Mare Forum and Rotterdam Maritime Capital of Europe will host the 8th online round table of the successful series "Funding Short Sea Shipping & Trends in ShipFinance " on Thursday, 20th May, 11:00 - 12:00 Central European Time.
The upcoming 8th edition on Trends Shaping Short Sea Shipping Finance will adopt a holistic roundtable approach, featuring a diverse group of prominent local and international maritime industry leaders. They will share insights, exchange ideas, and work collaboratively to address pressing questions and shape future strategies.
THE PANELLISTS:
- Frederik Rye Lytzen, Partner, Baltic Shipping Company. A/S
- Michael de Visser, Managing Director, SEAHORSE Consulting & Invest [Moderator]
- Stefanos Fragos, CEO, Allied Shipbroking
- Katalin Dobranszky, Senior Director, Policy Analysis, Social Affairs and Finance, European Shipowners (ECSA)
- Rod Schlick, Director & S&P Broker, Friday & Co Shipbrokers
- More panellists to be announced soon - Stay tuned
AGENDA:
1. Market Signals: What’s Driving Capital Toward (or Away from) Short Sea Shipping?
What are shipowners asking for today — and are finance providers aligned?
What do banks, institutions, and alt-financiers see as the investment case for short sea?
Are ESG, compliance pressure, or energy cost volatility influencing finance trends?
2. From Designs to Deals: What’s Financeable in the Zero-Carbon Ship Space?
Are future ship designs meeting the requirements of investors and lenders?
Who’s designing and building the next-generation short sea fleet — and how are they priced?
What are the practical short-term strategies while waiting for zero-carbon vessels to mature?
3. The Rise of Alternative Finance: Real Opportunity or Fringe Movement?
Is alternative capital (PE, infra funds, leasing, fintech) truly interested in short sea shipping?
What’s gaining traction: newbuilds or retrofits/second-hand investments?
Are banks competing or collaborating with alt-financiers in this segment?
4. De-risking the Transition: Investment Models & Capital Partnerships
How can risk be shared between shipowners, financiers, charterers, and tech providers?
Are strategic alliances and JVs on the rise — and what makes them work?
Is there increasing scrutiny around the geopolitical provenance of capital?
5. Public Support & Infrastructure Parity: Is Short Sea Shipping Getting Left Behind?
Can short sea shipping be recognized as core infrastructure, like roads or rail?
What is the role of the EU, national governments, EIB, and MDBs in scaling finance access?
How can policymakers and institutions boost investor confidence in this market?
More discussion themes to be announced
Michael previously served as the Global Head of Shipping & Intermodal at NIBC Bank. In this role, he successfully managed a portfolio of up to USD 1.5 billion, and was responsible for the origination over USD 5 billion in senior secured shipping and intermodal equipment loans, achieving strong margins without any losses.
In mid-2024, the NIBC Shipping portfolio and team were sold to Hamburg Commercial Bank. As a former member of NIBC's corporate bank management team, Michael played a key role in driving business transformations that fostered growth and profitability for the shipping & intermodal division. During his tenure, he led efforts to optimize processes through innovation and digitalization, ensuring regulatory compliance and efficient capital management, including effective risk-weighted asset management. In addition to his professional work, Michael is an
active speaker and moderator at international maritime seminars and conferences.
Michael has also contributed to steering committees focused on the energy transition, including initiatives such as the Green Deal, the roadmap for fuel transition in the Dutch maritime industry, and the advisory committee for the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. He holds a Global Executive OneMBA from Erasmus University (RSM), a program offered in partnership with FGV (Brazil), Xiamen University (China), EGADE Business School (Mexico), and UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School (USA).
My expertise is translating high-level strategy into actionable plans, fostering an inclusive work culture, and optimizing performance management. With a proven track record in opening new markets, I excel in setting and achieving organizational goals.
I hold an Executive MBA from Copenhagen Business School, which has equipped me with robust strategy, implementation, and operational efficiency skills.
Head of Operations, Partner
•2021-2023: Executive MBA, Shipping & Logistics
•2020-present: BSC, Partner and Member of the Board
•2018-2023: YoungShip Denmark, Co-founder and Member of the Board
•2015-presemt: BSC, Chartering and Operations
After obtaining his Master all Ships license Rod sailed for a few more years ending as a Captain. Having obtained his degree in Maritime Science (Maritime Economics and Maritime Law) from the Universities of Ghent and Antwerp in Belgium, Rod joined Friday & Co Shipbrokers (then named differently) as a broker in 2003. Since then Rod had the pleasure to work with nice clients and colleagues on all facets of the sale & purchase market for ships, a world he could not dream to live without.
