Gulf News: SFTC: Dubai, UAE, 9 February 2026: TMS Ship Finance and Trade Conference 2026 (SFTC) 2026 concluded successfully on 9 February at Grosvenor House, Dubai, following a full day of high-level discussions held under the theme “Ship Finance - helping the industry navigate through increasingly uncertain waters”.

The event attracted overwhelming participation from across the global maritime, finance and trade sectors, reflecting strong industry engagement with the challenges of market volatility, evolving financing models and the transition towards lower-carbon shipping.

The conference was opened with a welcome address by Nawal Al Maghafi, Senior Broadcast Journalist, BBC, who set the context for the day’s discussions on resilience, regulation and the changing landscape of ship finance.

SFTC 2026 brought together shipowners, financiers, regulators, registries, technology providers and service companies to examine how capital allocation, risk management and financial innovation must evolve to support fleet renewal and decarbonization, including the growing role of alternative capital and sustainability-linked finance in meeting IMO and regional regulatory requirements.

Participants noted that rising compliance costs and technological uncertainty are reshaping investment priorities and affecting newbuild and fleet renewal decisions.

Two dynamic sessions formed the core of the programme
Session 1, “Financial Strategies in a Volatile World”, explored how owners and investors are responding to market cycles, asset values and geopolitical uncertainty.

Niaz Bin Yusuf of AD Ports Group emphasised the importance of disciplined capital deployment and diversified funding strategies in an environment of tightening credit and geopolitical risk, while Daniel Richards of Emirates NBD highlighted macroeconomic trends across the MENA region and their implications for trade flows, shipping demand and financing conditions.

Ahmed Al Shukaili of ASYAD Shipping also underlined the need for financial discipline and balance sheet resilience as shipping companies navigate earnings volatility. Jianjun Wang of Goldsea International noted the rising complexity of newbuilding strategies as financing is shaped by regulatory and technology risks.

Daejin Lee of Fertmax FZCO highlighted key trends shaping the New Normal Economy, pointing to shifting trade patterns, demand cycles and geopolitical realignments affecting shipping markets and investment sentiment.

Session 2, “Developing Financial Tools to Sustain Support for the Green Transition”, focused on the financial mechanisms required to accelerate maritime decarbonisation.

Navin Kumar of Drewry highlighted how asset values and residual risk are increasingly shaped by ESG requirements and technology pathways, with direct implications for financing decisions, while Tien Tai of HFW addressed the legal and financing structures needed to support sustainable shipping investments, noting the importance of clarity around regulatory risk and long-term asset viability.

Theo Xenakoudis of International Registries, Inc. highlighted how registries can support sustainable fleet growth by lowering compliance risk and improving capital access.

The conference concluded that shipping’s decarbonisation will rely on practical financial mechanisms to improve bankability, manage risk, and mobilise capital, supported by collaboration across shipowners, charterers, cargo owners, financiers, technology providers, and regulators.

Trevor Pereira, Managing Director of The Maritime Standard, welcomed the strong turnout, noting the exceptional line-up of speakers and the depth of discussions that made SFTC 2026 a highly successful and forward-looking event.