During the first 45 minutes, two keynote addresses will be delivered. Professor Claudio Aporta, Canadian Chair in Marine Environmental Protection and UArctic x Lloyd’s Register Foundation Research Fellow from WMU, will speak on Arctic shipping and Indigenous coastal communities. Professor Dimitrios Dalaklis, UArctic Chair in Search and Rescue (SAR), will present on "Educated Guesses about Regulatory Interventions Needed in the Arctic." This will be followed by a discussion moderated by Professor Aykut Ölcer, Director of Maritime Research and Head of the Maritime Energy Management Specialization.
In the latter 45 minutes, UArctic will lead the session with Marianne Hagen starting a fireside chat with Lars Kullerud, President of UArctic. This will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Linde Dahle from Gard and Øistein Jensen from Odfjell. The panel will examine safety challenges in Arctic waters, particularly as increasing interest in the region and climate change contribute to heightened maritime traffic. Topics will include shifting sea ice, sparse infrastructure, and long distances from support services—all of which complicate maritime operations in the Arctic. Industry stakeholders such as shipping companies, maritime technology developers, and insurers are playing an increasingly central role in addressing these challenges. The private sector is actively developing advanced navigation systems, remote sensing tools, vessel monitoring solutions, and emergency response technologies to enhance situational awareness and reduce operational risks in Arctic waters. Moreover, the significant economic implications of maritime incidents make risk management and security top priorities for commercial operators.
The session will be hosted at Nor-Shipping Conference, Ocean Campus - upper floor, D2 on the 4th of June, 13:30-15:00.