Isle of Man Maritime Conference: A Recap

Friday 19th July marked a significant milestone for the Isle of Man maritime industry with the very first Isle of Man Maritime Conference.

This event brought together experts and enthusiasts from all over the world to discuss the pressing issues and future directions of the maritime industry. The conference was both enlightening and inspiring with talks on a range of topics including ESG, digital in maritime, artificial intelligence and more, and below is a breakdown of five key takeaways from each session. 

Introduction to the Isle of Man's maritime history 

Located in the centre of the Irish Sea, the Isle of Man's maritime history is both deep and storied. This session was delivered in opening remarks from His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer who covered the Island’s historical and contemporary contributions to maritime and underlined its pivotal role in the sector. 

Notable highlights included: 

1. Sir William Hillary and the RNLI

Founded in the Isle of Man, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) celebrates 200 years in 2024 and provides lifeboat services for safety at sea for not only the Isle of Man but the entire British coastline. Hillary was also instrumental in the construction of the Tower of Refuge and Douglas Breakwater to provide shelter in Douglas harbour.

2. Enduring Maritime Legacy 

In addition to Sir William Hillary, our heritage also includes Manxman Captain John Quilliam who was First Lieutenant aboard the HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

3. Sustainable Initiatives

The Isle of Man is a hub for innovative maritime initiatives and technologies including Eyesea, Marine Kleen, and Beach Buddies – all of which drive sustainability and help us maintain some of the cleanest beaches in the world.

4. Our Geographic Significance

As the central point of the British Isles, the Isle of Man is crucial to UK maritime activities

5. Isle of Man's Maritime DNA

Maritime has long been in the Isle of Man’s lifeblood and is a tradition that deserves both celebration and robust support.

State of UK Maritime 

Chris Shirling Rooke MBE, CEO of Maritime UK, delivered a session on the state of maritime in the UK, providing a comprehensive overview of the industry’s current landscape and future priorities. Chris delved into the industry’s scale, the significance on the global stage, and strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing its impact and recognition.

1. Industry Size 

Maritime is larger than aviation and rail combined, with an estimated 25% of energy and 50-75% of food arriving by sea.

2. Political Engagement

Maritime UK actively engaged MPs ahead of the UK election, sending letters to all 650 MP candidates to raise industry awareness and build support with the aim to increase their caucus of MPs across the UK.

3. Maritime UK's Focus Areas

Over the next 12 months, the emphasis will be on developing people, skills, and regions to strengthen the maritime sector through themes such as tech and innovation, careers, and diversity and inclusion.

4. Coastal Communities 

Maritime lives in coastal communities, so Maritime UK is focusing on regional clusters and Coastal Powerhouse Summits to drive collaboration and development in coastal areas. 

5. Event Calendar 

Maritime UK has a packed schedule for 2024-25 to boost industry participation, collaboration and growth, including presentations at both party conferences in September.

ESG in Maritime 

Next was a panel discussion on ESG in maritime with industry leaders Stephanie Hatton -IFA Corporate Benefits Executive at Zurich, Gina Panayioutou - Founder and CEO at Oceans Arena, and Marius Suteu - CTO and Board Member at Eyesea. The session discussed ESG best practices, evaluating ESG impact, and how to drive ESG forward in the maritime sector. 

1. What does ESG and sustainability mean to you? 

Everyone has an environmental footprint so ESG applies to us all. The industry's current understanding of ESG is very low despite the concept emerging over 20 years ago - not due to lack of effort, but more because ESG is fluid and there's no one-size-fits-all solution. ESG is more than charity donations or recycling; it requires a clear strategy and deep understanding of what drives your operations. ESG is a continuous journey of learning and collaboration unique to each company who should strive to build an ever-growing knowledge base.

2. What will have the biggest impact on the industry in the next five years? 

The panel formed the three Rs: regulation (through upcoming CSRD legislation), responsibility (taking ownership and undertaking strategic ESG planning), and recruitment (addressing the skills gap). As Marius put it, the ESG journey is like navigating a ship - it's unique to each company depending on the route, the obstacles, the conditions etc. and it requires input from all departments like a crew all pulling in the same direction. 

3. What is the difference between CSR and ESG? 

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and ESG share similarities, but they differ in scope and intent. CSR is more ego-centric and tends to focus on company image, while ESG is a broader, global effort driven by personal belief in making a difference. Strengthened by SDGs, ESG seeks to maximise a company's positive impact on the world by making the most of resources and contributing to global betterment. 

4. Are companies investing millions in ESG? 

Effective ESG isn't about throwing money at problems and greenwashing is a concern as companies superficially invest in ESG without meaningful impact. However, cost shouldn't be the primary focus as true ESG efforts can be cost-effective and valuable without massive investment. The true measure of success lies in how these efforts align with the company's core values and future needs, such as supporting the next generation of seafarers. If leadership’s first question is about cost, it’s a sign to reassess the approach. ESG is about engagement, purpose, and making a difference, not about PR or flashy investments.

5. How do companies drive ESG? 

ESG requires a mix of strategic investment, effective communication, and a focus on long-term solutions. ESG is a necessary journey, but one that must be approached at the right pace, with transparency and honesty. Companies should focus on empowering communities, not just offering temporary fixes. Leadership engagement is critical, as is collaboration, to ensure that ESG goals are met meaningfully and sustainably.

Artificial Intelligence 

Jason Bissell’s engaging discussion on artificial intelligence (AI) in maritime highlighted the transformative potential of generative AI and automation, particularly with supporting complex and/or time-consuming processes. His session emphasised the current presence and future promise of AI within maritime, balancing regulatory considerations and global best practices.

1. AI is already here

Many people are concerned thinking ‘AI is coming’ but as Jason pointed out, AI is already here and being used on a broad scale across multiple industries which should provide both comfort and inspiration for applying it to maritime 

2. Embracing AI 

We shouldn’t fear AI as it can offer significant benefits, such as enhancements to maritime operations using AI agents who can support the automation of complex workflows as a virtual “co-worker” which Jason demonstrated with several video demos of AI agents in action.

3. Striking a regulatory balance

We are in a fortunate position on the Isle of Man as our regulatory environment strikes a good balance, avoiding the extremes of the EU legislation (too much) and US (not enough) which allows us to be innovative and creative while keeping it under control.

4. Learnings from Singapore

Singapore’s AI framework is well underway and serves a model that we can learn from, with Jason bringing insights from his 13-year experience there to inform his work with Digital Isle of Man as they begin their AI journey.

5. Meeting legislative complexity with AI

Each jurisdiction and regulator have their own stipulations which are also constantly evolving, so AI can help to streamline compliance with diverse legislative requirements as they develop, making it more manageable to meet each one.

Digital Transformation in Maritime

The final session I attended was presented by PDMS’ very own Bruce McGregor and it focused on the ongoing digital transformation within the maritime industry. Bruce explored the multi-faceted journey of digitalisation, emphasising the importance of data, the challenges faced, and the strategic imperatives for success:

1. It's a journey, not a product 

Digital transformation is a continuous process, not a one-time product or fix so you should always keep evolving and also beware of companies who say 'we have the perfect product for that' 

2. Important role of data in digital transformation

Accurate data is essential for effective digital transformation as it provides a foundation for change and acts as both an enabler (when done right) and a challenge (when done wrong) 

3. Meeting your business goals

The best starting point is to align your transformation with your organisational goals, which helps ensure business model relevance, drives sustainability for your business, and ties it into your productivity, competitiveness and convenience

4. Key considerations for planning 

Common challenges with digital transformation include cultural resistance ('if it ain't broke, don't fix it'), data quality, complexity and security - however, none of these are insurmountable and with the right planning and support, you can meet these challenges head on

5. Who cares wins 

Ultimately, digital transformation success comes down to prioritising the time and convenience of both your staff and customers which should be the guiding lights of any digital transformation journey

In conclusion

The inaugural Isle of Man Maritime Conference was a resounding success, providing valuable insights and setting a positive trajectory for the future of maritime on the island and beyond. It was fascinating to hear such informative and positive discussions which celebrated both the rich maritime heritage of the Isle of Man and the innovative strides being made to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future!