• 2017 March 27 16:35

    WMU President speaks at 6th International Maritime Transport and Logistics Conference

    Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, WMU President, delivered a keynote address at the 6th International Maritime Transport and Logistics Conference (MARLOG) that was held in Alexandria, Egypt from 19-21 March.

    On the topic of Global Integration in Ports – Future Opportunities, the President highlighted the significant roles the World Trade Organization, successive technological advances and national economies have played in rapid globalization and the efficiency and reliability of global supply chains. “Shipping now plays a fundamentally essential role in our lives, regardless of where we live and what we do. We are the closest to being a single global market than ever before. Companies can produce raw materials or finished products wherever they most efficiently can. Their product can be taken to the consumers cheaply and reliably as never before in the history of mankind. Shipping has played a central role in making this happen,” she stated.

    The President spoke of the role that technology will play in the future of shipping were autonomous ships to become a reality, and also autonomous container processing in ports. She maintained that these advancements, coupled with the improvement of connections between land and waterside modes of transport, will continue to transform the shipping industry. She also spoke of the importance of the evolving regulatory environment which will foster a sustainability-oriented industry that must include an adequately skilled workforce. She stated, “The scale of developments and change today in the industry is unmatched in scope and amplitude. The biggest issue that will need to be addressed in the foreseeable future will be the requisite skills that will be needed for the new jobs that will be created and to enable the industry to adapt to these changes brought on by technological advancements.”

    As Chair of a panel at the conference, President Doumbia-Henry also addressed the topic of The Human Element in Shipping: Where are we today? She noted that the maritime industry is often referred to as “the lifeblood of world trade,” but maintained that what should also be acknowledged is that “the human element in shipping, particularly seafarers, is the lifeblood of the maritime industry and thus, by extension, of world trade. Seafarers cannot be replaced overnight and shipping will need well-trained and qualified seafarers enjoying decent working and living conditions for years to come in order to ensure safe, efficient and environmentally friendly shipping in line with a number of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goals 4, 7, 8, 9 and 14.”

    Dr Doumbia-Henry reiterated that although we are on a path of integrating more technology and greater innovation, shipping is an industry in which human interaction with technology is indispensable and the key human element issue of fatigue needs to continue to be addressed. She noted the importance of regulations that address the critical area of seafarers’ welfare such as the IMO’s International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW as amended) and the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006). She highlighted the importance of education as a significant factor underlying the success of people working in the shipping industry.

    She stated, “Education means much more than seafarer training. It should involve a holistic approach that targets all sectors of the shipping industry in its broadest sense, from awareness raising to competency-based training, and which should address all the fields of learning, including the cognitive, affective and psychomotor.” She highlighted the importance of international, regional and national mechanisms where dialogue between governments, labour unions, industry, technology developers and others can contribute to the development of optimal sustainable practices.




2024 March 28

18:05 Jan De Nul, ENGIE and Equans launch a pilot project centred around the use of Vanadium Redox Flow batteries
17:35 Latvian port equipment manufacturer Bleste introduces new bulk handling ‘bucket’
17:05 Investors upgrade Navios Maritime Partners
16:25 DEME reports 22% increase in the orderbook and a record-high turnover of 3.3 billion euros in 2023
16:14 MABUX: Bunker Outlook, Week 13, 2024
15:41 AD Ports Group announced the opening of Saadiyat Marina & Ferry Terminal and Rabdan Marina
15:11 Sydney invests $11.5 million in two new operational vessels designed by Incat Crowther
14:55 China’s Jinzhao wins Peru $405m port construction contract
14:13 APM Terminals Moín handled six million TEU
13:48 ClassNK grants Innovation Endorsements for Products & Solutions to two innovative initiatives by MOL
13:37 Konecranes launches its flagship Konecranes X-series industrial crane
12:53 United European Car Carriers UECC spearheads collaboration with industry leaders to advance CNSL as a sustainable marine fuel
12:26 Ocean Network Express announces Transpacific service
11:48 Yang Ming announces 2025 Trans-Pacific service network
11:24 Fincantieri signs contract for the supply of two PPAs to Indonesia
10:42 Maersk transported more than 660,000 TEU using clean fuel in 2023
10:23 Documentation delays push industry costs to $3bn
09:48 PONANT and FARWIND Energy partner to develop green hydrogen refueling solutions

2024 March 27

18:22 Bureau Veritas awards world’s first prototype certification for SolarDuck’s floating offshore solar solution
17:58 The recently converted Allseas's shallow water pipelay barge starts preparations for its first commercial project
17:38 The Port of Rotterdam calls on the European Commission and Parliament to focus on actively promoting green energy
15:23 SEFE to become sole shareholder of WIGA
14:53 Ocean Installer secures yet another SLM contract with Equinor
14:23 Cadeler signs offshore wind turbine installation contract for the vessel Wind Scylla
13:42 Carnival Cruise Line orders 5th Excel-class cruise ship
13:11 Maersk and MSC overcharging cargo owners for EU ETS, says T&E
12:52 The Port Authority of Valencia launches the ZAL project in the Port of Valencia
12:11 Clarkson Port Services and Peak Group collaborate to deliver Port Agency services across the North Sea
11:42 Wan Hai Lines holds ship naming ceremony for new vessels
11:24 Consolidated shipping lines EBIT loss was $1.44 billion in Q4 2023: Sea-Intelligence
10:49 Seaspan Shipyards receives long-term contracts for the pre-construction work of the the Canadian Coast Guard's first six multi-mission vessels
10:14 Woodside completes sale of 10% scarborough interest

2024 March 26

18:02 COSCO Shipping Lines introduces new Americas service
17:30 Davie awarded first contract for design of icebreaker fleet under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy
17:04 Sanctions complicate Arctic LNG ship sales, Hanwha Ocean says - Bloomberg
16:57 Terntank places an order for 1+1 additional wind/ methanol-ready hybrid tanker
16:28 BW LNG completes acquisition of two TFDE vessels from Stena Bulk
15:50 Hanwha Ocean develops VR-based special vehicle simulator
15:20 TotalEnergies and SINOPEC join forces to produce sustainable jet fuel at a SINOPEC's refinery
14:52 Wärtsilä Lifecycle Agreement to guarantee operational reliability of new wind farm installation vessel
14:23 Hudong-Zhonghua launches two LNG carriers
13:51 Cargo ship hits Baltimore’s Key Bridge
13:12 Final sanctioned tanker with Russian Sokol oil to reach China port - Reuters
12:42 Adani Ports acquires 95% of Odisha's Gopalpur Port from SP Group for $162 million
12:21 IHI and Yara Clean Ammonia agree to jointly assess clean ammonia business collaboration
11:41 Yara Clean Ammonia and Azane granted safety permit to build world's first low emission ammonia bunkering terminal
11:16 Wartsila and Royal Caribbean Group celebrate 15 years of collaboration on digital transformation
10:46 A global carbon tax on shipping is coming, says ABS Chairman and CEO
10:21 Eni, Fincantieri and RINA establish partnership for maritime transport decarbonization

2024 March 25

18:07 The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore continues to investigate reports of oil spills off the port of Tuas
17:31 “K” Line, NIPPON HAKUYO and OPT Gate sign an agreement for a new fire detection system for car carriers
17:07 Greek merchant fleet recorded slight decline in January 2024
16:47 Hanwha Ocean Plans to develop green technology and naval ships
16:25 U-Ming Singapore and ITOCHU sign milestone MoU for the joint development of ammonia dual-fuel and de-carbonized vessels
15:34 Svitzer targets methanol-fuelled MAN 175DF-M engine for tug application
15:04 Wallenius Wilhelmsen signs contracts for four 9,300 CEU vessels with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard
14:40 Taiwan International Port to upgrade terminal facility at Kaohsiung
13:59 Сruise ship Carnival Freedom catches fire near Bahamas
12:59 Hanwha Ocean wins 2.4 tln-won order for 8 LNG ships
11:16 Inland Ports meet in Paris to talk about the innovation potential of inland ports
10:50 IMO agrees possible outline for maritime “net-zero framework”
10:24 Hapag-Lloyd to continue to avoid the Red Sea route
09:58 QatarEnergy enters time charter agreements with Nakilat for the operation of 25 LNG vessels

2024 March 24

16:18 Inchgreen Marine Park upgraded as part of £11m investment
15:14 A ribbon-cutting ceremony for Solent Rail Terminal Rail was held at the Port of Southampton
14:08 ESNA and Strategic Marine join forces to offer Surface Effect Ship (“SES”) Crew Transfer Vessels (“CTV”) to the market
13:07 First LNG powered vessel calls at HIP
12:49 Inter-array cable installation completed at Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm
11:32 Equinor ASA posts net income at USD 11.9 billion in 2023
09:25 Edda Wind announces the sale of Edda Passat