Fenech & Fenech Advocates hosted their shipping conference, Navigating the Current, at the Malta Chamber of Commerce.
The Sir Agostino Portelli Hall was filled to capacity, with standing room only throughout the three hour event, which brought together key industry stakeholders to share ideas on three of the most topical and significzant issues at the forefront of the minds of most operators in the maritime sector:
• Decarbonisation
• Judicial Sales
• Sanctions
We extend our sincere appreciation to all speakers, each a recognised authority within their respective fields, for their valuable insights and contributions:
Alex Montebello, Saviour Vassallo, Stephen Xuereb, Daniel-Luc Farrugia, José Angelo Estrella Faria, Ann Fenech, Adrian Attard, Alessia Carbone, Clarissa Musu, Sönke Stein, Robert Vassallo and Alison Vassallo.
Panel 1 – Decarbonisation
Our first panel explored how the maritime sector is responding to an increasingly demanding decarbonisation agenda, shaped by EU measures such as the EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime, as well as ongoing work at IMO level.
The session was moderated by our Daniel-Luc Farrugia, Associate within the Marine Litigation Department, with a special interest in maritime decarbonisation.
We were privileged to hear from three leading figures who offered clear, practical insights from the perspectives of terminals, regulators, and international port networks:
• Alex Montebello, CEO of Malta Freeport Terminals, on the Freeport’s major investment programme, its long-term sustainability targets, and the competitive impact of the EU ETS.
• Saviour Vassallo, Seconded National Expert at the European Commission, on the EU’s current approach to maritime decarbonisation and the importance of ensuring ETS revenues support meaningful green projects.
• Stephen Xuereb, COO of Global Ports Holding and CEO of Valletta Cruise Port, shared how the global cruise port network turns ESG targets into action. He highlighted shore power and low-carbon terminals as key decarbonisation steps and stressed the need for consistent global rules to support sustainable investment and fairness in the energy transition.
A sincere thank you to all three panellists for an excellent and engaging discussion.
Panel 2 – Judicial Sales
The second panel was delivered by Ann Fenech, Partner and Head of our Marine Litigation Department, together with José Angelo Estrella Faria, former Principal Legal Officer and Head of the Legislative Branch at the UNCITRAL Secretariat. The panel dealt with the Convention on the International Effects of Judicial Sales of Ships which will come into effect on the 17th of February 2026.
The discussion explored the importance of the Convention to the global maritime sector and its role in providing clarity, certainty and peace of mind to all parties involved. The speakers also provided a run through of the most salient provisions and highlighted the critical role Malta played in the Convention’s inception and development.
We extend our thanks to these two catalysts and protagonists, both members of UNCITRAL’s Working Group VI, who worked relentlessly to bring this Convention to life.
Panel 3 – Sanctions
The third panel explored the role of sanctions in shipping and their impact on global operations. The discussion offered insights from three key perspectives: the regulator, the industry, and compliance.
Adrian Attard, Partner, forming part of our Marine Litigation Department and Head of the Ship Finance Department, introduced the subject and steered the discussion. Alessia Carbone from Malta’s Sanctions Monitoring Board and Robert Vassallo, who handles all legal matters for the Directorate Transport Malta, shared some insights into how the competent authorities oversee and enforce sanctions, while Sönke Stein from EVOS Malta Ltd discussed operational risks and the tangible impact sanctions have on industry. Clarissa Musu provided practical compliance guidance for maritime operators navigating the evolving sanctions landscape in her role as Senior Compliance Executive at Fenlex.
The session highlighted the importance of robust internal processes, proactive monitoring, and close cooperation with authorities to mitigate risks and ensure compliance in a fast changing regulatory environment.
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