Birgit Liodden News

Oslo Business Region (OBR) has engaged Birgit M. Liodden as Director for Sustainability, Ocean Industries and Communication, with effect of May 2018. Liodden will be responsible for OBR’s activities linked to Oslo as European Green Capital 2019, and implementation of sustainability focus throughout all activities. She will also be responsible for ocean industries – a new area for Oslo Business Region – representing vast opportunities onwards. As part of Oslo Business Region’s strategy, sustainability is a key priority area moving forward. OBR considers the UN Sustainable Development Goals as the world’s biggest purchasing order. Oslo’s startup ecosystem and industries leads the way in a number of key areas, and with effect from 2018 all of OBR’s services shall strengthen this.

Birgit Liodden, Director of Nor-Shipping, argues that Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland have the infrastructure, understanding and ambition to drive the digital transformation shipping requires for future sustainability and success. The world isn’t standing still, and shipping can’t afford to. The pace of change in society is accelerating every day, enabled by digitalization and facilitated by individuals and firms that see potential rather than challenges. New business models can be born overnight, efficiencies unlocked with the tap of a screen, and resources utilized as never before.

Maersk is set to unveil the thinking behind its recent tie-ups with IBM and China’s Alibaba when the firm’s Chief Digital Officer, Ibrahim Gokcen, takes the stage at this year’s Nor-Shipping. The maritime event week, taking place across a series of venues in Oslo and Lillestrøm from May 30 to June 2, has confirmed Gokcen as the latest high-level speaker for a program of discussion that will analyze, and help plot, the future course of the maritime industry. Gokcen’s appearance at Nor-Shipping comes at a time when Maersk…

African economies are growing, and becoming more connected to the world economy than ever before. Still, many companies have not discovered the great business opportunities on offer in Africa. In 2017, Nor-Shipping, one of the world’s leading maritime events, will put Africa on the agenda. “We are delighted to present the first Africa week to our delegates next year,” Birgit Liodden, Nor-Shipping director. The program for 2017 has been dubbed Africa@Nor-Shipping 2017, and will represent the very first time that Nor-Shipping has featured a platform promoting mutually beneficial business opportunities between Africa and Europe in the maritime and ocean industries.

Nor-Shipping invites the next generation to find solutions to this generation’s challenges through its unique ‘Problem to Profit’ initiative. The leading global maritime event week, taking place in Oslo and Lillestrøm, Norway, from May 30 to June 2, 2017, will work with key industry players and networks to identify unresolved industry ‘pain points’, before using social media to engage young people in a process that could set a new course for the world of shipping. Nor-Shipping 2017 is taking a proactive approach to the challenges facing the industry, adopting an overall theme of ‘Catalyst for Change’, while dedicating exhibition Hall A to Disruptive Sustainability.

As the treacherous Mediterranean Sea claimed more than 1,000 lives over the past few weeks, Mission to Seafarers has praised seafarers in their efforts in helping save the lives of many, but more must be done to support seafarers in the deepening crisis, they warn. During its seminar during Posidonia, entitled: ‘Plans for the Eastern Med and Assistance to Crews Affected by the Refugee Crisis’, The Revd Canon Ken Peters, Director of Justice and Public Affairs at The Mission will address industry concerns, including how refugees and seafarers are regarded and treated under international law. “The past few weeks have seen the biggest death toll during the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean. There are many cases when those that are rescued outnumber the ship’s resources.

Norwegian Trade Fairs has appointed Birgit Liodden as the new Director of Nor-Shipping. Liodden, still just 32 years old, holds a CV that includes tenures at Wilh. Wilhelmsen, external consultancy for OECD and SeaTrucks Nigeria, and numerous board level positions for, amongst others, Maritime Forum Oslofjord and the Norwegian Sea Rescue Academy. She was awarded the WISTA (Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association) Leadership Award in 2012. Liodden was also President of YoungShip Norway between 2009 and 2011…

Birgit Liodden of YoungShip International to keynote WISTA USA lunch at CMA's Shipping 2013 conference. “We are pleased that fellow WISTA Norway member Birgit Liodden will be sharing her experiences bringing youth into our maritime industry with us at the luncheon”, stated WISTA USA President and Blank Rome LLP Partner Jeanne Grasso. “Birgit was the recipient of the 2012 WISTA Norway Leadership Award, and is the Secretary-General of YoungShip International. In 2009, Birgit Liodden was listed one of the 100 top young Norwegian leaders in the annual rating by the business news channel E24.no.

Twenty WISTA USA (Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association) members travel to Paris for the AGM. This annual gathering of WISTA members in locations around the world is augmented by industry leaders who participate in the three-day event as both speakers and delegates. This year a record 283 attended the event from 34 countries. The conference was kicked off by Peter Hinchliffe, Secretary General for the International Chamber of Shipping. Mr. Hinchliffe stressed the need for the international regulatory community to look for rational approaches to effecting change.

Maritime challenges key theme. The Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) conference program held in Paris October 3-5 illuminated the many challenges facing the maritime industry today. This annual gathering of WISTA members in locations around the world is augmented by industry leaders who participate in the three day event as both speakers and delegates. This year a record 283 attended the event from 34 countries. The event was hosted by WISTA France under the chairmanship of its President, Beatrice Witvoet.