This evening, more than 250 industry leaders representing the public and private sectors across Singapore’s diverse maritime ecosystem attended the SMF New Year Conversations 2026. Mr. Murali Pillai, Senior Minister of State for Law and Transport, graced the event as Guest-of-Honor and delivered the opening address.

Panel Discussion on Market Outlook, Risks and Opportunities

A highlight of the SMF New Year Conversations 2026 was a panel that discussed the outlook for the year ahead amid volatility and risks. The distinguished panelists and moderator were:Panelists

• Mr. Jan Dieleman, President, Cargill Ocean Transportation
• Mr. Rolf Thore Roppestad, Chairman of IG Group and Chief Executive Officer, Gard
• Mr. Nicholas Brown, Chief Executive Officer, Lloyd’s Register
• Ms. Harvonne Yap, Vice President, Products Freight Trading, Shell
• Mr. Jeremy Sutton, Chief Executive Officer, Swire Shipping

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Moderator

• Mr. Andreas Sohmen-Pao, Chairman, BW Group

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Quote by SMF Chairman 

“Through platforms such as the annual New Year Conversations, the Singapore Maritime Foundation brings the industry together and provides an avenue for senior leaders across the ecosystem to connect, take stock of the industry’s developments, and share insights. As a trusted partner to both the public and private sectors, SMF will continue to work closely with our stakeholders to drive collective action on strategic priorities such as building the talent pipeline and enhancing Maritime Singapore’s competitiveness,” said Mr. Hor Weng Yew, Chairman, Singapore Maritime Foundation.