Almost 400 senior shipping professionals attended the second Asian Marine Casualty Forum (AMCF) hosted by LOC held on April 27 and 28 making the event one of the largest gatherings during Singapore Maritime Week.<\/p>\n
Now established as the world\u2019s leading casualty management event, coupled with the overwhelmingly positive feedback received post event, has prompted leading figures in the industry to consider holding the forum alternatively between Singapore and London, perhaps on a bi-annual basis.<\/p>\n
LOC CEO Andrew Squire said today: \u201cWhen we launched AMCF in 2015 we agreed our industry needed a forum in which to openly discuss the many pressing issues which salvors and casualty specialists face today.\u00a0 We also felt the best way to achieve this was to encourage the industry to be 100% stakeholders hence the underlying principle of the forum, \u201carranged by the industry for the industry\u201d. <\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe success of the first event led us to produce a second AMCF in April and the response was even more enthusiastic.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Industry leaders are considering how best to develop AMCF which has become so popular. The second forum drew even more attention than the first with more than 540 registered delegates and 376 attending over two days.<\/p>\n AMCF 2017 highlighted risk management, the demise of the Lloyd\u2019s Open Form (LOF), progress with places of refuge and cooperation with authorities.<\/p>\n An insight into the search for the lost Malaysian airline flight MH70 was a key attraction given the sensitivity and exhaustive efforts to date.<\/p>\n The agenda was developed with close cooperation with the industry including the International Group of P&I Clubs (IG) and the International Salvage Union and others.<\/p>\n Speakers were drawn from P&I Clubs, salvors, authorities, marine lawyers and environmental specialists ITOPF.\u00a0 Lively debates took place on the future of LOF and global progress with places of refuge.<\/p>\n Delegates heard views on risk assessment and management from the standpoint of consultants, Clubs and salvors. Progress on closer cooperation between insurers and authorities under the IG Outreach initiative was discussed.<\/p>\n Questioning the need to remove wrecks which do not pose a threat to navigation or the environment drew particular interest.<\/p>\n Sponsorship from industry leaders almost doubled for the 2nd forum demonstrating the widespread support and enthusiasm from across the industry.\u00a0 Supporting organisations also increased from Singapore and globally.<\/p>\n Andrew Squire added: \u201cOverall, the forum achieved its objective.\u00a0 Important topics were given a well-deserved airing with knowledge and experience shared between experts from the speaking panel and the many delegates.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Delegates and sponsors were full of praise for the second AMCF.<\/p>\n Leendert Muller, Managing Director of Multraship and past president of the International Salvage Union, said: \u201cAgain, this year the AMCF was a high-level conference. All major key players and their senior staff attended! A superb networking event. The setup, a non-profit \u201cfrom the Industry for the Industry\u201d conference proves to very appreciated and successful. I wouldn\u2019t object if the organising team would make it an annual event, next year London, the other year Singapore again.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n