Shipping Investors at the 15th Annual Capital Link New York Maritime Forum

Investors and entrepreneurs from the shipping industry gathered at the Club to hear from a series of panels on topics including maritime technology, capital markets, green shipping and decarbonization.

Capital Link Founder, CEO and President Nikolas Bornozis told NGTV that every year the forum attracts major investors and financiers from the shipping industry.

“Our forum always has the very unique characteristic of featuring industry leaders, mainly listed shipping companies, which use our forum to communicate and reach out to their shareholders and investors,” Bornozis said.

The 15th Capital Link forum welcomed Mark Ross, the CEO of Chevron Shipping, and Nikos Tsakos, the Founder and CEO of Tsakos Energy Navigation (TEN), as keynote speakers. This year, Tsakos celebrated an important milestone for the company: the 30th anniversary of TEN going public. TEN got listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange in 1993, and then got transferred in 2002 to the NYSE.

“I believe the NYSE provides a great platform for growth companies like ourselves,” Tsakos said. “Many people do not realize, Greece is the number one shipping carrier in the world; we represent about 25% of world shipping, and [Greece] has finally started being represented correctly on the stock exchange here.”

According to Bornozis, this year’s forum is taking place during a critical moment for the industry.

“On one hand we have geopolitical challenges; we have the war in Europe, now we have the war in the Middle East, and that certainly will certainly impact the global supply chain,” he said.

Tsakos also talked about the changing landscape of the industry, which must adapt to continuously evolving geopolitical events around the world.

“Shipping is the artery of the world trade,” he said. “And right now, we’re seeing quite a lot of frictions around the world that traditionally lead shipping rates to be stronger; however, for us, we would rather live in a much more peaceful world and have lower rates rather.”

Bornozis also highlighted the ongoing technological and environmental changes for the shipping industry.

“We have the race to green shipping, and this is mandated by regulations but also by market demand, and then the use of technology that is revolutionizing shipping,” Bornozis said.

Maria Hatjipateras is a General Partner and Co-Founder of the venture capital firm TMV. A panel moderator at this year’s forum, Hatjipateras spoke about the importance of technological advancement being at the forefront of the shipping industry.

“It’s about how we make something better, how we make something more efficient, how we make something more sustainable,” she told NGTV. “And then you bring in entrepreneurs from outside the industry and the trust is there, which is a big thing.”

Tufton Senior Advisor Nikos Petrakakos says sustainability is “probably the most important thing” in the industry. According to him, climate action is what is changing the way investors view the shipping market.

“It’s impacting shipping both for ships that are green but also ships that aren’t green,” Petrakakos said. “I think they will be trading for longer than otherwise would have been expected.”

Petrakakos also underscored the role Greece plays in the global shipping industry and how its strategies are adapting.

“We’ve always looked at it very differently than a lot of other countries; it’s been very much about asset play, buy low, sell high at the right timing,” he said. “I think that’s changing, egos are changing, ship owners are collaborating with each other, they’re investing in other shipowners, they’re investing in technology, they’re looking at the future […] I think that’s changing how Greek shipping is, and I think it will mean that Greek shipping will stay at the forefront of the shipping industry for a while.”