Report from the Lighthouse workshop

Over 60 participants from different areas of the maritime sector took part in yesterday's Lighthouse workshop, with the purpose to shed a light on how a sustainable shipping sector can become competitive.

The day started off with four keynote speakers highlighting different challenges and opportunities within their fields. Harry Robertsson, Technical Director at Stena Teknik and chairman of Lighthouse' Programme Committee, was first on stage. Among many things, he talked about a new project started within Lighthouse and aiming to look at the possibilities to use the same or similar systems as autonomous cars have but in ships, not to get rid of the captain, but to improve safety and minimise the risk of dangerous and costly mistakes.
Per-Erik Larsson is Director for Sales and Spares at Callenberg Technology Group, and he presented the techniques they have to reduce fuel use and thus decrease emissions. For example with Callenberg ETM install base they save 200 million kWh, burn 40 000 tones less fuel, and reduce the carbon footprintr by 136 000 tonnes CO2 annually.

Edvard Molitor, Senior Manager Environment at the Port of Gothenburg, held a thoughtful presentation where he gave some answers, but also asked a lot of questions, giving the audience a reason to contemplate things. For example he asked: what is the ultimate size of a container ship and if bigger necessarily means better? And how does intermodal transport affect the environmental footprint?
- I guess my main message is that we need to raise our eyes to see the big perspective on things, Edvard Molitor said.
The current issues which the regulatory organisations for shipping, IMO, EU and HELCOM mainly, are discussing most at the moment were summarised by Nariné Svensson from the Swedish Transport Agency. Among other things she talked about the fact that the work with NECA areas are intensified. The plan is for 80% NOx reduction, and the areas suggested are the same as for SECA and reduced SOx emission levels.

After that five researchers entered the stage for a panel discussion. Those were Karin Andersson, Chalmers, Mikael Lind from Victoria Swedish ICT, Monica Lundh, Chalmers, SSPA's Peter Grundevik and Johan Woxenius from the University of Gothenburg. Led by moderator for the day Pernilla Warberg they discussed subjects like different gathering forces like Zero Vision Tool, the maritime cluster of West Sweden and of course Lighthouse and how to develop it further, how researchers within the maritime area in Sweden in many ways has a unique opportunity to gather empiricism due to an open minded industry, and how we can make it easier for people with ideas to gain support for their innovations.

After Åsa Burman, Director of Lighthouse, presented Lighthouse' vision, focus areas and prioritised areas it was time for the afternoon workshop session. Two groups discussed a number of topics from the perspective of ecology - environment and the climate, two groups had economy - competitiveness and innovation as the theme, and one group social - safety at sea and sustainable working conditions. Many interesting discussions took place at the tables. Among many things an area that was highlighted as an important issue both from the ecologic and economy perspective was the need for more modularisation. The possibilities that the digitalisation can mean for the ships, logistic chain and so on and the need for Sweden and Lighthouse to continue to be in forefront in this area was also discussed. Another thing highlighted was that the maritime sector could improve collaborations with other fields, for example when it comes to working conditions where many things are similar between different industries, and this way both enhance competence and improve the possibilities for funding. 

The notes from the discussions and conclusions of them will now form a base for Lighthouse continuing work on for example prioritising which areas to put focus on for new research and innovation programmes and projects.