SEA Europe, the association of European shipyard associations and marine technology companies has appointed Kjersti Kleven, co-owner of Norwegian shipbuilder Kleven Maritime, as its new chair.
Ms Kleven has served as a board-member and chair of the Norwegian Association of Maritime Industries for seven years, and a vice chair of SEA Europe until taking over the role of chair.
She is a board-member of various companies, and is also a member of the standing Advisory Committee on Maritime Strategy, hosted by the Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry.
Privately owned Kleven has two facilities in Norway, employing about 700 people. In response to the changing fortunes of the Norwegian shipbuilding sector that had been largely focused on supporting the country’s stalled offshore sector, Kleven has diverged into other markets, such as fish-farming, cable-laying and passenger vessels.
Sea Euope’s six vice chairs are now Bernard Meyer from Meyer Werft, Kjeld Dittmann at Wärtsilä Lyngsø Marine, Hervé Guillou at Naval Group, Kees-Jan Mes from Pon Equipment/Pon Power, Dirk Lehmann at Becker Marine Systems and Juan Luis Sánchez at Astander.
The chair and vice chairs were confirmed at the annual SEA Europe general assembly, which took place this year in Vigo Spain. The association also laid out its goals for the coming years, reflecting the coming challenges the European marine technology and shipbuilding sectors are facing
In a statement from Sea Europe Mr Kleven said that the coming years will be “crucial for our industry and will determine whether we will remain in business, be able to meet our challenges and be able to exploit the full potential of upcoming opportunities”.
The Board also said it reflected on the upcoming challenges of unfair and aggressive competition from third countries, enhanced trade protectionism, decarbonisation, digitalisation, connected shipping, disruptive technologies, or the need for appropriate skills.
SEA Europe says that European shipyards and maritime equipment manufacturers consist of 300 shipyards and more than 22.000 maritime equipment manufacturers of all sizes, employing more than 900,000 people in Europe. These are companies with a global reach, and the yards are specialists in more sophisticated complex tonnage.
