Annual Current Trends in Shipping Review 2025 - Understanding and adapting to current and future changes

SMI PTG presents the

Annual Current Trends in Shipping Review 2025

Understanding and adapting to current and future changes

 20th November 2025, 10.00 – 13.30, in-person

Kindly hosted by Clyde & Co at The St Botolph Building, 138 Houndsditch, London EC3A 7AR

This annual symposium, brought to you by the SMI Ports & Terminals Group and hosted by Clyde & Co will provide fresh insights, market intelligence and analysis from three different perspectives

10am - Registration & Networking 

10:30am - Hello & Welcome (Bruce Clements, Director of the Ports and Terminals Group at SMI)

10:32am - Opening Comments (Gordon Rankine, Chairman at SMI & Director at Beckett Rankine)

10:35am - Global Shipping Market Trends & Outlook Q & A (Trevor Crowe, Director & Sarah Holden, Shipping Research Manager at Clarksons Research)

11:40am - Networking Break

12:00pm - Container Trades 2025, Market Trends, Challenges & Strategic Insights Q & A (Nigel Pusey, CEO Container Trades Statistics Ltd)

12:30pm - View from a port, adapting today & preparing for tomorrow Q & A (Justin Atkin, Representative for the UK & Ireland, Port of Antwerp-Bruges)

1:00pm - Closing Remarks (Gordon Rankine)

1:10pm - Light lunch & networking

2pm - Event Closes

Speakers

Gordon Rankine, Chair SMI PTG and Director, Beckett Rankine

Gordon is Chair of SMI’s Ports and Terminals Group and has more than 40 years of experience in the planning and design of ports and marine facilities around the UK coastline and across the world. Currently working on the development of new ship berths in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, Gordon has also been responsible for Beckett Rankine’s international port development projects including those in Malaysia, India, Qatar, Uruguay, Angola and previously Russia, Ukraine, Libya and China. These projects have included modernising container terminals, harbours and berthing facilities for oil and LNG tankers, dry bulk and RoRo ferry terminals.

Trevor Crowe, Director, Clarksons Research

Trevor Crowe is a Director of Clarksons Research, a leading provider of market intelligence on shipping and trade and offshore and energy markets and part of the Clarksons Group. Trevor joined Clarksons Research in 1997 as a shipping market analyst, later becoming both the senior editor of a range of market intelligence products as well as the Clarksons group senior containership market analyst. Trevor is today Director of Market Research within Clarksons Research, managing a wide range of research activity, products and development, including the market-leading Clarksons Research maritime intelligence online platforms.

Nigel Pusey, CEO, Container Trades Statistics Ltd

Nigel’s career spans the breadth of the global shipping industry, highlighted by key roles such as Chief Commercial Officer at Maersk Line in Copenhagen and CEO of Container Inland Services within the AP Moller–Maersk Group. He further distinguished himself as CEO of The Maersk Company Limited (UK) and Non-Executive Chairman of INTTRA. Nigel’s leadership prowess extended to his tenure as Chief Commercial Officer at Inchcape Shipping Services.

Prior to his time with AP Moller–Maersk, Nigel played pivotal roles at P&O Nedlloyd and P&O Containers, including positions such as Corporate Finance Director and Managing Director of Southern Africa. With his wealth of experience, Nigel is an accomplished maritime authority, driving innovation and excellence throughout his career.

Justin Atkin, Port of Antwerp-Bruges

Justin has more than 25 years’ experience in the ports and shipping sector including working in senior operational and commercial roles for Associated British Ports.  He has worked as a logistics consultant since 2016 and joined the international team of Port of Antwerp-Bruges in 2018, for whom he is Representative for the UK and Ireland.   

Justin is Logistics Director (UK & Ireland) for WeSoda, the world’s largest producer of natural soda ash, and a Non-Executive Director with Portsmouth based Portico Shipping Ltd.  He has many years’ experience with dry bulk, break-bulk, unitised (containers and trailers), chemical, cool logistics and e-commerce cargo flows.