Splash247: Shipping and mining powerhouses locked in for iron ore finale at Geneva Dry 2026

Panels are beginning to coalesce for next April’s Geneva Dry, the world’s premier commodities shipping conference.

As in past editions, the two-day event will close with a very high level session on iron ore, the largest shipped dry bulk commodity, with the 2026 line-up for this well attended session looking genuinely stellar.

Moderated once again by the entertaining Tim Huxley, the CEO of Hong Kong shipowner Mandarin Shipping, confirmed speakers include John Michael Radziwill, chairman of Monaco’s C Transport Maritime (CTM), Melinda Moore, vice president of innovation and commercial development at American miner Ivanhoe Atlantic, Milena Pappas, commercial director at Star Bulk and head of Oceanbulk Maritime, Peter Lye, executive head of marketing – shipping and safety at miner Anglo American, and Peter Weernink, the chairman of dry bulk operator SwissMarine.

Radziwill’s CTM, which turned 20 last October, is best known for its commercial management, while his team have also been shipowners for much of the past decade. Moore’s background includes working for mining giant BHP and Chinese bank ICBC, while Pappas heads up S&P, commercial projects and investor relations for Greek shipping giant Star Bulk. Lye, meanwhile, has headed up Anglo American’s shipping operations since 2012, in a career that has also included a long stint with Rio Tinto. Finally, Weernink, one of the best known names in the dry bulk business, spent 11 years with Cargill before founding SwissMarine in the year 2000.

“We’ve always tried to get charterers on stage with owners and operators at Geneva Dry, and this iron ore line-up really typifies what our event is all about – bringing every rung of the commodities supply chain together to thrash out deals and come up with solutions for the shipping industry,” commented event co-director Sam Chambers.

The annual Geneva Dry, which debuted in 2024, is fast becoming one of the most influential shipping conferences in the world, bringing together shipowners, charterers, traders, brokers, tech firms and analysts for high-level dialogue across the entire dry bulk value chain—from operational realities to macroeconomic drivers.

This year’s edition saw 825 delegates from more than 40 countries attend the two-day event with organisers forced to issue a Sold Out sign in the weeks leading up to the April event.

The 2026 version – due to be held on April 28 and 29 – opens with two digital focused workshops, followed by a commodities outlook, then a session on risk management followed by a spotlight on chartering. Day Two opens with a digital efficiency drivers session, then moves onto decarbonisation, followed by familiar sessions on minor bulks, agri-commodities, coal before the big iron ore finale.

The full Geneva Dry agenda can be accessed here.
Geneva Dry registration, at just $880, can be accessed here.
Special Geneva Dry hotel room rates can be found here.