Navigating the future at the Coastal Powerhouse Conference

Held at ABP’s Ocean Terminal in Southampton the landmark event centred around bringing together industry leaders, academics, policymakers, and start-ups to accelerate innovation and decarbonisation across the coastal and maritime economy.

During the second day of the conference, Dr Laurie Wright, Associate Professor and Founding Director of the Centre for Marine Sustainability at Solent, outlined how the University’s cutting-edge research and innovation is tackling the maritime sector’s most pressing challenges, from pollution and emissions to safety at sea and seafarer shortages.

In addition to the industry’s decarbonisation and digitalisation innovations, he went on to outline the need for a new approach to seafarer education and training.

“Shifting from a traditionally competency-based approach, rooted in the industry’s past, to a lifelong learning and skills model will be essential for the maritime industry to keep up with the pace of rapid technological advancement,” said Dr Wright.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) suggests that the global maritime industry could face a shortfall 100,000 - 300,000 qualified seafarers in the next decade – driven by an aging workforce a decline in recruitment, and rapidly evolving operational requirements due to digitalisation and decarbonisation.

While automation and digitalisation will reduce the number of crew needed, this transition creates a new demand for a digitally skilled workforce. The industry will need seafarers who can operate and maintain sophisticated digital systems, manage remote operations, and safely handle new alternative fuels, leading to a widening skills gap in the existing workforce.

Dr Wright concluded, “We need to plan for the future, and we need to make our industry attractive to those who might not have previously considered maritime as a career.”

“We need to develop new education and training capacity to upskill, plug the gaps and attract new talent and collaboration to an industry that will require professionals with digital competencies, cybersecurity proficiency and an understanding of AI science. If we don’t, we will exacerbate the existing global shortage of seafarers and other maritime professionals.” 

Find out more about the work of Solent's Maritime Sustainability Centre here.