This time of the year is always a good opportunity to consider lessons learned and set new year’s resolutions for a new start. Our special column Industry Voices: ‘Goodbye 2020, hello 2021’ aims to provide an overview of this challenging year and set new targets for 2021 to move forward.
In this context, we have asked Mr. Dimitris Orfanos, HSQE Manager at M Maritime, to make an assessment of 2020 from his perspective and share his message for the new year across the global community. Among others, he highlights that raising shipping’s profile with the public should be a priority.
The most important development in 2020 was the actual implementation of the new fuel sulphur regulations, which went quite smoothly actually.
SAFETY4SEA: Focusing on your area of expertise, what were the most important industry development(s) within 2020?
Dimitris Orfanos: The most important development was the actual implementation of the new fuel sulfur regulations, which went quite smoothly actually and on which so much debate and preparation occurred in the previous years.
S4S: Focusing on your area of expertise, what do you think that will be the biggest challenge(s) for the industry in 2021?
D.O: Managing the continuing Covid crisis, a genuine Black Swan event, which has disrupted the industry and especially the pillar of shipmanagement, manning, in a totally unprecedented way.
S4: What would be the 2021 resolutions for your company/organisation?
D.O.: Navigate the ongoing challenges of the Covid/Crewing crisis while maintaining the quality and fleet control required for smooth, incident-free operations.
S4S: What is your overall forecast for shipping industry in 2021 and what would you like to share and/or wish and/or ask other industry stakeholders?
D.O.: Will continue to be a bumpy ride in both the commercial and technical management sides – raising shipping’s profile with the public, as a key contributor to the living standards we all enjoy, should be a priority.
The views presented hereabove are only those of the author and do not necessarily those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
