In an exclusive interview with SAFETY4SEA, Mr. Nick Brown, Communications Director at Bureau Veritas, invites industry to continue bridging the gender gap and supporting effective leadership by setting clear targets and avoiding micro-managing. The recent IMO strategy for emissions reduction is currently the biggest challenge, Mr. Brown notes, highlighting that the focus has been shifted towards a more sustainable, greener, lower emissions future for the industry.
SAFETY4SEA: Tell us a few words about your organization. Do you have any new developments /or any new projects on the pipeline and/or plans that you would like to share with the rest of the industry?
Nick Brown: Bureau Veritas is one of the oldest classification societies, but today is a highly diversified, global testing, inspection and certification body (TIC) and with the largest TIC that offers marine classification services to the global marine and offshore community. In terms of big projects at the moment, clearly the digital, smart and cyber challenges we face in shipping are at the forefront and we have lots of things going on there; and also LNG as fuel where Bureau Veritas participates in many new and major construction projects. For example, CMA CGM’s breakthrough LNG fueled container ships will be classed by Bureau Veritas; the first steel cutting on those is scheduled for this October. But whether they are big ships or small tugs, Bureau Veritas is well placed to help ship-owners deal with the challenges of LNG as fuel or the whole fuel switchover coming up with the 2020 sulphur cap.
SAFETY4SEA: In you view, what would be the biggest shipping challenge in the years to come with respect to sustainable shipping for the industry stakeholders?
N.Br: The big challenge is how shipping helps to support environmental initiatives. The recent decision at IMO for the at least 50% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050 now gives us a target, so the challenge is how we help the industry manage that pathway towards a more sustainable, greener, lower emissions shipping industry. I think people are getting onboard with that and Bureau Veritas is well placed across the range of our services to help the industry meet that challenge.
SAFETY4SEA: What is the best leadership style you have experienced in shipping and why?
N.Br: Leadership is really important in business. I think the best leaders are those who allow their managers to manage, support them where necessary, without micro-managing. In Bureau Veritas we have a strong culture where we give our managers clear targets and allow to try and achieve them, but give them the support they need when they need it.
SAFETY4SEA: What should be the top priorities for the shipping industry stakeholders towards a more sustainable future for the shipping industry? What is your key message?
N.Br: The key message is making sure that regulations are realistic, smart, achievable, that it’s is easy for the industry to meet them; and our role is to help ship-owners, shipbuilders, technology providers manage the risk and help actually turn ideas into reality.
SAFETY4SEA: If you could change one thing about the shipping industry, what would it be and why?
N.Br: I think it is very interesting how people are waking up to the untapped potential of the half of the world’s population. I think it’s becoming increasingly strange to sit in meeting where there are only men, so let’s have more women in shipping.
Above article is an edited version of Mr. Nick Brown’s video interview during Posidonia 2018, June 4-8, Metrpopolitan Expo, Athens.
The views presented hereabove are only those of the author and not necessarily those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
View here below our interview with Mr. Nick Brown, Communications Director at Bureau Veritas
