Events on digitalisation and crew well-being on 10th and 11th September to be co-hosted with WISTA International and the four LISW-supported maritime charities, including ISWAN’s International Seafarers’ Welfare Awards.

Inmarsat, the world leader in global mobile satellite communications, has confirmed that it is renewing its support for London International Shipping Week (LISW) when the event returns for its fourth edition from 9th to 13th September 2019. Inmarsat will be holding two industry-shaping events at its City Road headquarters during LISW, focusing on the crucial industry topics of crew welfare and digitalisation.

On 10th September, Inmarsat will host a day-long ‘digitalisation’ event. The day will begin with the launch of a new report into Maritime Start-Ups with presentations from successful Start-Up accelerator programmes across the UK and Europe. This will be followed by a ‘Digitalisation in Marine Insurance’ seminar hosted by Insurance Marine News. The afternoon session will begin with a keynote speech from world-leading futurist Gerd Leonhard, and conclude with a panel discussion on Diversity and Digitalisation in the shipping industry. Inmarsat will co-host this latter event with the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) International.

The second day (11th September), the four LISW nominated charities will come together to ask the industry to share its thoughts on the impact of technology on crew welfare, with a particular emphasis on mental well-being. As the industry embraces new technologies to make shipping safer, quicker and more environmentally friendly, Apostleship of the Sea (Stella Maris), The Mission to Seafarers, Sailors’ Society and Seafarers UK will draw on their 400+ years of combined experience to explore with industry leaders what the seafarers of the future will need in terms of welfare provision.

The crew welfare event at Inmarsat’s HQ will also include a keynote speech from Dr Grahaeme Henderson, Vice President, Shipping & Maritime, Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Ltd on: ‘How Shipping Can Thrive: Today, Tomorrow and in the Future’. His presentation will examine the importance of seafarer well-being to business performance and share examples of technology application, its positive aspects and challenges. The remainder of the event will see four panel discussions covering how technology can improve life on-board, seafarer mental health and how maritime charities can prepare for the new technology age.

The conference will be followed by ISWAN’s International Seafarers’ Welfare Awards ceremony, which honour the welfare heroes of 2019 (as nominated by seafarers) – see www.seafarerswelfareawards.org. To find out more about both events and to register to attend, visit: www2.inmarsat.com/lisw-iswan.