Speakers

Janet Nodar is a well-respected business journalist and conference content director who spent more than two decades covering breakbulk and project cargo for the Journal of Commerce by S&P Global and related publications. Having retired in late 2025, she now works on special industry-related projects.

Susan Oatway is a highly experienced analyst who joined the Journal of Commerce by S&P Global in January 2023 as a senior research analyst for multipurpose and project shipping. Her focus is on the multipurpose, breakbulk, project cargo, and related shipping markets, including roll-on, roll-off and refrigerated shipping. In September 2025 she became the Chair of the Journal of Commerce Breakbulk and Project Cargo Conference, held annually in New Orleans. Susan is fully conversant with all aspects of the multipurpose and dry bulk shipping market. Prior to joining S&P Global, she was the principal author of Drewry’s Multipurpose and Heavy Lift publications for nearly 20 years. She has extensive consulting experience working for carriers/shipping lines, financial intermediaries and other key industry stakeholders. She is regularly asked to share her market knowledge and insights at leading industry conferences and lectures on dry bulk chartering for the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS). She was the first female International chair at the ICS from 2019 to 2021 and remains a Fellow of the Institute. She is also a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights.

Peter’s knowledge spans maritime law, marine engineering, ship and port commercial operations, vessel vetting and valuation, data visualisation, application development, and system design. He earned a degree in Marine and Plant Engineering in 2008 and began his career at sea as an Engineer Officer of the Watch before moving ashore into operations in 2011.
A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS), Peter previously served as Vice Chairman of the ICS Ireland branch and helped launch the Netherlands Development Branch in 2019. He chairs the ICS Membership Committee and holds a Master’s in Maritime Law from the University of London.
In 2019, he founded Sea3R, advising financial institutions and shipping companies on maritime strategy, fleet evaluation, and market analysis.  Sea3R recently transitioned its annual reporting to a portal focused on coasters trading in the European area, providing information on fleet development, utilisation, asset value freight and ownership fragmentation.
A self-confessed shipping enthusiast, Peter combines technical and commercial insight with genuine passion for the industry.

Catrien Scheers is the Chairman of Fast Group, a leading logistics company in Europe specializing in shortsea break bulk shipping. With over 30 years of experience, Catrien has developed deep expertise across the shipping industry, serving as a shipowner, forwarder, terminal operator, ship agent, and ship manager.She holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Media Studies from KU Leuven University. Under her leadership, Fast Lines Belgium provides comprehensive logistics solutions through its innovative "Sofa Style Service," continually investing in its people, fleet, and port operations.Catrien believes in the power of people, driving her motto: “Assets are important, but people make the difference!”

Have started career in 1990 in Chipolbrok just after graduation from Foreign Trade faculty at Gdansk Unviersity.For the first years in charge of chartering activity and later on as from very beginning responsible for development of  main liner service from Europe.As from 2002 working as Commercial Manager in Chipolbrok Gdynia office. Promoted in 2024 into position of Shipping Director. Big experience and vast knowledge as to liner service and project cargo market.

Joris Leonaers ,BD director industrial projects within Gosselin Logistics has over 25 years of experience in international logistics, project cargo, and maritime operations.Throughout his career, he has developed and delivered end-to-end asset-based logistics solutions for major engineering, procurement & construction (EPC) companies, including OEM’s.The most recent challenge was the management of the logistics control tower of INEOS Project ONE. His expertise spans heavy-lift and out-of-gauge cargo & supply chain management for large-scale industrial projects.Having held senior leadership roles at Heavy (nowadays Gosselin) , Aprojects & Ahlers , Joris tries to combine deep sector knowledge with strong commercial partnership.He will touch upon the current challenges for inland transport & multimodal solutions.

With more then 25 years of experience in logistics, customer relations and rail freight, An Corvers has built her career at the heart of the European transport sector. Active in rail freight since 1999, she started her career at TRW before joining B-Cargo in 2007 and later Lineas, where she has been working since 2014 as Senior Key Account Manager Exceptional & Special Transports.  Over the years, An has developed extensive expertise in rail logistics, bulk and industrial transport, and customer-focused freight solutions. Her experience spans operational coordination, commercial management and strategic account development, always with a strong emphasis on long-term customer relationships and service reliability.

Yorck Niclas Prehm did not set out to become one of the more knowledgeable voices in Multipurpose and Heavylift shipping — it simply happened over the course of more than two decades working every corner of the market. And like so many who find their way into this business, he will tell you that once it gets under your skin, it never really lets you go. Over that time, he has held senior positions in Sales, Chartering, Tonnage Procurement, Project Management and Market Analysis with leading breakbulk carriers, shipowners and brokers — a breadth of experience that has given him a deep instinct for where commercial reality and market data meet.

Since 2019, Niclas has served as Head of Market Intelligence at Toepfer Transport GmbH, the Hamburg-based boutique shipbroker whose research department has earned a reputation well beyond its size. There, he has found his natural habitat: deep in the data, tracking the quiet signals that move the market — charter rate fluctuations, fleet utilisation trends, orderbook dynamics — and turning them into analysis that practitioners actually rely on. He is the custodian of the Toepfer Multipurpose and Shortsea Shipping Indices — developing, maintaining and safeguarding the integrity and quality of a benchmark the sector has come to depend on — and the editorial force behind Toepfer’s quarterly Multipurpose and monthly European Shortsea Shipping Reports.

Also recognised as an expert witness in commercial maritime dispute resolution and member of the German Maritime Arbitration Association, Niclas brings analytical precision, grounded market judgment, and, it should be said, a genuine enthusiasm for every minute of it.

Carly Fields is Associate Editor for Project and Heavy-Lift at the Journal of Commerce and JOC.com, covering breakbulk, project and heavy-lift transport and logistics. Based in the UK, she is a specialist maritime editor, overseeing publications including The Sea and Marine Professional in addition to her responsibilities at the Journal of Commerce. She was previously an editor at Breakbulk magazine and has been reporting on the breakbulk sector since 2015. She started her maritime journalism career at daily maritime newspaper Lloyd’s List in 2000. Fields holds a first class Maritime Studies degree and is an assistant examiner for professional shipping exams through the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, of which she is a Fellow. Through the Seahorse Freight Association, she is also a judge for excellence in journalism in the transport industry.

Senior logistics leader with more than 20 years of international experience delivering complex transport, freight, and project logistics solutions across major capital programmes in energy, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, nuclear, mining and metals, and natural resources.

He has a proven record of leading and supporting logistics execution on mega-projects across Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, and the wider European market. His core strengths include strategic logistics planning, transport assurance, supply chain coordination, and execution in remote and regulated environments.

His experience spans critical infrastructure, energy, advanced manufacturing, offshore wind, nuclear, mining and metals, alumina refining, and oil and gas, with responsibility for logistics strategy, coordination, assurance, and delivery across major programmes, including:

• 4th Stabilisation and Sweetening Project, Kazakhstan
• Gas Field Development Project, Turkmenistan
• Offshore oilfield Project – artificial islands, Abu Dhabi, UAE
• Alumina Refinery EPC Project, Abu Dhabi, UAE
• Dutch and Scottish Offshore wind projects
• Lithium Project, Serbia
• Semiconductor Project, Germany
• Nuclear Power Project, Poland

In his current role as Logistics Manager for Bechtel Global Logistics, Marc provides regional leadership across project logistics integration, transport assurance, and the delivery of safe, compliant, and sustainable logistics solutions for major capital projects.

Marc is a solutions-oriented logistics professional with a strong track record of aligning logistics execution with project ES&H, schedule, commercial, and contractual objectives. He brings established expertise in:

• Strategic logistics, transport, and freight planning
• Early identification of risks and opportunities
• Development of logistics execution strategies, transport studies, and delivery frameworks
• Oversight of logistics operations in accordance with project controls, governance, and assurance requirements
• Customs compliance, international freight management, and heavy/over-dimensional cargo coordination

He has strong knowledge of regional and international supply chain networks across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia, and works effectively with logistics service providers, fabrication and module yards, freight operators, transport authorities, customs stakeholders, and project teams to support reliable and compliant delivery.

His approach combines operational practicality with disciplined governance, proactive stakeholder coordination, and a strong focus on safety, compliance, sustainability, and execution certainty.

Luc Geerts graduated in shipping and forwarding and began his professional career in project forwarding. He later became logistics manager at a minerals producer, where he was responsible for managing a barge fleet. Inland waterway transport has remained a central theme throughout his career, with roles in sales, business development, and general management at various logistics service providers. For over six years, Luc served as a modal shift expert at De Vlaamse Waterweg, including providing expert advice on optimizing cargo flows of heavy equipment and oversized cargo by barge to the hinterland. Since July 2024, he is responsible for the activities of the Dutch inland shipping cooperative NPRC in Belgium. He also chairs the Belgian federation of transport organisers in inland waterway transport (BFTB) and is a board member of Koepel Binnenvaart Vlaanderen (KBV).

www.nprc.be

Florian is Head of Sea Logistics at thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG and an experienced maritime logistics professional with more than 10 years of experience and a strong focus on bulk and breakbulk transportation. He is responsible for global ocean freight procurement, shipping strategy, and the development of complex logistics solutions for industrial supply chains. With extensive expertise in chartering, project cargo, heavy-lift transportation, and international shipping markets, he is committed to driving efficient, sustainable, and innovative maritime logistics solutions. Florian actively follows developments in the breakbulk and multipurpose shipping sectors and regularly exchanges insights with industry stakeholders across the global logistics community.

Siska Schoeters is a Belgian television and radio host. Known for her authentic style, sharp interviewing skills, quick wit, and engaging presence, she has built a successful career presenting a broad range of television and radio programs. With more than two decades of experience in broadcasting, she has become a prominent figure in the Flemish media landscape.

Schoeters built much of her early career at Studio Brussel, where she spent 15 years as a radio presenter. She gained widespread recognition in 2007 as one of the three presenters who lived in the iconic “Glass House” during Music For Life, the annual charity event that became a cultural phenomenon in Belgium. She subsequently hosted several key radio programs on Studio Brussel, including Music@Work, Rendez-Vous, Zet ’m Op Siska, and the morning show Siska Staat Op, establishing herself as one of the station’s most recognizable voices.

Alongside her radio career, Schoeters successfully expanded into television. She has hosted a diverse range of programs for VRT, including the pop-culture quiz Olalala on Canvas, the talk show Bart & Siska alongside Bart Peeters, and the summer game show De Club.

In 2019, after leaving Studio Brussel, Schoeters joined Radio 2, where she became one of the hosts of the popular program De Madammen. The same year, she began presenting Durf te Vragen, a widely acclaimed human-interest television format on VRT 1 that encourages open dialogue around topics often surrounded by misunderstanding or stigma. Since 2019, she has also hosted Radio 2 Zomerhit, one of Belgium’s most-watched annual live music events.

More recently, she has continued to expand her television portfolio with projects such as Goed Gespeeld! (2024), a sports-themed entertainment format, and Mijn Eerste Reis (2025), a travel and interview series in which she accompanies guests to destinations that hold personal significance in their lives.

Today, Siska Schoeters remains one of the leading presenters in Belgian media, known for her versatility and enduring connection with audiences whether in live entertainment, cultural programming, radio broadcasting, or in-depth human-interest storytelling.

After graduating in Shipping and Forwarding, Marc started his career in the maritime sector and has now spent more than 40 years in shipping, logistics, cargo handling, and terminal operations.
During that time, he has worked for both multinational and family-owned companies, building extensive experience in international business development, terminal operations, and commercial management.
Today, he is responsible for the commercial activities and international growth of Zuidnatie, with a particular focus on breakbulk, project cargo, steel, forest products, and other conventional cargo segments.

www.zuidnatie.be
 

Steffen Wiegratz is a maritime logistics professional whose 15+ years career reflects both operational expertise and strategic leadership in the multipurpose/project shipping sector.
Growing up near the Port of Rostock on the Baltic Sea inspired his passion for shipping, which he further developed by earning a degree in Maritime Transport & Logistics from Wismar University in 2011.

Steffen joined Hugo Stinnes in 2010 as an operations trainee and advanced through various operational, sales and line management roles.

Since 2016, he has led the companies chartering activities, redefined the key account management, developed the strategic network and focused on the tonnage planning for the transatlantic service.

Following the successful merger of the two Atlantic carriers MACS and Hugo Stinnes in 2025, he joined MACS Maritime Carrier Shipping GmbH in Hamburg, driving the company’s customer-focused and innovative breakbulk shipping solutions into a successful future.

www.macship.com

Andy Tite brings over 15 years of extensive industry experience, encompassing both the asset owner and freight forwarder perspectives. Throughout his career, he has held various senior roles that have provided him with a comprehensive, end-to-end understanding of all key phases in complex project logistics.
With deep operational experience and a specialised focus on the oil and gas sector, Andy has successfully coordinated and managed high-value customer projects from both commercial and operational standpoints. His multifaceted expertise spans diverse industries and service provisions, including land and ocean asset ownership as well as global project freight forwarding.
In his current role, Andy drives global strategy and execution for the project logistics division at Blue Water Shipping. He leads high-performing commercial and technical teams, ensures a deep understanding of evolving market dynamics, and maintains critical relationships with key stakeholders. Over his distinguished career, he has cultivated an extensive network of industry partners and specialised contractors, significantly enhancing organisational capabilities and delivering robust, scalable logistics solutions worldwide.
 

Philippe Oyen is Chief Executive Officer of Belgo-Iberian Maritime NV, a company that represents a major steel carrier and has spent more than three decades in the shipping industry.  After obtaining a master's degree (shipping, trade &finance) at Cass Business School in London and one  (business economics) at the University of Antwerp, he built his career across a range of commercial and management roles in international shipping, gaining broad experience in ship agency, liner services and maritime steel logistics. Based in Antwerp, Philippe has worked closely with many carriers, port stakeholders and steel companies throughout his career, developing a practical understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing the industry. He currently also serves as Chairman of the Belgian Shipping Association (BSV), where he represents the interests of the Belgian shipping community and contributing to industry discussions on the challenges of the maritime sector. His background gives him a broad perspective on international steel trade , port logistics and shipping services.

www.belgo.be

Chris Rogers is Head of Supply Chain Research for S&P Global Market Intelligence where his analysis focuses on the intersection of corporate decision-making, government policy and logistics network operations. He has over 15 years’ experience in building research businesses covering corporate decision-making and government policy in the supply chain and logistics sectors at S&P Global, Bloomberg and Flexport. Chris is also a research fellow at the S&P Global Institute and at the Portfolio Construction Forum. His prior experience includes two decades of power, gas and emissions markets analysis at investment banks including JP Morgan and UBS.

www.spglobal.com

John Pittalis is Head of Marketing & Communications at AAL Shipping (AAL) and supports its global business development activities - a role he has held since joining the company in 2014. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

John also serves as Head of Marketing & Communications for Schoeller Holdings Limited, an international group with ownership interests across the maritime, aviation, hospitality, and digital development sectors, of which AAL is a proud member.

Prior to joining AAL, John ran a strategic marketing agency, providing consultancy services to clients in ship management, financial services, and fast-moving consumer goods. He began his career at Shandwick in London, delivering press office and crisis communications consultancy to clients including a major UK ferry operator and a South of England port operator.

His published thesis on Recession Marketing led to guest lecturer invitations for both graduate and postgraduate university students in the UK and overseas.

www.aalshipping.com

Julie is a staff reporter at Flows, covering a wide range of issues in national and international shipping. She also hosts a podcast for Flows and regularly moderates panel discussions on topics related to shipping, transport and logistics. She began her career reporting for the news desk at Antwerp Television (ATV) and later worked as a researcher and director for several production companies in Flanders, including Warner Bros. In her spare time, she published reports on social issues in the Brussels Periphery. Investigative journalism is what drives her.

Johan-Paul Verschuure is a senior port & transport economist active in the Breakbulk sector. He is partner of and leads the port team at Rebel, which s a global strategic financial advisory firm of around 350 consultants in the infrastructure and energy domain. He gives financial, strategic and economic advice in the maritime domain especially. He has extensive experience with merger and acquisitions, financial analysis, market studies and business case development of breakbulk terminals. In addition to terminals with convention types of breakbulk cargoes, he worked on a range of project across the heavy lift and project cargo segment, adoption of global and European policies on the maritime industry (such as EU port strategy and FuelEU), terminals transitioning into the breakbulk segment, offshore wind support facilities, carbon capture and storage, critical raw materials and adoption of shorepower amongst others.
 
He combines a technical background as a port engineer with financial economic expertise for developing business cases from a commercial, technical and financial point of view. Before leading the ports team at Rebel Group in the Netherland, he has been with WSP Maritime in London and with Ocean Shipping Consultants in London and Royal HaskoningDHV in the Netherlands. He is a regular speaker at various conferences such as Breakbulk, AntwerpXL, RoRo congress, Coastlink Shortsea conference and TOC.

Luc Arnouts started his career and gained operational experience in cargo handling, stevedoring, transport; warehousing and ocean freight forwarding at the logistics company Group Katoennatie from 1986 until 1992. He held management positions in sales and general management.

In 1992, he moved to SGS-Group Belgium where he officiated as General Manager of SGS-Van Bree. He was Member of the Central Management Committee and the Strategic Committee. He was in charge of the logistics and port handling business of SGS in Belgium. In 2000 he became Vice President Cargo Handling Europe of Aviapartner, European leading airporthandling company. He was also Member of the Central Board.

In 2007, he joined the Antwerp Port Authority as Chief Commercial Officer. Since mid 2017 he holds the function of Vice President International Relations and Networks of the (new merged) Port of Antwerp-Bruges.
Luc Arnouts is active member of different associations and coalitions, like IAPH, Chainport, GettingToZero Coalition, etc.

Sabine Colman graduated in Shipping and Logistics, and began her career in the steel and chemical sectors, building a strong foundation in industrial logistics and international supply chains. She joined Wallenius Wilhelmsen, a global provider of roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) shipping and logistics services, nearly 20 years ago and has held a variety of commercial and customer-facing roles across the business, gaining extensive experience in global transportation and logistics.

Today, Sabine serves as Account Manager EMEA, supporting manufacturers, freight forwarders, and industrial stakeholders across international markets.
Throughout her career, she has worked across a broad range of industries and cargo segments, with particular experience in breakbulk, high and heavy cargo and industrial projects. 
Passionate about building long-term partnerships, Sabine believes in creating trust through transparency, reliability, and results. She brings a customer-focused perspective to the opportunities and challenges shaping today's global logistics industry.

Alain was born in Germany and raised in Belgium. After completing his studies at Liverpool John Moores University, he entered the cotton business where he gained his first experience in international trade and logistics. Working closely with cotton trading operations, he developed a strong understanding of global supply chains and the importance of reliable transport solutions. After several years, Alain sought a new challenge and joined the shipping industry, focusing on chartering, shipping services, and project logistics.
 
In 2008 he joined COLI Group, starting in chartering and vessel agency, including hands-on work as waterclerk, and gradually took responsibility for major international clients. Over the years he progressed into leadership roles and is today Managing Director and Board Member, actively contributing to the generational transition within COLI Group. Alain combines deep operational experience with strategic vision and is passionate about developing people, attracting young talent to the industry, and building sustainable business partnerships.
 

Axel van Pul is Regional Project Cargo Manager Europe & Mediterranean at MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, where he has built a strong track record over almost a decade. With 26 years’ experience in the logistics and shipping industry, Axel brings a well-rounded perspective on project cargo, commercial strategy, and market dynamics.
 
Since joining MSC in 2018, Axel has held several roles across trade management and business development. He started as a RORO Trade Manager for MSC Belgium, focusing on optimizing trade performance and strengthening customer relationships within the roll-on/roll-off segment. He later expanded his scope as Business & Project Development Manager within the project cargo team, leading strategic initiatives and developing tailored solutions for complex cargo projects.
 
In his current role, Axel is responsible for project cargo activities across Europe and the Mediterranean, overseeing large-scale and specialized shipments. With hands-on experience across both commercial and operational domains, he currently leads MSC dedicated project cargo teams in 16 countries within the region.