On April 9th, Martin Rowe and Aalok Sharma were invited to participate in panel sessions at the 15th Hong Kong Ship Finance Forum, sharing their insights on geopolitical shifts and the impact on shipping decision-making, as well as how to nurture and retain maritime talent in Hong Kong.
The forum brought together several panels to discuss timely topics. Among the first panel was Martin Rowe, vice president of business development at Anglo-Eastern. Representatives from various sectors, including banking, shipbroking, and consultancy, joined the discussion, focusing on geopolitical shifts and the impact on shipping decision- making. The key takeaway was the industry’s recognition of the need to remain dynamic in the face of these challenges.
The panel reflected on the significant struggles faced by the shipping industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. The importance of acknowledging the hardworking seafarers as essential workers was highlighted, given their crucial role in maintaining the global economy by commuting between their homes and vessels.
During the session, and echoing the sentiments of our CEO Bjorn Hojgaard, Martin introduced a proposal for an amendment to the UN International Labour Organisation MLC. The aim of this proposal is to ensure that the dedicated men and women working on ships never endure such appalling treatment again. The suggestion was to establish “The Safe Humanitarian Repatriation and Embarkation of Seafarers in their Role as Essential Workers on Vessels during a Global Pandemic” as an international law.
Additionally, Aalok Sharma, group head of training at Anglo-Eastern, participated in another important panel discussion at the forum, addressing the challenge of nurturing and retaining young talent in Hong Kong’s maritime industry. Raising awareness among potential seafarers about opportunities within the maritime supply chain was deemed crucial. Guiding and mentoring programmes for students at a young age can capture their interest in the maritime ecosystem that Hong Kong offers and steer them towards maritime studies.
Strengthening collaboration with maritime institutes in Hong Kong was highlighted for continuous skills and knowledge development of future seafarers and support towards subsequent transition to shore-based roles.
Reskilling the workforce and embracing professionals with expertise in behavioural and communication sciences, data analytics, and process excellence is crucial in seizing the opportunities arising from decarbonisation and digitalisation. The panel discussion underscored the vital role of organisational culture in fostering growth and development. As the industry shifts from reactive to proactive approaches, learning from success, active listening, collaboration, and effective communication have become important soft skills scope that organisations must invest in.