By Irene Rosberg

For more than a decade, the maritime industry has spoken confidently about its sustainability ambitions. We talk about cleaner ships, alternative fuels, and the importance of protecting the ocean. These conversations are encouraging, yet the reality is that our ability to describe what needs to happen has moved far faster than our willingness or capacity to lead the change. The industry finds itself in a moment where ambition is high but leadership mindsets have not fully evolved to match it.

The first issue lies in the way the industry has traditionally approached leadership. Maritime is built on long histories, established practices, and a culture that has often rewarded caution. Many leaders grew up in systems where the safest course of action was to protect margins, avoid unnecessary risks, and work within familiar patterns. This mindset made sense in a more stable era, but it is holding us back today. Sustainability cannot be delivered by simply tweaking old habits or waiting for regulations to push us forward. It requires leaders who are willing to take a genuinely long-term view, even when the short term may feel uncomfortable.

Long-term progress depends on investing in new vessel designs, port infrastructure, digital tools, fuel facilities, and the people who keep the industry moving. These investments, with no immediate payoff, are essential for the industry to remain competitive and credible.

Sustainability is not an add-on or a public relations exercise. It is a strategic direction that will shape the future of the maritime economy, and leaders must treat it with that level of seriousness.

Another problem is the way the industry continues to work in silos. Shipping has historically been competitive to the point where collaboration was rare, and information was guarded. Although this is changing, the instinct to work alone remains strong in many quarters.

Sustainability, however, cannot be achieved in isolation. A shipowner’s ambitions mean little if the ports they visit cannot provide the necessary infrastructure. Fuel producers cannot scale green fuels without reliable demand. Regulators cannot design useful frameworks without clear dialogue with industry. Technology companies cannot unlock the power of digital tools if data sits hidden in separate systems.

The blue economy can only succeed if stakeholders across the value chain begin to see themselves as part of the same team. Collaboration does not undermine competitiveness. Instead, it gives everyone a better chance of thriving. When information flows more freely and goals are aligned, the entire industry becomes stronger and more resilient.

The most pressing challenge is the leadership gap. Technology is advancing quickly. Regulations are evolving at a pace the industry has not experienced before. Expectations from society, investors, and customers are rising steadily. Yet many companies do not feel they have enough leaders who understand how to navigate this environment.

The future maritime landscape will be shaped by digitalization, automation, alternative fuels, and entirely new operational demands. Leaders must understand how these elements fit together and must feel confident guiding their organizations through uncertainty.

This requires a different approach to developing people. For too long, training has been seen as something to provide when budget or time allows. That era has passed. Upskilling is no longer optional. Companies that want to stay competitive must invest in their workforce as deliberately as they invest in vessels or systems. Education is not simply a support mechanism. It is what will determine whether an organization can adapt, innovate, and stay relevant.

Academic institutions, industry bodies, and maritime companies all share responsibility for shaping the next generation of maritime leaders. Technical knowledge is important, but it is only one piece of the puzzle. Leaders also need the confidence to ask difficult questions, the willingness to move beyond traditional assumptions, and the ability to work collaboratively across the entire maritime ecosystem. They need to understand sustainability not as a constraint but as an opportunity to rethink how the industry functions and what it can offer the world.

Blue leadership is not a slogan. It is a mindset that recognizes the scale of change ahead and accepts that guiding the industry requires openness, courage, and imagination. Leaders who embody this will be able to look beyond their own organizations and see the bigger picture. They will understand that safeguarding the health of the ocean and strengthening the resilience of global trade are deeply interconnected responsibilities. They will view investment in people as a central part of business strategy, not a secondary consideration.

If the maritime industry genuinely wants to meet sustainability goals, it must commit to developing this kind of leadership. The decisions made throughout the next decade will shape not only the future of ocean industry but also the wellbeing of the ocean, on which the entire blue economy depends.

It is no longer enough to set ambitious targets. Those targets must be matched with leaders who have the mindset, determination, and capability to shape the future.

This i a copy of the original article in Ocean Economy

https://oceaneconomy.news/2025/11/24/the-blue-economy-needs-blue-leadership/