry’s competitiveness and diversity whilst at the same time keeping regulatory, safety, training, and ocean protection imperatives at the forefront of the discussion.

The conference sessions will include contributions from political leaders and senior level executives of national and international companies and organisations, including Maja Kostelac, Executive Director of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), Dr Gaby Bornheim, President of the German Shipowners Association, Assunção Cristas, university professor and former Minister of the Sea of Portugal, Ana Paula Vitorino, President of the Mobility and Transport Authority and also former Minister of the Sea, Portugal, Marisa Lameiras da Silva, Director General, DGPM, González Álvarez, DG CLIMA/ European Commission, Prabhat Jha, Group Managing Director and CEO, MSC Shipmanagement Limited and Maren Schroeder, Managing Director, Stolt Tankers.

On 17 May, a stunning dinner will be hosted by Miguel Albuquerque, His Excellency, the President of the Regional Government of Madeira, in the garden of Quinta Vigia, the President’s official residence.

Madeira Maritime Week will also feature a trade fair focussing on the contributions of regional, national and global companies and institutions to the maritime economy, alongside the WISTA Atlantic Forum, organised by WISTA Portugal, with the support of WISTA MED, which will discuss the priorities of equality in training and education for seafarers.

To bring the week to a close, a Maritime Training and Education Forum will be held on 18 and 19 May which is organised by WISTA Portugal, Maritimos Manning Portugal (MMP), and the Regional Secretary of Education.

Madeira Maritime Week is sponsored by the Presidency of the Regional Government of Madeira and supported by Sociedad de Desenvolvimento da Madeira (SDM) and EUROMAR.

The event is organised by EISAP, in partnership with Petrospot, a UK-based conference, training and publishing company which runs maritime events such as Portugal Shipping Week, Maritime Week Americas, the Middle East Bunkering Convention, Maritime Week Africa and the ship.energy summit and which is also a co-organiser of London International Shipping Week, and the Portuguese representation of the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA Portugal).