DNV Maritime CEO Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen on Navigating Shipping’s Biggest Challenges

A Maritime Rock in Times of Turmoil

DNV celebrated its 160th anniversary last year, a milestone underscoring its enduring role in safeguarding life, property and the environment. The numbers speak for themselves: 18% of the world fleet is now classed with DNV, and the company saw 10.7% year-over-year growth in 2023, growth that is not a surprise with nearly 120 million gross tons ordered globlaly last year versus 18 million gross tons ordered in 2016.

"It gives us a great responsibility," Ørbeck-Nilssen says. “And trust really matters — especially now.”

With a career that spans from the early 1990s to today, Ørbeck-Nilssen reflects that while much has changed in that time span, much still remains the same.

"We still have the IMO as a global regulator, which is quite rare for an industry; we still have flag states, port states and, of course, classification societies. And these are all stable regulatory entities that keep us a very international industry,” said Ørbeck-Nilssen.

But the transformative changes in the industry over that same period are staggering, too. In 1990, for example, cyber security was not an issue because we had no internet.

"One [change] that really stands out is the advancements in communication technology, providing connectivity, supporting tools for navigation as one example, but also naturally for more social aspects.” Those open lines of communication directly to the ship can cause a vlunerability, too, which is why DNV has steadily built its in-house cyber security team.

But the 800-pound gorilla in any shipowner’s boardroom today is decarbonization, energy transition, and all that it entails. "Lately we've been talking a lot, and working a lot, on the introduction of new fuels,” said Ørbeck-Nilssen.

"[Traditionally] it was predominantly heavy fuel oil; now we have hybrids, electric propulsion, LNG and LPG as fuel, methanol as fuel, and we are starting to get ammonia as fuel. So the diversity on the fuel side is certainly changing the environment. Then there is saving energy on vessels; energy efficiency has changed a lot, too. Everything from hydrodynamics, adjusting the hull shape to the actual speeds the vessels are traveling, but also modern sails that not only save energy, they generate energy onboard the vessels. It's fascinating to see how some of the old technologies are coming back.”

With that, arguably nowhere is that ‘trust’ more critical than in helping clients navigate decarbonization. The IMO’s 2050 net-zero ambition is fast becoming a regulatory reality, and Ørbeck-Nilssen warns it’s a monumental task. “Personally, I'm a little concerned about the timeline. I think it's very ambitious to get to net zero or almost net zero by 2050. It's not because we are not interested in reducing emissions. It simply has a lot of practicalities to consider. Ships are sailing for 20, 25 years and the replacement of the fleet takes a long time, it’s costly to do refurbishments and modifications and the shipyards are full.”

DNV, however, isn’t standing still.

Through Energy Transition Outlooks, scenario modeling, and its internal strategic research units, the organization is proactively advising shipowners on fuel pathways and regulatory readiness. LNG, methanol, ammonia, hydrogen — and even nuclear — are on the table. “There is no silver bullet,” Ørbeck-Nilssen says, “but collaboration across the value chain will be the fuel that gets us to 2050.”

This is a maritime renaissance. We’re revisiting technologies like sails, exploring new fuels, pushing boundaries. It’s an exciting time to be in shipping.”

- Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen,
CEO of DNV Maritime

Navigating Change

“It's a fascinating time that we live in, ” Ørbeck-Nilssen surmised, in outlining what he sees, and has defined for many years as ‘tectonic shifts,’ the defining forces in today’s maritime world:

• Geopolitical shocks and market unpredictability: The last decade has ushered in a new level of volatility — war, trade disruptions, Covid, inflation and policy shifts. “Owners today face increased downside risk on investments,” he explains, “and the uncertainty is one of the biggest concerns we hear.”

• Decarbonization as both a regulatory and commercial driver: “This isn’t just about IMO mandates,” he says. “The EU’s ETS is already here, and carbon pricing may soon be global. The commercial incentive to decarbonize is rising rapidly.”

• Technology acceleration: From cyber threats to digital twins, Ørbeck-Nilssen sees technology as both a risk and a key to resilience. DNV’s new Cyber division, with more than 500 experts, signals a growing focus on digital vulnerabilities in increasingly connected ships.

But when asked to more narrowly define and highlight the one technology, the one evolution that has stood out most on the ship and shipbuidling evolution front, he pointed to the evolution of containerships – as an example – that effectively illustrate so many other concurrent advances to make the transformation possible.

“If you look at containerships, back in the 1990s we had the post-Panamax container vessels carrying somewhere between 4,000-5,000 TEUs, that was the maximum size at the time,” said Ørbeck-Nilssen. “Today we’re looking at container ships carrying 24,000 TEU, a multiple of six on cargo carrying capacity. “If you talk about being efficient, that's quite a big leap forward. ”

But the leap forward was not done quickly, easily or in a vacuum, requiring investment from organizations globally. “The increase in size was facilitated by the use of advanced design tools, developments in automation and robotics in the cutting, welding and assembly process,” said Ørbeck-Nilssen, noting the increased precision, quality and efficiency cumulatively enabled a more efficient and effective process for all ship types throughout the ship design and construction process.

The Human Factor

While the ships and the technologies often garner the headlines, Ørbeck-Nilssen is quick to credit the people driving the industry, both within DNV’s walls, around the world and across the industry. With more than 3,500 maritime employees, DNV balances practical survey work with deep technical and strategic insight. “Of course, not everyone handles everything,” Ørbeck-Nilssen says. “We have operational surveyors, specialists in fuels and machinery, and researchers focused on what’s coming next,” helping to, for example, chart the pat of energy evolution in shipping.

That breadth allows DNV to offer both near-term support—certifying new fuels, testing simulators, advising on safety—and long-range guidance to help owners future-proof their fleets.

“We don't know everything and there are areas where academia, the engine manufacturers, the equipment suppliers, the ship owners, the managers, the shipyards, for example, know more of the details of their operation,” said Ørbeck-Nilssen. Here, collaboration is key, gathering as much information as possible and harvesting this in the way of guidelines, rules and recommended practices for the industry to follow.

The flip side of the human element coin is the seafarer, and during the COVID lockdown Ørbeck-Nilssen was passionate in speaking out about the importance of the seafarer, the critical role they play daily in efficient global commerce, and the need to classify them as ‘essential’ workers.

“It's a tough line of work, it's not easy to be away for a long time. Also, vessels are getting more complicated, and more responsibility lies on the seafarers. Obviously they will need to have proper training and education and support to meet those challenges,” said Ørbeck-Nilssen. “Seafarers remain critical. We need to attract and retain talent for a future where vessels are more complex, but also more connected.”

Simulator certification, career paths from sea to shore, and better digital infrastructure onboard all play a role. “This isn’t just a technical transition — it’s a human one.”

The Norwegian Model

When asked why Norway punches far above its weight class in maritime innovation, Ørbeck-Nilssen points to a deep-rooted cultural connection to the sea and a tightly-knit, highly collaborative national cluster. “The entire value chain is here: shipyards, owners, insurers, legal, and finance. It’s a complete ecosystem.”

“Norwegians have been connected to the sea for thousands of years, trading [commerce], fisheries and the offshore [energy] industry,” said Ørbeck-Nilssen. “We all more or less live along the coastline in this country and I think getting a profession or working with something related to the sea makes a lot of sense for many Norwegians.”

The Norwegian government has played a central role to the research and development and evolution of the Norwegian brand, supporting research, by encouraging [trials and pilots]. “I think you could almost look to the North Sea as a laboratory for testing not only of oil and gas equipment and structures but also for vessels and many new developments,” he said.

“We also like to travel,” he says with a smile, “and that international perspective helps too.”

Looking Ahead

Despite the challenges, Ørbeck-Nilssen is optimistic. “This is a maritime renaissance. We’re revisiting technologies like sails, exploring new fuels, pushing boundaries. It’s an exciting time to be in shipping.”

As Nor-Shipping approaches, he looks forward to connecting with the global community: “It's a meeting place for ideas, relationships, and the next chapter of this great industry.”