Shipping: Business as usual

The equation of the sustainable, efficient and environmentally friendly ship of the future is more complex than we believe, but we need to adopt a reasonably tolerant and pragmatic approach.

To be sustainable and ensure the required funds, shipping must rely on a robust and well-regulated regulatory framework and proven technologies.?

Resilience is a virtue, but again the current international and local regulatory framework is so “vague” that it challenges the limits of resilience.?We cannot be resilient and accept the change if the change is not formulated and finalized.

Financing: Access to financing became increasingly difficult since the top lending banks reduced their exposure to shipping by 34% from 2010 to 2019. Therefore, alternative financing sources must be found.?

Digitalisation:?just for the sake of the term and without offering tangible beneficial results doesn’t make sense. “Big Data” is more than welcome, provided you have established a data management system simplified for the end user.?

Decarbonisation:?is the way forward, provided there are well-established and proven “green” technologies, realistic and applicable, that can achieve what they promise.??Alternative fuels LNG, hydrogen, ammonia, and biofuels will contribute to greenhouse gas reduction, but there are still major issues to be solved related to availability, storage and safe operation. Slow steaming will remain the immediate and cost-free fuel consumption measure.

The condition of the hull is the dominant factor for fuel saving, and we may say more frequent drydocking in every intermediate survey, even for a vessel less than 15 years old, just for a hull coating upgrade.

Hull shapes: We hope to see innovations and new hull shapes.?

Charterers and owners: we need a mindset change to ensure that the inevitable data transparency (CII) will be prudently used and not only give ground for claims.?

Human Element: for some reason, we tend to underestimate the most critical link in the chain. We must prepare the new generation of seafarers that will have to adapt to the new technologies to be able to understand them and use them, but at the same time keep their skills, techniques or practices of handling a ship (Seamanship).??A ship will not be able to be managed via a smartphone for at least the next 20 years!?

We need pioneers that will lead the way, but due to the inherent risk, we may not see them soon. Until then, business as usual!