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Heralding a truly

international

occasion

To begin at the beginning.

L
ondon International Shipping Week (LISW) may never have

happened. Several attempts have been made over the years
to create a world-beating event in London to showcase the

UK’s maritime services sector, but few made any impact and
none have left any lasting impressions. Until now.

The phenomenal success of the inaugural London
International Shipping Week in September 2013, at a stroke

reinvigorated London’s drive, enthusiasm and determination
to remain the world leader in the maritime services industry.

It completely changed the mood by forcing the industry and
Government to focus on the positive rather than to dwell on

the relentless ‘shift to the East’, and the unrelenting decline
of London’s once dominant shipowning position.

LISW was conceived to turn the tide; to bring together all

those interested in the maritime sector to showcase what
London – and the UK – has to offer. Barriers were broken

down so that even the most competitive players – whether
lawyers, brokers or insurance companies – came together to

help create an event that, within days, was being hailed as
one of the three must-attend shipping events in the world,

alongside Posidonia and Nor-Shipping.
The UK is still the leading centre worldwide in the supply

of a broad range of professional and business services to
the international maritime community, and it has the largest

concentration of legal service irms specialising in the sector.

London is also the predominant supplier of shipbroking
services worldwide and is the major player when it comes to

maritime dispute resolution. The city continues to be a major
port and trading hub too. The second biggest port in the

UK, it is also home to the UK’s busiest inland waterway for
freight, passengers and a centre for sporting events. So it is

the natural home to one of the biggest events in the global
maritime calendar.

LISW15 will kick off at 8.00am sharp on Monday, 7
September, at the Market Open Ceremony at the London

Stock Exchange, followed throughout the week by a record

number of important and interesting events.

|8|LISW 2015 Official Event Guide