Emerging innovative solutions for low-carbon and green shipping were the focus of the International Conference-Exhibition on Maritime Technology for Climate Mitigation (Confex) held virtually and with some people attending in person (11-13 July), as part of the China Maritime Day Shanghai Forum.
In a keynote address, Jose Matheickal, IMO's Chief of Projects and Partnerships praised the conference for providing an opportunity for knowledge and information sharing, promoting technologies and operations to reduce carbon emissions in the maritime sector. "We saw incredible partnership and effort in finding alternative means to provide platforms in which ideas, knowledge, insights and experience could be shared to discuss the environmental issues facing the world today. Through these initiatives we facilitated important dialogue on how the maritime field can tackle climate change".
More than 20 exhibitors, including world-leading shipping companies, ports, technology providers and research institutes showcased their best practices and practical solutions at the event, which was organized by the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre for Asia (MTCC- Asia)*. A virtual 3D exhibition can be freely accessed online at http://www.mtccasia.com/confex2021/ .The virtual exhibit will be kept as permanent feature on the MTCC Asia website and will be expanded over time.
Conference participantsfrom across the shipping industry were able to share their views and experiences to identify opportunities for climate mitigation solutions as they looked into technological considerations for decarbonizing the maritime sector such as alternative fuels, maritime informatics, electrification and wind propulsion.
The conference included a "Women in Shipping Decarbonization" session to encourage and support women's contribution to the promotion of sustainable and affordable energy technologies. The session looked at ways to boost the number of women participating in energy planning and policy formulation at the local and national levels.
*The MTCCs are part of the Global MTCC Network (GMN) project, executed by IMO and funded by the European Union. MTCC-Asia is hosted by Shanghai Maritime University (SMU), China. Website: https://gmn.imo.org/
