WITH a strong focus on the latest safety, green and smart shipping, maritime events and media giant Safety4Sea is bringing their in-person conference back to Manila.

The 2023 Safety4Sea Manila Forum, to be held at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila on Oct. 24, 2023, aims to keep the local maritime community updated and competitive on the global landscape, bringing professionals, companies and organizations all over the globe back to the Philippines.

The forum will highlight the maritime industry’s key takeaways from the Covid-19 pandemic, including crisis response strategies and resilience-building measures for future disruptions, especially in the Philippines, home to 14 percent of the world’s seafarer population.

The events team headed by Safety4Sea founder and Group Chief Executive Officer Apostolos Belokas said Filipino seafarers have a strong global presence and are renowned for their experience, expertise, skills, professionalism, adaptability and cost-effectiveness. These qualities make them highly valuable to the Greek maritime industry and contribute significantly to its success and competitiveness.

“Given the increasing focus on sustainability in the maritime industry, our 2023 event in the Philippines will also emphasize the country’s commitment to crew welfare, safety culture and ESG in shipping,” Belokas said.

Safety4Sea has championed sustainable shipping for more than 14 years, hosting the leading maritime website safety4sea.com and producing monthly magazines and tailored publications, relevant industry surveys, and content, among many others. The organization is behind the Green4Sea, Smart4Sea, Career4Sea, and Crew Welfare Week forums and awards.

“Our mission is to advance the maritime sector toward sustainability, safety and appeal on a global scale as the leading maritime news portal dedicated to safety, green and smart shipping news. Partnerships are the key priority for shipping, as collaboration is the new fuel. We look forward to bringing all industry stakeholders together to discuss and find solutions to ongoing challenges. In this respect, all industry stakeholders need to collaborate and support our people, both onboard and ashore, with more initiatives, more projects and more tools,” said Belokas.

“All in all, a happy crew provides a welcoming, safe, inclusive and positive environment onboard. Individually, we are one drop, but together, we are an ocean. This is why Safety4Sea is a must-watch event, bringing together a diverse group of panelists and speakers to share, discuss and debate several issues so that opportunities to learn are provided,” Belokas added.

One of the speakers, lawyer Iris Baguilat, chairman of the ALMA Maritime Group and president of Döhle Seafront Crewing (Manila), shared how information is a key element in rising above the changing and challenging landscape of the maritime industry.

“We have seen how crucial information and knowledge sharing was during the pandemic. It remains significant today, and with Safety4Sea, we are trying to achieve a multifaceted approach in relaying factual information and insights crucial to promoting safe and sustainable seafaring and shipping,” Baguilat said.

Another speaker from Green Marine Engineering, Managing Director Donnie Bagang, approves of the sustainability agenda of the event.

“The Safety4Sea Manila Conference provides a platform for professionals to learn, network, and collaborate, ultimately contributing to safer and more sustainable maritime operations. The maritime industry is highly dynamic, with technological advancement, regulations and best practices. The conference offers opportunities for attendees to engage in continuous learning, training, and development to stay updated on the latest safety measures and industry trends,” Bagang said.