Global Maritime Forum 2025: KBRV welcomes shipping leaders to Antwerp

From 21-22 October, Antwerp will host the annual summit of the Global Maritime Forum.

"It is a huge privilege for the Royal Belgian Shipowners' Association to welcome the more than 200 maritime leaders from around the world here in the city of Antwerp," said Loïc Van Staey, KBRV Managing Director. "In the high-level discussions that will take place in the coming days, we hope to showcase to our partners around the world, and to EU policymakers, how Belgium is fully committed to driving the future of shipping through innovation and collaboration."

This year, the Global Maritime Forum has partnered with KBRV member CMB.TECH and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges on the organisation of the annual summit.

Alexander Saverys, CEO of CMB.TECH said: “It's a privilege to host the Global Maritime Forum in the beating heart of maritime Europe. Antwerp can show the world that the shipping industry is making tangible and real progress in the energy transition and digitalisation. We want to actively engage with the EU and African countries to create new partnerships that make global trade better, greener, and stronger.”

“Having the Summit in Antwerp will be a great opportunity to engage on transport, people, and the environment, reinforcing our commitment to pioneering in the energy transition and maritime innovation,” Port of Antwerp-Bruges CEO Jacques Vandermeiren said.

The theme of this year's summit is "Uncharted Waters". Together, maritime leaders, policymakers and stakeholders will explore and share ideas and solutions about the impact of geopolitical tensions on shipping, the role of maritime governance in securing safety and environment, and how shipping can better navigate through the current uncertainties to keep the world economy moving.

The GMF Annual Summit will take place in the newly-restored stock exchange building "Handelsbeurs" while the opening reception will be hosted at the Port House of Antwerp. Apart from maritime leaders and EU and Belgian policymakers, guest speakers will include:

• Arsenio Dominguez, IMO Secretary-General
• Bart de Wever, Prime Minister, Belgium
• Peter Claeyssens, Director General, Shipping, Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport, Belgium
• Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and journalist
• Maximo Q. Mejia, President, World Maritime University