Maritime symposium sets agenda on smart shipping

CoGC Riverside Campus, Faculty of Nautical Studies

City of Glasgow College’s innovative approach to maritime education is reflected in its Smart Shipping Symposium which takes places in June.

The need for qualified seafarers familiar with the latest maritime technology is essential for the development of the shipping industry as it rapidly embraces digitalisation.

Just how smart ships and the crew who operate them can become will be debated by industry leading experts at the college’s second maritime symposium which aims to get the industry working in tandem and set a platform to address the future skills gap in the maritime industry.

Paul Little, Principal and Chief Executive at City of Glasgow College, said:

“This year our maritime symposium brings together industry-leading speakers who will share their collective experience and vision for how smart shipping can be achieved. It is a measure of our college’s world class reputation that this annual symposium attracts such renowned experts from the UK Chamber of Shipping to Rolls Royce. I look forward to a stimulating debate which will contribute to the ongoing global dialogue around smart shipping.”  

Dleep Fotedar, Symposium Director for the Faculty of Nautical Studies, City of Glasgow College, said:

“Just last year the maritime industry buzzed with new terminology such as big data, disrupters and autonomous ships. The underlying theme being that new technology will radically change the maritime working environment. Now in 2018 we will hear from the policy makers about the current state of affairs and look at some of the existing Smart shipping technology and Smart shipping practice.

“The focus is once more on the human element and how we can interact with and exploit these new technologies to help the industry work smarter. It is exciting to once again host respected speakers from across the industry and to input to this challenging new chapter in maritime history.”

The symposium will be held over Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 June at the college’s City campus and will centre on specific topics in relation to smart shipping:

  • The UK Government’s perspective on Smart Shipping
  • Connected ecosystems to improve safety and profitability
  • SMART technologies such as green propulsion, blockchains in transportation and the use of drones in confined spaces
  • Relevance of Bletchley Park’s WWII operation to modern cyber security.