DFDS and Aarhus University are partnering in a business PhD project that will bring new perspectives to the green transition challenges that face the maritime industry.
The Danish Maritime Fund-backed project will be led by PhD candidate Nanna Thit who will be enrolled in the Future Technology Programme at Aarhus University and work in the Innovation and Partnerships department at DFDS in close collaboration with Mads Bentzen Billesø, Head of Innovation and Partnerships.
Bentzen Billesø said: “This project will provide a deeper understanding of the challenges that influence innovation and change. I look forward to supporting this multidisciplinary research initiative and to work with Nanna, getting new knowledge and perspectives that will assist us on the way to a more sustainable and innovative future for DFDS and the maritime industry as a whole.”
Thit has studied the maritime industry for five years, and she believes that the path towards a greener industry calls for new ways of working and collaboration.
Thit said: “The maritime industry faces a new reality that requires new answers and solutions. If we keep asking the same questions, we will get the same answers – my ambition is to ask new questions.”
In the shipping industry, a lot of resources have gone into developing new technology, but the green transition requires more than new fuels and innovative technology – it requires a shift in the way we think.
Thit added: “Aside from the technological advancement, it is important to look at the social and cultural structures, for example, how colleagues collaborate across departments. These factors have a great impact on the green transition.”
She looks forward to working with many stakeholders across the industry to understand the challenges.
Thit concluded: “Talking to people and seeing things from their perspective is a key interest of mine. I look forward to working from the DFDS headquarters and going on field trips onboard the ferries.”
