The Cyprus Marine Club recently hosted a well-attended industry gathering in Limassol, with Christiane Wittig, Chief Analyst at Ingenieurbüro Weselmann, delivering a captivating presentation – a highlight of the evening.

The event was opened by Capt. E. Koch, President of the Cyprus Marine Club, who warmly welcomed members and friends of the maritime community.

In his opening remarks, Capt. Koch briefly acknowledged the uncertain geopolitical environment affecting global trade and shipping, particularly in light of the recent escalation of hostilities between the United States, Israel, and Iran. He noted that such developments once again highlight the sensitivity of global trade routes during periods of geopolitical instability.

“Our thoughts are with the hundreds of seafarers currently stranded aboard their vessels in the Persian Gulf,” he stated, underlining the human dimension of these developments and the resilience of maritime professionals operating under challenging conditions.

Despite these uncertainties, Capt. Koch noted that the Cyprus Marine Club continues to maintain an active programme of events for the year ahead. He announced that the Club’s next event will take place on 21 April 2026, featuring Theodore Chouliaras of Upoil Tankers as guest speaker, while encouraging members to continue supporting the Club’s upcoming activities.

Capt. Koch also expressed sincere appreciation to the companies supporting the Club as sponsors for 2026, emphasizing that their continued commitment enables the organization to organise events and further strengthen the maritime community in Cyprus.

During the evening, the Club also welcomed its newest corporate member, Lunar Shipping Limited.

Ms. Wittig, in her presentation shared insights drawn from her more than 35 years of experience in the maritime industry. Trained as a marine engineer, she spent seven years at sea on reefer, research and container vessels before completing an MSc in Shipping, Trade and Finance in London.

During her presentation, Ms. Wittig focused on both the why and how of ship valuation, offering valuable insights into the interplay of the sale and purchase and charter markets and the interaction between commercial market conditions and technical vessel characteristics in an environment of growing regulatory complexity. Her analysis highlighted the main drivers influencing asset values and the evolving landscape of the dry bulk shipping market.

The presentation sparked strong interest among attendees and was followed by engaging discussions among members of the Cyprus maritime community. Ms. Wittig was deeply impressed with the vitality and sophistication of the Cyprus shipping scene.