FONASBA 2024 ANNUAL MEETING: ATHENS, GREECE, 15 – 18 OCTOBER

On behalf of our members in Greece, the International Maritime Union (IMU), we are pleased to announce that registration and hotel bookings are now open for the FONASBA 2024 Annual Meeting.

The plenary section of the meeting runs from Wednesday, 16th October to Friday, 18th October, preceded by the Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday 15th (members only) and Evening Welcome Reception, and followed on Saturday 19th by an optional excursion to Epidaurus, Ancient Corinth, and Isthmus.

Please find essential information here.

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DELEGATE PROGRAMME

We are working on the AGENDA of the various seminars and this year we hope to bring you interactive sessions addressing topics that are close to you heart with the help of prominent expert speakers in each area.

The delegate programme broadly follows that of previous years, with some adjustments allowing ever more opportunities for discussion and networking.

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Please find below the skeleton of the programme – update 10th September 2024.

  • Tuesday 15th October 18:30 – Welcome Reception

On Tuesday 15th October from about 18:30pm, we will offer a welcome drink at the hotel’s premises.

  • Wednesday 16th October

On  Wednesday 16th, we will have various seminars throughout the day.

The morning is dedicated to EU affairs, with e session on the fight against drug smuggling and one on the EU ETS .

While in the afternoon, there will be the shipbroking plenary with panels on Geopolitics and Digital tools. 

On the evening of the 16th, we will have a traditional Greek Dinner always at the hotel’s premises.

  • Thursday 17th October

On Thursday 17th, the morning seminars will be on the future of Education and Training for ship agents and brokers.  We will assist to the presentation of the 2024 YABA winner paper. Our  ASECOB members will give up an update on an initiative on Seafarers welfare. We will have the pleasure to do a workshop with ITIC. 

In the afternoon, there will be the Ship Agency plenary, discussing a possible MoU with DA third parties, also how to keeping the agency standard documents relevant and the FONASBA quality standard development.

Agency Networking Drinks kindly offered by FINSEA GROUP ITALY.

CIANAM meeting.

  • Friday 18th October

On 18th [in the morning only] we have a topical seminar on the future of the professions lead by our host at IMU: “Shipbrokers and Agents: Keep thriving in the 21st Century”.

While, in the afternoon, there will be FONASBA Council meeting open to members only.

On the evening of the 18th, we will have our traditional Gala Dinner in downtown Athens, at the St. George Lycabettus Lifestyle Hotel  on the Grand Balcon with views straight to the Acropolis and all the way down to the Saronic Islands. Distance from DIVANI Hotel: 20 kilometers.

  • Saturday 19th October – Optional Excursion

We are still working on the fine details of the Programme that will be circulated nearer to the date.

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PARTNER PROGRAMME

A 2dd partner programme has been developed, designed to showcase some of the historic and cultural treasures of the Athens region.

A first version of the delegate and partner programmes can be downloaded here:  PROGRAMME.

OPTIONAL EXCURSION: SATURDAY, 19th OCTOBER

The optional excursion is a day-long visit to Epidaurus, Ancient Corinth, and Isthmus.

A separate fee applies for this excursion, see “Registration Fees” below.

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ANNUAL MEETING VENUE AND ACCOMMODATION

DIVANI APOLLON HOTEL
Address: 10, Agiou Nikolaou, Vouliagmeni, GR 166 71, Greece

Hotel booking link for FONASBA Delegates: Divani Apollon Palace & Thalasso in Vouliagmeni, Athens, Greece (divaniapollopalace.reserve-online.net)
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REGISTRATION

Complete the registration to the Annual Meeting using the ONLINE FORM, provided below. Please include all details for yourself and for your partners/s, if any.

Kindly note that we have secured for you a discounted delegate rate when registering by JULY 19th.

Registrations by JULY 19th, 2024: € 695 per Delegate
Registration after JULY 19th, 2024: € 750 per Delegate

Delegates and partners can register here.

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VISA AND AIRPORT TRANSPORTS

VISA
Delegates and partners requiring a VISA to enter Greece should verify all requirements well in advance.
Please find below  the link of the official website of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the list of all Countries and the respective visa obligation or exemption: https://www.mfa.gr/en/visas/visas-for-foreigners-traveling-to-greece/countries-requiring-or-not-requiring-visa.html
The host will be able to assist with VISA related requests received by 15th September.

We are pleased to confirm that our event organizing partners Messrs. Kefi S.A.,<http://kefitours.gr/en/> will directly accommodate all requests related to (1) visa formalities:
Visa formalities charges: 25 – 35 euros depending on Country.
Contact Person: Ms. Panagiota Tsokou
E-mail address: conferences@kefitours.gr
Tel.: +30 210 6232106

AIRPORT TRANSPORT

We are pleased to confirm that our event organizing partners Messrs. Kefi S.A.,<http://kefitours.gr/en/> will directly accommodate all requests related to taxi transfers from the airport to the hotel, as follows.
Airport to hotel taxi transfer rate: 50 euros (1 up to 3 Passengers, with reasonable luggage).
Contact Person: Ms. Panagiota Tsokou
E-mail address: conferences@kefitours.gr
Tel.: +30 210 623210

Alternatively, please note that public transport and taxis are available 24/7 from the airport. For more information on all means of transport available including booking taxis, including phone numbers of approved taxi services, see the Airport website:

Athens Airport Transportation | Transport from and to Athens Airport (athens-international-airport.com)

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“FONASBA EVENTS AND CONFERENCES DATA COLLECTION AND PROCESSING POLICY”

Personal information collected in respect of participation in, or registration for, this event will be limited to that strictly necessary. The data will be held securely by FONASBA and where necessary shared with the host association. The location of the event may require that personal information be passed outside the European Union. All data held shall be securely destroyed by FONASBA or the host association not more than six months after the end of the event.

Photographs or video footage taken during the event may be used for FONASBA’s own publicity purposes only and posted to the website or on social media. An individual may request the FONASBA Secretariat not to publish, or to remove, photographs or video footage. Action to do so will be taken as soon as practicable after the request is received.