WMU Maritime Decarbonization Summer Academy 2023
From 21-25 August, the World Maritime University (WMU) delivered the Summer Academy week-long intensive programme on Maritime Decarbonization. Maritime professionals from 11 different countries spent the week learning about and discussing the opportunities and challenges surrounding the reduction of GHG emissions from shipping.
The philosophy behind the WMU Summer Academy on Maritime Decarbonization is that the inevitable maritime energy transition is an opportunity for the industry. Maritime transport is an essential pillar for world trade, carrying over 80% of international merchandise by volume and emitting around 3% of global anthropogenic emissions. The maritime industry inherently offers the lowest GHG emissions and energy consumption per transport mode, and has a wide range of technical possibilities for energy saving and replacement of fossil energy with sustainable options. Maritime transport also has great opportunities for adopting carbon free energy sources given the dimensions of commercial vessels, and that vast renewable energy resources are available on the world’s oceans.
Delivered by a team of WMU faculty and researchers, the Summer Academy incorporates a holistic approach to maritime decarbonization by looking at regulatory, social, environmental, technological and economic challenges. In the unique international setting provided by WMU, through a combination of lectures and participant interaction, the course highlights the complexity of the issues surrounding decarbonization of shipping while looking for solutions. Content includes fundamental international regulations, technical aspects of ship design, future energy technologies including wind and solar power, and looks at the economic mechanisms that determine to a large extent the plausible pathways for decarbonization in the context of supply chain, financing including ports.
The Summer Academy on Maritime Decarbonization supports WMU’s commitment to the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, in particular Goal 7 focused on affordable and clean energy and Goal 13 focused on climate action. Through cutting-edge education and research in the Maritime Energy Management (MEM) field, WMU works to support the achievement of sustainable, zero/low-carbon and energy-efficient maritime and ocean industries. WMU’s MEM educational offerings include the groundbreaking MEM MSc specialization that was introduced in 2015, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Maritime Energy delivered by distance learning. WMU’s Maritime Energy Management Research Priority Area focuses on the fundamental understanding of energy in a maritime context and the application of evidence-based knowledge across the field from ships to ports, and from oceans to shipyards, to ensure the cost-effective, safe and environmentally friendly use of resources. The book Trends and Challenges in Maritime Energy Management, was published in 2018 as an outcome of the International Conference on Maritime Energy Management (MARENER 2017) hosted at WMU in 2017. It was one of the most downloaded books in its category in 2018.
About the WMU Summer Academy
The World Maritime University (WMU) is a unique academic institution, founded within the framework of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations. The University has a reputation for bringing together stakeholders such as academics, researchers, professionals, and industry experts to explore cross-cutting topics faced by the maritime industry. Launched in 2022, the WMU Summer Academy provides a unique opportunity for these stakeholders to gather and share knowledge, as well as collaborate on potential solutions that will directly benefit the maritime industry. Each year, multiple one-week programmes offer the opportunity for participants to focus on topics of current importance in the maritime and oceans sectors. Topics offered in 2023 include Maritime Decarbonization, International Maritime Law, and Current Issues in Ports and Terminals.