This time of the year always gives a great opportunity to consider lessons learned and set new year’s resolutions for new beginnings. For that matter, Mr. Mark Darley, Marine & Offshore Director, Lloyd’s Register, makes an assessment of 2021 and shares his message for the new year across the global maritime community.
SAFETY4SEA: How would you briefly describe 2021? What is your assessment?
Mark Darley: Transformative.
S4S: What were the lessons learned for the maritime industry in 2021 and what to keep for the new year moving forwards?
MD: This year we have seen a significant growth in technology uptake and application – our clients are now looking to Lloyd’s Register for both technical and commercial advice to make smart decisions on future asset investments. We expect this will continue well into 2022 and beyond, as technology can improve ship efficiency, enable operational performance, and in turn lead to shipping’s safe energy transition.
S4S: Focusing on your area of expertise, what do you think will be the biggest challenge(s) for the industry in 2022?
MD: Decarbonization remains the industry’s biggest challenges and how we progress towards steel in the water as part of the maritime energy transition remains a key focus. In the near term and as part of this transition, the industry will also need to navigate requirements for short-term measures, such as the Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), as well as continue to accelerate a greater adoption of digitalization as an enabler or first step in shipping’s decarbonization.
S4S: What would be the new year’s resolutions for your organization?
MD: To meet shipping’s energy transition, collaboration needs to continue so we can share ideas and progress forward. As a risk-based organization, we can sometimes appear averse to change, challenging new approaches as we determine the overall risk.
Going forward, I would encourage more ideation and collaboration from outside of our industry, where we can share learnings and work together, as this will help tackle the challenges facing shipping.
S4S: What are you looking forward to in 2022? What would you be most glad about seeing changing in the maritime industry next year?
MD: Over the last two years, the shipping industry has gained more mainstream recognition – we all remember the events in the Suez Canal or the congestion and delays to containerized goods… The general public saw shipping’s commitment and contribution to the global supply chain: our people and ships helping to get vital goods from warehouses to shelves across the water. This also raised the profile of the plight of seafarers throughout the pandemic. I hope this recognition and awareness continues and that the wider community also sees shipping’s determination as it drives toward net zero.
S4S: If you could make one wish for the maritime industry for the year to come, what would you ask for?
MD: The travel restrictions put in place during the pandemic continues to limit physical visits and face to face contact, meaning it’s harder to get people on/off ships and meet clients in person. This has been particularly difficult for maritime given our industry relies so heavily on relationships built between businesses and the freedom of movement. With safety at the core, I hope that the industry can get back to some level of normality in 2022, where we see more face-to-face collaboration, which in turns helps the industry tackle major industry challenges, such as decarbonization and digitalization.
The views presented are only those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
