Pioneering Maritime Industry Event Breaking Waves Brings Leading Professionals to Helsinki

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Breaking Waves 2018 conference will take place in Helsinki on 3-4 December. The event aims to secure the competitiveness of the European Maritime Cluster in the global markets also in the future. Breaking Waves 2018 is part of the world's leading startup event Slush.

Breaking Waves 2018 is a new conference that is being held for the first time this year and is aimed at international maritime professionals, from shipbuilders and technology suppliers to shipowners, ports and decision-makers. The ultimate goal is to make shipping more responsible and cost effective, as well as to improve safety and process efficiency.

"We want to stimulate active dialogue within the industry, while also introducing new ideas from outside the industry. Breaking Waves is being organised in connection with the startup event Slush, which we hope will offer ideas for utilising other IT and technology sectors to develop the maritime cluster", says Tiina Tuurnala, Managing Director of the Finnish Shipowners' Association.

The two-day conference comprises a Think Tank forum for invited guests on Monday 3 December and a seminar on Tuesday 4 December. During the Think Tank forum, leading industry representatives will formulate a joint statement on the future challenges and targets of the European Maritime Cluster. The forum will include representatives of ports and shipowners, decision-makers from the European Commission, and representatives of pioneering companies such as Wärtsilä, ABB and Rolls Royce.

The challenges and targets identified by the Think Tank will be presented at the seminar, which will also seek solutions through startup accelerators and various case studies. Key figures within the maritime industry, among them Wärtsilä President & CEO Jaakko Eskola, Magda Kopczynska of DG Move, Karin Orsel from MF Shipping and Hamburg Port Authority CEO Jens Meier, will discuss the development and competitiveness of the European Maritime Cluster as part of the panel discussion.

Helsinki and Finland leading the way in Europe

The international maritime industry and shipping are experiencing a period of profound change. Stricter environmental legislation, new service chains, automation and digitalisation are transforming shipping in an unprecedented way. These changes demand closer collaboration within Europe to ensure the region's competitiveness also in the future.

Finnish expertise is setting an example in the maritime industry: the Port of Helsinki is the busiest passenger port in Europe, and the Finnish maritime cluster is an internationally recognised leader in maritime technology. As the nation's capital, Helsinki is playing a key role in bringing together key actors in the maritime industry, providing an important opportunity also for local actors.

"The success stories of the Finnish maritime cluster spring from diversity and effective synergies. We have both passenger and freight carriers, specialised shipping companies, and a maritime industry that ranges from shipyards to startups, as well as ports and port operators. Digitalisation, Arctic expertise and environmental innovations are among our biggest strengths, and these are exactly the areas that are transforming the industry right now. Breaking Waves 2018 will promote broader dialogue between different actors and increased collaboration, which in turn will help stimulate continued competitiveness", Tuurnala adds.

Finnish companies are enthusiastically participating in Breaking Waves and the joint development of the European Maritime Cluster on the whole. The conference is being made possible by partners representing a wide range of Finnish expertise. Wärtsilä sees it as a unique opportunity to develop the global maritime industry and present Finnish know-how to international experts.

"It's fitting that a new channel leading the way to the future of seafaring is being opened here in Finland and Helsinki. Even though transporting people and goods by sea is already the most cost effective and environmentally friendly option, there is still huge potential within the industry to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. It is vital for the industry to create a common will and collaborate more broadly. Creating a smart ecosystem requires a commitment both from actors within the maritime industry and from parties outside the industry, such as cities and startups. In order to support exactly this kind of collaboration, we at Wärtsilä have launched an initiative we call "An Oceanic Awakening" to inspire others to work with us to create an integrated, effective and ecological operating environment for the maritime and energy industries", comments Jaakko Eskola, President & CEO of Wärtsilä.

Media contacts:
Tiina Tuurnala
Managing Director, Finnish Shipowners' Association
+358 40 5476762
[email protected]

Vappu Mänty
Director of Sales and Marketing, Helsinki Marketing
+358 50 401 3548
[email protected]

Breaking Waves Media Event:

On Tuesday 4 December at 12.30-13.15 

Location: Messukeskus, Kongressisiipi, Tila 103. Katuosoite: Messuaukio 1, 00520 Helsinki

Programme: Think Tank Conclusions from the previous day (Think Tank: Invitation only for main stakeholders of European Sea Cluster*). Four of the Think Tank attendees will be present in the Press Conference and available for questions and interviews: Magda Kopczynska, Director, DG Move, Jaakko Eskola, President & CEO of Wärtsilä Corporation, Karin Orsel, Founder and CEO, MF Shipping Group and Jens Meier, CEO, Port of Hamburg.

Insight on the future of Maritime and the latest news of Cargotec, Rolls-Royce and Wärtsilä.

*Introduction of the Think Tank and its' participants can be found from here.

The outcome from the Think Tank on Dec 3 will be available in the press conference. 

Further information:

The official partners of Breaking Waves 2018 are Business Finland, Cargotec, Futurice, Helsinki Business Hub, the Port of Helsinki, Rolls-Royce and Wärtsilä, Aalto University.

The event is being organised in cooperation with the Finnish Shipowners' Association, Finnish Marine Industries, the Finnish Port Association, the Finnish Port Operators Association, the Finnish Maritime Foundation, Centrum Balticum, Maritime Accelerator, the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, and the City of Helsinki.

Business Finland

Business Finland is the Finnish innovation funding, trade, investment, and travel promotion organization, headquartered in Helsinki. Business Finland is fully owned by the Finnish Government. Business Finland employs 600 experts in 40 offices globally and in 20 regional offices around Finland. Business Finland is part of the Team Finland network. www.businessfinland.fi

Futurice

Futurice is a digital consultancy that helps organisations transform their business by bringing together complex software engineering and beautiful human-centered design. We unleash a culture of innovation and create digital products and services that make you future capable.

Since 2000, we have helped our clients in industries ranging from energy, retail and construction to media, finance and automotive develop their business practices, ways of working and culture to meet the challenges of digital disruption.

We are a community of 500 people, with offices in Berlin, Helsinki, London, Munich, Oslo, Stockholm and Tampere. www.futurice.com

Cargotec

Cargotec is a leading provider of cargo and load handling solutions with the goal of becoming the leader in intelligent cargo handling. Our solutions and services make global trade smarter, better and more sustainable. As leading players in ports, on roads and at sea, our business areas Kalmar, Hiab and MacGregor can optimise global cargo flows and create sustainable customer value. We want to lead the industry transformation and turn cargo handling into an intelligent and sustainable business. www.cargotec.com

Helsinki Business Hub

Helsinki Business Hub is a vibrant community of business professionals working to ensure that Helsinki is the best place in Europe to accelerate your business. We enable foreign companies to establish their businesses and innovation driven companies to grow and develop in the Helsinki region. Our smart maritime experts can help you navigate the local business ecosystem, provide the right information and contacts and design growth opportunities, free of charge. www.helsinkibusinesshub.fi

Port of Helsinki

Helsinki is the busiest passenger port in Europe, and the Port of Helsinki Ltd creates a seamless framework for sea traffic to destinations such as Tallinn and Stockholm. The Port of Helsinki is also Finland's leading general port for foreign trade. The main export commodities are products for the forest industry, machinery and equipment, and in imports the daily consumer goods.

The Port of Helsinki serves the business world and well-being of the Helsinki region and the whole country and has significant positive effects related to the economy and employment. Among the strengths of the port are frequent liner traffic, efficient infrastructure, good road and rail connections, and excellent services provided in cooperation with the port's business partners. www.portofhelsinki.fi

Wärtsilä

Wärtsilä is a global leader in smart technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising sustainable innovation, total efficiency and data analytics, Wärtsilä maximises the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers. In 2017, Wärtsilä's net sales totalled EUR 4.9 billion with approximately 18,000 employees. The company has operations in over 200 locations in more than 80 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. www.wartsila.com

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