Strenghtening service quality and connectivity in maritime transport to foster global trade and development

Regina Asariotis is Chief of the Policy and Legislation Section in the Division on Technology and Logistics of UNCTAD, where she is responsible for work on transport law and policy, covering a broad range of substantive issues. This includes extensive research, expert dialogue and technical cooperation, on the implications of climate change for maritime transport and trade, with a focus on climate change impacts and adaptation for seaports and other critical transport infrastructure, including in SIDS. Before joining UNCTAD in 2001, Regina was a Senior Lecturer in Maritime Law at the University of Southampton. She holds a German law degree, an LL.M, as well as a PhD from the University of Hamburg and is a Barrister (England & Wales) and Attorney at Law (Greece), as well as Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb).

Andrea Tang is Legal Services Director at, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA). She is responsible for legal matters across the work of the Federation, and oversees the Federation’s work across the various modes of transport (air, maritime, rail, road), as trade facilitation and customs.

Prior to FIATA, she held roles in the Swiss industry association for the commodity trading and shipping sector for the Swiss industry association, and in regulatory affairs for the Lloyd’s of London insurance market.

Andrea is a qualified lawyer and was admitted to the Bar of England and Wales, following which she completed her Master studies in International Law. In addition, she holds a Certificate in Insurance (CII) from the Chartered Insurance Institute. She is a member of the Womens’ International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) and is the representative for Switzerland to the WISTA International Trade Committee.

Denis Choumert is chairing the global alliance of many shippers councils based in Asia, Europe and America, GSA, which is involved in various initiatives related to trade, maritime transport and decarbonization of freight.

He is Vice President of the European Shippers’ Council, the association representing European retailers, manufacturers and wholesalers, after having been its President for 10 years. He is President of the French Shippers' Council, AUTF, and in this capacity has been a Board member of various French infrastructure management organizations (rail, waterways, port) and of the merchant fleet high committee. He has also been a Director of the Board of TIACA, the global air cargo industry association.

Denis Choumert holds an engineering degree from Polytechnique School in Paris and a MBA from INSEAD Business School in Fontainebleau.

Now retired he has held various senior management positions in engineering, project management, procurement, transport and logistics.

James Hookham is Secretary General and a Director of the Global Shippers Forum (GSF), the voice of cargo owners in international supply chains. He is a graduate in Environmental Science from the University of Bradford and completed a master's degree in the safe transport of dangerous goods at the University of Manchester.

James early career was spent with Exis Technologies (now part of National Cargo Bureau) developing the world's first remotely accessible computerized dangerous goods database and later served as deputy editor of Hazardous Cargo Bulletin.

Until 2020 James was Deputy Chief Executive of the Freight Transport Association (now Logistics UK) where he held numerous positions on UK, EU and global transport and logistics advisory bodies, as well as senior executive roles at one of the UK's largest trade organizations.

Joe Kramek, President and CEO of the World Shipping Council, was a U.S. Coast Guard commissioned officer for 28 years, and most recently served as the Chief of Maritime, International and Environmental Law where he led the U.S. Delegation to the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Legal Committee.  

He also served as Chief of the Coast Guard's Legislative Affairs program.  Joe was selected as a Federal Executive Fellow at the Brookings Institution where, in 2013, he completed one of the first research projects on maritime cyber security.  

He was also detailed to the Department of Justice for two years as an Admiralty Trial Attorney and served four years at sea as a deck watch officer.

Joe has been admitted to the bar in Florida and the U.S. Supreme Court.  He is a member of the U.S. Maritime Law Association and currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Committee for Autonomous vessels.