“The shipping industry is being redefined by digitalization,” Tanggaard opines from his office in a rather icy Lillestrøm, Norway. “Connected, smarter ships and businesses are utilizing data in ways that are only restricted by our imaginations, while the way we communicate, consume information and go about our day to day duties has been transformed. Not over the past decade, but over the past few years.”

Leaning forward, Tanggaard, who has been with Nor-Shipping since 2015, assuming the Director role last year, taps the table to stress a point. “But,” he says, pausing to engage deliberate eye contact, “there’s still no better way to connect than this. This – here and now, face-to-face. You meet someone and it takes your relationship and understanding of each other to another level.”

And, looking into his eyes, it’s hard to disagree.

A world of opportunity

Over the past 54 years Nor-Shipping has established itself as the place where maritime meets.

Spanning a 21,000m2 exhibition space in Lillestrøm, and a host of event venues in nearby Oslo, the event week attracts close to 1,000 exhibiting companies and around 35,000 visiting delegates, from 75 different nations, every two years. For 2019 it has repositioned to help its traditional maritime audience take advantage of the growing opportunities within the fast-growing ocean industries, emerging as ‘your arena for ocean solutions’.

The potential this will open up for, for both exhibitors and visitors, is, Tanggaard stresses, immense.

Enabling new business

He explains: “Economic value creation from ocean activities will have doubled by 2030, according to OECD. This gives maritime a unique opening to position itself for growth, utilizing established expertise, infrastructure and assets to prosper within the ocean space.

“So at Nor-Shipping you’ll meet traditional maritime players and key decision makers, but you’ll also meet new people, partners and ideas that can help build your business as they build theirs – for example in the tech sector, renewable energy, finance, food production and innovation. In that way we can help our customers develop sustainable commercial and environmental activity into the future.”

Creating contacts

Taking place from 04 - 07 June Nor-Shipping offers six themed halls, the Ocean Leadership Conference, an array of speaker events and interactive debates, and a lively programme of social activity centred around the ‘Festival Street’ hub in downtown Oslo.

“There’s nowhere else where you can connect with decision makers of this level, all gathered in one place, all eager to network, collaborate and plot a course for future success,” Tanggaard says. “The exhibition and knowledge sharing events are one thing, but the importance of meeting within a social context can’t be overstated either. For example, at the DNV GL BBQ we’ll have around 2,500 of the most important people in our business standing shoulder to shoulder. The chance to converse and build relationships, at that level, is something special.

“Put it this way,” he says with a grin, “you can’t do that over Skype.”

People power

Bringing our conversation to a conclusion, Nor-Shipping’s head says the key to Nor-Shipping’s future success will be the same thing that drives maritime forward - people.

“We can’t build competence, relationships, innovations, profit and sustainability in isolation,” Tanggaard stresses. “We have to work together to fully realize this industry’s potential. And the best way to do that isn’t via the internet; it’s with a handshake, a smile and the chance to fully understand one another’s capabilities.

“In 2019 the place to do that is Nor-Shipping.”

Nor-Shipping 2019

• IT & Navigation in Hall B
• Safety & Rescue in Hall C
• Shipbuilding & Repair in Hall D
• Maritime Services & Logistics in Hall E
• Propulsion & Machinery in Hall E

   

http://www.nor-shipping.com