Maersk to Lift the Lid on Digital Disruption
Maersk is set to unveil the thinking behind its recent tie-ups with IBM and China’s Alibaba when the firm’s Chief Digital Officer, Ibrahim Gokcen, takes the stage at this year’s Nor-Shipping. The maritime event week, taking place across a series of venues in Oslo and Lillestrøm from May 30 to June 2, has confirmed Gokcen as the latest high-level speaker for a program of discussion that will analyze, and help plot, the future course of the maritime industry.
Gokcen’s appearance at Nor-Shipping comes at a time when Maersk, the world’s largest container shipping company, is creating industry waves with digital initiatives that could, in the long-term, rank as transformational developments for this pivotal shipping segment.
“Maersk is currently taking radical steps forward,” said Nor-Shipping Director Birgit Liodden. “Just this month it announced a collaboration with IBM whereby the two would work together to digitize, manage, and track shipping transactions using blockchain technology – known for powering the digital currency bitcoin.
"This follows on from the news of another groundbreaking collaboration with online retailer Alibaba, whereby its customers can now book space on Maersk vessels via its website – thus giving the cargo owners greater control over their own supply chain."
“These concepts are nothing short of revolutionary within an industry context, and Ibrahim will shed light on the thought processes, opportunities and technology that have been, and will be, central to their realization. Our main theme for this year’s Nor-Shipping is Catalyst for Change and we have a focus on Disruptive Sustainability. I can’t think of anything that encapsulates those concepts more than what Maersk is undertaking right now.”
Gokcen will participate in the Outside the Shipping Box element of Nor-Shipping’s opening conference, joining fellow global industry frontrunners to discuss how digital solutions can disrupt the industry and lead to greater efficiency, performance and sustainability. Other contributors in the debate include Thomas Wilhelmsen, CEO Wilh. Wilhelmsen Group; KD Adamson of Futurenautics; and Marco Ryan, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer of Wartsila; among others.
“Shipping needs to embrace the full potential of digital innovation if it is to retain its leading role in world trade,” Liodden explained, “and to do that we have to collaborate, share ideas and open doors, and minds, to the best solutions from both inside and outside maritime.
“We have tailored our program of speakers and contributors to showcase true thought leaders from shipping, tech, business, academia and politics, providing the audience with a holistic perspective of not just our industry, but of a world in flux, and all the challenges and opportunities that entails.
“Ibrahim’s perspective, and that of Maersk, will be of huge value to that. This is something our delegates can really look forward to.”
A host of high profile names have already been confirmed as speakers for Nor-Shipping 2017, including Leif O. Høegh, Chairman of Höegh Autoliners, Mike Utsler, COO Woodside Energy, Elisabeth Grieg, co-owner of the Grieg Group and CEO of Grieg International AS, Rashpal Bhatti, VP Freight at BHP Billiton, Peter Justesen, Chief Shipping Officer at Engie, global thought leaders Tony Seba and Parag Khanna, and Peggy Liu, Chairperson of Joint US-CHINA Collaboration on Clean Energy (JUCCCE), among others.
Further names will be added in the weeks leading up to Nor-Shipping 2017.
This year’s event week is expected to attract around 35,000 visitors, with almost 1,000 of the world’s leading maritime companies showcasing products and services to the industry, future talent and shipping value chain stakeholders.