Year in Review: Shipping’s 2019 highlights

Year 2019 was full of events, from discussions on accelerating efforts to protect the environment, the importance of seafarers’ wellness, to gender equality and the women’s role in the shipping sector. Thus, the timeline below, presents how the shipping sector involved this year.

#2 Norway’s Public Roads Administration and Norled signed an agreement on January 8, for construction of the world’s first hydrogen-electric ferry, which is to connect the national road 13 between Hjelmeland – Skipavik – Nesvik in Rogaland from 2021.

#3 IMO’s 6th Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR6) met from 18 to 22 February at the IMO headquarters to discuss key environmental and regulatory challenges for shipping.

#4 Thailand became the first country in Asia to ratify ILO’s Work in Fishing Convention No. 188 (C188), aiming to create decent working conditions for workers in the fisheries sector.

#5 On International Women’s Day, WMU President, Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry said education is the most powerful motor to change gender stereotypes.

#6 Ahead IMO’s 2019 World Maritime Day theme, Ms. Sanjam Sahi Gupta, Director for Sitara Shipping, launched a survey to understand at what level women are employed in shipping.

#7 The World Maritime University held the WMU Empowering Women in the Maritime Community Conference from 4-5 April, awarding Birgit Sølling Olsen with the 2018 International Maritime Prize.

#8 During the Nordic Council 2019 in Reykjavik, Iceland, the Nordic ministers urged for a global agreement on the reduction and prevention of plastic waste and microplastics discharged into the sea.

#9 IAPH board announced, in early April, the allocation of a budget fund of USD 10,000 to develop a Women in Ports Mentoring Program designed to attract, empower and retain female talent in the industry.

#10 During Nor-Shipping 2019 in Oslo, June 3- 7, IMO Secretary-General, Kitack Lim, highlighted the ever-increasing importance of balanced and sustainable development, addressing the importance of reducing GHG shipping emissions.

#11 The Centenary International Labour Conference adopted, June 20, the Violence and Harassment Convention 2019, and Violence and Harassment Recommendation 2019, to combat violence and harassment in the workplace.

#12 USCG appointed the first active duty female maritime law enforcement specialist warrant officer, Chief Warrant Officer Amy Barringer, June 1, who made history by being the first active duty female warrant officer in her specialty.

#13 Société Générale, Crédit Agricole and Global Maritime Forum presented, July 13, the French Ministry for the Ecological and Solidary Transition the Poseidon Principles, a framework for assessing the climate alignment of financial institutions’ shipping portfolio.

#14 The UK Secretary of State for Transport visited Port of Tyne for the opening of ‘2050 Innovation Hub’, which will enable the sharing of knowledge to lead revolutionary change in the industry by advancing technologies.

#15 In September, DNV GL CEO, Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, presented the Energy Transition Outlook for 2019 during LISW, according to which technology along with strongly enforced policies will achieve the Paris Climate goals.

#16 IMO’s Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC 6) met on 9-13 September to validate a new IMO Model Course on Safe Handling and Transport of Solid Bulk Cargoes.

#17 IMO’s Sec-Gen, Kitack Lim, during LISW, 9-13 September, highlighted the need make zero-emission ships more commercially attractive, adding that the 2050 GHG goals cannot be achieved by only using fossil fuels.

#18 In October, Jeppe Kofod, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and Søren Toft, A.P. Moller-Maersk, announced the launch of ‘Getting to Zero Coalition’.

#19 The Singapore Maritime Institute and the Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine announced, October 9, the launch of ‘Centre of Excellence for Autonomous & Remotely Operated Vessels’.

#20 IBIA Annual Convention 2019, which was conducted in Istanbul, October 22-24, focused on the transition to the global low-sulphur regime in light of the upcoming 2020 sulphur cap.

#21 Key maritime stakeholders gathered during the Global Maritime Forum 2019 underway in Singapore, October 30-31, presenting “9 Golden Safety Rules”, in line with the ‘Together in Safety’ initiative aiming to a zero-incident industry.

#22 Under IMO’s Symposium “IMO 2020 and Alternative fuels”, conducted from October 17-18, Kitack Lim, Secretary General, highlighted the importance of collaboration within the industry to achieve the goals of decarbonization.

#23 ECSA launched, in Brussels on October 29, a Maritime Growth Plan which will act as a strategic framework that will boost EU’s shipping industry and develop a world-class maritime cluster.