35 delegates from 15 countries gathered at Clarksons' London headquarters last week for Tanker Training Week 2026, making this the largest held to date. The continued success of Tanker Training Week highlights Clarksons' commitment to developing talent across the maritime industry and creating opportunities for the next generation of tanker professionals to learn, connect and grow.
Bringing together participants from across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the Americas, the week provided a unique opportunity for delegates to explore the commercial, operational and strategic forces shaping today's tanker market, while building connections with peers from across the global shipping industry.
Throughout the programme, delegates heard from Clarksons specialists and industry experts on topics ranging from Worldscale, chartering and voyage economics to market disruption, sanctions, tanker futures, financing and the industry's evolving sustainability agenda. Interactive exercises and practical case studies encouraged participants to apply their learning to real-world scenarios and develop a deeper understanding of the decisions that drive tanker markets.
A key highlight of the week was the popular Dragons' Den competition, which challenged teams to develop innovative solutions to industry challenges and present their ideas to a panel of 4 dragons: Course Director Bob Knight, John Edmondson, Worldscale expert David Insole and Clarksons Crude Director Colin Murray.
The winner of this year’s dragons den competition was "Team ShipDrop", for their pitch on a newco seeking to operate a ship supply company using drones in the port of Singapore. The other competing newcos focused on platforms for port data supply, tank cleaning, demurrage factoring and STS support.
Another special moment during the week was the presentation of the newly renamed Malcolm Willingale Prize, awarded to the participant who demonstrated the highest level of engagement throughout the course. This year the award went to Aimee Mitchell from Chevron.
Previously known as the Jim Gretton Memorial Trophy, the award was renamed this year in recognition of Malcolm Willingale, Clarksons' Learning and Development Advisor, who has led and shaped Tanker Training Week and for whom this year's course marks his final Tanker Training Week before retirement. Through his commitment to developing talent across the tanker industry, Malcolm has helped hundreds of participants build both knowledge and careers, making the renaming a fitting tribute to his lasting contribution.
Beyond the classroom, the programme offered valuable networking opportunities through social events, group activities and informal discussions, reflecting the collaborative nature of the tanker market and the importance of building professional relationships early in participants' careers.
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