Danish shipowners are teaming up to help kick-start the domestic shipping sector after months of Covid-19 restrictions.
Industry group Blue Denmark formed a "restart team" last month to come up with recommendations to the government.
Now they are ready to present their ideas, according to shipowners' organisation Danish Shipping, which is part of the discussions.
"The goal is to boost exports in the maritime sector," Danish Shipping said.
Henriette Hallberg Thygesen, executive vice president of AP Moller-Maersk, has chaired the restart team for Blue Denmark.
"Blue Denmark has been hit hard by Covid-19 in several places, including due to restrictions on global mobility as well as declines in world trade," she said.
"In addition, there is a fear in the industry of a slowdown in the green transition that is needed in the coming years. By starting targeted initiatives, Denmark has good opportunities to maintain and expand its position as a leading green maritime nation and a supplier of climate-friendly maritime solutions".
The major headache for shipowners has been crew changes during the pandemic.
"Crew change has without comparison been — and still is — the biggest practical challenge for the shipping companies under Covid-19," said Danish Shipping chief executive Anne Steffensen.
"And even though we can, with good help from the Danish government, change crew members via Denmark, it is still a hassle, and we fear what a possible new wave in the autumn could mean for the crew members who have now boarded our ships."
More funds needed
So the first recommendation is for funds be set aside for an extension of the temporary scheme for crew changes in Denmark.
This will cover the rest of 2020 and allow Danish shipping companies to continue to use Denmark as a hub for changeovers.
The group has also looked at green restructuring being part of the restart.
A second recommendation is the setting up of a green growth pool, where shipping companies can apply for support to launch pilot projects to push shipping in a more eco-friendly direction.
"We are facing a very big and important task in making the global merchant fleet greener and more efficient. Here, there is a need for new thinking and development, which in addition to contributing to the green transition will also pave the way for the export of new technology," Steffensen added.
Offshore wind work is vital
A third key point the group will make to the government is about spreading knowledge of Danish know-how in the offshore wind farm sector, and helping Danish companies win contracts overseas.
"We are superb at producing, setting up and maintaining offshore wind turbines in Denmark," said Steffensen.
"We are already well represented in the European market, but we can get more out of the Danish shipping companies and companies that deal with offshore wind if we start winning more contracts in the Far East and the USA. Therefore, we recommend the government to focus on that segment in the export promotion work."
In June, Blue Denmark set out the sector's plans to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
The group came up with 21 initiatives and recommendations that set the course for sustainable shipping.
The plan was launched by chairman Soren Skou, chief executive officer of AP Moller-Maersk, at a conference attended by Danish business minister Simon Kollerup.
The organisation vowed that the coronavirus pandemic would not affect its ambitions.
Blue Denmark pledged that the first oceangoing zero-emissions ship will be operating commercially by 2030.
