The World Maritime University (WMU) hosted a high-profile, hybrid seminar on 4 April 2025, spotlighting the interaction between sustainable energy initiatives and society, with a particular focus on the Nordic region. The event was delivered as part of the Nordic Energy Research (NER) Grand Solutions Programme and gathered key players from academia, industry, and government across the Nordic region.
The aim of the seminar
The aim of the seminar was to discuss the interaction of sustainable energy initiatives with local communities, critiquing the concept of “social acceptance” and exploring ways of communicating between stakeholders to identify innovative approaches to managing sustainable energy projects.
Social acceptance will be a central theme
Professor Maximo Q. Mejia, Jr., President of WMU, opened the event saying, “Whatever the new technologies may be, social acceptance will no doubt be a central theme in the adoption of them. It will require proper understanding, and dialogue amongst the stakeholders, and a form of governance that has the sensitivity to take into account valid concerns and possible impacts.”
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The Hi-EFECTS project
The seminar showcased WMU’s involvement in the Hi-EFECTS project (High Efficiency Flexible Electrofuel Conversion for Transportation at Sea), a collaborative initiative aimed at developing next-generation engine combustion technologies to meet net-zero greenhouse gas emissions targets. The three-year project is funded by Nordic Energy Research.
Project partners
In addition to WMU, project partners include Aalto University (coordinator), Wärtsilä, Lund University, Stolt Tankers, and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. In addition to Hi-EFECTS, the event highlighted other NER-funded projects such as Best4Grid, MoreH2, and SpeedLocal.
Advance sustainable maritime development
Following the success of similar events in 2022 and 2024, WMU’s hosting of this hybrid seminar aligns with its mission to advance sustainable maritime development and strengthen collaboration across the Nordic region. The seminar offered valuable exposure for WMU’s Maritime Energy Management (MEM) students, providing the opportunity to engage directly with industry leaders and policymakers.
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About Maritime Energy Management at WMU
The philosophy behind Maritime Energy Management (MEM) at WMU is that the inevitable maritime energy transition is an opportunity for the industry. WMU’s MEM educational offerings include the groundbreaking MEM MSc specialization that was introduced in 2015, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Maritime Energy delivered by distance learning.
WMU’s Maritime Energy Management Research Priority Area focuses on the fundamental understanding of energy in a maritime context and the application of evidence-based knowledge across the field from ships to ports, and from oceans to shipyards, to ensure the cost-effective, safe and environmentally friendly use of resources.
The book Trends and Challenges in Maritime Energy Management, was published in 2018 as an outcome of the International Conference on Maritime Energy Management (MARENER 2017) hosted at WMU in 2017. It was one of the most downloaded books in its category in 2018. WMU also offers a Summer Academy course focused on maritime decarbonization.
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