Europe

Danes push to create Global Maritime Forum

The Danish Maritime Forum wrapped yesterday with plenty of action points for delegates to take away with them.

The third annual gathering of this high level meeting saw central themes focus on disruptive technologies, overcapacity, the environment, transparency and changes to the regulatory framework.

Among popular ideas put forward was a suggestion for far greater transparency on the customer experience with shipping told to adopt an Airbnb model whereby companies are rated like lodgings are on the popular travel site.

Claus Hemmingsen, vice chairman of Maersk Group and chairman of the Danish Shipowners’ Association , said the sector as a whole needed to engage far more with the general public. “The shipping industry needs to step up to the plate in the public domain,” he urged.

There was also a call for a voluntary body at the IMO, similar to the one at ILO, to supplement IMO with the industry, governments and the NGOs taking part to help drive new regulations, be more proactive and have greater transparency.

Anne Steffensen, director general of the Danish Shipowners’ Association, said now that public funding had elapsed after three years at the forum the organisers would now push to transform the event into the Global Maritime Forum.

“Great efforts will be made to transform this forum into a truly global forum not necessarily in Denmark but also elsewhere,” she said, saying that a number of institutions and companies have agreed to support the endevour.

Splash understands Singapore is the preferred destination for the first Global Maritime Forum.

Sam Chambers

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.
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