After the upheaval of the last few years, Norway’s largest maritime event, Nor-Shipping, is back to its regular schedule. Running from June 6, a four-day exhibition and conference in Oslo will once again host leading maritime players, technology innovators, investors, and all the stakeholders interested in realising ocean opportunities.
Although last year’s event was a success, getting back to the “standard” beginning of June timing is important in more ways than one, Sidsel Norvik, the event’s director tells Maritime CEO.
“There are several large industry events around the world – all with their respective strengths and a timing that has been the same for years and years. Getting back to the schedule is important for industry planning. Getting out of winter and into summer is another important reason for Nor-Shipping in June,” Norvik says.
The traditional barbecue is back and the organisers have extended the outdoor afterwork area and activities significantly to ensure room for all.
The event will return to a strictly in-person format. “For all the benefits autonomous technology can bring, you can’t beat the human touch and talking to the finest minds face-to-face at the biggest and most inclusive shipping arena in the world,” Norvik notes.
The only conference that will be streamed is the initiative called Ocean Campus. The conference will focus on how academia is adjusting to the maritime transition and what future career opportunities are in store for the next generation.
“We will stream this event in order to allow students and next generation of shipping employees to get access from wherever they might be,” Norvik says.
The theme for this year is ‘PartnerShip’ aiming to bring leading minds in the ocean industries together to answer how to move forward towards collective goals.
“No one can rise to the transition challenges that we are up against in solitude. No single actor can address the evolving needs of cargo owners, and no one can juggle geopolitical shifts, energy concerns, regulatory framework, fuel options and decisions, attracting talent, and much more, without the right partners. But together, leveraging our individual strengths as collaborative partnerships, we can achieve truly ambitious objectives,” Norvik stresses, adding: “Collaboration is the true fuel of the future, where supporting and trusting one another with knowledge, investment and commitment will help accelerate the needed transition.”
The four huge concrete halls and an extra-large tent of exhibition space are almost sold out, and the organisers expect this to be the biggest ever, with 1,000 exhibitors and visitor numbers exceeding 50,000.
In addition to the Ocean Leadership Conference, a range of themed conferences will offer “something for everyone”, while a host of social, networking and knowledge sharing activities is now being finalised. Standout events include the first ever Nor-Shipping offshore wind and offshore aquaculture conferences, as well as the second maritime hydrogen conference, and the fourth international autonomy summit.
“Nor-Shipping is one of the few arenas that includes the entire industry from shipowners, shipyards, insurers, banks, investor groups and down to the manufacturer of a pump or a pipe. Adding the new sectors of offshore wind, hydrogen and ammonia and other new initiatives as well as maintaining and growing the traditional segments, I believe we have an all-time-high formula. We will know for sure at 15.00 hrs on June 6,” Norvik remarks.
