Technology change is coming to shipping and will lower operating costs and crewing levels for owners, said shipping executives at Nor-Shipping.
Nikolas Tsakos, president and chief executive of Tsakos Energy Navigation expects technology to lead to a significant drop in crewing levels on tankers. He said in the near future large tankers, which have crew of up to 24 seafarers today, could have as little as 12 on board. “We will see more technology on ships, so we will see less crew, but we will still need well trained people to navigate and maintain our ships,” Mr Tsakos said.
Despite the trend towards reducing crewing, Mr Tsakos said a key issue will be recruiting competent and well trained seafarers. Höegh LNG deputy chairman and Höegh Autoliners chairman Leif Høegh agreed. “It is more difficult to find the right people than to get the capital to deliver a sustainable energy business,” he said. His companies have accessed finance from different sources to drive their businesses forward.
Gulf Navigation group chief executive Khamis Juma Buamim agreed that technology changes are coming to shipping. But this will be driven by owners’ needs to cut costs. “Shipping is going through a transformation and using technology to cut operating costs,” he said at the Nor-Shipping opening conference….(Read More) Source: Marine Electronics & Communications