A new space at Nor-Shipping 2019 will highlight the growing opportunity for shipping in both harvesting and protecting the wealth of the seas
When the maritime industry gathers in Oslo on 4-7 June it will have a wider perspective than in previous years. While shipping technology remains at the forefront of the biennial event, two rising trends are setting the agenda – sustainability and ocean opportunities beyond shipping.
According to Nor-Shipping’s new head of sustainability and technology Silje Bareksten, a new exhibition and presentation space will be central to her remit of joining the dots between technological and sustainable development.
“The combination of sustainable operations and commercial growth in the ocean economy is viable,” she says. “But it won’t happen on its own. For both the future of our industry and society itself we have to get together, discuss opportunities, share knowledge, skills and technology, and define strategic directions. That’s why Nor-Shipping 2019 has introduced the Blue Economy Hall.”
Economic value creation from ocean activities is set to double by 2030, according to OECD. While traditional shipowners and technology companies may not know how they can take advantage of that opportunity, someone else does, says Ms Bareksten. “We just have to connect those parties and sow seeds for collaboration.”
The blue economy encompasses any kind of commercial activity relating to the ocean space – from maritime to offshore energy, deep-sea mining, tourism, ports, logistics and aquaculture. For Nor-Shipping, there is an equal focus on protecting the ocean and maximising the opportunity.
“Shipping has been a key driver of global trade for centuries, but that does not mean we are protected from new players, trends and disruptive forces"
“The ocean is our most important natural resource,” says Ms Bareksten. “It can be the key to providing for a growing global population, but it is also facing enormous challenges, real threats to its health and well-being, and so it must be safeguarded.”
Nor-Shipping has devoted the 1,300 m2 of Hall A at Norges Varemesse’s exhibition complex in Lillestrøm to the blue economy. Confirmed exhibitors cover a wide scope, from communications company Inmarsat to cybersecurity firm NTT Security and from battery systems supplier Corvus Energy to weather data specialist MeteoGroup. Also exhibiting are advocate groups, research institutions, public bodies and companies focusing on operational optimisation, IoT, tourism and additive manufacturing.
“Everyone that can contribute to the sustainable use of resources and commercial growth is invited, meaning we have a broad spectrum of exhibitors,” says Ms Bareksten.
A key ingredient of the hall is the Blue Talks, where companies will share knowledge and ideas in their quest for new sustainable solutions. The talks, says Ms Bareksten, are designed as one-hour hotbeds of innovation and interaction.
“The Blue Talks open a stage up for leading minds to discuss themes that are central to development,” says Ms Bareksten. “They will tackle issues of leadership, digital disruption and sustainable growth; three areas that will emerge as cornerstones in the project to realise the huge potential of a new blue economy.”
Ms Bareksten believes that no company is resistant to the technological and ecological disruptions taking place across the globe. To survive and prosper in an age of growing environmental awareness and concern, alongside increasingly rapid digital development, companies must be open to new ways of working together.
“Shipping has been a key driver of global trade for centuries,” Ms Bareksten states. “But that doesn’t mean we’re protected from new players, trends and disruptive forces. The companies with the vision to lead – collaborating, sharing data, working with transparency and demonstrating environmental care – are the ones that will prosper. The Blue Economy Hall will help them find the way ahead.”
© 2023 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.