During the Nor-Shipping press conference in Oslo, DNV GL’s CEO, Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, focused on the class’ commitment to maritime safety. He commented that despite the fact that maritime losses seem to have been mitigated in the last decade, challenging markets, demanding environmental regulations and new technologies get the industry’s attention away from marine safety.
Ørbeck-Nilssen highlighted
In a time when shipping is rapidly transforming, I believe it is crucial to put our primary focus on safety, making sure it is at the core of all changes – whether it is ways of working, technology, or regulations.
He continued that there are changes in three areas of the maritime sector:
- Shifts in the market, which are increasingly unpredictable;
- Shifts in regulations, headed by the upcoming 2020 global sulphur limits;
- Shifts in technology, driven by the constant evolution in digitalization.
The shipping industry should be informed about these challenges – from growing ship sizes, fire risks due to new cargo types such as cars with Li-ion batteries, to environmental regulations with unintended consequences, as well as the increased risk of cyber-attack due to vessel automation and ship-to-shore connectedness – while also embracing the opportunities arising.
Mr Ørbeck-Nilssen referred to some proposals that could provide a safety net from the arising opportunities:
- To develop holistic regulations with safety at the core – this is a challenge to the IMO and the classification societies when they are developing rules.
- To improve the safety culture within shipping companies.
- To apply barrier management lessons from other industries.
- To increase transparency on incident findings.
- To unlock data silos for deeper insights into incidents and near-misses.
DNV GL has also been sharing its expertise on issues as cargo liquefaction.
Mr Ørbeck-Nilssen concluded
Our role as a neutral third party has never been more relevant than in time of rapid technological transformation as we see it today… Alongside our own rules we continue to support the industry to develop a holistic regulatory framework.