Seafarers must remain central as maritime technology accelerates. Join the discussion with industry leaders in our free webinar in International Shipping News 27/03/2026 The rapid pace of technological change across the shipping industry is transforming how vessels are operated, but risks leaving seafarers behind if human factors are not prioritised. That is the focus of an upcoming webinar hosted by The Nautical Institute, in collaboration with Lloyd’s Register Foundation, which will bring together senior voices from across the maritime sector to examine the real-world impact of digitalisation, connectivity and emerging technologies on those working at sea. As shipping adopts greater vessel connectivity, new equipment and AI-enabled systems, operational practices are evolving quickly. However, questions remain around how these changes affect seafarer workload, decision-making, skills requirements and overall wellbeing. The session will explore how technological development, equipment design, workforce capability and seafarer welfare are closely interconnected and why maintaining a human-centred approach is essential to ensuring safety, effective operations and a fair transition for the maritime workforce. The webinar will feature contributions from: Captain Ann Pletschke CMMar FNI, STEER Project Lead, The Nautical Institute Tim Slingsby, Director of Skills and Education, Lloyd’s Register Foundation Captain Eero Lehtovaara AFNI, Head of Regulatory and Public Affairs, ABB Captain Kuba Szymanski FNI, Secretary General, InterManager Bob Doncom FIMarEST, Principal Consultant, IMarEST Simon Grainge, Chief Executive, ISWAN Together, the panel will share perspectives from across industry, regulation, welfare and technology to discuss how maritime stakeholders can better align innovation with the needs of seafarers. The discussion forms part of the STEER Project, led by The Nautical Institute in collaboration with Lloyd’s Register Foundation. Through a focus on #ListeningToSeafarers, the project explores how technological change can be aligned with improved operational safety, as well as stronger protections for seafarer safety and welfare. The session will be interactive, with participants invited to contribute questions and insights. All attendees will receive a certificate of participation. Source: STEER 2026-03-27 hellenicshippingnews... window.___gcfg = {lang: 'en-US'}; (function(w, d, s) { function go(){ var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], load = function(url, id) { if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;} js = d.createElement(s); js.src = url; js.id = id; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }; load('//connect.facebook.net/en/all.js#xfbml=1', 'fbjssdk'); load('https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js', 'gplus1js'); load('//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js', 'tweetjs'); } if (w.addEventListener) { w.addEventListener("load", go, false); } else if (w.attachEvent) { w.attachEvent("onload",go); } }(window, document, 'script')); tweet Share