Korea Ocean Business Corp. holds CEO conference for small and midsize shipping firms

Korea Ocean Business Corp. held the "Second-Half 2026 CEO Conference for Small and Midsize Shipping Companies" at the Westin Josun Busan on Tuesday, bringing together about 20 participants — including Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries officials and CEOs of small and midsize shipping firms — to discuss ways to strengthen the sector's competitiveness.

The conference was organized to help smaller carriers navigate a rapidly shifting global shipping market centered on eco-friendly vessels and low-carbon fuels, providing relevant information and seeking support measures tailored to industry needs through direct dialogue. It focused particularly on sharing information essential to vessel operations — including trends and the outlook for the ship repair industry — to improve fleet management capabilities and operational efficiency among smaller carriers.

Eun Hyeon-jun, a deputy manager at Korean Register (KR), presented on strategies for strengthening the competitiveness of small and midsize shipping companies in response to structural changes in the maritime industry. Ahn Seung-hyeon, an associate research fellow at the Korea Maritime Institute, delivered a lecture on domestic ship repair market trends and outlook. Participants examined key challenges facing the shipping industry amid the transition to eco-friendly and low-carbon operations, and discussed measures for efficient vessel maintenance and management.

The conference also provided a forum for sharing operational and management challenges facing smaller carriers and for exploring cooperation among the government, public institutions and industry to bolster competitiveness. Korea Ocean Business Corp. plans to incorporate the industry feedback gathered at the conference into future support policies and projects, and to continue backing the sustainable growth and competitiveness of small and midsize shipping firms.