Many of the world’s biggest fleet owners, charterers and tonnage providers came together in Hamburg last week at the 39th Propulsion & Emissions Conference to discuss, in a series of operator panels, plenary sessions and panel discussions, the implications of forthcoming regulations and the technology and solutions currently available.
Owner/operator attendees at this year’s event included:
Environmental Manager | Claus-Peter Offen Tankschiffreederei (GmbH & Co.) KG |
Managing Partner | HBC Hamburg Bulk Carriers GmbH & Co. KG |
Director | Mitsui OSK Line |
Energy Efficiency Management Officer | CPO Containerschiffreederei (GmbH & Co.) KG |
Vice President, Technical Management and Service | NSB Niederelbe Schiffahrtsgesellschaft & Chairman WG10 |
Managing Director | Columbus Shipmanagement |
Vice President, Head of Fleet Technology | Maersk Line |
Director of Technical Division | Hapag-Lloyd |
Technical Director | Leonhardt & Blumberg Reederei GmbH & Co KG |
Fleet Support Center | Hapag-Lloyd AG |
Technical Director | Peter Doehle Shiffahrts |
Technical Director | BRISE Bereederungs GmbH & Co. KG |
Deputy Director Logistics, Global Marine Operation | Hamburg Sud |
Naval Architect | Scandlines Danmark ApS |
Technical Director | COLUMBIA Shipmanagement (Deutschland) GmbH |
Senior Manager | DFDS A/S |
Head New Building, Shipmanagement | Carnival Corp & plc, |
Director | Costamare Shipping Compnay AS |
Technical Director | E.R. Schiffahrt |
General Manager of Ship Design Group | Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd |
Keynote speakers Stefan Micallef, director of IMO’s Marine Environment Division and Ole Graa Jakobsen, vice president and head of fleet technology, Maersk Line, set the scene by putting future challenges in regulatory and commercial context. Micallef described IMO as “a catalyst for more efficient ships” and noted how the organisation needed to continue to evolve in the face of accelerating technical and social change. Jakobsen highlighted the efforts of the world’s biggest ship owner to make its fleet more efficient, emphasising a new focus on connected shipping and revealing some crucial elements of its emissions reduction strategy.
Under the conference theme ‘Future proofing the global fleet’, ship owners and operators – representing a combined fleet of more than 1,900 vessels on stage (and much more in the room) – focused on their response to environmental regulatory issues including SOx, NOx and CO2 emissions reduction as well as ballast water treatment. Assisted by some of the world’s leading technology providers and industry specialists, timely topics including digitalisation and hybridisation were explored while advances in key technology areas – including engines, turbochargers, fuels and cylinder lubrication – were discussed.
After a powerful introduction, the conference ended on a high note after a riveting on-stage discussion between ship managing and operating members of the CIMAC engine users group. Jörg Erdtmann, vice president, technical management and service, NSB Niederelbe Schiffahrtsgesellschaft (and chairman of CIMAC WG10) discussed the work of the group in addressing engine performance issues across several areas. Recent practical projects include working towards an online cylinder drain oil sample analyser, as well as a radical de-rating initiative that could enable older engines to meet new energy-efficiency standards.
Together with fellow working group members Christoph Gessner, managing director, Columbus Shipmanagement and Helge Bartels, managing director, E.R. Schiffahrt, Erdtmann also offered a representative sample of how German tonnage providers are tackling the regulatory challenges of energy efficiency and emissions reduction.
The event also offered some fantastic networking opportunities including a welcome reception hosted by Blohm+Voss at the Hafen Club, and a conference dinner sponsored by GE Marine at Blockbrau on the River Elbe.
A full report will appear in the June issue of The Motorship.
The next event in The Motorship calendar is the Gas Fuelled Ships Conference, which takes place from 13-15 November 2017, onboard the Viking Mariella, which will give participants the unique opportunity to view a working fuel cell in situ. For more details go to www.motorship.com/gfsconference.
For further information about this year’s event and the 2018 40th Anniversary Conference, taking place in Hamburg on 9-10 May 2018, contact the Events team on +44 1329 825335 or email conferences@propulsionconference.com.
Follow the event on Twitter: @PropulsionConf
