Digital Ship is excited to be heading to Shanghai, for the first time, to deliver our Maritime CIO Forum. The focus of this forum is on Smart Shipping and the impact of innovation and digital advancement in the maritime industry and the future of shipping. The aim is to provide a forum for shipping industry leaders and executives to discuss initiatives, ideas, outlook, opportunities and indeed challenges that face the shipping sector - as well as a chance to talk about how we can best harness digital transformation in our shipping operations.

Event Summary:
The Maritime CIO Forum in Shanghai has been developed to address the issues and trends that technology leaders face in an increasingly changing and continuously developing business environment.

Staying ahead of the innovation curve, and with the digitalisation of the maritime sector at the core of this changing landscape, Digital Ship is pleased to be heading to China this year with our Maritime CIO Forum, where the focus is on how to harness opportunities, and how to address the challenges and questions which advances in technology are posing to our industry.

Through an opening scene setter, and four key focus sessions and  interactive panel discussions, we will ask how the industry is  responding to change and investigate what technology and digital  transformation can do for us.

Opening Session 1

China's Marine Economy: Balancing Industrial Innovation with Sustainable Development
The last quarter century has seen dramatic change in the global economy, backed by unprecedented technological advancements. Liu Xiaoming, the Chinese Ambassador to the UK recently stated: "Over the past five years alone, China's growth has contributed more than 30 per cent of global growth, and China's investment and trade created 15 million jobs worldwide every year, including 180,000 jobs in the countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Maritime Silk Road routes."

China's maritime economy is going through strong growth and development. Lu Zhongwei, the former president of China Institute of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), has said "We must put innovation at the heart of the development of the marine economy, solve problems, increase incentives, and achieve the innovation-driven pattern." 

So how will technology drive this growth, and how will we balance industrial innovation with sustainable development?

Session 2

The Maritime Satcom Summit
Investigating the evolution of maritime mobility and connectivity

The ever-growing use of on-board applications and increased data flows - such as those used for maritime safety and protection, vessel tracking and performance analysis - means that the shipping sector requires ever more reliable data communications.

This opening session will look at how innovation and evolution in maritime connectivity is changing the maritime landscape by improving operational agility, enhancing efficiency, creating a safer, more secure environment for passengers and crew alike, reducing costs for the ship owner and manager.

Session 3

Harnessing Maritime Cyber Resilience
A look at maritime cyber security, safety and risk

This expert led session will look at how the industry is reacting to the advent of increased cyber threats borne out of the growing use of cloud and IoT applications, the number of devices used, and larger ships but fewer crew - meaning even more reliance on automation and remote monitoring. The Forum will discuss what policies, guidelines and best practices are already in place, and how the industry can identify, quantify and mitigate cyber risk. We will also ask if there is a gulf between perception and reality, and what are the real business risks?

Session 4

Blockchain and its Impact on the Maritime Industry
Addressing the long-term advantages and opportunities, and how Blockchain will streamline trade and transport

Every shipment must pass a barrage of scrutiny and tests before reaching its final destination. Delays can result in reduced profits. The rise of digitization and the use of Blockchain can ensure faster, safer and more scalable processes for all involved, resulting in better business outcomes overall. But how will Blockchain technologies become a standard platform and be made scalable and accessible to all?

Session 5

The iShipping Revolution
Reviewing smart shipping

How big data usage and management is expanding the boundaries of smart shipping - and how can we harness this disruptive influence to build the real business. We know that the maritime sector is on the cusp of dramatic change - how can we harness all this data and information to make shipping smarter, safer, and more sustainable? What value can shipping companies take from the launch of collaborative data platforms and ecosystems, and how is digital disruption changing the face of trade and transport.