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. George Teriakidis, DNV GL Area Manager East Med & Black Sea, 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 how the pandemic has accelerated our path towards digitalization with remote surveys showing an increase during the last months.
I hope and wish that, 2021 and the years to come, will find the whole maritime industry united towards our common causes and targets, promoting safety and environmentally friendly operations.
SAFETY4SEA: Focusing on your area of expertise, what were the most important industry development(s) within 2020?
George Teriakidis: Looking at classification, the major industry development of the year has been managing business continuity for our customers during the crisis. This accelerated the digitalization of shipping and the use of new technologies. DNV GL has been well-prepared on this front. One of our key areas was making sure that wherever possible, surveys could continue to be delivered – even when a surveyor could not attend the vessel. During the pandemic DNV GL has used our remote survey scheme through the globally available 24/7 DATE (Direct Access to Technical Experts) services. Remote survey requests have ramped up significantly, with half of all vessels now having used the service and the number of remote surveys increasing 33%, to over 300 a week. DNV GL also worked to provide component and material certification (CMC) services remotely where needed during the pandemic.
S4S: Focusing on your area of expertise, what do you think that will be the biggest challenge(s) for the industry in 2021?
G.T.: Even though shipping coped quite well with the COVID crisis – we still have a way to go to recover fully. On the other hand, the grand challenge for the industry – decarbonization – will continue to be a big topic. The IMO decarbonization targets means that reducing GHG emissions is becoming the defining decision-making factor for the future of the shipping industry. And in this transition phase, many potential options are emerging alongside conventional fuels. Factoring in the impacts of availability, prices and policy, on different fuels, makes the choice even more complex. At DNV GL, we are working to support our customers on these critical decisions by offering shipowners clear insights on how to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead.
S4S: What would be the 2021 resolutions for your company/organisation?
G.T.: DNV GL will continue to support customers and the whole maritime industry towards uninterrupted and environmentally friendly operations. Our customer-centred strategies, along with digital tools and R&D and Advisory initiatives will be the key-enablers. Just to mention a few: Insights – dashboards available for our customers to benchmark their class, PSC and emission performance, DATE services like Remote Surveys, platforms like MMC (Machinery Maintenance Connect), together with our dedicated experts, will continue to play a key part.
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?
G.T.: After the significant crisis that accompanied the pandemic, the new year is expected to be another special one for all industries, having findings of new ways of working. I hope and wish that, 2021 and the years to come, will find the whole maritime industry united towards our common causes and targets, promoting safety and environmentally friendly operations.
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.
