Evaluation of ships' seaworthiness, long-term career prospects for seafarers, and factoring seafarer welfare into maritime decision-making emerged as key areas of discussion at the Nautical Institute (Singapore) Conference 2026, which was held on Thursday, August 20, at Furama City Centre.
Held in conjunction with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's Safety@Sea Week, the conference brought together over 250 maritime professionals across shipping, ship management, law, insurance, crewing, training, welfare and maritime operations under the theme “Seaworthiness and Seafarers in a Changing World”.
The conference featured two keynote addresses from senior maritime leaders whose careers span both the operational and strategic sides of the sector. These were: Mr Nick Potter, President and CEO of AET and Vice President, Petroleum and Products of the MISC Group; and Ms Sakura Kuma, Executive Officer of Mitsui OSK Lines and Managing Director of MOL (Asia Oceania).
Ms Kuma's discussion also included the story of the seafarers aboard MOL's LNG carrier LNG Saturn and their involvement in rescuing fellow seafarers from another vessel. The conference organisers said the account of the rescue offered delegates a reminder of seafarers' need for sound judgement, seamanship, teamwork, and the willingness to act when others' lives are at risk.
Discussions moved from the responsibilities that ensure seaworthiness and safe operations to the building a career at sea and giving seafarers the support and opportunities to stay and progress. The conversations also emphasised the need to safeguard seafarer wellbeing and create suitable working environments amid factors such as geopolitical uncertainty, security threats and changing expectations of life at sea.
"The responsibility our seafarers carry remains enormous, and in many ways, the world they operate in is more complex, more dynamic, and the risks have changed significantly," Mr Potter said at one point during the conference. "Our response is not simply to make ships capable of surviving that world, but it's to make sure our people aboard them can thrive in it."
"The goal is not simply to prevent poor mental health, but the goal should be to create the right conditions on board in which seafarers can genuinely thrive," added Captain Yves Vandenborn, NorthStandard's Head of Loss Prevention Asia-Pacific and another participant in the conference.
For additional information about the recently concluded Nautical Institute Conference, kindly contact ni2026@mediacomz.com.
