Nor-Shipping Lands Maersk to Drive Disruptive Sustainability

Leading maritime event week Nor-Shipping has recruited Sofia Fürstenberg, formerly Innovation Portfolio Manager with Maersk Maritime Technology, to push its ground-breaking Disruptive Sustainability concept. The whole of Hall A at Nor-Shipping 2017, taking place in Oslo and Lillestrøm, Norway, from 30 May to 2 June, will be dedicated to the theme, which aims to drive development by challenging convention and embracing innovation.

Fürstenberg is well known as an industry innovator. With over a decade of shipping experience, the Swede has spent the last five years with A.P Moeller Maersk. Her role centered on designing and developing a 15 year technology vision for Maersk Line and building Maersk Maritime Technology’s innovation capability. This involved leading the company’s industry wide collaborations while developing, and promoting, radical innovations to benefit the business, and all its diverse stakeholders. High profile projects included securing success for the Danish collaboration consortium BlueINNOship, and pioneering disruptive ship concepts for Maersk Line’s newbuilding department.

“Our capture of Sofia is a real achievement,” says Birgit Liodden, Nor-Shipping Director. ”I’ve crossed paths with her many times over recent years and always admired her ambition, intellect and sheer passion for finding new solutions to today’s industry challenges.

“She is the ideal person to spearhead our efforts in Disruptive Sustainability – a concept that throws open the industry door to new ways of thinking, working together and innovative technologies. The rate of global change is accelerating with each passing day and shipping needs to challenge its conventional business models, technology and practices to remain at the vanguard of world trade. Sofia is the right person to help enable, build and promote this movement.”

Hall A is one of five themed exhibition arenas at Nor-Shipping. It will feature trailblazers from the world of shipping alongside leading companies and innovations from the wider business scene. This will create a unique environment for a sharing of insights and cross-fertilization of ideas – unlike anything else in the industry exhibition calendar.

Fürstenberg believes it has the potential to be a game changer. She notes: “Hall A will be a melting pot of innovation, collaboration, talented individuals and future-focused companies. It’s a different way of approaching the industry and marks a fresh way of thinking. The opportunity is huge, for myself as well as for Nor-Shipping and shipping as a whole.”

She continues: “My network, knowledge and experience of working in an international and collaborative context within the maritime space provides an excellent foundation for developing this bold concept and hall. I believe I’m well placed to effectively motivate, guide and facilitate the creation of what will be a dynamic, interactive and exciting showcase of new ideas and opportunities.”

Alongside 22,500 sqm of exhibition space, Nor-Shipping will offer a diverse and powerful speaker and event line-up, with a packed program of business and social gatherings across city center Oslo and its facilities in Lillestrøm.

The week is expected to attract around 35,000 visitors, with almost 1,000 of the world’s leading maritime companies showcasing products and services to the industry, future talent and shipping value chain stakeholders.

Nor-Shipping 2017 takes place in Oslo and Lillestrøm, Norway, from 30 May to 2 June 2017.