5th Annual Capital Link German Maritime Forum

The 5th Annual Capital Link German Maritime Forum takes place on Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Hamburg, Germany. The event is held in partnership with DNV and with the support of the German Shipowners’ Association (VDR) and the Hamburg and Bremen Shipbrokers’ Association.

The Forum is held during the week of the Annual Eisbeinessen event, a significant gathering that attracts maritime leaders from around the globe. It will showcase a diverse lineup of German and international industry leaders, including shipowners and financiers, who will share their expertise and insights.

Forum Agenda

REGISTRATION & BREAKFAST

8:20 – 9:20 AM

WELCOME REMARKS

9:20 – 9:25 AM

Mr. Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO – DNV Maritime

Mr. Nicolas Bornozis, President – Capital Link, Inc.

NEW LANDSCAPE – ENERGY DEPENDENCY & SECURITY

9:30 – 10:10 AM

Moderator: Mr. Dionysios Antonopoulos, Vice President, Regional Business Development, Northern Europe – ABS

Panelists:

Dr. Johann Killinger, Managing Partner – Buss Group

Mr. Nitin Shukla, VP Shipping, Trading & Supply – Shell

Mr. Philipp Kroepels, Director New Energy – MB Energy

EFFICIENCY MEETS SUSTAINABILITY:

OPTIMIZING TECHNICAL OPERATIONS ACROSS THE FLEET

10:15 – 10:55 AM

Moderator: Mr. Thomas Klenum, Executive Vice President of Innovation & Regulatory Affairs – Liberian Registry

Panelists:

Mr. Norman Schmiedl, CEO – COLUMBIA blue

Dr. Konstantinos Kyriakopoulos, CEO & Co-Founder – DeepSea Technologies

Mr. Tim Ponath, CEO – NSB Group

Mr. Frederic Bouthillier, Head of Shipping – Vertis Environmental Finance

UNLOCKING SHIP FINANCE: ALTERNATIVE FUNDING OPTIONS & MARKET REALITIES

11:25 – 12:05 PM

Moderator: Dr. Christian Finnern LL.M., Partner & Head of Germany – Watson Farley & Williams

Panelists:

Mr. Martijn van Tuijl, Managing Director, Maritime Finance – First Citizens Bank

Mr. Maximilian Otto, Director – IG Capital

Mr. Iraklis Tsirigotis, Director of Origination – Neptune Maritime Leasing Ltd.

Mr. Tobias Backer, Executive Director – Pelagic Capital

GREEN SHIPPING & FLEET RENEWAL

12:10 – 12:50 PM

Moderator: Mr. Rasmus Stute, Vice President, Area Manager, Germany – DNV Maritime

Panelists:

Mr. Lucius Bunk, Managing Partner – Auerbach Schifffahrt GmbH & Co. KG

Mr. Helge Bartels, COO – Bernhard Schulte GmbH

Mr. Wilke Briese, CEO – Briese Schiffahrts GmbH

Mr. Kai Miller, Trade Management – Energy, Emissions & Indexation – Kuehne + Nagel (AG & Co.) KG

Mr. Torben Kölln, Managing Director – Leonhardt & Blumberg Shipmanagement GmbH & Co. KG

CAPITAL LINK GERMAN SHIPPING LEADERSHIP AWARD CEREMONY & 1X1 DISCUSSION

12:55 – 1:15 PM

Introduced by:

Honoree:

Mr. Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen

CEO

DNV Maritime   Capt. Alfred Hartmann

Founder & Chairman

Hartmann Group

President

German Shipowners’ Association (VDR)

(2015-2021)

MULTI-INVESTING – MARITIME STRATEGIES

2:25 – 3:05 PM

Moderator: Dr. Clemens Hillmer, Partner – Clyde & Co.

Panelists:

Mr. Henning Prinzen, Trader – Lila Global

Dr. Maximilian Rothkopf, COO – Hapag-Lloyd AG

Mr. Constantin Baack, Co-CEO – MPC Container Ships ASA (OSLO:MPCC); CEO – MPC Capital AG

CONTAINER SECTOR PANEL

3:10 – 3:50 PM

Moderator: Mr. Clemens Toepfer, Managing Director – Toepfer Transport GmbH

Panelists:

Mr. Filippos Prokopakis, Chief Commercial Officer – Danaos Corporation (NYSE: DAC)

Mr. John Su, Founder, President & CEO – Erasmus Shipinvest Group

Mr. Adam Catsambis, Commercial Manager – Eurobulk Ltd./Euroseas

Mr. Poul Hestbaek, CEO – Folk Maritime

Mr. Philipp Jörss, Head of Vessel Portfolio – Hapag-Lloyd AG

SHIPPING – WHAT’S NEXT? THE GERMAN SHIPOWNER’S VIEWPOINT

3:55 – 4:35 PM

Moderator: Mr. Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO – DNV Maritime

Panelists:

Mr. Nicolaus Bunnemann, Managing Partner – Atlantic Lloyd GmbH & Co. KG (AL Group)

Mr. Christian Rychly, Managing Director – MPC Capital AG; COO – MPC Container Ships ASA (OSLO:MPCC)

Mr. Nikolaus Oldendorff, Co-Owner & Managing Director – Reederei Nord GmbH

Mr. Andreas Bergmann, CEO & Partner – UNIATLANTICO Shipping GmbH & Co. KG