Our Vision
The core aim of the Smart Maritime Network is to change the narrative around interoperability, standardisation and harmonisation in maritime technology and the wider transport infrastructure.
SMN’s goal is to advance and promote the benefits of enhanced integration and data sharing among stakeholders within the maritime and transport logistics sectors; informing and educating on technological developments and innovations, while providing wider opportunities for relationship building, business development and knowledge sharing.
We are now very pleased to announce our roadmap to hosting SMN conferences once again and we will be back in Tokyo on 24 August, returning once more to the Kaiun Club.
SMN Tokyo 2022, refreshed, will look at how maritime has used this pandemic period to reflect and pursue innovations, particularly in relation to data exchange and digitalisation. We will take the opportunity at SMN Tokyo to discuss the measures the industry is taking to strengthen itself and to positively embrace future disruption.
We will particularly consider how digitalisation is shaping the future of sustainable shipping – looking at decarbonistion and efficiency, with a special focus on Japan’s projects in autonomous shipping. There will be a look at how digitalisation is fuelling global trade, and the role of maritime ecosystems and a renewed focus on transparency, standards and collaboration have on this.
There will be a Networking Party at the end of the day, kindly sponsored by Inmarsat, held at the Anchor Point venue at the Kaiun Club, to further enable discussion and partnerships between all those attending.
With an expert line up ready to share their knowledge and experience:
- Dr. Akinori Abe, Director General, National Maritime Research Institute, National Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology
- Sakura Kuma, CEO, APM Terminals Japan
- Takafumi Horiuchi, Director for Maritime Autonomous Ship Standards, Safety Policy Division, Maritime Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)
- Junpei Ueda, Promotion Officer, Environment Policy, Ocean Development and Environment Policy Division, Maritime Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)
- Dr. Ando Hideyuki, Director, MTI, NYK Group
- Naoto Nakagawa, Director, Office of Offshore Development, Ocean and Maritime Division, Ocean Affairs Department, The Nippon Foundation
- Marco Cristoforo Camporeale, Head of Maritime Digital, Inmarsat
- Eero Lehtovaara, Head of Regulatory and Public Affairs, SVP, Master Mariner (AFNI), ABB, Marine and Ports Division & Chairman, One Sea
- Satoru Someya, Managing Director, Head of CEO’s Office and Head of Global & Alliance Business Dept, TradeWaltz Inc.
- Capt. Satoru Kuwahara, General Manager, JMS, Project Director, DFFAS
- Hiroshi Sugioka, Managing Officer, Head of Technology Division, Japan Marine United Corporation
- Takeru Suzuki, General Manager, Smart Ship Strategy Team, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.
- Naotaka Ishizawa, President, NYK Digital
- Noriyuki Mama, Senior Fellow, GS1 Japan
- Koji Takasaki, Prof. (Emeritus), Dr., Kyushu University, A Member of the Shipping Zero Emission Project, Japan
- Daisuke Watanabe, Professor, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
- Junya Iida, Dr. of Engineering, Senior Researcher, Waterfront Vitalization and Environment Research Foundation (WAVE), and Adjunct Associate Professor, Graduate School of Management Kyoto University
- Masaharu Iwama, Invited Researcher, Waseda University
- Rob O’Dwyer, Chief Network Officer, Smart Maritime Network
Conference Health & Safety Measures
To safeguard the health and safety of all attendees at the Smart Maritime Network Tokyo Conference the following measures and guidelines are being adopted
Now that we are all slowly emerging from the restrictions necessitated by the recent COVID-19 crisis, SMN is very pleased to be returning to hosting our series of conferences to facilitate safe and conscientious in-person meetings with our partners and industry peers. To safeguard the wellbeing of all of our attendees, we will be strictly following the guidelines of the Japanese authorities, as well as adopting best practices recommended by major business conference and event organiser associations, such as PCMA, UFI and AEO.*
In order to ensure the safety of all of our participants, we will be following the advice of the Japanese Authorities in ensuring that all recommended health and safety measures are followed on site.
We are also working very closely with our venue, Kaiun Club, and suppliers to ensure the measures in place during SMN Tokyo 2022 will provide a safe, pleasant and productive experience for all our guests.
We will be encouraging and reminding all delegates of the importance of adhering to recommended personal hygiene etiquette, such as washing and disinfecting hands regularly, and wearing facemasks as directed by the authorities.
We will be asking any delegates with any symptoms of illness to refrain from attending the conference.
If you would like to discuss any of these measures, or have any questions, please contact:
Cathy Hodge, COO, Smart Maritime Network
E: cathy.hodge@smartmaritimenetwork.com
*For more information on these guidelines please head to
https://www.pcma.org/coronavirus-business-events-professionals-need-to-know-faq/
Learning
Learn from our expert speakers and get up to date on the latest technology developments.
Sharing
Share ideas on how to transform the shipping business using digital technologies.
Networking
Reconnect with your peers in the maritime IT sector and make new contacts to benefit your business.
Conference Agenda // 24 August 2022
- Registration and Refreshments 8:15 AM
- Introduction & Welcome from Smart Maritime Network 9:00 AM
Cathy Hodge, Chief Operating Officer, Smart Maritime Network
- Opening Notes & Welcome from Conference Chair 9:05 AM
Naotaka Ishizawa, President, NYK Digital Academy
- Session 1: The Role of Leadership & Policy Makers in Digital Transformation
Digitalisation is being hailed as the route to cutting costs, increasing efficiency and creating new revenue possibilities within the maritime and transport logistics supply chain. But the real question is, how much value are we actually creating for technology and service users?
It is clear that the answer will lie in a lot more than simply “smartening-up” vessels and ports, and collaboration amongst supply chain stakeholders, with improved data exchange capabilities – alongside technically advanced smart ships, ports and digtal cargo initiatives – will pave the way.
So what measures are the industry taking to develop their “smart thinking” and ensure real value for technology users – and what is the impact of digital data exchange on the user? And what is the role of the business leader in all of this? - Keynote Address: Prioritising Digital Transformation 9:20 AM
Dr. Akinori Abe, Director General, National Maritime Research Institute
How NMRI is focusing on digitalisation and “digitalisation of quality” and what this will mean for shipping and ship building.
Accelerating digitalisation by sharing data and unifying standards - Keynote Address: The Role of Leadership and the Value of Purpose in a Transformation 10:00 AM
Sakura Kuma, CEO, APM Terminals Japan
- Maritime Connectivity Strategy: Enabling Decarbonisation, Digitalisation and Crew Welfare 10:25 AM
Marco Cristoforo Camporeale, Head of Maritime Digital, Inmarsat
- Tea/Coffee Break 10:50 AM
A chance to network with each other and meet our Smart Maritime Network Partners
- Session 2: Platforms, Ecosystems and Transparency – Fuelling Maritime’s Digital Future
- Panel Discussion: Platforms, Ecosystems and Transparency – Fuelling Maritime’s Digital Future 11:20 AM
Digitalisation has led to a far less opaque and more visible shipping and transport sector. Greater scope for connectivity and access to an ever growing number of data sources is leading us necessarily towards a system of trust – where collaboration is not just beneficial but necessary.
- How can the shipping industry raise the bar and lift its veil to ensure a safer, more harmonised future?
- What role do standards have to play in this?
- We will also review the role Covid-19 has had to play in standards, vilisibility and supply chain.
Moderated by: Noriyuki Mama, Senior Fellow, GS1 Japan
Panellists include:
- Naotaka Ishizawa, President, NYK Digital Academy
- Masaharu Iwama, Invited Researcher, Waseda University
- Panel Discussion: Digitalisation Fuelling Global Trade 12:05 PM
- Collaboration to harness digital solutions - such as electronic Bills of Lading and other supply chain data for global trade efficiency
- The technical, legal, and regulatory frameworks needed to break the silos between the global supply chain and financial institutions
- How has the pandemic impacted the digital transformation of global trade, and how the use of blockchain can help ease logjams
Moderated by: Daisuke Watanabe, Professor, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
Panellists:
- Satoru Someya, Managing Director, Head of CEO’s Office and Head of Global & Alliance Dusiness Dept, TradeWaltz Inc
- Junya Iida, Dr. of Engineering, Senior Researcher, Waterfront Vitalization and Environment Research Foundation (WAVE), and Adjunct Associate Professor, Graduate School of Management Kyoto University
- Lunch & SMNx Talks 12:55 PM
Grab your Bento Lunch and rejoin the Conference Room to hear from our sponsors. Each sponsor will have a short 5 minute session on stage to share their latest innnovations. This will be followed by tea/coffee in the main lobby for you to visit the sponsors and discuss their developments.
- Session 3: The Smart Ship of the Future – Reviewing Developments and Innovations
- Discussion Session: Japan’s Strategy to Zero Emission from International Shipping 2:40 PM
-Japan's approach toward zero emission shipping
-Introduction of zero emission concept ships and project for next-generation ship development
A discussion between:
- Junpei Ueda, Promotion Officer, Environment Policy, Ocean Development and Environment Policy Division, Maritime Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)
- Koji Takasaki, Prof. (Emeritus), Dr., Kyushu University, A Member of the Shipping Zero Emission Project, Japan - The Role of Technology in Shaping the Future of Shipbuilding 3:25 PM
Hiroshi Sugioka, Managing Officer, Head of Technology Division, Japan Marine United Corporation (JMU)
- Short Tea/Coffee Break 3:50 PM
A chance to network with each other and meet our Smart Maritime Network Partners
- Exploring Issues for the Regulation and Future of Autonomous Shipping 4:15 PM
Eero Lehtovaara, Head of Regulatory and Public Affairs, SVP, Master Mariner (AFNI), ABB, Marine and Ports Division, & Chairman, One Sea Autonomous Maritime Ecosystem
- Panel Discussion: An Overview of Japan’s Autonomous Shipping Projects 4:40 PM
Led by:
Naoto Nakagawa, Director, Office of Offshore Development, Ocean and Maritime Division, Ocean Affairs Department, The Nippon Foundation
Panellists:
- Dr. Ando Hideyuki, Director, MTI, NYK Group
- Takafumi Horiuchi, Director for Maritime Autonomous Ship Standards, Safety Policy Division, Maritime Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
- Capt. Satoru Kuwahara, General Manager JMS, Project Director, DFFAS
- Takeru Suzuki, General Manager, Smart Ship Strategy Team, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.
- Eero Lehtovaara, Head of Regulatory and Public Affairs, SVP, Master Mariner (AFNI), ABB, Marine and Ports Division & Chairman, One Sea
- Conclusions, followed by the SMN Tokyo Networking Party 5:40 PM
Conclusions, followed by the Smart Maritime Networking Party, Kindly Sponsored by Inmarsat.
Held at Anchor Point, Kaiun Club.

PHOTO GALLERY
Maritime Digitalisation Advisors
International experts covering a range of maritime digitalisation technologies will be on hand at the Smart Maritime Network Tokyo Conference, ready to discuss how your company can leverage its data to improve processes and drive efficiency in an increasingly connected market
Registration
Shipping Company VIP Pass
- Free registration for qualifying vessel operators (includes ship owners/managers/builders, and selected industry stakeholders - subject to confirmation by the organisers).
Conference Delegate Pass
- Delegate pass for admission to all conference sessions, and the evening Networking Party. (Discounts are available for multiple delegate bookings)
SMN Tokyo 2022 charity partner
Smart Maritime Network is proud to support The Mission to Seafarer’s Adventure Race Japan, taking place in May 2023.
This event offers the international shipping industry the opportunity to rekindle friendships and build partnerships while taking on the challenge of a lifetime, to benefit seafarers. Obstacles are designed to test your teamwork, innovation, and analytical skills.
To find out how you and your company can get involved, and to check out our incredible sponsors and participants, click here: www.mtsadventurerace.org