AN authoritative and comprehensive analysis of the rewards and problems for those trading with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), especially in the area of shipping and transportation, will be provided at an international conference in London in March. Presented by Lloyd's of London Press and Interforum Service in association with Norton Rose, the conference will be held on March 16-17. Sponsoring publications are Lloyd's Ship Manager and Loading List. The focus of the conference will be identifying emerging long-term business opportunities for the shipping industry and its customers, and financial requirements that must be met if the massive potential of the CIS, the former Soviet Union, is to be realised. It will address the problems and provide discussion on investment opportunities, legal implications, and joint-ventures. Chairing the conference will be Victor Tysyachnikov from the Moscow Department of Maritime Transport. Alexander Sidorov, of Terminal World Service Corporation in St Petersburg, and British shipping consultant Derek King will be among speakers from St Petersburg, the Northern Ports, the Black Sea and Asia, where trading to and from the CIS is focused. Sea traffic and safety issues in the Baltic, the Black Sea and through the Bosphorus will be discussed by Bengt Erik Stenmark, of the National Maritime Administration, Norrkoping, and Professor Aydogan Ozman, of the Ankara Prime Ministry. Glen Plant, of the London School of Economics, will look at the implications for the Montreux Agreement and its future. An analysis of shipping trends in the CIS, discussed by Trevor Law of SEA Group, Lloyd's Maritime Information Services, and capacity management, will be subjects of a session on possible opportunities for the industry. Christos Christou from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will look at financing CIS shipowners. Sue Wright of Norton Rose will discuss the legal aspects of financing Russian ships and Francis Lambert of the Investco Marine Agency Limited will look at project ship financing for the CIS.
