SHIPPING industry kahunas will meet in Dubai for the Shaping the Future of Shipping Summit, which is connected to the UNFCCC Climate Conference COP28.
The summit will take place on 10 December and will follow a ministerial roundtable at COP28, hosted by the UAE’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure.
The Shaping the Future of Shipping Summit will culminate with a gala dinner held in honour of the International Maritime Organization Secretary General Kitack Lim prior to his stepping down from the IMO at the end of the year.
The summit, which is being organised by the International Chamber of Shipping and a range of industry bodies, will once again bring together governments and leaders in energy, maritime and all parts of the value chain. The aim of the event is to work on the practical solutions and take forward plans to address climate change, help sustainably transition the industry and prepare the workforce.
This will build on the momentum of the historic agreement made at the IMO during MEPC80 in July 2023. The summit is an opportunity for industry leaders and policymakers to identify the practical actions needed to deliver on the direction set out by governments at the IMO and during the COP negotiations.
The plans for COP28 are being announced following discussions with Hessa al Malek, advisor to the UAE minister for maritime transport affairs and Guy Platten, ICS secretary general, which took place at the IMO in London in July. Key issues in the energy maritime value chain were discussed, as well as plans for COP28.
Hessa al Malek said: “As we prepare to host COP28 and the Shaping the Future of Shipping Summit, we acknowledge the vital role of international collaboration in tackling the challenges posed by climate change in the maritime industry. This event will serve as a platform to foster dialogue among governments, industry leaders, and experts, driving practical solutions to reduce emissions and enhance the resilience of our workforce. The UAE is committed to contributing to the global efforts aimed at building a greener and more sustainable maritime sector.”
Mr Platten said all industries and governments have a responsibility to tackle climate change, but goals cannot be achieved alone.
“This is why Shaping the Future of Shipping is such an important event. This summit is an opportunity to bring sectors and governments together in one place to talk about our challenges and most importantly find tangible solutions to achieve our goals,” he said.
“Twenty fifty is not that far away so we must keep momentum going for increased collaboration and cooperation. Infrastructure, fuel availability, financing, preparing our workforce to handle low and zero carbon emission fuels are all challenges we need to urgently address.”
