From February 18–20, 2025, Anglo-Eastern hosted its landmark conference in Mumbai, bringing together over 800 of our most respected officers, more than 100 valued clients, and senior leaders from across the globe for our largest event yet. The event was more than just a gathering—it was a celebration of maritime excellence, an exploration of the future, and a powerful reaffirmation of our values.
A global gathering with a shared purpose
Over the course of three packed days, the Grand Hyatt Mumbai became a hub of insight, innovation, and inspiration. It was a rare opportunity for crew, colleagues, and owners to connect face-to-face, fostering relationships that are vital to our continued success.
Kicking off the main conference on Day 1, CEO, Bjorn Hojgaard, highlighted shipping’s purpose as a force for good, a lifeline of the engine of progress, and the invisible thread that connects humanity. “Without us – without our ships and seafarers – the world would look very different. And not in a good way”. This theme of people, values and united beliefs, anchored the event right from the start.
Mr. Hojgaard also took the opportunity to speak directly to our senior officers, emphasising that their leadership at sea is what “keeps our operations strong, our crews safe, and our standards high”. Sharing a poignant memory of when he was part of the Maersk fleet, he recalled a rescue at sea and how his Commander left the crew with the decision to continue when it was deemed too dangerous to proceed. They chose to push on with this experience teaching him that: “Good leadership isn’t just about making decisions – it’s about trusting your team, showing vulnerability, and empowering people to step up. You set the tone for your crew [and for] the entire ship.”
With these words echoing through the ballroom, the audience’s attention soon turned back to the screen, with the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco gracing the event with a welcome address via video message, followed by the inaugural address by Chief Guest Shri Shyam Jagannathan, IAS, Director General of Shipping, Govt. of India who drew attention to initiatives and projects being undertaken by the Indian National Maritime Administration and its collaboration with key international bodies and thinktanks.
Carsten Ostenfeldt (COO), Torbjorn Dimblad (CIO), and Niraj Nanda (CCO) of Anglo-Eastern then took the stage to share insights into the company’s journey of excellence over the past 50 years and their vision for the future through an interactive timeline of key milestones, videos and a live demonstration of the HoloLens technology that facilitates enhanced troubleshooting between ship and shore via augmented reality. They also called on some of the many ships streaming the conference live for the first time via Starlink.
Guest speaker sessions featured Samuel McSkimming, CEO of Pilbara Ports; Michael Petersen, Senior Vice President of MAN Energy Solutions; and Jens J. Andersen, Vice President of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), who explored themes around port collaboration, future fuels strategies and infrastructure solutions for a greener maritime future. These were well-received and provided a glimpse of what we can expect on the horizon—even if forecasting remains less predictable amidst an ever-evolving maritime and global trade landscape.
A keynote highlight was the surprise guest appearance of Chris Lemons, a commercial saturation diver whose near-death story at the bottom of the North Sea captivated the room. His tale of survival, despite being without oxygen for nearly 30 minutes, remains a remarkable story of resilience and determination. It also acted as a powerful reminder of the life-saving importance of clear procedures and drills, effective leadership, defined roles and seamless collaboration. Chris’s message was clear: risk management is a shared responsibility, and at the heart of everything we do is a simple, human desire—to ensure everyone gets home safely.
A keynote highlight was the surprise guest appearance of Chris Lemons, a commercial saturation diver whose near-death story at the bottom of the North Sea captivated the room. His tale of survival, despite being without oxygen for nearly 30 minutes, remains a remarkable story of resilience and determination. It also acted as a powerful reminder of the life-saving importance of clear procedures and drills, effective leadership, defined roles and seamless collaboration. Chris’s message was clear: risk management is a shared responsibility, and at the heart of everything we do is a simple, human desire—to ensure everyone gets home safely.
Day 1 continued with Vinay Singh (Group Managing Director, Marine HR), Vikrant Malhotra (Group Managing Director, QHSE), and Swapnodeep Mondal (Group Managing Director, Operations and Shared Services) of Anglo-Eastern who discussed strategies for delivering operational excellence through a unified approach across different departments that fully-exemplified our One Team philosophy.
This was followed by an open forum that facilitated a dynamic exchange of ideas between management and officers. The day concluded with the presentation of long service awards, recognising the dedication and contributions of 78 long-serving team members prior to a gala evening for seafarers, guests and their extended families featuring signature cocktails, dinner and an overarching festive atmosphere for networking and celebration spotlighted by vocals from singer Nikhita Gandhi.
Excellence and expansion in training
The morning of Day 2 featured a tour of the Anglo-Eastern Maritime Training Centre and the unveiling of a new ME-GI (Gas Injection) training unit, developed in collaboration with MAN PrimeServ. This expansion reflects a proactive stance on decarbonisation and alternative fuels and showcased our commitment to excellence in training.
Concurrently, back at the Grand Hyatt Ballroom, Aalok Sharma, Group Director of Training at Anglo-Eastern, set the scene of the Officers’ Session on delivering excellence through various tools and philosophies that guide effective maritime training. A multitude of topics were covered by members of the broader team including the importance of well-being and psychological safety, career care strategies, learnings from internal and external inspections, safety measures and our fatality prevention programme, in addition to new environmental regulations, digital solutions for a paperless future, strategies for navigating the path to net zero emissions and best practices for vessel optimisation and energy efficiency. Upon leaving the hall, our officers were found buzzing with new ideas and inspirational pathways for exploration, noting the significant part they play in driving the company and industry forward.
Engagement in silence
One of the standout innovations was the new format for our “speed networking” session. Resembling a silent disco with colour-coded headsets provided to all attendees, this high-energy session divided participants into key zones, each tackling a trending topic of the moment relating to decarbonisation, technology, crewing, and operations. Our conference app captured the essence of these discussions across all groups, incorporating AI to summarise common questions, recurring themes, and insights for actioning. It was a dynamic, and uniquely different approach to collaboration and we are already incorporating some of these points in our ongoing projects and initiatives.
An evening of entertainment
Day 2 concluded with an Owners’ Appreciation Dinner, celebrating the contributions of key stakeholders and the legacy of long-term partnerships over the course of 50 years of excellence. With dancers and singers aplenty, guests were treated to a Greek-themed evening chosen to reflect our latest office addition in Athens. With a sumptuous buffet dinner, fire show, and dancing chefs, everyone in attendance left with a positive feeling that, through partnership, we “can can can”.
AEMA: The future on display
Day 3 took us to the Anglo-Eastern Maritime Academy (AEMA), where the energy of our cadets was nothing short of infectious as they delighted in sharing solutions to challenges in our industry. The day was marked with the unveiling of two major milestones: a new mess hall and the world’s first-of-its-kind LNG/ammonia bunkering station skid, showcasing our commitment to future fuels and next-generation training.
Looking out over the horizon
Throughout the conference, three core themes stood out:
- Our people: Our seafarers are the beating heart of Anglo-Eastern. Their dedication, resilience, and excellence drive everything we do.
- Our values:
- Safety: Ensuring every crew member returns home safely
- Environment: Championing sustainable maritime practices
- Trust and transparency: Building relationships rooted in integrity and true partnership
- Our beliefs: We believe in excellence—in showing up as your best self every day, and in the power of teamwork to navigate the future and any uncertainties it brings.
From AI and augmented reality to alternative fuels and digitalisation, the discussions were future-focused, yet the message was timeless—when everyone plays their part, we become an unstoppable force for good.
The 2025 edition of our Mumbai Conference was a vivid showcase of what makes Anglo-Eastern exceptional: our people, our purpose, and our passion for excellence. It was a time to honour our legacy, celebrate our present, and set a bold course for the future.
As we continue to innovate, collaborate, and lead, one thing remains clear: together, we are delivering excellence—at sea, on shore, and beyond.
