The key issues facing the region’s maritime and trade sectors will be discussed at the fifth annual Maritime Standard Ship Finance and Trade Conference, to be held later this year in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The one-day conference, organised by The Maritime Standard, a Dubai-based publisher and events organiser, will be held on November 6, at Sofitel Abu Dhabi. This represents a move to a new, more modern venue for the conference.

The conference is aimed at influential decision makers and opinion formers in the shipping, ports, ship finance and trade related business sectors.

It will in particular assess how different financial solutions can help unlock barriers to greater levels of activity and how the maritime and financial sectors can better work together. This year there will also be coverage of several new areas, including rail and road transportation, in response to feedback from last year’s conference.

Trevor Pereira, managing director, said: “The conference has gone from strength to strength over the past few years, thanks to the tremendous support of industry professionals across the region, and in particular the encouragement and backing of Abu Dhabi Ports.”

“We have decided to return to Abu Dhabi, but to a different venue, to access both the high quality facilities and the capacity needed to keep pace with the requirements of attendees,” he added.

The theme of the event in 2019 is “Finding innovative solutions in a changing. Geopolitical and economic environment.”

Clive Woodbridge, conference editor, said: “The maritime sector is beset with uncertainties on many different levels at the moment.”

“Attending the event will give participants an insight into some of these challenges, but also will underline the exciting ways that companies are looking to innovate to find solutions,” he added.