Holland America Line (HAL) won the KVNR Shipping Award 2016 at the Maritime Awards Gala last night (31 October) for its new Csmart/Arison Maritime Center and its new flagship Koningsdam.
The HAL has invested in sustainability and energy efficiency. Its latest addition to the cruise fleet, the Koningsdam, is an example of this. Its bridge formed the basis for the new bridge simulator in the Arison Maritime Center. With the centre, Csmart, which is also part of the Carnival Corporation, stimulates Dutch economy. The jury says the HAL is a frontrunner in training the attitude and behaviour of its personnel, which will also contribute to better environmental performance and a better safety culture.
Regulation Inhibits Innovation
At the Maritime Awards Gala, KVNR Shipping Award jury president Tineke Netelenbos and Jort Kelder discussed the current state of affairs in shipping. Netelenbos was quick to dismiss Kelder's statement about dirty ships: 'this is a huge cliche,' she said, 'the industry has undertaken a lot of steps and will continue to do so to make shipping more sustainable.'
As to what she considered to be one of the challenges facing maritime industry, she replied: 'Regulation, there are simply too many rules and particularly those that describe how something is to be done. This means that when we come up with something that is truly innovative, regulation first has to be adjusted to allow for this innovation. Right now, regulation often inhibits innovation. In this, we could do much better.'
Med-Assist
The second nominee for the KVNR Shipping Award was Emergency Control–Maritime Training BV with its "Med-Assist, Vital Medical Skills – Instantly". This online maritime tool helps to perform necessary medical treatments on board. With Med-Assist, crew members are able to learn medical procedures quickly through step by step videos.
