Big Hitters To Debate Ocean Sustainability During Portugal Shipping Week.

The inaugural Portugal Shipping Week has attracted some big hitters to discuss shipping’s role in saving the world’s oceans.

Debating the topic of “Our Ocean, Our Common Future” will be:

IMO Secretary General, Kitack Lim
United Nations Special Envoy for the Ocean, Peter Thomson
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Executive Secretary and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Assistant Director, Vladimir Ryabinin
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Chief Scientist, James Garvin
Government of France Secretary General of the Sea (SGMer), Vincent Bouvier

Together they will consider sustainable ocean business solutions in areas including the shipping industry, ocean engineering and robotics, fishing, tourism, maritime security and environmental protection. Further speakers will be confirmed shortly.

Announcing the prestigious line-up, Minister of the Sea, Ana Paula Vitorino declared: “We need to work together for a happier and more sustainable world”.

She told guests at the packed Portugal Shipping Week launch event, attended by diplomats from 48 countries, that the world was moving away from the idea of embarking on projects first and then addressing the emerging environmental concerns after and instead putting sustainability as a first priority.

“Now it is about how to respect the planet and how to respect the oceans,” she said. “All working together we must find solutions”.

And she called on the assembled diplomats to stop the ‘chit chat’ and make decisions: “We need your commitment to become stronger and stronger”.

Organised by the Portuguese Ministry of the Sea and Shipping Innovation, creator of London International Shipping Week, this week of high profile Government and maritime industry events will be attended by leaders from all sectors of the international shipping and maritime industries.

Portugal Shipping Week is being held from September 17 to 21. The Oceans Meeting 2018 takes place on Thursday September 20 in Lisbon’s Gare Marítima de Alcântara. Other highlights of the week include the flagship Portugal Shipping Week Conference on Tuesday September 18, which takes the theme: ‘Future Challenges for a new Shipping Generation; Galp Energia’s Atlantic Meeting on Wednesday 19 September and Seatrade Cruise Med – the world’s largest cruise industry event focused on the Mediterranean and adjoining seas – which takes place from September 19 to 20.

Other key components include the Ocean Business Week business-to-business meet and greet and maritime services exhibition; a three-day Government-run science exhibition called Mar Profundo Português (Portuguese Deep Sea); a high-level Bunkering Round Table; shipping training courses and informative port visits.

As Portugal Shipping Week gathers momentum, more conferences, seminars, courses, networking events and hands-on activities are being added daily – see the event website for latest information: www.portugalshippingweek.com