CBS strengthens ties with Blue Denmark

CBS brand is well-known in the maritime sector. More than 20 recognised researchers and the international Executive MBA in Shipping and Logistics are very respected in the maritime industries both in Denmark and abroad. But the growth target of the Blue Denmark, new business challenges of maritime companies, and students who pursue a maritime career from the very first day create new demands on the coordination of research and education at CBS.

- We will establish a forum named CBS Maritime with the purpose of coordinating maritime activities and competences at CBS. The forum will suggest development activities within research and education in close collaboration with the shipping industry, says Per Holten-Andersen, President at CBS.

Henrik Sornn-Friese, who used to be director of the Center for Shipping Economics and Innovation (CENSEI) is now in charge of CBS Maritime.
- CBS Maritime will establish a dialogue with the maritime sector on the needs for research and education. At this moment, we are collaborating with 20-25 researchers in relevant areas across departments, and we are in contact with international research environments. We simply want to be a forum for both knowledge and business, says Henrik Sornn-Friese.

CBS Maritime will coordinate and develop relevant research competences across departments, including departments who do not normally place focus on the maritime area.
To exemplify current challenges in the maritime sector that need to rely on research from different disciplines, Henrik Sornn-Friese mentions outsourcing, governance of foreign subsidiaries, co-coordination in value chains, financial and legal risk management, competence clusters and handling of new environmental requirements. For instance, the technologies that make the industry more environmentally and energy efficient already exist. But they are not used in practice and we need research on how the right incentives that encourage the maritime companies to adopt the technologies can be planned.

A number of key figures from the Danish maritime industry have set up a task force who will suggest new research areas of high value to the industry.
CBS' Senior Management has asked CBS Maritime to examine the possibilities of supplementing the Executive MBA in Shipping and Logistics and shipping electives at graduate level at CBS with a shipping-oriented undergraduate programme.

CBS Maritime will be officially presented in March at a conference for researchers and the maritime sector.