UK Chamber of Shipping Unveils Shipping UK 2026: Navigating the future

Hosted by the UK Chamber of Shipping in partnership with Riviera Maritime Media, Shipping UK 2026 explore the UK’s leadership in international maritime policy and convene global shipping leaders, policymakers, and military strategists.

Rhett Hatcher, CEO of the UK Chamber of Shipping, said:

“Shipping UK 2026 is where maritime strategy meets policy and action. In an era of geopolitical fracturing and accelerating climate imperatives, this conference brings together the voices that matter to chart a course that safeguards both planetary health and operational security. This is not just dialogue; it’s about shaping outcomes.”

Commenting on the partnership, Edwin Lampert, Riviera Maritime Media’s Executive Editor and Head of Business Relations, said:

“Riviera Maritime Media is proud to partner with the UK Chamber to deliver Shipping UK 2026. This event brings together the most influential voices in global maritime to address the defining challenges of our time: sustainability, security, and strategic competitiveness.”

This premier international event will unite global shipping leaders, policymakers, and innovators for a day of insight, dialogue, and strategic debate on the future of maritime.

Featuring an innovative dual-stream architecture, keynote addresses, panels and breakouts will focus on Sustainability and Prosperity - covering decarbonisation, transition finance, supply chains, and workforce - alongside a stream focussed on Security and Innovation, addressing geopolitical risks, war readiness, future fuels, and digital transformation.

Why This Conference Matters Now

A Strategic Platform for a Fracturing Era: What distinguishes Shipping UK 2026 from other maritime events is its integration of commercial shipping strategy with exploration of the UK regulatory and policy landscape and defence and security planning.

Policy Influence, Not Just Policy Discussion: Hosted in Westminster at the QEII Centre, Shipping UK 2026 connects industry leaders directly with policymakers and regulatory authorities. This is about shaping policy, not just reacting to it.

Military-Commercial Integration: Senior defence leadership will address how commercial operators can align with UK security strategy in an unstable security environment, representing unprecedented content for a commercial shipping conference.

De-Risking Transition Finance: Gain specific strategies to de-risk investments in decarbonisation technology and future fuels, with insights from leading financial institutions and operators at the frontier.

Geopolitical Navigation: Practical protocols for operating in a fracturing geopolitical landscape, including sanctions navigation, regional tensions and cyber-physical threat mitigation.

2030 Horizon Scanning: This is not a retrospective event. Every session is calibrated to the 2030 maritime landscape: regulatory shifts, cargo patterns, workforce demands, technology readiness and security postures.