Nor-Shipping ought to celebrate finance achievements

By Dagfinn Lunde in the Splash247

I’m more involved in this year’s Nor-Shipping than normal, helping Jannis Kostoulas get his first Oslo Mare Forum up and running today. What I can’t help noticing — and alright, I admit maybe it’s just my banking background – but aren’t the organizers missing a trick with this edition of the 54-year-old show? The strongest theme being marketed is all about green and blue shipping, followed by innovation and digitalization. I get that Nor-Shipping always tries to position itself ahead of the maritime trend curve, but surely greater focus on one of the country’s greatest strengths over the past decade – finance – would not have gone amiss. Think about it, outside of Chinese leasing, what has propped up shipping investment strategies more in recent years than Oslo institutions? Norway has been a saviour for global shipowners seeking capital without being beholden to the small print of Chinese lessors.

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