Proceedings of the International Maritime Education, Training and Research Conference

Against a rapidly evolving backdrop of technological advancement and global challenge, the maritime industry faces a period of unprecedent transition. The papers presented at Sharjah Maritime Academy’s first International Maritime Education, Training and Research Conference capture the breadth of current research, innovation, and discourse shaping the future of maritime education, operations, energy solutions, and safety frameworks.

One of the most profound shifts in the industry is the rise of remotely controlled and autonomous shipping, demanding significant changes in policy and strategic planning. The reach of these changes is captured in the papers by Schröder-Hinrichs et al. and Karolius. The first focuses on the need for maritime education and training to adapt in order to effectively prepare maritime professionals for careers in the digital age of shipping. The second explores the challenge of ensuring, and being able to verify, that the safety performance of autonomous systems matches – or exceeds – that of human operators. Both papers reflect the growing sense of urgency around the risk posed by widening gaps between technological advance and the educational and regulatory frameworks, and their potential to impact global disparity in preparedness and workforce safety.

The critical theme of safety continues through the contributions from Yildiz, Paterson, and Salem. Yildiz examines the shift toward predictive safety models, integrating human factors and dynamic risk assessments to support proactive decision-making. Paterson’s research into innovative materials aims to reduce the potential for loss of life in the event of flooding in both new and, importantly, older ships, and Salem’s work advocates the adoption of risk-based fire safety design principles for modern cruise ships. Collectively, these papers emphasize the vital role of multidisciplinary approaches to addressing the maritime industry’s longest-standing challenge – safeguarding crews, passengers, cargos and vessels.

The multidisciplinary efforts required to address one of the industry’s more recently recognized challenges – sustainability – are also apparent in the paper from Rawashdea and Kawansson and focusing on innovations in proton-exchange membrane fuel cells that could pave the way for cleaner fuel alternatives. The thread of urgency and the requirement to combine a wide range of disciplines and expertise to keep pace with the changes faced by the maritime industry and ensure the safety, sustainability and future of its global workforce and the marine environments they work in, are drawn together in Wright’s contribution. Examining the motivators and process of the transition from sail to steam over the course of a century, the paper explores what we can learn for the transition to net zero that must be achieved in less than a quarter of that time.

The Conference brought together international experts from academia, higher education and industry with our staff and students at the Sharjah Maritime Academy. Its aim was to build and strengthen the bridge between research, and the development of new knowledge and solutions to the challenges the maritime industry, and those who work in it, face every day. The breadth of contributions reflects this aim and captures the need for collective discussion and action to build a resilient, forward-thinking maritime future.