Be part of the transformation. Submit your abstracts for Get Set for Workboat 2050 – Series 6, Session 2 on 26th March 2026 at the Wereldmuseum, Rotterdam, and help shape the sector’s low-emission future.
Deadline for submissions: 28th November 2025
The workboat sector is at a turning point. Decarbonisation is no longer optional; it’s essential. Get Set for Workboat 2050 Series 6, Session 2 is your opportunity to share insights, innovations, and practical solutions with operators, policymakers, financiers, and industry leaders driving the green transition. Present your ideas, influence real-world decisions, and connect with stakeholders shaping the future of low-emission workboat operations.
Please see the topics call for papers below:
Crew Training and Behavioural Change
• Examine the critical role of crew behaviour in optimising fuel efficiency and reducing emissions across workboat operations.
• Explore training frameworks designed to upskill crews in low-emission procedures and vessel-specific fuel management.
• Address the growing manning challenges posed by new fuel systems — including availability of qualified personnel, retraining demands, and operational safety concerns.
Insurance and Finance for Green Vessels
• Assess how insurers and financiers are shaping low-emission adoption — from risk-averse approaches that avoid green builds to preferential rates that reward sustainable projects.
• Explore fit-for-purpose risk models for emerging fuels and propulsion systems, including methanol, hydrogen, and battery-electric solutions, and how these influence investment confidence.
• Examine who dictates the pace of decarbonisation — from insurance costs to lending criteria — and how tailored financial tools can help smaller operators upgrade to greener fleets.
Circular Economy for Workboats
• Explore how circular design principles — from component reuse to end-of-life recycling — are being applied to reduce lifecycle emissions in workboat construction and maintenance.
• Assess sustainable material sourcing and modular design approaches tailored to smaller, more diverse fleets.
• Highlight startups and innovators developing circular solutions for hulls, propulsion systems, and onboard components — and how the sector can support adoption at scale.
Digitalisation and AI: Smart Optimisation for Workboat Efficiency
• Explore how digital twin technology is being applied to simulate real-time vessel performance, enabling precision optimisation of fuel consumption and emissions in workboat operations.
• Examine AI-driven predictive maintenance tools that help reduce unnecessary parts usage, prevent downtime, and extend asset life — all while supporting decarbonisation goals.
• Assess implementation challenges specific to diverse, often legacy-rich workboat fleets, and how scalable digital solutions can bridge operational and environmental performance.
Submit your paper by 28th November 2025 and contribute to shaping the workboat sector’s sustainable, efficient, and resilient future.
Submissions
Submission of abstracts deadline for Get Set for Workboat, Series 6, Session 2 is Friday 28th November.
To be considered, submit your 250–300-word abstract, along with a short biography and headshot photo, to Ellie Minshull by 28th November, 2025.
Email submissions to: eminshull@mercatormedia.com
For enquiries, call: +44 1329 825335
For information on attending, or sponsoring please call the team on +44 1329 825335 or email conferences@workboat2050.com
