A global body which combines sustainable shipping and commercial growth, the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI), has released a new report, ‘Signals of Change’, that explores the potential impact of emerging technology, policy and behaviours on the future of sustainable shipping.
The report was developed in partnership with ‘Forum for the Future’ via its futures centre digital platform, as part of an ongoing initiative to collectively track innovations and respond to signals of change in the shipping industry.
Three themes emerged from the report’s analysis, which could evolve to have a significant impact on shipping, including the changing requirements of shipping industry leaders, and the reshaping of supply chains due to manufacturing developments.
Alastair Fischbacher, Chief Executive, The Sustainable Shipping Initiative, said: “Despite the immediate challenges facing shipping, to ensure that the industry is robust, dynamic and profitable in the future, it is important to step back and evaluate how the global innovations that are either outside of, or adjacent to shipping, could have an impact on the sector.
“We live in a world of increasing dynamism and volatility, where drivers such as climate change, growing demand for limited resources and increasing hyper-connectivity will have major effects on business. The industry will be better placed to adapt and seize opportunities if it identifies and understands these signs early on.”
Alastair Fischbacher concluded: “We will continue to monitor how these signals of change take shape within their different contexts as well looking into what other signs are on the horizon.
“As part of our work in this area we are also looking forward to sharing further insights with the futures centre in April [2015] on the social, economic and environmental challenges we are tackling as we progress towards our vision for a truly sustainable industry by 2040.”
