Driving change through technology
The history of shipping shows that we can achieve remarkable things when we have vision, innovative technology, and the spirit of collaboration. As we work towards a zero harm maritime industry, we are looking at the watershed events in marine history when these elements came together and spurred us on to be better. We believe we need some of that spark now, to get us to our ultimate goal of zero harm, and we have bold ideas about how to get moving.
The Panama Canal: Making a better world through the ambitious use of technology
The Panama Canal is an extraordinary feat of engineering that brought together talent from across the globe and changed the world. Its impact can’t be understated: it increased connectivity and trade, reduced shipping times and fuel consumption, spared seafarers from travelling perilous routes and lowered the risks of catastrophic incidents. The Panama Canal is an example of what can happen when technology is harnessed in service of an ambitious vision. And even today the Canal is one of the leaders in technology adoption in the world.
The Panama Canal shaved about 8,000 nautical miles off journeys between the two coasts of North America.
“Love the sea and it will respond in kind” - Anna Shchetinina
Anna Shchetinina: democratising shipping
The pioneering Anna Shchetinina was the first woman to captain an ocean-going vessel. For an individual, this was a remarkable personal achievement in the male-dominated shipping industry of the 1930s. For the industry, this was a signal that things had changed. And changed for the better. Shchetinina paved the way for greater diversity and inclusivity in shipping, allowing more talent, ideas, and equity to come to the fore. At a single stroke, the industry was open for diversification.
The introduction of AIS and the power of working together
In 2002, the maritime Automatic Identification System (AIS) was introduced as a mandatory addition to ships. This single change was one of the greatest safety advances in maritime history. Overnight, it enabled ships to avoid collisions, better navigate busy shipping lanes, and provide accurate traffic information. All of this saved ships and saved lives. And it was only possible because the maritime industry and the international community realised it needed to work together to address a challenge. When we unite behind a shared vision, we get things done.
Reduced risk of collision after the mandatory adoption of AIS
