|
 Safety, Environment
& Security |
 |
 |
 |
| WEBSITES |
|
|
| |
Editorial:
Community challenges
It is all connected, of course. The business of running ships
is generating a wide range of related maritime activities across Northern
Europe. Small towns like Groningen, Haren/Ems, Marstal, Skärhamn,
Mariehamn and Grimstad, not to speak of shipping centres like Rotterdam,
Hamburg, Copenhagen and Oslo, do all have companies and institutions which
fit together in an extensive European maritime network.
 The
smaller towns generally have their strong points in hands-on operation,
access to maritime competence and close bonds to service suppliers, whereas
the cities are important for chartering, financing, insurance and logistics.
The
last 25 years have seen the maritime industries in Northern Europe adapt
to fundamental changes. Shipbuilding has largely lost out to low-cost
yards in the Far East, the coasting trade to road transportation, national
seafarers to foreign. Yet the fleet has grown and the industries consolidated
into fewer and larger entities. And with it, much of the local maritime
strength have whittled into oblivion.
Still
our European maritime network is being challenged by a slide of structural
changes.
Whatever we do, the supply of seafarers and maritime competence is steadily
shifting to low-wage countries in Eastern Europe and the Far East. Shipbuilders
and equipment manufacturers are struggling hard to remain competitive.
The erosion of maritime comptence will, in time, lead to the outsourcing
of management to other regions, a trend which will redirect purchasing
and supplies towards other channels.
Similarly,
the decline in shipbuilding and equipment production is clearly detrimental
to shipping as the entire maritime-technical content is suffering with
negative consequences for entrepreneurial spill-over, cross-fertilization
and innovation.
These challenges must be dealt with if we wish to ensure continued development
of our maritime industry.
The
content of competence is essential, but so is also the commercial adaption
towards logistic providers. The key, of course, lies with the people within
the communities, their understanding of long-term perspectives and ability
to communicate the importance of the maritime cluster to political bodies.
Hardware
production will need new approaches to subcontracting to low-cost suppliers,
establishing new supply lines without losing the market.
And
above all, a certain degree of economic co-operation based on the recognition
of the value of human “software”. This is, after all, the only
significant advantage for Europe’s shipping industry.
 Dag
Bakka Jr, Editor, Norway
Back to SSG 7, August 23
Latest update 18-10-2006 8:49
|
|
 CURRENT SSG |
|
No 12/2008
Order a copy
|
 |
| CURRENT SST |
|
No 15/2008
Köp numret
|
|
|
2002