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There is never a dull moment in shipping. Slide2Open aims to live up to this adage by constantly acting as an incubator of ideas within the shipping community and beyond.
Slide2Open Shipping Finance 2025 returns for its 8th annual conference. Our Advisory Board and Working Groups have been tirelessly engaged throughout the year, contributing to discussions, shaping pioneering standards, generating influential green and white papers, thereby making a lasting impact on the global shipping community.
The 8th Slide2Open Shipping Finance aims to be a 360 Compendium of Shipping, where Conference and Concert unite for the first time ever in such context. Shipping has talent! Dialogue and Innovation combined with a strong Artistic Inspiration.
Mark your calendars for a day of forward-thinking discussions, networking opportunities, and musical performances, as we gather in Athens with the aim to continue the constructive transformation of the shipping industry, the exchange of ideas and, why not, have some fun in between!
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to charity.
Keynote Speaker
Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy of the Hellenic Republic
Keynote Speaker
General Manager
Apollonia Lines SA
President
Hellenic Chamber of Shipping
Chairman of the Advisory Board - Speaker
IMO Ambassador in Greece
President of Eugenides Foundation
Advisory Board Member - Speaker
President/Director, Fafalios Shipping SA; Secretary of the BoD, Union of Greek Shipowners; Honorary Chairman, Intercargo
Keynote Speaker
Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST)
Keynote Speaker
2025 IEEE President & CEO; Professor of Electrical Engineering, University of San Diego
Conference Guest of Honor - Speaker
2025 IEEE Past President; President of Coughlin Associates
Advisory Board Member - Speaker
Governor of Eugenides Foundation
Emeritus Professor, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA)
Advisory Board Member - Speaker
Professor, ΝTUA; Head of the Industrial Connection Activity Sustainable Maritime of ΙΕΕΕ; Chairman of IMarEST MESIG
Conference Chair and Moderator
Greek Representative, EUROMAR; Founder, Second Wind & Partners
Speaker
Member, Academy of Athens
Member, U.S. National Academy of Engineering - ΝΑΕ
Professor, University of Southern California
Organizer
IEEE Standards Association Maritime Ambassador
Managing Director, Slide2Open Communications
Chairman of the Advisory Board - Speaker
IMO Ambassador in Greece
President of Eugenides Foundation
Conference Chair and Moderator
Greek Representative, EUROMAR; Founder, Second Wind & Partners
Conference Guest of Honor - Speaker
2025 IEEE Past President; President of Coughlin Associates
Keynote Speaker
Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy of the Hellenic Republic
Keynote Speaker
General Manager
Apollonia Lines SA
President
Hellenic Chamber of Shipping
Chairman of the Advisory Board - Speaker
IMO Ambassador in Greece
President of Eugenides Foundation
Advisory Board Member - Speaker
President/Director, Fafalios Shipping SA; Secretary of the BoD, Union of Greek Shipowners; Honorary Chairman, Intercargo
Advisory Board Member - Speaker
Governor of Eugenides Foundation
Emeritus Professor, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA)
Advisory Board Member - Speaker
Special Advisor to the CEO and former Managing Director of IEEE Standards Association
Advisory Board Member - Speaker
Professor, ΝTUA; Head of the Industrial Connection Activity Sustainable Maritime of ΙΕΕΕ; Chairman of IMarEST MESIG
Conference Chair and Moderator
Greek Representative, EUROMAR; Founder, Second Wind & Partners
Advisory Board Member - Speaker
Director - New Initiatives at IEEE Standards Association
Organizer
IEEE Standards Association Maritime Ambassador
Managing Director, Slide2Open Communications
Katerina Polemi
The Maritime Muse
Return to the conference hall for an unforgettable performance by Katerina Polemi, an acclaimed composer, musician, and singer of Hellenic and Brazilian origin. Known for her unique ability to capture the spirit and soul of her two countries of origin, as well as the spirit of the sea, through her music, Katerina’s artistry is both transcendent and deeply rooted. Katerina composed the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack for the award-winning film Mikra Agglia (Little England) by celebrated director Pantelis Voulgaris, showcasing her talent for creating music that speaks to emotions, heritage, and timeless stories. Her first album, “Spread the Music, Not the Name”, released on April 21, 2011, reflects her artistic ethos and commitment to spreading superb music, transcending fame or titles. Bearing a “heavy” name from a traditional Greek shipping family, Katerina’s journey seamlessly intertwines heritage, art, and creativity—making her an extraordinary voice within and beyond the maritime community.
Rallia Fafalios (violin)
Iliana Koretsi (cello)
“Music is a fusion of Soul and Passion.
When you combine these two ‘ingredients,’ something magical happens.”
Rallia Fafalios grew up in London, U.K., where her musical path began. At the age of 6, she developed her musical skills at the Royal Academy of Music. This musical basis gave her the tools she needed to start learning an instrument, in this case, she chose the violin. Intrigued by the power of playing the violin with others, she attended the Guildhall School of Music. At the age of 16, she moved with her family to Athens, Greece and continued her violin studies under Mr. Vasilis Pappas and Franc Shestani. She attended the University of Surrey, U.K., graduating in 2014 with a First-Class degree in Music, with a major in violin performance. Ever since she moved to Greece, she has been playing with the Athens Symphony Youth Orchestra (ASON), Greek-Turkish Youth Orchestra, CSO-Musicart Lab Orchestra and the Greek Youth Symphony Orchestra (ELSON). She was the founding member of the string quartet Athenian Rhapsody which performed in a wide selection of locations, from Chios to Santorini, and from art exhibitions to the Eugenides Foundation. Rallia has worked with musicians and artists of various music genres. She is currently a violin teacher at ”Saint Catherine’s” School, Athens.
Iliana Koretsi was born in Athens, Greece and she started playing the cello at the age of 6. She began her studies at Nakas Conservatory under A.Katochianou and graduated at Kodaly Conservatory under A.Liakakis. She attended the Music school of Alimos and she was a regular member of Athenian Symphonic Youth Orchestra (ASON). In 2004, she won the first prize at the National Youth Music Competition of Greece. She has collaborated with the CSO-Operart Lab Orchestra, the ERT Youth Orchestra, the Greek-turkish Youth Orchestra, Kamerata, and she is a member of the Academy of Young Musicians (Athens State Orchestra) and Chorpus Orchestra. She has taken classes from the well-known cellist Gabriel Schwabe. Beyond her classical education, Iliana has worked with musicians and artists of various music genres. She has extensive experience of studio recordings and live performances. She is a cello teacher at the ”Ellinogermaniki Agogi” in Athens.
SeaOrama: World of Shipping is a strategic management video game designed to capture and present the shipping industry in an engaging and educational manner while standing out globally for its unique simulation approach inspired by real shipping data!
The game immerses players in the world of shipping companies, enabling them to develop their own managerial style through risk, logistics, finance, and operations management while adjusting in macro-economic world challenges. You will have access to a fleet of over 17 types of ships.
From tanker vessels to bulk carriers and container ships, you will have to ensure that your fleet is well-maintained and equipped. You begin with a single vessel, and you are called to invest wisely, and watch your company grow to a dominant force in the global trade arena.
Choose your own trade routes across an expansive world map featuring 90 port locations. Analyse market trends, factor in geopolitical events, and master the art of logistics to optimize your routes for maximum profitability and efficiency. Strike lucrative contracts with clients and meticulously oversee every aspect of your shipping operations. Adapt to unforeseen challenges and keep your cargo moving, no matter what obstacles arise!
By incorporating real shipping data, the game creates its own economy, generating diverse scenarios for players to navigate. From port congestion and piracy to extreme weather events, mechanical failures and crew accidents, the game encompasses the challenges faced in the shipping industry.
Ahoy, ahoy, enjoy the journey! One must sail to learn!
SeaOrama: World of Shipping is a marine themed, video game created by SeaOrama IKE, a Greek firm founded by two visionary ladies with extensive experience in the Shipping Industry. SeaOrama’s vision is to enhance the image of the maritime industry in the eyes of the world by making each person realize the unmeasurable contribution of shipping in everyday life.