What do you consider to be the key trends that will shape the development of the Shipping & Ports sector in the coming years, particularly in terms of the skills and preparedness of professionals in the sector?
The maritime and port sector is undergoing a period of particularly rapid transformation. I would say there are five major trends currently unfolding that will shape the coming years:
(i) decarbonisation;
(ii) digitisation;
(iii) automation;
(iv) the growing use of data and artificial intelligence;
(v) strengthening security and cybersecurity.
What is unique about this period of transformation is that these trends do not occur in isolation. A ship will be simultaneously more digital, more automated and operated using more complex energy systems. Ports will increasingly become digital, energy-efficient logistics hubs integrated with other modes of transport. This means that professionals, too, will have to combine skills that traditionally belonged to different fields.
We will, of course, continue to need excellent seafarers, engineers, port managers and logistics professionals. But these professionals will need to understand digital systems, interpret data, interact with artificial intelligence and automated systems, and, at the same time, operate new energy technologies safely.
I therefore consider that The main challenge will not be to replace traditional maritime skills, but to complement them with new digital, technological and environmental skills.
There is yet another factor that I consider essential: preserving human decision-making capacity. The more automated systems become, the more important it will be to train professionals capable of understanding their limitations, identifying anomalous situations and taking charge of decision-making when technology fails. Critical thinking will become increasingly important.
The digital transformation of the shipping industry does not eliminate the need for maritime skills. On the contrary: it requires even more highly qualified professionals, capable of combining knowledge of the sea, engineering, data and technology.
How are issues such as digitalisation, automation, decarbonisation, maritime safety and new port management systems transforming the professional profiles required in the shipping industry and at ports?
Rather than professionals specialising in a particular piece of equipment or process, we will increasingly need professionals who are capable of understanding and managing integrated systems.
On a modern ship, an officer does not simply work with navigation or propulsion systems. They work with sensors, monitoring systems, integrated control systems, digital communications, predictive maintenance and decision-support tools. Increasingly, they will also need to understand the underlying logic of the systems they use and be able to critically evaluate the information these systems produce.
The energy transition introduces an additional dimension. The use of new fuels, or new energy solutions, with different technical characteristics, risks and safety procedures, requires new skills in relation to storage, supply, operation, maintenance and emergency response.
The result is a gradual convergence between maritime expertise, engineering, logistics, energy and digital technologies.
At the same time, I believe it is very important to avoid the notion that digitalisation means removing the human element from operations. In complex and critical systems, technology should enhance professionals’ capabilities rather than diminish their ability to assess and make decisions.
Which emerging technologies or fields do you think should start to feature more prominently in maritime and port training?
I would highlight seven areas that I consider particularly relevant, in no particular order of importance:
The first is the use of data. Ships and ports now generate enormous amounts of information. Knowing how to collect, interpret and transform this data into operational decisions will be a cross-cutting skill;
The second is the artificial intelligence. AI has growing potential for application in route optimisation, predictive maintenance, energy efficiency, port management, logistics forecasting and decision support. The aim should not be to train all maritime professionals as specialists in artificial intelligence, but to ensure that they understand its possibilities, limitations and risks;
The third is the maritime cybersecurity. Ships and ports are increasingly interconnected pieces of infrastructure. This boosts efficiency enormously, but also increases exposure to cyber threats. In the current international geopolitical landscape, the risk of cyber threats has increased significantly. Cybersecurity should therefore gradually become a cross-cutting competence;
The fourth area is the alternative fuels and new energy systems. Methanol, ammonia, hydrogen, electrification, batteries and fuel cells will require specific training, particularly in the areas of safety, operation and maintenance;
The fifth is the automation and autonomous and remotely operated systems. Even if the move towards fully autonomous ships is not on the horizon, levels of automation will continue to rise and there will be more operations supervised or supported from shore;
Friday is the advanced simulation, virtual reality and digital twins. These technologies make it possible to simulate complex or high-risk situations without putting people or equipment at risk, and are particularly important in a field where operational experience is crucial;
Finally, I would highlight the intelligent port management and logistics systems, including port call optimisation, port-ship integration, energy management, smart ports and greater integration of logistics chains.
These technologies should, however, be incorporated into training with a view to their practical application.
What challenges do you see in the link between education, business and innovation?
Technology can change within a few months, whereas a degree course is necessarily designed to last several years, and international regulations require even longer processes of discussion, harmonisation and approval.
Initial training will continue to be essential because it provides a solid scientific, technical and operational foundation. However, it will become increasingly difficult to regard a professional’s training as complete once they have received their degree.
Therefore, the solution will necessarily have to involve a combination of higher education, specialised training, micro-credentials and lifelong learning.
Links with businesses are equally essential. Businesses have direct access to new equipment, technologies and operational challenges. Educational institutions possess knowledge, research capacity, laboratories and the ability to test solutions in a simulated environment that is increasingly close to reality.
It is also important to involve companies and training institutions at an early stage in the development of new technologies. We often think of the technology first and only later ask who will be operating it. In a critical sector such as the maritime sector, the human factor should be part of the innovation process right from the start.
Looking ahead to the coming years, what role might organisations such as ENIDH and the Hub Azul network play?
Institutions such as ENIDH can act as a a bridge between training, research, technology and maritime operations.
ENIDH has one particularly significant feature: as a higher education institution with a mission that is unique in the country, with expertise in teaching, training and research applied to the sector, it is closely linked both to maritime vocational training and to the operational realities of the sector. This position enables us to identify skills needs, test new training approaches, utilise advanced simulation and collaborate with companies in adapting to new technologies.
I see three main areas for action:
The first is, of course, the talent development, both through initial training and through the ongoing professional development of those already in the labour market.
The second is the technological experimentation and demonstration. Simulators, laboratories and collaborative projects make it possible to carry out simulations in a virtual reality environment, test new solutions, assess their impact on operations and prepare staff before they are used in a real-world setting.
The third is the collaborative innovation. And this is where networks such as Hub Azul Portugal can play a particularly important role.
Higher education institutions, research centres, ports, maritime companies, shipowners, technology firms and start-ups possess relevant knowledge and skills in a range of areas. Often, the main challenge is not to generate more knowledge, but to better link existing knowledge to the practical problems faced by industry.
The Blue Hub can help to bring these sectors closer together by creating spaces where companies present challenges, researchers develop solutions, start-ups test technologies and educational institutions turn this innovation into new skills.
This coordination is particularly important in a country such as Portugal. Given its geographical position, the extent of its maritime territory, the importance of its ports and its Atlantic orientation, Portugal is well placed to establish itself not only as a user of maritime technology, but also as a centre for the development, testing and demonstration of new solutions for the maritime and port sector.
ENIDH aims to contribute to this objective through its core mission: to train highly qualified professionals for the maritime and port sector and related areas of the blue economy, whilst at the same time bringing together knowledge, talent, technology and businesses.
