Page 47: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (September 2017)

Interferry @ a Glance

What: 42nd Interferry Conference

When: October 7-11, 2017

Where: Split, Croatia

Web: www.interferryconference.com

Twitter: @Interferry port. However, we could make a case for lineup of panel sessions. The ship tech- being one of the most important – very nology theme will pay particular atten- often we provide lifeline services to far- tion to electri? cation and other energy ? ung communities. And we are far from alternatives; the safety agenda will high- small … globally we carry more than light Interferry’s best practice guides and two billion passengers a year, almost on newly formed Safety Committee; and a par with airlines, and 32 million freight the customer experience sessions will units. All the same, ferries are frequently cover a host of IT and other innovations in danger of being underrated and over- designed to elevate passenger satisfac- (Photo Credit: John Nedwidek / Interferry) looked by politicians and regulators, so tion. banding together helps us stress to them Our keynote speakers are Markku the full weight of our worth as a safe, Mylly, executive director of the Euro- “ eco-friendly and economically valuable pean Maritime Safety Agency, with an

Globally we carry more than two billion passengers a year, asset to society. update on the latest initiatives; John almost on a par with airlines, and 32 million freight units.

To drive our networking and lobbying Wright, managing director of safety cul-

All the same, ferries are frequently in danger of being un- vision further forward, we are now roll- ture specialist WrightWay, who will ex- derrated and overlooked by politicians and regulators, so ing out an ambitious three-year strategic plain why the safest companies are also banding together helps us stress to them the full weight of plan to advance the association’s pro? le, the most successful; Brent Perry, head of our worth as a safe, eco-friendly and economically valuable which in turn will ensure the strength Plan B Energy Storage, a world leader in asset to society. and bene? ts of membership. Among the alternative ferry fuels; and futurist David prime objectives, we aim to grow Inter- Rowan, UK editor of Wired, the U.S.-

Mike Corrigan, Interferry CEO ferry’s ‘voice of the industry’ role; to ex- based future technology magazine, who tend our safety and quality improvement will explore the ‘next big things’ that campaign; to increase our part in devel- will propel the ferry industry into a new oping international regulations; and to ? cient than the average of old designs. In similar vein, Interferry has long age. Topics in other sessions range from create more opportunities for knowledge Our technical evidence demonstrated questioned damage stability proposals demographics, intermodal opportuni- exchange. the dif? culty of determining what is an that, in effect, seek to produce the un- ties and fast ferries to digitalization, Big

As mentioned earlier, we have already average ferry – and resulted in the ferry sinkable ship by adding more steel. We Data and cybersecurity, so I can safely been instrumental in achieving signi? - requirement being reduced by 20%. An would much rather see more research on predict there will be something to learn cant changes to regulatory proposals upper size deadweight tonnage threshold avoiding collisions in the ? rst place, but for each and every delegate! that, after years of discussion, were again was also agreed in acknowledgement leaving that aside we were alarmed that Beyond the conference, Interferry is under the spotlight at the latest sessions that the statistics used to de? ne the origi- the operational capability of ferries might planning to provide additional network- of IMO’s safety and environmental pro- nal requirement included very few large be seriously impaired – for instance, if ing platforms in the future. In particular, tection committees. In league with other ferries. sub-division of their drive-through ve- we want to establish regional meetings prominent stakeholders, we argued that Concerns over the BWMC stemmed hicle decks was required. We teamed up as a helping hand in attracting new mem- on three major issues – The Energy Ef- from our view that the threat posed by with Japan and other countries to ensure bers, especially from countries outside ? ciency Design Index, The Ballast Water invasive species was not relevant to fer- that the technical guidelines could be our core membership bases in the Amer-

Management Convention and Damage ries operating in regional rather than achieved, especially for smaller ferries. icas and Europe.

Stability – the potential technical solu- inter-continental waters, which brought Our interventions secured a set of regu- In the meantime, if you’re involved tions might be acceptable for deep sea the requirement to ? t expensive treat- lations that overthrew previously agreed with ferries and whether or not you are vessels, but posed immense problems ment plant into question. levels of ‘unsinkability’ and which we part of the Interferry family, I really hope regarding the very different design and In cooperation with the International believe to be reasonable for ferries car- you are able to come to Croatia and see operational criteria for ferries. In each Chamber of Shipping and various Flag rying less than 1,000 passengers. for yourself where togetherness can take case we won agreement for sector-spe- States, we won agreement for the com- Sharing expertise and experience in us. Our industry is set for an exciting ci? c amendments that will safeguard the pliance timetable in applicable waters to such partnerships is, of course, also ex- new era if it rises to the challenge of in- regulatory objectives without threaten- be extended by several years. In addi- empli? ed when ferry professionals come evitable hurdles and to the potential of ing our sector’s commercial viability. tion, the IMO agreed a way forward for together on matters of common interest new opportunities. I believe this can best

On the EEDI issue, Interferry was adoption of our alternative Same Risk at our annual conference. be realised with the collective power that joined by several Flag States that echoed Area concept – developed with Denmark Our highly interactive program in Split Interferry offers – so I look forward to our concerns about the requirement for and Singapore – for ships operating in features four keynote speakers among you joining us on our Stronger Together newbuild ships to be more energy ef- common waters. the presentations, as well as an extended mission.

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