Workboat insights on Seawork's opening day
Workboat Association
Damen
Seawork 2026
Attendees at the Get Set for Workboat 2050 conference session on Seawork's opening day came away with some clear insights into a reduced emissions future.
The latest event in the Damen sponsored series heard that while the timing and impact of IMO emission regulations remained uncertain, particularly in the politically volatile UK, they were not going to go away.
Sustainability specialist and carbon counting expert Zennor Pascoe told the conference that mandatory reporting was on the way, but that companies could both prepare and save money immediately by analysing every aspect of their operation, including onshore. "It's a quick win, so why not?" she said.
Introducing the session, Workboat Association CEO Kerrie Foster had suggested one key question in the sector was whether to extend vessels working lives or build fully compliant new ones. Ben Colman, MD of Diverse Marine, responded that on balance the current commercial environment favoured refit given the cost of new build.
Kenneth Coughlan, CTO of North Star, added that the workboat sector faced a dilemma as a passive approach risked future competitiveness when regulation arrived, while the costs of a proactive attitude could undermine companies' current viability.
In a further insight he said he believed that lithium-ion batteries, despite their enormous popularity, were "a stepping stone not the ultimate solution" in marine propulsion.
Visit The Workboat Association Pavilion at Stand WB28
Visit Damen at Stand VB6, VB25
