WMU Maritime Week 2024 Focuses on Sustainability
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From 27-30 August, the World Maritime University (WMU), hosted WMU Maritime Week 2024 - Beyond Horizons: Maritime Sustainability. The conference included researchers, government officials, and international organization experts from around the world sharing their expertise in the maritime field regarding technical, policy, and international convention aspects of significant maritime topics.
The overall aim of the event was to share knowledge in each subject area, fostering mutual understanding and generating both practical and academic insights that can be shared across the global maritime community. The Conference was co-hosted by the Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (KRISO) & the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), and sponsored by the Korean Register (KR) and the Korea Shipowners' Association (KSA).
Professor Maximo Q. Mejia, Jr., WMU President addressed the participants and emphasized the sustainability focus of the conference which reflects WMU’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. “At WMU, we believe that broad and continued discussions about these goals and their related developments and challenges is essential. We are proud that WMU provides a setting where industry, government, international organizations, academia, and other stakeholders can come together, in a forum and venue that promotes the sharing of ideas, knowledge, and experience,” said President Mejia.
The participants were welcomed to Malmö by Ms. Carina Nilsson, Mayor of the City of Malmö, who emphasized the shared focus of WMU and the City of Malmö regarding commitments to sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. She also highlighted the maritime history of Malmö, its development into a knowledge-based economy with an international population, and the City’s goal of being climate neutral by 2030.
In opening remarks by the co-organizers, Dr. Keyyong Hong, President of KRISO, noted that the broad participation in the WMU Maritime Week Conference is testament to a collective commitment to advancing the maritime industry through innovation, education, and international collaboration. “This week provides a unique and invaluable platform for sharing knowledge, discussing critical issues, and fostering partnerships that will drive the future of maritime affairs,” said Dr. Hong.
On behalf of the Korea Maritime Institute, Dr Jong-Deog Kim, President of KMI, emphasized the importance of the conference as an opportunity for extraordinary insight, innovation, and collaboration, saying, “This event marks a significant milestone for the maritime community as we come together to discuss, innovate, and collaborate on the future of our industry.”
Expert speakers from key agencies and institutions contributed to the successive four-day programme, addressing the topics of safety, sustainability, digitalization, decarbonization, maritime business, and capacity development. The opening session focused on the 2024 IMO World Maritime Theme, "Navigation future: Safety First," reflecting the IMO's work to enhance maritime safety and security, in tandem with the protection of the marine environment, whilst ensuring its regulatory development process safely anticipates the fast pace of technological change and innovation. A successive panel addressed Maritime Sustainability broadly to set the stage for successive days of discussions reflecting the overall sustainability theme.
Digitalization was the focus of day two with discussions encompassing technologies like Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) as well as regulations and policies. The evolution of digitalization was discussed alongside technological advancements driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Technological research on MASS, cybersecurity, and safety technologies etc., were discussed. A focus on regulation and policy facilitated discussions that bridged potential gaps between technology and regulation developers.
The third day centered on decarbonization in terms of technologies, regulations, and policies, emphasizing the importance of collaboration among these elements and taking into account various ship decarbonization technologies that are being introduced to achieve zero emissions by 2050. The transition to sustainable fuels, including alternative fuels, for ships was addressed as well as regulations and policies based on a technical understanding of decarbonization.
The final day focused on maritime business & logistics as well as capacity development, taking into account how digitalization and decarbonization impact maritime business in various ways. Discussions addressed the impact of decarbonization technologies from a business perspective, leading to various considerations in the overall maritime logistics and business sectors. Sharing technologies, regulations, and policies related to key issues in the maritime sector and creating opportunities for joint growth were highlighted as crucial, especially for developing countries. Emphasis was placed on the importance of sharing knowledge, fostering collaboration, and creating opportunities for joint growth in the maritime sector.
Closing remarks on behalf of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Secretary-General, Mr. Arsenio Dominguez, were delivered by Mr. Jose Matheickal, Director of the IMO’s Technical Cooperation and Implementation Division. A sense of optimism was conveyed that the insights from WMU Maritime Week will contribute to a safer, cleaner, and more efficient maritime sector, concluding with, “Let us continue to work together—to innovate, to collaborate, and to lead the way towards a future where our oceans are protected, our industries thrive, and our maritime community grows stronger.”
