Signol highlights ‘the human element’ for the shipping industry’s energy transition at the 2024 CMA Shipping conference

Between 12 – 14 March, Signol’s maritime experts will be at the 39th Annual Expo & Conference, CMA Shipping in Connecticut, USA.

The three-day event – a diary staple for shipping professionals in North America – offers a fantastic opportunity for the attendees to learn from industry experts and network within the industry.

This year for the first time, the expo will showcase innovative solutions serving the shipping industry in a new exhibition area: ‘The Launchpad’. Signol’s team is delighted to host a booth (LP1 – see map here) in the innovators’ area, alongside a number of other exciting technology businesses. The team will be ready to demo Signol’s behaviour change service and share their insight on how shipping companies can harness their unacknowledged superpower for fuel efficiency: their crews.

On the second day of the conference (13 March), Signol’s head of maritime, Harriet Johnson, will take to the stage for a panel discussion as part of the ‘People: Crewing, Marine Education and Training’ stream. You can visit her speaker profile here.

The session, titled ‘Impact of GHG reduction targets and new fuels on human element’, will address the complex and interconnected processes for decarbonising shipping, with a particular focus on the repercussions for seafarers and their role in the energy transition.

Alongside six other panellists, including experts from classification societies, education institutes and industry bodies, Harriet will discuss the current role of crew members in decarbonisation initiatives, the potential for this role to change in the near future, particularly with developments in alternative fuels, practical guidance on how the industry and individual operators must prepare for these developments and support seafarers, and how the sector as a whole can check its blind spots around seafarer engagement and the impact of decarbonisation on crews.

Attendees will also come away with insights on how to unlock additional GHG emissions savings by engaging and supporting seafarers to reduce fuel consumption in a variety of ways.

“It’s heartening to see the CMA Shipping conference – a fixture in our industry – addressing the role of seafarers in the energy transition, particularly since this topic is too often overlooked in favour of a focus on technological and fuel innovation,” said Harriet Johnson, head of maritime at Signol.

“At a time when new regulation like the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is adding pressure on companies to quickly reduce emissions, it’s crucial that we understand the experiences, challenges and opportunities for those on the frontline: crew members.

“I’m delighted to contribute to this conversation at the CMA conference alongside other industry leaders, and look forward to sharing insights and ideas about how the human element can be prioritised alongside innovation which supports decarbonisation.”

You can read more of Harriet’s insights on the role of seafarers in reducing emissions and fulfilling new regulatory requirements, alongside other expert views, in our Fuelling the Future blog on the topic.

More details of the CMA Shipping panel session here:

Title: Impact of GHG reduction targets and new fuels on human element

When: Wednesday, 13 March 2024 at 15:30 – 16:15

Where: CMA Shipping Conference, Ballroom

Synopsis

Clean technologies and next-generation fuels will play a key role in shaping the transformation of the energy industry and supporting the decarbonization of all sectors of the economy. But as the energy system transitions towards decarbonization, it is becoming more complex and more interconnected with repercussions for business, operations and certainly, for seafarers.

In this panel we discuss three key areas which will be impacted by energy transition and in what ways:

• The role – current and potential of crew in achieving energy efficiencies
• Ramping up – the horizon of change and planning needed
• Checking our blind spot

Speakers:

Moderator: David Taylor, Head of Curriculum, Lloyd’s Maritime Academy

Roberto Paolo Cazzulo, Chairman, IACS

Harriet Hunnisett-Johnson, Head of Maritime, Signol

Capt. Andre LeGoubin, President, The Nautical Institute

Prof. Maximo Q. Mejia, President, World Maritime University

Capt. Kevin Cook, Maritime Consultant, IRI/The Marshall Islands Registry

Laura Donahue, Maritime Performance Services Manager, Americas