Nor-Shipping 50-year anniversary ends on a high note

The event organisers also used the opportunity to introduce the new guard that will be taking the event forward and to present some important charitable donations, the night finishing with a spectacular fireworks display.

Siv Kolrus, the ceo of Norwegian Trade Fairs, was at pains to thank outgoing Nor-Shipping team of Vidar Pederstand and Tollef Schiander for all their efforts stretching back more than 10 years. She then welcomed to the stage the new director of Nor-Shipping, Birgit Liodden (pictured below), formerly with YoungShip International and before that Wilhelmsen.

“For shipping to prosper in the future it needs to be inclusive and forward thinking; encouraging fresh talent, innovation and new revenue streams,” Liodden said. “Nor-Shipping is a strong platform to promote these issues, affect positive change and add value to our industry.” Further strengthening the event’s sustainability focus will also be “essential”, she added.

Speaking afterwards to Seatrade Maritime News, Liodden reflected that her past background in shipping rather than events pointed to the Nor-Shipping organisers’ intention “to ensure we have strong maritime competence to understand customer needs and identify where we can add value to Nor-Shipping Week for all our stakeholders.” 

To this end Liodden has moved quickly since her appointment last month to bring in a project manager also from the shipping industry, Per Martinn Tanggaard, formerly with Wärtsilä. 

Liodden’s YoungShip experience also means that the Nor-Shipping event will be able to benefit from her network of contacts among what “the industry’s next-generation leaders.” She mentions to Seatrade several important “shifts” that industry is undergoing, such as the move towards digital and electronic technology and the “generational shift” that Nor-Shipping wishes to reflect.

To mark its 50^th anniversary, Nor-Shipping also generously donated a rescue vessel worth NOK5m ($630,000) to the Norwegian Sea Rescue Services, as well as contributing a percentage of the funds raised through social event ticket sales and the pre-event Fun Run to The Mission to Seafarers charity.