Washington, D.C. – As part of National Maritime Week, the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA)’s Safety at Sea Seminar and the U.S. Coast Guard AMVER and Benkert Awards will bring together maritime leaders for a critical discussion on the forces actively reshaping global trade and safety at sea.
Opening the Safety at Sea Seminar, Panel #1 – Global Risk and Maritime Security: Navigating an Uncertain World will confront a reality the industry can no longer sidestep: maritime safety today is being shaped as much by global instability as it is by operations on board.
Taking place immediately following the latest International Maritime Organization Marine Environment Protection
Committee (MEPC) meeting, the timing of this discussion is critical. Policy decisions, geopolitical tensions, and economic pressures are converging; and the maritime industry is operating directly within that convergence.
Moderated by Carleen Lyden Walker, Chief Evolution Officer of SHIPPINGInsight, the panel brings together leaders with direct insight into today’s risk environment:
· Rear Admiral James Watson (USCG ret.), Co-Founder of the American Maritime Industrial Coalition and Co-Author of Zero Point Four, will address the intersection of national security and maritime safety, and the implications for global trade and maritime resilience.
· Jan-Willem van den Dijssel of Cargill will examine how global conflicts are actively reshaping shipping routes, increasing operational complexity and risk exposure across supply chains.
· American Bureau of Shipping will focus on cybersecurity threats to maritime infrastructure, where vulnerabilities in digital systems now carry real-world operational consequences.
This is not only a forward-looking discussion, but also the operating environment now.
From contested waterways to shifting trade lanes to increasingly exposed digital systems, maritime risk is layered, interconnected, and accelerating. Decisions are being made in real time, often under pressure, with consequences that extend well beyond a single vessel or voyage.
“National Maritime Week is about recognizing the essential role of maritime in global stability,” said Walker. “This panel is about facing the conditions that are defining that role today. The environment is more complex, the stakes are higher, and the margin for error is smaller.”
Join the Safety at Sea Seminar as this panel sets the tone. It is direct, grounded, and focused on what maritime leaders need to be paying attention to now—not later.
EVENT DETAILS:
NAMEPA Safety at Sea Seminar and AMVER & Benkert Awards – Register Now!
Thursday, May 21, 2026
ABS Offices 80 M Street SE Washington, D.C. 20003
Registration and networking begin at 12:30 PM, with programming from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Media Contact: Rachel McCloskey, Operations and Communications Director, NAMEPA (r.mccloskey@namepa.net)
About North American Marine Environment Protection Association
The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) is a maritime industry-led organization preserving the marine environment by promoting resilient maritime industry best practices and educating seafarers, students and the public about the need and strategies for protecting global ocean, lake and river resources. For more information www.namepa.net