On September 26–27, 2024, the XV International Scientific and Technical Conference “Innovations in Shipbuilding and Ocean Engineering” took place at the Admiral Makarov National University of Shipbuilding. The event brought together 363 participants from Ukraine, China, Georgia, and the United States, presenting a total of 302 scientific reports. Throughout the conference, participants shared insights and developments on topics such as modern shipbuilding technologies, involvement in the Blue Career initiative, the SHIPBUILDING 4.0 platform, environmental aspects, innovations in maritime energy, and more.
Olena Zhukova, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster, Director of MDEM Intl., PhD in Economics, and Associate Professor, was a member of the organizing committee and participated in the conference, delivering a presentation titled “The Innovative Path of Post-War Shipbuilding in Ukraine – Urgent Steps.” In her opening remarks during the plenary session, Ms. Zhukova emphasized:
“All our thoughts are now about peace and the revival of shipbuilding, the development of our country, as well as an early engagement of children and youth in maritime economy careers (Blue Career jobs). In addition to being promising globally, the industry is familiar to us, so we must make every effort to support its growth,” Olena Zhukova remarked.
In her presentation, she outlined recommended steps for preserving and expanding intellectual capital in the blue economy, specifically:
- Collaboration with foreign partners at all stages of the ship’s lifecycle;
- Business internationalization through various forms of partnership;
- Integration into global value chains.
It was emphasized that to restore shipbuilding in Ukraine, a National Program must be developed, specifying conditions for effective dual-based training, the creation of innovative infrastructure for educational institutions, and the promotion of early engagement of children and youth in blue economy careers.
As an example of practical implementation, the speaker presented a successful case of promoting blue careers (Blue Career jobs) at MDEM “Marine Design Engineering Mykolayiv.” One of the key initiatives was the involvement of employees’ children in the “Summer School 2024: Shipbuilder’s Adventure!” summer career orientation camp organized by Damen Shipyards Group. This experience not only introduces youth to maritime industry professions but also encourages them to consider future career opportunities in shipbuilding, establishing crucial steps toward their professional development.
The presentation also highlighted the necessity of mobilizing financial resources to establish national programs for the restoration of shipbuilding and naval construction, as well as the development of production and social infrastructure. This includes enhancing military and maritime education according to international standards for competency formation and assessment within higher education institutions. Furthermore, there was an emphasis on the importance of shipyards acquiring the capability to fulfill state orders for the construction of modern, innovative vessels.
In turn, Sergiy Gurskiy, a member of the Supervisory Board of the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster and General Director of the Ukrainian Register of Shipping delivered a presentation titled “Developing Cooperation between the Ukrainian Register of Shipping and the Classification Societies of EU Member Countries.” He noted that the Register consistently focuses on practical European integration and expert work to ensure its compliance, as a classification society, with the requirements of international and European legislation. This work yields positive results, as evidenced on August 27, 2024, when the Ministry of Transport and Construction of the Slovak Republic authorized the Register of Shipping of Ukraine to conduct technical inspections of inland navigation vessels registered in Slovakia. Additionally, on September 25-26, 2024, the Register participated in the latest meeting of the Technical Working Group of the European Committee for Standardization in Inland Navigation (CESNIPT). This meeting addressed topics such as the storage and use of alternative fuels on inland vessels, including compressed hydrogen, transitional provisions for existing vessels, periodic stability verification of passenger vessels, updates to definitions of vessel types, and proposed amendments to the ES-TRIN 2025-2027 regarding electric propulsion systems, electronic equipment and systems, and hull strength.y
Serhiy Slobodyan, Ph.D., and professor, provided information in his presentation on personnel support for the creation of the SHIPBUILDING 4.0 technological platform. This presentation, delivered at the conference, was co-authored with Yurii Kharytonov, Doctor of Technical Sciences, professor, and member of the Supervisory Board of the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster.
“The experience of leading countries worldwide shows that one of the important sectors significantly impacting economic development is shipbuilding and ship repair,” noted Serhiy Slobodyan. “A promising direction in creating competitive shipbuilding and ship repair industries is the development and implementation of projects that advance the components of the SHIPBUILDING 4.0 technological platform”.
The presentation also outlined negative factors hindering shipbuilding development in Ukraine, which the authors identified as follows: the lack of a coordinated regulatory framework; aging of production and technological assets; depletion of human resources; shortage of resource bases; disruption of production links; lack of funding for scientific development in shipbuilding; and the mismatch between employee skills and current industry requirements.
It’s worth noting that representatives of the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster regularly participate in the organization and activities of the International Scientific and Technical Conference “Innovations in Shipbuilding and Ocean Engineering” at Admiral Makarov National University of Shipbuilding and contribute to strengthening the links between the scientific institution and relevant enterprises.
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