Where We’ve Been: Highlights from London, Monaco, Sorrento and Piraeus

It has been a busy few weeks for the Brookes Bell team, with our experts attending a series of major industry events across Europe. From London to Monaco, Piraeus and Sorrento, each occasion offered valuable opportunities to connect with clients, share insights, and stay at the forefront of developments shaping the maritime sector.

London International Shipping Week

As part of London International Shipping Week, Brookes Bell hosted an evening reception at the historic Trinity House in London. The event was very well attended, bringing together clients, partners, and colleagues from across the maritime industry. Guests enjoyed the opportunity to connect in person and discuss the latest developments shaping shipping, safety, and sustainability.

The evening provided a relaxed setting to strengthen relationships and celebrate the industry’s shared commitment to innovation and collaboration. It was a fitting way to mark one of the most important weeks in the global maritime calendar.


Monaco Yacht Show

Our team attended this year’s Monaco Yacht Show, with Karley Smith and Adam Whittle joining industry leaders and innovators at one of the world’s most prestigious yachting events. Bringing together more than 120 superyachts, Monaco once again showcased the very best in design, technology, and sustainability.

Among the standout vessels was VALOR, an 80-metre Feadship hybrid explorer yacht featuring an ice-reinforced hull and advanced battery power designed for Arctic passages. Other notable yachts on display included Luna (90 m), Here Comes the Sun (89 m), and Nero (90 m), highlighting the continued evolution of luxury exploration and performance at sea.

This year also saw the launch of the Blue Wake initiative, a major new platform dedicated to promoting eco-responsible innovation. The programme reinforces how sustainability has become integral, rather than optional, to modern yachting. Organisers described the initiative as an important step in positioning the Monaco Yacht Show as a benchmark for ecological leadership in luxury maritime design.

Running alongside the main exhibition, the Monaco Yacht Summit explored key themes shaping the future of the industry. Discussions covered next-generation propulsion systems such as hydrogen, hybrid, and methanol, as well as AI integration, energy storage, and environmentally conscious chartering trends. The summit also featured a special screening of David Attenborough: Ocean, sparking lively discussion and reminding everyone why protecting the marine world matters just as much as exploring it.

Sustainability emerged as the defining theme of this year’s event, influencing propulsion technology, materials innovation, and waste reduction across new designs. Smart technology also took centre stage, with AI-driven systems and digital energy management becoming key elements of modern yacht operations. The market is clearly shifting away from a focus on size alone, with greater emphasis now placed on efficiency, flexibility, and sustainable lifestyle value.

Interferry Conference

Our Laboratory Technical Sales Lead, Caroline Young, and Senior Inspection Engineer, Luke Swords, attended this year’s Interferry, held in Sorrento, Italy. The well-attended event brought together ferry owners, operators, and buyers primarily from across Europe, particularly Scandinavia, alongside a strong international presence.

Hosted by the Grimaldi Group, the conference centred on the theme of “Connections,” focusing on how the industry links communities, customers, IT systems, and the wider energy grid.

This year’s exhibition saw a strong technical focus, with a wide cross-section of companies represented across the supply chain. Shipbuilders, designers, naval architects, and marine engineers from organisations such as Rolls-Royce, Danfoss, Deltamarin, and Volvo contributed to lively discussions around innovation, safety, and sustainability.

Although this was our first time attending an Interferry event, Brookes Bell was far from an unfamiliar name. Several contacts recognised the company through their work with Director of Europe, Adrian Scales, whilst others, including representatives from P&I Clubs and law firms, were interested to learn more about The Lab’s capabilities. The conference provided an excellent opportunity to showcase The Lab’s work, with particular interest in the PECA and CMAP services, which generated several valuable and interesting discussions.

The conference programme featured keynote addresses from senior industry figures such as CLIA CEO Bud Darr and Isabelle Ryckbost of the European Seaport Organisation. Topics included the electrification of ports and vessels, safety initiatives, and the role of ferries in connecting global communities.

Delegates were also offered a technical tour of the Port of Naples and Grimaldi’s terminals to see passenger and cargo operations firsthand, offering valuable insight into the practical applications of the technologies discussed throughout the event.

Interferry 2025 proved to be a highly valuable conference, providing excellent opportunities for networking, technical exchange, and new business development. It also reinforced the importance of collaboration as the ferry industry continues to evolve towards greater safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
 

Piraeus Client Visit

The team also recently visited Piraeus for a series of client meetings led by Daniel Millett, Director of Nautical, Marcelo Rodrigues, Principal Scientist, and Andrew Yarwood, Marketing Director. The visit was very well received, with positive engagement across all meetings and constructive discussions with clubs, shipowners, and claims executives.

Conversations focused on a range of technical and operational topics, including cargo claims involving soybeans, coal, rice, and fertilisers, as well as bunker issues, stowage challenges, fire incidents, and laboratory services. The meetings provided valuable insight into current industry priorities and identified several opportunities for continued collaboration.

Plans are now underway to build on this momentum through a series of follow-up activities, including webinars, in-person seminars, and targeted mailers, ensuring that discussions from the visit translate into practical next steps for clients and partners.