Speakers
Meeting moderator
Morena Pivetti
Journalist - Moderator of EMPA GM 2023
Morena Pivetti, born in 1958, San Prospero (Modena), professional journalist since 1984, specialized in economics, infrastructures, transport and logistics, now free lance.
Since 2018 I contributed articles to various magazines, Fortune Italia, Tuttoitaliano, TTS Italia, Logistica&Trasporti and to Repubblica.it for a project focused on EU structural funds.
From February to October 2022, I was a consultant to Italy’s Ministry of Sustainable Infrastructures and Mobility on the strategic 10 year Plan of Transport and Logistics, with the position of coordinator of the committee charged with the process of writing it after a broad consultation with the stakeholders.
I also contributed to the final paper as co-author of the chapter on Human Resources. Previously, from September 2017 to May 2018, I was engaged on a communication plan of the then Ministry of Infrastructures and Transport called “Connecting Italy”.
From February 2001 to January 2018 I worked at Il Sole 24 Ore Group, the main economic publishing company in Italy (daily newspaper, newswire, radio); up to the end of 2011 I was Deputy Chief Editor at Il Sole24Ore Trasporti&Logistica, a biweekly magazine focusing on infrastructures, transport and logistics; from 2013 to 2017 I have been Deputy Chief Editor of ItalyEurope24, the digital English daily edition of Il Sole 24 Ore for foreigners.
I also act as a consultant and as a facilitator/moderator in events, workshops and roundtables on economics, infrastructures and transport.
Nicola Carlone
Vice Admiral Nicola CARLONE
The Commandant of the Italian Coast Guard
Vice Admiral (ITCG) Nicola CARLONE was born in Minervino Murge (BAT) on 23rd September 1960. He spent his teenage years in Lausanne (Switzerland), where he attended secondary and high school and graduated from Scientific high school 'Vilfredo Pareto'.
In 1978 he was admitted to the Naval Academy in Livorno, where he attended the normal course of general staff of the Italian Navy.
He spent eight years on board ITN warships, as responsible for weapons and missile systems, participating in naval operations in the eastern Mediterranean (Lebanon), Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean (protection of freedom of navigation following Iran-Iraq conflict) and central Mediterranean (fisheries surveillance and anti-pollution). He attended the naval artillery specialization course, obtaining the qualification for firing services, and the specialization course for ITN officers.
In 1990 he joined the Italian Coast Guard.
In 1990/91 he was Harbour Master and ITCG Commandant of Riposto (CT).
In 1991/96 he served at the Maritime Directorate of Pescara - ITCG Regional Command (Head of sections: technical - operational - maritime safety - fisheries and legal affairs - naval property), participating in the NATO operation "Sharp Guard" for the UN naval embargo to former Yugoslavia.
In 1996/99 he served at the Maritime Directorate of Bari - ITCG Regional Command (regional coordinator Port State Control - operational commandant of the maritime area and head of the operational section of the 6th Maritime Rescue Sub Centre), responsible for the coordination of search and rescue operations related to migration flows from Albania and Kosovo.
In 1999/2001 he was Harbour Master and ITCG Commandant of San Benedetto del Tronto (AP).
Since 2001 he was assigned to ITCG Headquarters in Rome where, in 2001/05, he was Head of 1st Office (“Plans”) of the 3rd Department ("Plans and operations"), regularly participating as a national delegate in technical committees of the International Maritime Organization (London).
In 2005/07 he was Head of 3rd Office (“International affairs and development policy”) of the 7th Department (“Research and development”), where he coordinated relations between ITCG and international and EU institutions and foreign Coast Guard services.
In 2008/11 he was International Policy Advisor to the ITCG Commandant, planned and coordinated the 1st edition of the Mediterranean Coast Guard Functions Forum (Genoa 2009) and, as Project Leader, directed the participation of ITCG in three EU “Twinning” projects, aimed at training and capacity building activities to the benefit of Croatia, and two EU “Taiex” assistance projects, aimed at training activities to the benefit of Turkey. In 2010 he also served as Assistant to the ITCG Commandant.
In 2011/15, promoted Rear Admiral (ITCG), he was Head of the 6th Department ("Maritime safety and security"), responsible for the national coordination of Port State Control and, as Project Leader, directed the participation of ITCG in two EU “Twinning” projects, aimed at training activities to the benefit of Turkey, and one EU training and capacity building project for maritime security in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. In 2013/14 he also served as Chairman of the European Coast Guard Functions Forum.
In 2015/18 he was Head of the 3rd Department ("Plans and operations"), on whose dependency the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre - IMRCC operates, in charge of coordinating search and rescue operations at sea within the Italian SAR region (including activities related to migration flows in the central Mediterranean).
In 2018/21 he was Maritime Director of Liguria (ITCG Regional Commandant), Harbour Master and ITCG Commandant of Genoa, responsible for coordinating ITCG personnel and assets across the whole region.
By Decree of the President of the Republic currently being issued, having regard to the resolution of the Council of Ministers dated 15th July 2021, he was appointed, as of 25th July 2021, Commandant of the Italian Coast Guard, and promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral (ITCG).
He holds a degree in Maritime and naval sciences from the University of Pisa and a degree in International and diplomatic sciences from the University of Trieste, as well as two Master’s degrees in e-Health (from the University of Camerino) and in Intelligence and security (from the Link Campus University of Malta).
He attended, among others, the following training courses: 1st Port State Control Officer certification course (1996, ITCG Genoa training centre “A. De Rubertis”); Helicopter underwater escape specialization course (basic and advanced) - Firefighting training specialization - Survival and rescue training specialization course (1996, ENI training centre); Information technology specialization course (1996, ITCG Headquarters); Police specialization course (1999, Bari Carabinieri Regional Command).
He obtained the qualification of Port State Control Inspector (1996) and the ITN specialization degree in International Maritime Law (2011).
During his career he has been teaching at the following institutions: ITN Taranto Petty Officers School (naval artillery); University of Perugia (investigations and security sciences); Link Campus University of Malta (intelligence and security); ITCG Genoa training centre "A. De Rubertis" (maritime safety and port/ship security); University of Rome Campus Bio-Medico (homeland security).
Since 2011 he is the Italian representative in the Administrative Board of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), of which since 2017 he holds the position of Deputy Chairman (renewed for a second three-year term in 2020).
He was awarded with many awards and distinctions, among others: “Grande Ufficiale” of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic; Mauritian Medal for seniority in military service; Commemorative Medal for NATO operations in former Yugoslavia; Commemorative Cross of the Multinational Force peacekeeping mission in Lebanon; Commemorative Medal for the protection of national merchant shipping and safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf.
He is married to mrs. Nunzia and has two sons. He is fluent in English and French and has a basic knowledge of German.
Maja Markovčić Kostelac
EMSA / Executive Director
Executive Director Ms Maja Markovčić Kostelac took up the position of Executive Director on 1 January 2019. She is responsible for the running and development of the Agency under the oversight of the Administrative Board.
Starting out as a maritime lawyer, she has since gained long-standing experience in the maritime field in both the public and private sector.
Previous to joining EMSA, Ms Maja Markovčić was State Secretary for Croatia’s Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure. Her duties entailed developing strategies, policies and legislation in the area of maritime transport, maritime safety, security and environmental protection. Also in this role, she led the Croatian delegation throughout a range of international forums at the UN, IMO and ILO.
Capt. Simon Pelletier
IMPA President
Simon Pelletier is an experienced mariner, having sailed on many different types of vessels, on every ocean, and made ports of call on all continents. He started his career in 1982 and rapidly achieved the rank of master before qualifying for his license as a marine pilot on the St. Lawrence River in 1996.
A champion of both his profession and marine safety, Captain Pelletier has played a leadership role in the Corporation of Lower St. Lawrence Pilots, which he served as President from 2004 to 2007, and in the Canadian Marine Pilots' Association (CMPA), of which he has been President since 2009.
Captain Pelletier also has a keen interest in international affairs affecting marine pilotage. First elected as Vice-president of the International Maritime Pilots Association (IMPA) in 2008, Capt. Pelletier was elected IMPA President in 2014, 2018 and 2022 for four-year terms. As President, he is responsible for ensuring that pilots from six continents speak with one voice on global issues affecting pilotage and for ensuring that they play a constructive role in discussions with their partners in the international maritime sector and, in particular, with the International Maritime Organization.
Luisa Puccio
Director for Shipping and Trade Policy at ECSA
Luisa Puccio is Director for Shipping and Trade Policy at the European Community Shipowners’ Associations, which represents 20 national associations of shipowners from the EU and the EEA.
Luisa joined ECSA in 2020, where she is responsible for all topics related to the competiveness of the industry, among others transport and logistics policy, trade and market access, digitalisation and security. Prior to joining ECSA, Luisa has worked in Brussels-based consultancies dealing with EU policy, with a specific focus on shipping policy, sustainability and circular economy. An Italian national, she holds a Master’s degree in public policy and government relations from Bocconi University in Milan
Eva Szewczyk
PhD researcher at Northumbria University
Eva is a PhD researcher at Northumbria University and focuses on legal and insurance aspects of autonomous shipping, incl. implication to maritime pilotage.
She regularly appears at industry and academic conferences on the topic and received North of England P&I Club Award for her work.
Sanna Sonninen
Finnpilot Pilotage / Pilotage Director
Ms. Sanna Sonninen is a Master Mariner and holds a Master of Science degree in Maritime Engineering from Aalto University. Before starting as a research scientist and project manager at VTT, the Technical Research Centre of Finland, in 2001, Sanna worked onboard Finnish merchant ships, tankers and ROPAX ships as an officer for almost 10 years. She has also worked as a Development Manager at the Finnish Maritime Administration and as a Director at the Finnish Transport Safety Agency, with responsibilities in maritime issues, aviation, road, and railroad safety. In 2017 Ms. Sonninen was appointed Pilotage Director of the state-owned pilotage company Finnpilot Pilotage Ltd and the CEO of the Ice Advisors Ltd, a company assisting shipmasters on vessels navigating in icy conditions. She is a Doctoral Researcher at the Aalto University Research group on Safe and Efficient Marine and Ship Systems.
Clayton L. "Clay" Diamond
American Pilots Association
Executive Director - General Counsel
Clay Diamond has been Executive Director-General Counsel for the American Pilots’ Association (APA) since 2021. Prior to that, he served 13 years as APA’s Deputy Director-Associate General Counsel. A 1989 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy, he also earned a Master’s Degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. During law school, he earned the award for “Highest Proficiency in Admiralty Law.” In addition, he was a Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for International Studies. He is admitted to the Ohio and District of Columbia Bars and is a member of the Maritime Law Association of the U.S.
During his 20-year Coast Guard career, Mr. Diamond served aboard several Coast Guard cutters, including as navigator and commanding officer, and as Deputy Incident Commander for the Atlantic Area Incident Management Assist Team. During these operational assignments, Mr. Diamond was On-Scene Commander during the early hours of the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800, participated in the seizure of over $300 million in illegal drugs, the interdiction of hundreds of illegal migrants in the Caribbean, and the execution of heavy weather search and rescue cases in the North Atlantic and Bering Sea.
Massimo Seno
Rear Admiral LH - Italian Coast Guard Head of II rep.
Rear Admiral (CP) Massimo SENO was born in Taranto on August 20th 1965.
In 1990 he accomplished bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business confirmed by the University of Bari and became a Coast Guard Officer on permanent duty in 1991.
During his professional career he has been called to hold several high responsibility tasks over different Coast Guard’s territorial offices.
In particular he has worked in the seafarers’ administration and in the ship administrative regime fields, as well as maritime state property and marine environment protection fields.
Furthermore, he has held the position of Harbour Master of Vieste, Corigliano Calabro and La Spezia ports.
In 2019 he has been nominated head of Italian Coast Guard Headquarters’ legal affairs and institutional services Department that has as its leading task to ensure coordination of all Coast Guard’s territorial offices, particularly for safety and port police matters.
Worthy of note is, however, the legal and administrative support activity that he has carried out to the benefit of the implementing entity that was in charge of the Costa Concordia’s removal from Giglio Island.
Among his present duties there is also the one that sees him President of the maritime spaces technical committee established within the Italian Ministry of Infrastructures and Transports in accordance with Legislative Decree No. 201/2016, as well as the one in which he is a member of the Hydrocarbons and mineral resources committee set up at the Italian Ministry of the Environment in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 78/2007.
Rear Admiral SENO sits, lastly, at the Offshore Operations Safety committee established within the Italian Ministry of the Environment in accordance with Legislative Decree No. 145/2015, on behalf of the Italian Coast Guard Commandant.
Arie Palmers
Loodswezen / Pilot
Started my career at sea in 1992 in the Dutch Royal Navy on mine warfare vessels and explosive ordnance clearance. After that I have worked a couple of years for the government on a training vessel with juvenile delinquents and also did some offshore and towing. In 2008 I switched to piloting and have been doing that eversince. I am a member of the Nautical Institute (AFNI) and CHIRP/MARS ambassador. I try to make commuting for pilots a bit safer by writing articles and doing training and lecture sessions for different parties worldwide.
Luc Smulders
Paris Mou / Secretary General
Mr. Smulders was educated at the Royal Navy Academy of the Netherlands and he sailed for 5 years as a naval officer. After a short period in the private sector, he worked as an inspector and advisor in the Netherlands Shipping Inspectorate where he gained relevant knowledge on maritime legislation and the practice of inspections.
In 2007, he moved to the maritime policy directorate dealing with subjects as the European Maritime Safety Agency and the Paris MoU on Port State Control. He was appointed as coordinating policy advisor within the Maritime Affairs Directorate of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and also served as the Alternate Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the International Maritime Organization.
André Gaillard
FFPM Secretary General / IMPA VP
André Gaillard was born in Nice, France in 1972. He entered the National Merchant Marine Academy in Marseilles in 1991 and earned his Unlimited Master's License in 2001 after having mainly sailed on passenger ships (ferries and cruise ships). He became a marine pilot of the Marseilles-Fos ports in 2003, as well as the ports of Nice-Cannes- Villefranche in 2008. Elected as president of the Nice pilot station in 2015, he held the position until 2020. Alongside his pilot duties, he was also appointed as technical advisor to the Nice- Côte d'Azur Chamber of commerce in 2016 and elected president of the Union Maritime 06 (an association bringing together professionals from the local maritime world) in 2018. In addition to promoting the pilot profession, Andre Gaillard brings a broader vision to the maritime sector by advocating for the modernisation of the French port infrastructures and by supporting the maritime transport sector as a whole.
Luigi Giardino
Rear Admiral UH - Italian Coast Guard Head of VI rep.
R. Adm. UH Luigi Giardino was born in Sant’Agnello (Naples), a small village in the Sorrento coast in 1958.
After graduation at the Nautical Technical Institute "Nino Bixio" in Piano di Sorrento in 1977 (Naples), he worked as ship deck officer and finally he joined the Italian Coast Guard as Officer in 1983 where he fulfil various positions:
- Flag state, PSC Officer and Technical Department at Trieste Harbour Master (1984 – 1992);
- Commanding Officer at Caorle Harbour Master (1992 – 1995);
- Chief of the Technical & Safety Navigation Department - Trieste Harbour Master (1992 – 2006);
- Chief of the ITCG Training Center on Safety of Navigation and Maritime Security in Genoa (2006 – 2009);
- Chief of Flag State Branch – Safety Navigation department at the Italian Coast Guard Headquarters (2009 – 2014);
- Chief of International & National Legislation - Safety Navigation and Maritime Security Department at Italian Coast Guard Headquarters (2014 – 2015).
He holds qualifications of Flag State Surveyor - Port State Control Officer - Duly Authorized Officer – ISM Lead Auditor –Marine Safety Officer at USCG Yorktown - ILO facilitator at ITC/ILO Turin.
In September 2015 he was appointed as Head of Safety of Navigation and Maritime Security Department of ITCG Headquarters.
He leads the Italian Delegation at IMO, also in support of PermRep and Italian Delegation on Safety Navigation issues in Bruxelles.
Pier Paolo Scala
MSC / Vice President Maritime Support Center/Port Captain
Captain Pier Paolo Scala is the Vice President of Port Operation and the Port Captain for MSC Cruise Management since 2020. In his current role he oversees and he is responsible for all Port Operations in over 300 ports where MSC Cruise vessels operate. He maintains a close work relationship with all Maritime and Port Authorities, Pilot Corporations, Tug Companies and Terminal Operators to name a few.
He is also the first point of contact for all MSC Cruises ship’s Masters, providing continuous nautical guidance with regards to arrival/departure manoeuvres, along with organising technical tables related to weather conditions leading to potential itinerary changes.
Captain Scala graduated from Nautical College in Italy in 1983 and after serving in the Italian Navy he worked on Tankers, working his way up to the rank of Chief Officer until 1995. In the same year, Captain Scala joined Carnival Cruise Lines as second Officer and after six years in 2001 he was promoted Master of a cruise ship operating in the Caribbean.
In 2011 he worked as a Pilot/Tug Master in New Zealand and finally in 2012 he joined MSC Cruises on MSC Opera. In 2017 he was appointed as Master of the MSC Seaside, which was the largest cruise ship ever built in Italy. In 2019 he joined MSC Cruise Management in London with the role of VP Maritime Support Centre. In 2020 he was appointed to his current role of Port Captain in the Port Operations Department.
Capt. Kim Ossieur
DAB Loodswezen | Sea pilot
Capt. Kim Ossieur is active as Senior Sea Pilot and Duty Chief Pilot at the Flemish government Pilotage (Belgium). She works from the Pilot station in Flushing, the Netherlands.
Kim studied at the Antwerp Maritime Academy where she obtained the STCWII/2-all ships and a Master degree in Nautical Sciences.
Starting her career as Apprentice Officer at Exmar, Bocimar (Tankers), she quickly became OOW and ultimately Master at Jan De Nul (Dredging). After her sea-going experience, she took up the role of SAR Mission Coordinator at the MRCC Ostend (VTS) before becoming a Sea Pilot.
In addition to her job as a Pilot, Kim also occupied positions as Instructor on Colregs, Local regulations in Belgian Territorial Sea, Watchkeeping Procedures and Emergency Procedures at Maritime Training Zeebrugge and Knowtical vof.
Herman Broers
Loodswezen / Managing Director
Capt Herman Broers has been a Rotterdam pilot since 2003, after his seagoing career as a deck officer with Stolt Parcel Tankers, worldwide. In 2009 he was elected president of the Rotterdam maritime pilots association, a position which he held until 2013. During this time, an innovative fleet replacement scheme was put in place, of which the 82 meter long P-class pilot station vessel class is the backbone of the fleet today. After 2013 he resumed full time sailing as a pilot, and he attained the unlimited Eurochannel licence, as well as his VTS-operator licence. In June 2022, he was elected managing director of Nederlands Loodswezen B.V., the company which supports all Dutch pilots in their profession. He is the author of www.pilotladdersafety.com, a website showing good practice in the safe use of pilot ladders.
Michele Landi
Italian Coast Guard VTMIS training centre
Michele Landi is a Lieutenant Commander of Italian Coast Guard, currently employed as coordinator of VTS education at Coast Guard VTMIS Training Centre, previous experiences as VTS manager and Search and Rescue response officer.
Specialised in VTS, as operator and supervisor, in search and rescue, as mission coordinator, Michele has proficiencies in Risk Management and Quality Management Systems.
He is a member of National Working Group for assessment of navigational risks and has been participating to IALA VTS committee, as national member, since 2012.
Author of several articles related to the VTS, published in Italian scientific journals dealing with transport and maritime, air and aerospace navigation law.
Capt. Sabine Zeller
Head of Berufsbildungsstelle Seeschifffahrt e.V. (BBS)
Master Mariner
Before being named Executive Secretary of Germany’s competent body for maritime training, Sabine Zeller has been continuously involved with training both at sea and ashore.
Being trained and returning the favour characterized a decade of seafaring on tankers. 3 years’ experience as nautical consultant and surveyor emphasized the importance of proper training even further. Another 3 years as instructor for safety courses acc. to STCW topped it off.
Now, she heads the organisation responsible for the maritime training in Germany, both for the rather unique apprenticeship as “Ship Mechanic”, and the practical training and seafaring time as nautical, technical or electrotechnical Officer’s Assistants.
In that capacity, she works closely with the German Flag State Authorities to implement training standards and continuously improve them.
Capt. Henry Caubrière
FFPM President / EMPA VP
Henry CAUBRIERE is the current Chairman of the French Federation of Maritime Pilots.
He was born in Honfleur (14) in 1965, has been married since 1990 and has three children.
He studied in the National School of the Merchant Navy (now ENSM) he joined in 1983 (promotion Thalassa).
He was licensed 1st Class Captain of Maritime Navigation (C1NM) in 1994 and performed most of his navigation on classic cargo ships, car ferries and cruise ships.
He also sailed on tankers, and commanded a heavy lift cargo ship.
He performed his military service in the French Navy, on the BISM Triton (based in Toulon) between 1987 and 1988.
He became maritime pilot of Le Havre/ Antifer / Fécamp Pilot Station in 1999.
After having participated in the realization of the pilots manouvring simulator, he held the positions of head of the navigation and workshop personnel, head of the helicopter service and vice president.
He was elected Secretary General of the FFPM in 2020 and Président in may 2021
Grant Walkey Mc Para
Trident training / paramedic and rescue specialist
Grant Walkey has been involved in search and rescue and education for over 20 years, specialising in water rescue combining skills as a former firefighter and as a RNLI lifeboat crew, beach lifeguard, and Flood rescue team member and adding advanced skills both clinically as a paramedic and academically as a qualified teacher.
Grant is the owner and managing director of Trident Training & Consultancy which specialises in Rescue, Medical and Safety training and consulting and also works as a specialist paramedic.
Grant has taught STCW courses for 15 years, however, for the last 3.5 years Grant has been training Pilots and pilot boat launch crews in the UK a bespoke maritime medical course which emphasises what to do when MOB or major injuries occur during pilot operations.
Grants client list includes the British Olympic Sailing Team, Maritime Medical Services Gibraltar and most of the ports of the UK.
Prior to this Grant was a full-time staff member of the RNLI for 11 years serving initially as a sea survival and lifeboat trainer then specialised as a Casualty care trainer and finally progressed as SHE and Clinical Training Manager, managing a team of SHE professionals and paramedic trainers delivering the RNLI courses.
Grant maintained training others throughout this time for the RNLI but also on the faculties of ATACC (Anaesthesia & Critical Care), WEM (World Extreme Medicine) and for SLSA GB.