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ITS Convention: owners will tackle towage, salvage challenges
At the 28th ITS Convention, tug owners, port operators, salvors and marine pilots will discuss how towage can become safer, sustainable and greener in panel sessions
Overcoming the challenges of harbour operations, ship pilotage and towage and emergency response will be some of the key themes examined by leading industry experts at the upcoming 28th ITS Convention, Exhibition & Awards, to be held 19-21 May in Gothenburg, Sweden.
In the first panel debate, tug owners from the Americas, Europe and the Middle East will explain how they are responding to market pressures, geopolitical and operational challenges, and sustainability requirements.
European Tugowners Association (ETA) chair and Svitzer Europe managing director, Arjen van Dijk, will be joined on this panel by Noatum Maritime Marine Services commercial and business development director, Ferlin Brown, Seaspan Marine Transportation president, Captain Jordan Pechie, CPT Towage managing director, Miguel de Orbegoso and SAAM Towage chief executive, Hernan Gomez Cisternas.
They will compare perspectives across different operational environments, examine practical approaches to fleet renewal and operational efficiency, explain how operates are adapting to evolving commercial and geopolitical realities and regulatory pressures and explore strategic planning considerations for the next decade.
In another panel debate, Mr Brown will be joined by Global Risk Management chief analyst and head of research, Arne Lohmann Rasmusson, to discuss how global trade shifts, sanctions, tariffs and regulations impact towage and port operations.
Harbour pilots and tug masters will discuss ways to minimise risk during complex manoeuvres in ports, in another panel session that will include Kotug International director for the Maritime Excellence Centre, Patrick Everts, European Maritime Pilots’ Association secretary general, Aileen Van Raemdonck, SeaWays Advisory managing director, Captain Arie Nygh, and maritime pilot Mustafa Sokukcu.
Elsewhere, Port of Gothenburg head of renewable energy, Therese Jällbrink, Port of Aveiro harbour co-ordination manager, Pedro Ramalheira Lemos, and ETA secretary general, Anna Maria Darmanin, will consider green strategies, including berth electrification, renewable energy integration, digital optimisation and alternative fuels.
During the convention there will be two panel discussions focussed on salvage and emergency response, both led by Smit Lamnalco director of LNG business and project development, Andrew Brown.
On one panel, Mr Brown will be joined by Multraship managing director and International Salvage Union president, Capt Leendert Muller, Targe Towing commercial director, Alasdair Smith, Somara president, Jean Pierre Porry, Donjon Marine vice president for salvage operations, Timothy Williamson and the UK Government’s secretary of state representative for maritime salvage and intervention, Stephan Hennig.
They will discuss how salvage is being shaped by regional conflicts, international sanctions, technological innovation, environmental imperatives and regulatory reform.
Discussions will cover the impact of fewer salvage opportunities, higher operational costs, competition and consolidation, diversification of services – including emergency response – cargo recovery and pollution control, and the affect of climate change and extreme weather on operations.
On another panel, Smit Lamnalco’s Mr Brown will be joined by Capt Sokukcu, Marine Response Consultants managing director, Kenneth Edgar, BlueTack co-founder, Oliver Timofei, and ITOPF senior technical adviser, Andrew Le Masurier.
They will debate how spill management and emergency response will change as maritime fuels evolve and vessels begin to regularly bunker ammonia, methanol, LNG and biofuels
The 28th International Tug & Salvage Convention, Exhibition & Awards will be held in Gothenburg, Sweden, in association with Caterpillar, 19-21 May 2026. Use this link for more details of this industry event and the associated social and networking opportunities.
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