Lars Feller

CEO

dship Carriers

Lars Feller, CEO of dship Carriers, brings over two decades of experience navigating the complexities of the maritime industry while maintaining his passion for all aspects of shipping. During his schooldays, he lived in the US for a while and later spent 13 years in Japan, gaining fluency in Japanese and a deep understanding of international business and diverse cultures.

Lars inspires his team with a strong commitment to customer service and team spirit. Under his leadership, dship Carriers has experienced significant global growth, driven by his strategic vision and customer-centric approach, establishing the company as a trusted industry partner.


 

Karsten Behrens

Managing Director

SAL Engineering GmbH

Dipl.-Ing. Karsten Behrens, managing director of SAL Engineering, the engineering entity within the Harren-group, a family-run shipowner group being specialized in heavy lift transport, maritime engineering and ship management.

With a background in the development of lifting appliances and over 17 years of experience in managing heavy lift and offshore installation projects, Behrens works at the interface between sales, development and realization in close cooperation with vessel crews, operators, clients and business partners.

Ulrich Ulrichs

CEO

BBC Chartering

Ulrich Ulrichs has been Chief Executive Officer of Leer, Germany-based BBC Chartering since August 2019. He joined the company as Chief Commercial Officer in May 2019. Ulrich Ulrichs has more than twenty years of experience in management positions with specialized carriers in the multipurpose sector.

Before BBC Chartering, Ulrichs had been with Rickmers-Linie from 2005. In 2008 he was named Director Line Management and became Managing Director of the company in 2012.

Ulrich Ulrichs was named CEO of Rickmers-Line in 2014, a position he held until leaving the company at the end of 2018.

Prior his stint with Rickmers, he had been with Austral Asia Line in Shanghai and Brisbane for five years. Ulrich Ulrichs holds a diploma as industrial engineer from Oldenburg University of Applied Sciences, Elsfleth. 

Peter Molloy

Managing Director, Sea3R & Senior Associate – Breakbulk & Heavylift, Drewry Maritime Research

Peter Molloy is a highly experienced consultant who specialises in niche shipping markets.  He has extensive experience in valuations, market analysis and due diligence for different ship types and markets. 

His advisory expertise is considerable and includes market studies, valuations and strategic planning.

 

Zoe Upson

Founder

FACT Talent & WOMEN TOGETHER

Zoe Upson is a senior leader and one of the most recognised women in global shipping and commodities. With over 16 years of industry experience she is known for delivering high impact contributions across freight, energy, agriculture and metals and was recently ranked #1 in the Top 100 Women in Shipping, Top 20 under 40 in shipping and named SHEO Maritime Entrepreneur of the Year. She has a reach of nearly 30,000 followers on LinkedIn.

A former Tanker FFA broker Zoe led high performing derivatives desks and worked closely with hedge funds, trading houses and C suite clients. She founded FACT Talent, a global executive search firm trusted by leading organisations across shipping and commodities.

Zoe also founded WOMEN TOGETHER, a 1,800+ member network advancing women in male dominated sectors and she is a regular speaker and contributor helping to shape the future of the industry.


 

Frank Mueller

Regional General Manager

AAL Shipping (AAL)

Frank Mueller has been with AAL since 2001 and is a long-standing member of our Senior Management Team. He started his shipping career in 1995 with a shipbroking traineeship in Hamburg, Germany. 

For several years he worked with different shipping agencies and carriers, before relocating to Australia. He provides valuable input on international trade lane development and global corporate strategy. 

In his 30 years of shipping, Frank has built a strong international reputation within the project heavy lift and breakbulk sector - well regarded for his strong market insights and known as being a reliable and trustworthy partner.  

 

Martyn Lawns

CEO Industrial Projects

DHL Industrial Projects

Martyn Lawns BEng, is an Honours Degree Qualified Chemical Engineer, with over 25 years’ experience in procurement and supply chain. 

Before joining DHL, Martyn led regional procurement teams in the US, Canada, Europe and Africa, and was formally the Vice President & General Manager Procurement North America and Europe & West Africa for Mining Multi-national Rio Tinto with responsibility for managing over 20 operating sites in 13 countries with 300 logistics and supply chain staff.

Since joining DHL in July 2014 as the Global Head for Mining Sector, Martyn has held a number of roles within Industrial Projects such as Global Head of Business Development for DHL Industrial Projects, where he led the team of Global Sector Heads focusing on our industry vertical from Renewable Energy to International Oil Companies and indirectly led our Global Sales team with over 100 field sales reps across 45 countries. 

Martyn held the position of Regional Vice President Industrial Projects Operations, overlooking business development and projects operations within European region, until May 2025 where he was appointed as the DHL Group Senior Vice President responsible for driving the New Energy initiative part of DHL Strategy 2030. 

DHL Group’s New Energy Initiative supports the global energy transition by delivering integrated logistics solutions for renewables, batteries, hydrogen and grid infrastructure—combining project logistics, regulatory expertise and risk-managed execution to help customers scale sustainable energy supply chains worldwide.

Whilst continuing to drive the New Energy Initiative Martyn was appointed CEO of DHL Industrial Projects in August 2025 a position on the management board of DHL Global Forwarding & Freight Management team.  Where he leads a team of over 900 dedicated Project Freight forwarders in 50 countries, executing to the highest standards of safety, performance of complex heavy-lift logistics, driving growth across energy and infrastructure sectors while ensuring operational excellence, risk management, and customer-centric delivery worldwide. 

Martyn is passionate about innovative solutions and accessing new technology for our customers as they execute their projects, he prides himself with a customer centric approach and solution-oriented, entrepreneurial mind-set. 
 

Marc de Beunje

Head of Industrial Projects Western Europe

DHL Industrial Projects

Marc de Beunje holds an M.Sc. in Economics and Business Administration with a specialization in Maritime & Transport Economics & Law and brings more than 15 years of experience in project logistics. 

Before joining DHL, he held various roles in business development, project management and country management at AEI, Bax Global, DB Schenker and KWE, where he served as Commercial Head of Project Cargo EMEA.

Since joining DHL in April 2022, Marc has taken on several key roles within Industrial Projects, including Head of Industrial Projects Benelux. In 2023 he was promoted to Head of Industrial Projects Western Europe, overseeing business development and project operations in the Netherlands, Belgium and France.

In his current role, Marc leads the Industrial Projects team and ensures the successful delivery of complex industrial projects. 

As a member of the Senior Management Team, he contributes to strategic decision making, organizational growth and innovation within DHL.

Ben van der Hoeven

Director Module Logistics

Fluor

Ben van der Hoeven joint Fluor 8 years ago as Director Module Logistics. As a Subject Matter Expert he supports all Fluor global projects with a modularized construction strategy with technical, commercial and contractual expertise.

Ben holds a Msc degree from Technical University Delft in Naval Architecture and Maritime Business Studies. 

His over 30-year industry experience spans from maritime policy making at the Dutch Ministry of Transport, ship-financing at ING Bank, shipbuilding at Damen Shipyards Group to ship-owning at Dockwise/Boskalis and RollDock.

On the EPC side at Fluor, Ben combines that accumulated career experience into his present role.
 

Selin Ogis

Climate & Sustainability Risk Consultant

Marsh Netherlands

Selin Ogis is a Climate & Sustainability Risk Consultant at Marsh Netherlands, recognized as Jong HavenTalent 2026 (Young Port Talent 2026) for her expertise in maritime climate risk, ESG regulation, and sustainability compliance. She is dedicated to raising awareness and driving collaborative action to build a resilient and sustainable maritime future.

Tina Benjamin-Lea

Senior Project Logistics Manager

On Assignment at Lilly

Ron Keller

Former Dutch Ambassador & Geopolitical Expert

Independent Advisor to International Institutions

As a former Dutch ambassador and adviser to institutions such as the G20 chair, Ron 
Keller offers unparalleled insights into international finance, economics and geopolitics. 
Macroeconomist and seasoned diplomat Ron Keller is a highly sought-after speaker on 
geopolitical turbulence and its impact on businesses and individuals. Renowned for his 
expertise, he also offers invaluable insights into mastering the art of international 
negotiation. 

Ron is one of the few geopolitical experts with both high-level diplomatic experience as 
an ambassador and extensive international financial-economic expertise as a 
macroeconomist. His distinguished career, serving as a top diplomat in countries such 
as China, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia, as well as holding leadership roles in international 
institutions such as the EU, IMF, OECD and World Bank, brings unique value to his 
lectures. His experience as a chair in numerous international negotiations further 
enhances the depth and relevance of his insights. 

Through engaging and interactive presentations, Ron seamlessly connects seemingly 
unrelated topics such as finance, economics, diplomacy, and politics. Drawing on 
personal experiences, encounters with world leaders, historical contexts, shifting power 
dynamics, and cultural diversity, he offers a nuanced perspective on the future of our 
global community. His insights provide a realistic assessment of the challenges and 
opportunities that lie ahead for both citizens and entrepreneurs. 

Drawing on his extensive experience, Ron also delivers masterclasses on results-driven 
negotiation and the effective chairing of meetings, particularly in international settings. 
As a dynamic and highly engaged conference chair, he fosters insightful discussions and 
brings out the best in participants, ensuring a successful and impactful event for your 
organisation or company. 

Currently, Ron serves as an adviser to various internationally operating businesses and 
institutions. He is also a guest lecturer at several universities and a commentator and 
strategic analyst for Dutch and international radio and television, including NPO, RTL, 
BNR and the BBC. 

Between 2005 and 2017, Ron was the Dutch Ambassador to Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and 
China. Previously, he was a Director at the European Bank for Reconstruction and 
Development (EBRD) and a senior adviser and manager at the European Union as well 
as the Dutch Ministries of Finance and Foreign Affairs. 

Before his ambassadorship, Ron served as Director General at the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs, where he was responsible for Dutch development cooperation (DGIS) between 
2000 and 2005. 

Earlier in his career, he was Director of Foreign Financial Relations and Director of Export 
Credit Insurance and Investment Guarantees at the Ministry of Finance from 1994 to 
2000. During this period, he chaired the European Union committee in Brussels 
responsible for establishing the euro currency system. 

Immediately after the fall of the Berlin Wall in late 1989, Ron was one of the founders of 
the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as a representative of 
the Dutch government. He was subsequently appointed Director at this multilateral 
bank in London from 1991 to 1994. 

In the late 1980s, Ron worked as Personal Assistant to the Dutch Minister of Finance, 
collaborating closely with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 
Washington DC. 

Ron holds a Master’s degree in Economic Sciences from the University of Amsterdam, 
graduating cum laude in 1983.
 

Axel van Pul

Regional Head of Project Cargo – Europe & Mediterranean

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company

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. 
 

Claudia Beumer

Owner & Director

C4 fuel

With an educational background in Chemical Engineering and a proven track record in the bunkering industry, Claudia has a wide experience on both conventional and alternative fuels. From her first role on selling Mass Flow Meters (MFM), throughout her position in Wartsila Gas Solutions and the commercial leadership for a barge operator, bunkering has always been at the core of all her activities.

All that experience in different aspects of the bunkering industry and the continuous focus on alternative fuels, came together in December 2023 in her own company; C4 fuel.

C4 fuel was established to support maritime stakeholders in better understanding and embracing the changes in the maritime industry from both a technical and commercial perspective. In addition, Claudia represents SGMF as Membership and Communications Manager.

Claudia has always been active in several associations, from SGMF at the start of her maritime career, to the NEN working group (methanol bunkering standard) and since April 2023, also as a board member for IBIA (The International Bunker Industry Association), for which she was recently re-elected. Within IBIA, she also acts as the Chair of the Bunkerlicense and MFM Working Group and as a member of the Future Fuels Working Group.

Cristina Ioana Smeu

Supply Chain and Logistics Lead Specialist

Vestas Wind Systems A/S

Cristina is a Supply Chain and Logistics Lead Specialist within Global Distribution at Vestas, where she manages complex transportation operations for major components supporting Vestas’ Service departments worldwide. She began her career at Vestas in the NCE Transport department and has since built extensive hands-on experience across oversized cargo transport, international logistics flows, operational challenges, new turbine introductions, and time-critical deliveries across multiple countries. Known within her team for her practical mindset and problem-solving approach — often described as someone who “fixes things” — Cristina is passionate about demonstrating how dynamic, fast-paced and impactful the logistics industry can be. Through her work in renewable energy and global logistics, she hopes to inspire students to explore careers in logistics, operations and the energy sector, highlighting the opportunities to make a meaningful difference through innovation, collaboration and problem-solving every day.