While the voting procedure for the 2019 SAFETY4SEA Awards is open, Johannah Christensen, Managing Director, Head of Projects & Programmes, Global Maritime Forum, says that in the next years, strategic focus of the Global Maritime Forum – which has been shortlisted for the Sustainability Award – will be on how to make global seaborne trade safer, cleaner, more inclusive and efficient. As she explains, the Global Maritime Forum is founded on the idea of collaboration; in that respect industry stakeholders need to come together and discuss key challenges and opportunities ahead.
SAFETY4SEA: Your organization has been shortlisted for the 2019 SAFETY4SEA Awards in the ‘Sustainability’ category alongside a number of other distinguished nominees. What would you like to share with industry’s stakeholders with respect to this development?
Johannah Christensen: The Global Maritime Forum is committed to shaping the future of global seaborne trade to increase sustainable long-term economic development and human wellbeing. In this light, it is very encouraging to see how sustainability has moved up the corporate agenda of leading maritime organizations over the past five years. We are honored to be nominated for the 2019 SAFETY4SEA Sustainability Award alongside other organizations that play an important role in tackling some of the most important issues maritime shipping is facing.
S4S: When it comes to tackling the shipping challenges with respect to sustainable shipping, what are the core priorities on your agenda?
J.Chr.: We focus on driving positive long-term change that benefits not only the maritime industry, but the society it serves. Our activities involve issues and challenges that are complex and need collaboration and the involvement of a broad range of high-level stakeholders from the public and private sectors and from the entire maritime value chain around the world. In the next 3-5 years, the Global Maritime Forum’s strategic focus will be on how we can make global seaborne trade safer, cleaner, more inclusive and efficient.
S4S: What is your organization doing differently in order to prepare for a more sustainable future?
J.Chr.: The Global Maritime Forum’s Call to Action in Support of Shipping’s Decarbonization, that has been signed by more than 50 CEO’s and industry leaders from across the entire maritime spectrum, and the Poseidon Principles – a global framework for responsible ship finance – are both examples of our cross-industry and multi-stakeholder approach. The Global Maritime Forum is founded on the idea that progress happens when people from all parts of a system – in this case the global maritime industry and its stakeholders who have the will and the influence to make positive change – come together to discuss challenges and opportunities and work together on finding new solutions.
S4S: Do you have any new projects on the pipeline and/or plans that you would like to share with the rest of the industry?
J.Chr.: We look very much forward to welcome high-level industry leaders, policymakers, experts, NGOs and other influential decision-makers and opinion shapers to our Annual Summit in Singapore on 30-31 October. The Annual Summit is our primary vehicle where senior leaders share their ideas on the challenges facing global seaborne trade and explore how the global maritime industry can be an agent of positive change. We are excited to present the outcomes of the meeting, that will also guide our activities in 2020 and beyond.
S4S: If you could change one thing about the shipping industry, what would it be and why?
J.Chr.: The maritime industry is in a unique position to be an agent of positive change and to contribute to sustainable growth that benefits all. Global seaborne trade is playing a key role in enabling economic development and human wellbeing across the globe. This has come with some adventitious consequences that need to be addressed to support the greater goals for our society. This cannot be done by any one stakeholder or individual. The continued success of the maritime sector is determined by its ability to break down the silos and work together across industries and geographies to promote responsible behavior.
You may cast your vote for Global Maritime Forum at 2019 SAFETY4SEA Awards dedicated webpage till 6th of September 2019!
Johannah Christensen is Managing Director, Head of Projects & Programmes, of the Global Maritime Forum. The Global Maritime Forum is an is an international not-for-profit organization committed to shaping the future of global seaborne trade to increase sustainable long-term economic development and human wellbeing. It brings together a broad spectrum of leaders from across the industry to find new solutions to the most important challenges facing the industry today and in the future. Prior to establishing the Global Maritime Forum, Johannah has helped businesses to address global challenges in a variety of different roles at INDEX: Design to Improve Life, at leading Scandinavian think tank Monday Morning, at the World Economic Forum and as an independent advisor.
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.
