PETER SHAERF
Chairman — Peter has also served as Chairman of NYMAR from 2008-2013 and from 2013 -2024 as Chairman Emeritus. Peter is a Managing Director and partner at leading maritime investment bank, AMA Capital Partners where he has been since 2002. In addition Peter is Chairman of Delta Ship Holdings an asset light and energy logistics company, and a director of Interlink Maritime. He has served on the boards of five publicly listed shipping companies and is also on the editorial board of Lloyds List.
MOLLY MCCAFFERTY
Vice Chairman — Senior Vice-President, Co-Global Claims Director for Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc (SCB), Managers of the American P&I Club. Previously acted as General Counsel for Guardian Navigation Inc., a bulk owner/operator and pool manager and as Manager of Insurance and Claims for Clipper Bulk Shipping. Current Vice-Chair of NYMAR, and President of the CMA Education Foundation. Member of the SMA Board of Governors. Practicing arbitrator and mediator.
C. GREG CHASE
Treasurer — Greg Chase is the Chief Legal Officer of Maritime Partners, LLC in Metairie, Louisiana, where he is responsible for all legal aspects of the business. Prior to joining Maritime Partners in 2024, Greg was a Partner at Reed Smith LLP in New York where he led the firm’s Chambers ranked shipping transactions and maritime finance team in the United States for more than ten years.
During his time with Reed Smith, Greg was particularly active representing private equity firms, lenders, operating companies and investors in the international and Jones Act shipping industries with an emphasis on corporate and finance transactions, including mergers & acquisitions, private equity joint ventures, fund formation, bi-lateral and syndicated term and revolving loan facilities, secondary market transfers of non-performing loan portfolios, leasing, workouts and debt restructurings. Greg has substantial experience assisting clients across the life cycle of investments in shipping company business platforms, from inception to exit, including entity structuring and formation, the purchase and sale of assets, capital raising and debt financing, as well as exit transactions such as mergers, stock sales, capital markets transactions and asset dispositions.
Prior to his time at Reed Smith, Greg was an associate at Watson, Farley and Williams LLP in New York. He is a graduate of St. Lawrence University (BA, summa cum laude, Government and History, 1998) and Cornell Law School (JD, Specialization in International Legal Affairs, 2001). Greg is currently Chair of the Financing Committee of the Maritime Law Association of the United States, a Director of the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce, and a Director of New York Maritime, Inc. Beginning in the fall of 2024, Greg is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the American College of Greece.
LEVENT SADIKOGLU
Secretary — coming soon…
CLAY MAITLAND
Chairman Emeritus — Clay has been a prominent figure in the shipping industry since graduating from New York Law School in 1968. He joined International Registries, Inc. in 1976 and has spent over 48 years there, eventually becoming a managing partner and owner. The company administers the Marshall Islands Ship Registry, the third-largest in the world and a leading yacht registry. He also serves as President of the Trust Company of the Marshall Islands, overseeing the maritime administration of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Before 2000, he held similar roles for the Republic of Liberia.
Born in London on December 28, 1942, Clay moved to the U.S. with his mother in 1946. He studied in Connecticut, earned a B.A. from Columbia University in 1964, and was admitted to the New York Bar in 1969. He began his career at Burlingham Underwood & Lord and later worked at Union Carbide Corporation.
F. HUMERA AHMED
Humera is the Vice President of Legal and Business Development at the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR), which manages the Liberian Registry. She brings nine years of experience as an attorney at Blank Rome LLP, specializing in maritime transactions, finance, and business development. Humera earned her law degree from Rutgers University School of Law in New Jersey. Prior to joining LISCR, she advised clients on structuring and negotiating transactions under US and foreign law, focusing on vessel-secured financings, ship purchases and sales, maritime bankruptcies, restructurings, vessel charters, and corporate governance for both domestic and international companies.
CHARLES ANDERSON
Charles is a maritime arbitrator and a member of the Society of Maritime Arbitrators in New York. He led Skuld North America, the New York office of the Skuld P&I Club, from 1998 to February 2021. Before that, he was a partner at Holland & Knight, specializing in maritime law, including marine casualties, carriage of goods, and charterparty disputes. Charles holds degrees from Columbia College, Princeton University (Master's), and Columbia Law School. He co-authored the forthcoming third edition of Shipping and the Environment. He is also an adjunct professor of law at Columbia University and a retired Commander in the US Naval Reserve. Charles serves on the boards of the American-Scandinavian Foundation, the Norwegian-American Chamber of Commerce, the National Maritime Historical Society, and the SS United States Conservancy.
TASOS ASLIDIS
Tasos has served as Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and Board member of Euroseas Ltd. since September 2005, and has been on the Board of Managers of Euromar since its establishment in March 2010. Before joining Euroseas, he was a partner at Marsoft Inc., an international consulting firm specializing in investment and risk management in the maritime industry. Dr. Aslidis holds a Diploma in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens (1983), as well as an M.S. in Ocean Systems Management (1984), an M.S. in Operations Research (1987), and a Ph.D. in Ocean Systems Management (1989), all from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
william r. bennett iii
Bill is a partner in Blank Rome’s Maritime Group. He has more than 30 years’ experience representing stakeholders in the global shipping, energy, and commodities markets. He has extensive experience arbitrating and litigating matters involving complex shipping, international trade, commodities, and energy disputes as well as significant ship casualties involving sinkings, fire, wrongful death, and personal injury. Bill is a frequent presenter on numerous topics impacting the global shipping market.
NICOLAS BORNOZIS
Since 1996, Nicolas has been the founder, President, and CEO of Capital Link, Inc., an international investor relations and financial advisory firm. Capital Link helps listed companies and capital market organizations connect with European and North American investors. With offices in New York, London, and Athens, and a partnership in Oslo, it’s a leader in investor relations for listed shipping companies, U.S. Closed-End Funds, ETFs, and international firms accessing U.S. and European markets. Capital Link organizes 12 major investment conferences annually in Athens, New York, London, and Shanghai. Notably, the Annual Capital Link Invest in Greece Forum in New York, with an 18-year history, attracts over 1,000 delegates and serves as a key platform for updating the U.S. business and investment communities on Greece’s economic developments and opportunities.
BRIAN P. DEVINE
Brian is the Head of Transport, U.S., at Norton Rose’s New York office, specializing in maritime-related assets. He represents financial institutions and borrowers, focusing on finance and security arrangements, insolvency, mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity offerings, and corporate governance. As a member of the Maritime Law Association of the U.S., Brian advises clients domestically and internationally on ship finance, including acquisitions, finance, registration, and enforcement. He has extensive experience with international and domestic financial institutions, handling transactions such as joint ventures, offerings, and the formation, restructuring, and mergers of offshore and domestic entities. Additionally, Brian has worked on international taxation, commercial litigation, bankruptcy, and administrative law matters.
KEITH W. HEARD
Keith has practiced maritime law since 1980, specializing in litigation and arbitration. His litigation experience includes defending claims for cargo damage, shortage, and loss, as well as handling collision and casualty cases, General Average claims, and maritime liens. In arbitration, Keith has prosecuted and defended claims involving charter parties, Service Contracts, and other maritime contracts, addressing issues such as non-payment of charter hire, contract cancellations, vessel misdescription, and damage due to contaminated bunkers. He advises shipowners and charterers on resolving operational disputes under charter parties to avoid formal dispute resolution. Keith has also represented clients in mediation, achieving cost-efficient resolutions. Additionally, he assists cargo shippers and liner operators in reviewing and revising Service Contracts, bills of lading, and charter parties, providing guidance on specific contractual amendments.
JOSEPH HUGHES
Joe is Chairman of Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc. (SCB), managers of the American P&I Club, a leading International Group mutual, and of EOM LLC, the holding company of SCB and of other related operations. Following a period at the English commercial bar, Joe spent the first part of his marine insurance career as an underwriter and broker in London and Norway, moving to New York nearly thirty years ago. He is also involved with several other, industry-led groups in the maritime sector.
CHRISTIANE LOMBARDI
Christiane (Chrissi) has been an Underwriter for First Citizens' Maritime Finance business since November 2019. Prior to joining First Citizens in 2019, Chrissi spent over 11 years at DVB Bank, where she originated and managed shipping loans in North and South America. Her stay at DVB was interrupted from January 2014 to July 2015, when she served as shipping underwriter at First Citizens the first time.
MARTIN LUNDER
Martin is a seasoned financial executive with a distinguished career in maritime finance. He has been recognized by Lloyds Maritime Intelligence as one of the top 10 ship financiers and influencers, particularly in Marine Transportation, Offshore Drilling, and Cruise Lines. With over 30 years at Nordea Bank, Martin played a pivotal role in establishing the bank’s franchise in the Americas, contributing to its reputation as a global leader in maritime finance. His expertise spans structuring financial transactions exceeding $100 billion, including syndicated credit facilities, bilateral loans, and risk management products. Martin began his career at Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company in New York City and holds a Bachelor of Science and MBA from the University of Oregon. He currently leads Green Harbour Advisors, offering advisory services in financing solutions, restructuring, and capital structure optimization within the maritime industry. Martin is known as a trusted advisor and a key figure in ship finance.
ROBERT LUSTRIN
Robert has over 25 years of experience advising shipping and offshore industry clients in corporate and U.S. securities law. He represents clients in various capital market securities offerings and advises on disclosure and compliance matters under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Admitted to practice in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, he is active in one of the world's largest ship registries. Robert frequently speaks at industry conferences and has published papers on U.S. securities offering rules and project financings.
brian P. maloney
Brian is a partner in Seward & Kissel’s Litigation & Investigations department and a member of the maritime litigation group. He specializes in litigating complex commercial disputes and managing regulatory investigations, with deep experience in shipping-related matters and a growing practice in sanctions-related matters including in the shipping industry. He has significant experience with the defense and prosecution of Rule B attachments, Rule C arrest actions, interpleader and maritime lien claims, as well as in the defense of public shipping companies in securities class action claims, shareholder actions, regulatory inquiries and investigations, and fraud claims. He represents clients in matters involving civil and criminal enforcement inquiries, domestic and international arbitrations, and regulatory investigations.
KEVIN O’HARA
Kevin rejoined AMA in 2012 and has worked on in- and out-of-court restructuring assignments as well as M&A, capital raise and strategic advisory assignments for the firm in the shipping and offshore markets.
Prior to rejoining AMA, he worked in the banking sector with BNP Paribas, Fortis and DNB Bank, handling strategic clients in the shipping and offshore markets in the Americas as well as several restructurings. Prior to DNB, Kevin worked for four years as a Vice President at AMA after starting his career in shipping finance in 1997 at The First National Bank of Maryland and Nedship Bank.
GEORGE PIEROT
George is a S&P/Project Finance Broker at Jacq. Pierot Jr. & Sons, Inc., and serves as a Director on both the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce and NYMAR Boards. Prior to joining Jacq. Pierot Jr. & Sons, he spent four and a half years as an originator for CIT Maritime Finance (part of the CIT Group), focusing on both senior term loans and finance leases. He completed his undergraduate studies at the George Washington University (class of 2011), and his Masters in Cass Business School’s Shipping, Trade and Finance program (class of 2013).
JAMES POWER
James is a partner at Holland & Knight's New York office, specializing in international, admiralty, transportation, environmental, and public law, along with general civil litigation. His focus includes marine casualties, cargo disputes, charter party issues, maritime liens, marine pollution, and seamen's claims. He has extensive experience in complex litigation, notably serving as senior counsel for the Kingdom of Spain in the multi-billion dollar Prestige oil spill case. Mr. Power frequently argues motions in Federal and State Courts, represents clients in federal mediation, and handles maritime arbitrations. He also conducts onboard investigations for civil and criminal claims against vessel interests. Additionally, Mr. Power advises lenders and buyers on vessel sales and acquisitions, addressing maritime and regulatory aspects. He notably represented the secured lender in the high-profile Millenium Seacarriers bankruptcy, securing favorable maritime lien priority judgments.
JEFFREY D. PRIBOR
Jeff joined International Seaways, one of the world’s leading tanker shipping companies, in November 2016. Prior to International Seaways, he was Global Head of Maritime Investment Banking at Jefferies & Company, Inc. Previously, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of General Maritime Corporation, one of the world's leading tanker shipping companies, from September 2004 to February 2013. He started his career as a mergers and acquisitions investment banker at Merrill Lynch.
ROBERT G. SHAW
Robert is the Managing Director of Sea Trade Holdings Inc., a company that owns and operates dry bulk cargo ships. He also serves as an independent director of Höegh LNG Partners L.P., listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Shaw is a Board of Governors member of the Society of Maritime Arbitrators, Inc., and is the former president of Navios Maritime Holdings, Inc. Previously, he practiced maritime and corporate law as a partner at Healy & Baillie, LLP in New York City. Shaw has also served as the U.S. representative on the Documentary Committee of the Baltic and International Maritime Council and is a former chairman and president of the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce. He earned his degree from Oxford University in 1977.
JOHN C. STRATAKIS
John is a partner in the law firm of Poles, Tublin, Stratakis & Gonzalez, LLP, a founding member of NYMAR. He is a member of the board of directors of Navios Maritime Holdings Inc., vice chairman of the Marine Finance Committee of the Maritime Law Association of the United States, and a former president of the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce. He has served repeatedly as co-chairman of the Hellenic/Norwegian Joint Shipping Conference in New York
Sanjay Sukhrani
Sanjay is a seasoned C-suite executive with extensive experience in the shipping industry. Currently serving as President & CEO at Cruise Management International, he excels in leading global teams and driving performance across various business functions. With a previous role as COO at Diamond S Shipping Inc., he partnered with the CEO to build out a Crude and Product tanker company from start up to a public company that owned and operated 64 ocean going tankers employing over 2000 shore and sea staff. Sanjay is also an advisor at Alicia Bots.
Christa T. Volpicelli
Christa is a Managing Director in Citigroup’s Global Transportation Group, where she leads the U.S. maritime investment banking practice. With over 16 years at Citi, she specializes in M&A, capital raising, and financial advisory services across all maritime sectors, including tankers, LNG, offshore, containership leasing, dry bulk, container leasing, and ports/terminals. Christa has structured and led initial public offerings and equity offerings for numerous U.S.-listed shipping companies and has served as structuring agent for most maritime Master Limited Partnerships. She has also advised on various confidential buyside and sellside transactions and has been active in exploring public debt alternatives for clients. Recognized for her expertise, Christa was named one of Lloyd’s List's “Top 10” bankers in the finance category, highlighting her influence in the shipping sector.