The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) proposed Net-Zero Framework (NZF) intended to reduce shipping emissions through fuel standards and pricing mechanisms was delayed in October 2025 for a year. This delay has created uncertainty for shipowners, investors, and engine manufacturers who require regulatory clarity to make long-term decarbonisation decisions.
Paradoxically, this uncertainty is accelerating interest in energy efficiency technologies (EETs). Measures such as wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS), which benefit from favourable reward factors under FuelEU Maritime, and readily deployable solutions like propeller optimisation are gaining attention. The anticipated expansion of ETS- and FuelEU-type schemes globally, together with growing customer pressure, is strengthening the business case for EETs. Collectively, these technologies have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40% by 2030, and many are already cost-negative. Yet despite their technical and economic attractiveness, adoption remains constrained by persistent structural and commercial barriers.
The first part of the forum builds on the “Green Ships” theme introduced at the HKUST 4 September 2025 forum, with a sharper focus on selected EETs and two critical enablers for scaling deployment:
- Innovative financing models to better align incentives between shipowners and charterers; and
- Robust measurement and verification of EET performance to support investment and regulatory confidence.
The second part of the forum turns to fuels and certification. Recent research indicates that global biofuel use for transport, dominated by food-based biofuels and primarily consumed in road transport, emits, on average, 16% more CO₂ than fossil fuels when indirect land-use change, deforestation, and associated greenhouse gas impacts are fully accounted for. Investigations launched by the EU and Indonesia further suggest that biofuel markets are highly vulnerable to fraud. These findings raise serious concerns that expanded biofuel use in maritime shipping, without stringent safeguards, could weaken or undermine climate policy objectives.
This session will provide:
- An overview of carbon certification from the IMO perspective;
- A discussion of biofuel and e-fuel certification schemes, including their strengths and limitations;
- Insights into the scientific and policy foundations of the EU’s fuel sustainability standards; and
- Advanced approaches to assuring fuel integrity beyond standard certification, including tracer deployment, fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) fingerprinting, and fuel quality testing.
The forum will conclude with a panel discussion exploring how a credible Well-to-Wake verification and certification framework could be developed, drawing on FuelEU Maritime and other jurisdictional approaches, while leveraging Hong Kong’s professional services expertise and Greater Bay Area linkages.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by speakers or moderator do not necessarily reflect the official policies of HKUST, supporting organizations or the sponsor, nor does mention of commercial practices or companies imply endorsement of HKUST, supporting organizations or the sponsor.
Notes:
- Free Admission. Limited seats. Organizer has full discretion to limit registrants per company or decline registration.
- Shuttle bus service: to pick up the registered participants at Po Yap Road (the stop is located between the two exits of and just outside Tseung Kwan O MTR station). Please indicate whether you would use the shuttle bus service during registration and arrive before 8:15am when the bus will leave for IAS sharp.
- If you plan to drive, please provide your car plate number in the registration form for campus access and car park registration on the event day.
- The event will be video-recorded and uploaded to internet for global coverage. Event details and the programme may be subject to change without prior notice.
- All participants are welcome to stay behind in HKUST campus for lunch and networking. Some suggestion of restaurants will be provided later.
| Time | Sessions | Speakers |
| Part I | Maritime Energy Efficiency Technologies (115”) | |
| 0900-0925 |
Welcome Opening Speeches/ Photo-taking |
HKUST Sponsor/ Guest of Honour (GoH) |
| 0925-0940 | HKUST Research Update: Green Maritime Retrofitting and Marine Fuel Demand & Emissions Analysis | HKUST |
| 0940-0955 | Integrated Energy Saving Solutions focusing on wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) & the K-Sail solution | Kongsberg Maritime (Kongsberg) |
| 0955-1010 | Unlocking the potential of energy efficiency technologies with FEET | Global Centre of Maritime Decarbonization (GCMD) |
| 1010-1020 | Quantifying performance of EETs by Vessel Technical Index | China Merchants Marine and Offshore Research Institute (CMI) |
| 1020-1055 | Panel 1: Issues of WAPS and overcoming barriers of EETs adoption | HKUST (moderator): Kongsberg, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV); GCMD, CMI, Caravel Group (Caravel) |
| 1055-1110 | Tea Break (15") | |
| Part II | Maritime Biofuels & Electrofuels Certification (110”) | |
| 1110-1120 | Certifying Carbon Integrity: How IMO LCA, Global Schemes and Physical Assurance Converge for Marine Biofuels & E‑Fuels | American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) |
| 1120-1135 | Biofuels Certifications in the Sustainable Value Chain | RINA |
| 1135-1145 | Electrofuels Certifications in the Sustainable Value Chain | SGS |
| 1145-1155 | The Biofuel Trap vs Future-Proofing: Why EU Standards Matter for Asian Hubs | Transport & Environment (T&E) |
| 1155-1210 | Drop-in Biofuels: A Framework for Quantity, Quality and GHG Abatement Assurance | GCMD |
| 1210-1220 | How FAME fingerprinting guards the fuel quality by tracking fuel traceability | Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) |
| 1220-1255 | Panel 2: Developing Hong Kong as a Certification Hub for Green Maritime Fuels | TBC (moderator): ABS, T&E, GCMD, VPS, Reconergy (HK) Ltd. |
| 1255-1300 | Closing Remarks | HKUST |
|
|
Organization/ Company |
Name of Speaker |
Job Title |
|
1 |
HKUST |
Christine Loh |
Chief Development Strategist, IENV |
|
2 |
Sponsor |
TBC |
TBC |
|
3 |
GoH |
TBC |
TBC |
|
4 |
HKUST |
Jiajing Chen |
PhD researcher |
|
5 |
Kongsberg |
Patrick Banks |
Vice President, Aftermarket Asia-Pacific |
|
6 |
GCMD |
Shane Balani |
Director, Projects |
|
7 |
CMI |
Chaojun Huang |
Director of New Energy Application R&D Department |
|
8 |
BV |
Daniel Song |
Head of Expertise Center Sustainability, Future Shipping Team |
|
9 |
Caravel Group |
Eleanor Cunningham |
General Manager, Sustainability |
|
10 |
ABS |
Shen Tao |
Director of Global Sustainability – Eastern Hemisphere, ABS |
|
11 |
RINA |
Zhou Jun |
China Carbon Manager |
|
12 |
SGS |
Jack Yuen |
Director, Health & Nutrition, Environment and Natural Resources |
|
13 |
T&E |
Jude Lee |
Regional Policy and Program Director for Asia-Pacific |
|
14 |
GCMD |
Dr Prapisala Thepsithar |
Director, Projects |
|
15 |
VPS |
Vice President, Decarbonisation Advisory |
|
|
17 |
Reconergy |
Tom Uiterwaal |
CEO |
|
18 |
HKUST |
Alexis KH Lau |
Head and Chair Professor, Division of Environment & Sustainability |
Speakers' Biographies
Christine Loh
Prof. Christine Loh is the Chief Development Strategist at the Institute for the Environment, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Previously, she held the positions of Special Consultant to the Office of the Chief Executive of the HKSAR Government on the ecological civilization aspects of the Greater Bay Area Outline Development Plan (2019-2020); and Under Secretary for the Environment in the HKSAR Government (2012-2017). She was the CEO of Civic Exchange, an independent non-profit public policy think tank (2000-2012). Before that, Prof. Loh served as a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, first appointed in 1992 and later elected in 1995 and 1998. Earlier, she spent 14 years in the private commercial sector in commodities trading. Currently, she is a Director of New Forests Pty Limited, Towngas Smart Energy Company Limited, CDP Worldwide, and Global Maritime Forum. She is also a founding Advisor to Hong Kong Green Finance Association.
Jiajing Chen
CHEN Jiajing is a PhD researcher in the Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). He holds a master's degree in international shipping management, also obtained in Hong Kong, and has gained substantial experience in the shipping industry across both Mainland China and Hong Kong. His research and professional interests are centered on green and sustainable shipping practices, with a particular focus on the application of big data in the shipping industry.
Patrick Banks
Mr. Patrick Banks is the Vice President of Aftermarket Sales for the Asia-Pacific region, where he leads strategic growth initiatives and drives customer-centric solutions across diverse markets. With a proven track record in sales leadership and operational excellence, Patrick brings over two decades of experience in the maritime sector. He is known for his ability to build high-performing teams, foster strong client relationships, and develop innovative aftermarket solutions. Based in Singapore, Patrick works closely with regional partners and global stakeholders to align aftermarket strategies with evolving market demands, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the APAC sales landscape. Patrick is passionate about innovation, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction. His dynamic leadership style and deep industry insight make him a trusted advisor and a key driver of success in the region.
Shane Balani
Shane is a Director in the Projects team at the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation and is the lead for GCMD’s initiative to scale the adoption of energy efficiency technologies in shipping.
Prior to GCMD, he was a marine surveyor at Lloyd’s Register, working on novel newbuilding projects across specialist offshore and dual-fuel installations, including for what was at the time the world’s largest heavy lift offshore vessel and one of the first ever dual fuel installations. He then moved into a consultancy role at the Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub working with partners to develop decarbonisation strategies and projects.
A mechanical engineer with 10 years of experience in the marine industry, Shane started his career by training with the UK Royal Navy. He has since worked in multiple continents, including as an existing ship surveyor in the Port of Singapore, on port state compliance issues, emergency repairs, deep retrofit projects.
Shane is a member of the Working Group for Ammonia Bunkering, part of Singapore Standards Council’s Chemical Standards Committee. He graduated from the University of Bristol with a first class Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.
HUANG Chaojun
Mr. HUANG Chaojun, a Registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the State of Texas, USA, holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Tsinghua University and a Ph.D. from Rice University. He currently serves as the Department Head of New Energy Application R&D at China Merchants Marine and Offshore Research Institute. With 21 years of experience spanning academic research and full-cycle customized industrial development, Dr. Huang specializes in naval architecture and ocean engineering, particularly in new energy applications, pattern recognition (health monitoring) and intelligent systems, as well as vibration control and model based system engineering.
Since joining China Merchants in 2019, he has been honored as a Jiangsu Provincial Double Innovation Talent, received the Nantong Youth Science Award, and earned multiple individual awards from China Merchants Industry. His team achieved the China Merchants Group’s first-ever Special Prize for Innovation and a First Prize from the China Association of Oceanic Engineering. During the same period, he has published 13 papers, secured 21 patents, and obtained 10 Approval in Principle (AIP) certificates from classification societies.
Daniel SONG
Daniel SONG, Head of Shipping Expertise Center Sustainability, Future Shipping Team (FST). Joined Bureau Veritas in 2021, in charge of the technical and marketing support for the ship's sustainability, doing the research of the shipping's alternative and innovation technologies.
Graduated from Dalian Maritime University with Master degree in Marine Engineering.
Eleanor Cunningham
Eleanor Cunningham is the General Manager, Sustainability, at The Caravel Group, a Hong Kong–based diversified conglomerate with global operations. She leads the Group’s global sustainability strategy and supports decarbonization and ESG performance, working with cross-functional teams across a fleet of more than 500 vessels under management.
With over 15 years of experience in the consulting, maritime, and hospitality sectors, Eleanor develops strategic yet practical ESG frameworks that strengthen governance, improve data quality, and enhance disclosures to meet transnational expectations.
She advises C-suite leaders on emerging ESG risks and develops strategies to translate climate transition planning and scenario analysis into actionable roadmaps.
She also serves on the Facilities Management and Development Committee and the ESG Committee of one of Hong Kong’s largest NGOs, contributing corporate sustainability expertise to support community impact and reputation-building efforts.
She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Science and Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London (UK) and is professionally accredited in carbon auditing (AEE CAP™️) and climate risk (GARP SCR®️).
Shen Tao
Shen Tao serves as Director, Global Sustainability for the Eastern Hemisphere at ABS. In his current role, Tao is responsible for leading the Sustainability team to provide technical solutions and commercial advisories for addressing the challenges the industry is facing under the ever-changing regulatory requirements and the dynamic market. He is focused on environmental compliance, energy efficiency, decarbonization, sustainability, and ESG.
Tao spent almost two decades in the maritime industry. He holds an MBA and the B.S. in Naval Architecture and Offshore Engineering.
Jude Lee
Jude Lee (She/Her) is the Regional Policy and Program Director for Asia-Pacific at Transport & Environment (T&E), where she leads the organization’s regional expansion and strategy. Based in Australia, she oversees T&E’s work on shipping, aviation, road transport decarbonization, and energy transition, with Singapore serving as a key hub. She collaborates with NGOs, funders, and policymakers to align Asia’s transport and energy decarbonization with global climate frameworks.
Before joining T&E, Jude worked across Asia on climate and energy policy, building networks that now underpin T&E’s regional outreach. She is leading our regional strategy and partnerships across shipping, aviation, road transport decarbonization, and the clean energy transition. With Singapore as a regional hub, we’re fostering collaboration between Asia and Europe to accelerate zero-emission transport and energy transitions. helping ensure that global decarbonization efforts are both inclusive and regionally grounded.
Prapisala Thepsithar
Dr Prapisala Thepsithar is a Director in the Projects team at the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation and the lead for GCMD’s assurance framework for drop-in green fuels initiative.
Prior to joining GCMD, she was the Research Lead and a Senior Scientist at the Maritime Energy & Sustainable Development Centre of Excellence in Nanyang Technological University.
Prapisala brings close to two decades of experience in the maritime industry, beginning as a Research Engineer with the Keppel Offshore and Marine Technology Centre. Her research areas include environmental technology (specifically air pollution and GHG emissions from the maritime industry), alternative fuels and energy sources for ports and ships, as well as biofuel quality and standards.
Prapisala sits on the Working Group for Marine Biofuels Standards and the National Mirror Committee for ISO Biofuels Standards, part of Singapore Standards Council’s Chemical Standards Committee. She obtained her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering (Environmental Technology) from the University of Manchester and holds a Master of Environment Engineering from Chulalongkorn University.
Emilian Buksak
VPS Vice President, Decarbonisation Advisory
MSc in Naval Architecture
Over 25 years of leadership in the maritime industry, with expertise in ship design, operations, and sustainability. Currently leading VPS Decarbonisation Advisory, supporting shipowners worldwide with fuel quality, emissions monitoring, and digital solutions for compliance with EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime, and IMO regulations. Previously led approval and advisory services in China with DNV, working closely with shipyards, design houses, and the China Classification Society (CCS). Passionate about combining technology, data, and operational excellence to accelerate shipping’s decarbonisation journey.
Tom Uiterwaal
Tom Uiterwaal is the CEO of Reconergy (Hong Kong) Ltd. and Managing Director of Sino Renewables (Shanghai) Ltd., a seasoned professional with more than 25 YEARS vegetable oil and fats background. The last 17 years Tom has been active in the WASTE-TO-ENERGY industry in China focused on sourcing waste-feedstocks for the Biofuels and Green electricity production in Europe.
Reconergy is the proud winner of the Cathay Pacific Shooting Start Award in 2017 and the Sustainability
Business Award in 2021 of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.
Alexis Lau
Prof. Alexis Lau, JP, is Head and Chair Professor of Division of Environment and Sustainability, Chair Professor of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Director of the Institute for the Environment at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Prof. Lau specializes in air quality and health exposure, weather and climate, and environmental policies, with recent focuses on climate adaptation and resilience, as well as shaping the transition to green finance based on climate science. His professional techniques include the analysis of large-scale geophysical datasets, numerical models, and in-situ and satellite remote sensing.
Prof. Lau is a fellow of the Hong Kong Meteorological Society, a founding member of the Hong Kong Climate Change Forum, a scientific advisor to the Hong Kong Observatory, as well as a founding board member and chair of the Qualification Panel of the Hong Kong Institute of Qualified Environmental Professionals. Currently, Prof. Lau is leading the first pan-Pearl River Delta Air Quality study managed jointly by the regional governments under the “Cooperation Agreement on Regional Air Pollution Control and Prevention among Hong Kong, Guangdong, and Macao”. Additionally, he is a member of the Scientific Advisory Group of the World Health Organization Panel on the development of a Global Platform on Air Quality and Health.
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