Reinventing shipping: The ideas shaping its future

Shipping has moved the world for centuries. But what will power the ships of tomorrow?

Nigel escapes the Full Ahead shed and heads to Liverpool for the inaugural Mersey Maritime Innovation Summit, where industry leaders, engineers, academics and innovators gathered to explore what's next for one of the world's most important industries.

There's plenty happening across the maritime sector in the North West, and Nigel meets some of the people trying to turn new ideas into reality.

Ruth Wood, Chief Executive of Mersey Maritime, explains why bringing innovators together matters and what she hopes the summit will achieve.

Martin Harrop of GT Wings reveals how his company is looking to harness something that powered ships for thousands of years — wind — and bring it back into the modern shipping industry.

Dr Eddie Blanco-Davis, Reader in Marine Engineering at Liverpool's Logistics, Offshore and Marine Research Institute, talks about how his own seagoing experience is helping inspire the next generation of maritime innovators.

We also hear from Ben McAlindon of the Royal Academy of Engineering, ahead of a new hub opening in Liverpool, and John Whaling, Innovation Lead for the Liverpool City Region, about the opportunities emerging across the region.

From wind-powered ships to engineering, research and new ideas, this episode asks a simple question:

What will the maritime world look like in the future — and who is going to build it?

02:54 Ruth Wood — why maritime innovation matters
11:03 Martin Harrop, GT Wings — bringing wind power back to shipping
13:15 Dr Eddie Blanco-Davis — inspiring the innovators of tomorrow
19:00 Ben McAlindon — the Royal Academy of Engineering's plans for Liverpool
23:07 John Whaling — innovation across Liverpool City Region

Thanks for listening to Full Ahead.

Alistair and Nigel will be reunited for the next edition — and this time we'll be afloat.

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