The countdown is on: there are just five months left until the first Maritime Transport Efficiency Conference (MTE Conference). Scheduled to take place in Geneva (Switzerland) on May 18 and 19, 2020, the event will bring together stakeholders in research, innovation and technological development with the main players in the maritime transport industry, shipping companies and shipowners. With one objective: create a positive dynamic around sustainability issues, encourage developments aimed at improving the environmental balance sheet and reducing operating costs.
« The conference is taking shape in a very positive way », says its founder Bernard Schopfer. « We don’t want to be just another “green” conference: our goal is to propose something different to the shipping industry, to explore new avenues, to introduce promising players in the field of energy efficiency and provide concrete business opportunities to all stakeholders. With five months to go, we are delighted to see that the conference is generating a lot of interest and anticipation. We are looking forward to the event. »
Organized in the wake of IMO 2020, the MTE Conference will provide an opportunity to discuss the first lessons learned from this set of rules. It will however focus mainly on the future and will present concrete solutions and discuss strategies and technologies developed for IMO 2030 and 2050.
This will be the first time such a conference will be held in Geneva. And yet, no less than 20,000 people work in the shipping industry in Geneva and the town’s role and contribution to the maritime field are important. Indeed, Geneva is home to some of the world’s largest shipping companies, while Switzerland is considered the world’s second largest maritime power from a commercial point of view. Switzerland, and in particular the Lake Geneva region, is a pioneer in technological development. Polytechnic high schools, as well as specialised industries are at the forefront of innovation and many local start-ups, as well as multi-national companies based in the region, have confirmed their participation.