Danish Maritime Forum Looks to the Future
Posted by Michelle Howard
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
What will the future of the global maritime industry look like when the fundamentals are changing? This will be the key question when more than 200 of the most influential leaders from all parts of the global maritime value chain convene for the Danish Maritime Forum in Copenhagen over the next two days.
The Danish Maritime Forum takes place at a time when the future of the industry looks more uncertain and more unpredictable than ever. Fundamental shifts in the economy and technological advances are transforming the industry at an unprecedented pace.
There is no indication that this trend will be short-lived. We may be entering a phase of profound uncertainty in the evolution of the global economy. Regionalism is on the rise and an increasing number of state and non-state actors are jockeying for power, resources and other strategic gains. The rise of protectionism and isolationist sentiments are eroding the very basis for global collaboration. It is undermining the ability to address structural shifts in the global economy and to make the growth more inclusive. Governments are failing to coordinate monetary and fiscal policies and appear unwilling to forge new trade deals, hampering the business community’s ability to expand cross-national supply chains.
At the same time, the global system of production and distribution is undergoing a profound transformation. New technologies are emerging more quickly than we can imagine them. The digitization of everything coupled with the accessibility and affordability of even the most complex of technologies is spreading technological change farther and faster than ever before. Platform-based business models are challenging many traditionally asset-driven industries. This will have far-reaching societal and economic consequences.
At the Danish Maritime Forum key leaders will discuss the impact of these changes on global value chains and how the maritime industry can work together to manage the risks and reap the rewards of this transformation and increase long-term economic development and human wellbeing.
After 28 hours, all participants will come together for a so-called fishbowl – where all can, at any time, join the conversation – to present and share the results of the work they have done and discuss practical next steps to take these ideas forward.