Many thanks to our panellists and guests at BMA LISW23 event

The BMA would like to thank all of the expert speakers and attendees at our London International Shipping Week 2023 (LISW23) event. We were proud to be a silver sponsor of LISW23 and join with the tens of thousands of maritime professionals celebrating our great industry in the capital for the week. Furthermore, we were very pleased to be able to attend some of the more than 300 events held in various parts of London and our appreciation to our guest who joined our table at the LISW23 Gala dinner/reception on 14 September.

Our LISW23 event, entitled ‘Reduction of Air Pollution within the Shipping Industry: Pertaining to Alternative Fuels and Personnel’, took place on Tuesday 12 September. Consisting of two panel discussions, it drew in a packed audience, including The Bahamas’ High Commissioner H E Paul Gomez and Ambassador Paul Rolle, to listen to our expert speakers as they discussed the options facing the maritime sector as it moves towards net zero emissions as well as the training and skills that will be required by tomorrow’s seafarers for ships using these fuel sources.  As a small low lying island state, the impact of global warming and climate change is of critical importance to The Bahamas’ long term sustainability.

The discussion led to lively debate with the audience and highlighted the general consensus that it is still impossible to know for sure which of the alternative fuels will be used by industry to achieve the reduction of harmful emission from shipping in line with the IMO’s 2030 Green House Gas strategy. It focused on the major issues, possible solutions, and long and short-term effects associated with alternative fuels (such as LNG, Methanol, Ammonia, Hydrogen, Nuclear-Power ) and the importance of training seafarers if we are to prevent incidents involving alternative fuels.

Also addressed were sustainability, the environment, the overall industry, and how we are to develop a viable programme of decarbonisation and ensure that we have available the appropriate mandatory training for seafarers. it was vociferously expressed that, for the moment, there is no legislation to effectively address STCW training on alternative fuels, how it should be conducted, and the varying levels of instruction required to properly man ships using these alternative fuels in the future.

Taking part in the first of the panel examining the environment, the industry and alternative fuels were:
Moderator Capt Oli Olsen, BMA Deputy Director Seafarers & Manning Department
• Andrew Alderson, Marine Engineer, The Society for Gas as a Marine Fuel (SGMF)
• Camille Bourgeon, The International Maritime Organisation
• Kenneth English, Chartered Marine Engineer, Waves Group
• Dr Rhianna Neely-Murphy, Environmental Scientist, The Bahamas Department of Environmental Planning & Protection,
• Geir Jorgensen, Senior Vice President, Head of Loss Prevention, Skuld P&I Club
• Martin White, Chief Executive Officer, Stream Marine Group

For the second panel, which discussed the personnel risk when using alternative fuels and what is required for training to enhance the competence of the personnel to operate the ships and equipment using the alternative fuel, we were pleased to welcome:
Moderator Capt Dwain Hutchinson, BMA • Nigel James, Director, The Waves Group
• Tony in’t Hout, Director of Alternative Fuels, Stream Training
• Anders Brodje, Manager, The Bahamas Shipowners’ Association
• Geir Jorgensen, Senior Vice President, Head of Loss Prevention, Skuld P&I Club
• Andrew Alderson, Marine Engineer, SGMF
• Capt Oli Olsen, BMA