CirclesOfLife engages key stakeholders in the European shipbuilding sector

At the CirclesOfLife (CoL) General Assembly in Hamburg in December, a strategic workshop led by Green Marine Europe – in collaboration with Netherlands Maritime Technology and Delft University of Technology – brought together consortium members with a clear goal: to strengthen stakeholder engagement by refining the project’s messages and actions. The workshop aimed to identify the needs and expectations of 4 key stakeholder personas. A persona is a semi-fictional representation of a target audience. It helps personalize messages and actions.

4 target stakeholder personas

Shipbuilders

• Challenges: Integrating sustainability and meeting regulatory requirements without compromising competitiveness.
• Expectations: Innovative solutions for eco-responsible products, with clear communication on the benefits of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility).

Financial Institutes

• Challenges: Reducing risks and anticipating EU environmental regulations.
• Expectations: Transparency in environmental data to support sustainable financing, with trust in the reliability of the information provided.

Maritime Suppliers

• Challenges: Balancing local and global sourcing while ensuring quality and innovation.
• Expectations: Clear sustainability requirements and strong partnerships for high-performance solutions.

Subcontractors

• Challenges: Maintaining technical performance while complying with new environmental standards.
• Expectations: Practical tools to improve operational efficiency and ensure traceability, with trust and transparency as safeguards to combat greenwashing.

CirclesOfLife: a strategic lever for sustainability

The workshop revealed key trends in presenting CoL to stakeholders:

• Anticipation and visibility: CoL helps integrate environmental strategies into economic development while anticipating future regulations, ensuring stability for industry players.
• Transparency as a requirement: In response to growing demands for clarity in environmental actions, CoL positions itself as an essential tool to meet the expectations of funders, clients, and regulators.
• Measured performance: CoL provides concrete tools to reduce the environmental footprint while maintaining responsiveness and customer satisfaction in a highly competitive sector.

In short

The workshop enabled a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by shipbuilders, financial institutes, suppliers, and subcontractors. CirclesOfLife positions itself as an essential ally in supporting these actors through the environmental transition while ensuring competitiveness and innovation.