Shipping People: Karin Orsel

Shipping People: Karin Orsel

In the 10th edition of the interview series #ShippingPeople - meet the European Shipowners, we hand the microphone to karin Orsel, CEO of MS Shipping Group and former ES|ECSA President.

How much has shipping changed since you took over as President in 2024?

The pace of change in shipping has been extraordinary, even in the short time since I became ES|ECSA President in 2024. It is something I experience daily in conversations with our members, policymakers and maritime partners. This acceleration is part of a broader transformation that has reshaped our entire industry. When our organisation was founded in 1965, the maritime sector was far less complex. Today's environment is marked by geopolitical uncertainty, the energy transition, and intensifying global competition.

Since I became President in 2024, these challenges have intensified and converged. The geopolitical landscape affects trade routes and supply chains in unprecedented ways. The energy transition has moved from aspiration to implementation, with regulations now driving real operational decisions. At the same time, global competition has increased, with other fleets growing faster than Europe's. ES|ECSA has consistently worked to ensure that Europe's regulatory framework supports a strong and competitive maritime industry. From day one, this has been one of my key priorities. Our focus has been consistent: ambitious objectives, matched by policies that keep our sector competitive.

Our work over the years reflects this approach. We have contributed to the Fit for 55 package, the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan and the upcoming Maritime Industrial Strategy. We have consistently advocated for competitiveness, practical solutions, investment and open trade.

Looking forward, the challenges are significant, but so are the opportunities. Europe's large and global fleet places us in a strong position-provided we maintain the right framework for investment and competitiveness. That balance will be decisive in the years ahead. At the same time, what has not changed in sixty years is the importance of cooperation. ES|ECSA has always worked closely with European institutions and has built strong coalitions with industry partners - from shipbuilding to fuel suppliers to the aviation sector, as well as with unions and NGOs. I firmly believe that this culture of cooperation is one of Europe's greatest strengths. These partnerships have enabled Europe to find balanced solutions that keep our industry resilient.

The European shipping fleet is one of the largest in the world, enabling the EU to play a leading role in the global supply chains. How do you perceive the strategic role of shipping for European security?

European shipping is a cornerstone of Europe's security - for energy, for food and for our entire supply chain. That reality has become even clearer in recent years. Although Europe accounts for around 15% of global GDP and just 5% of the world's population, it accounts for 35% of the global fleet. At the same time, more than 76% of the EU's external trade moves by sea. This makes shipping not only a strategic asset for Europe's security, but also a true European success story - one that underpins our economic resilience and global competitiveness.

However, European shipowners face rising geopolitical uncertainty, increasing protectionism, and growing competition from other regionsgrowing faster than Europe. Despite these challenges, shipping has and will continue to deliver the goods and energy we need in our daily lives. Maintaining the international competitiveness of European shipping is therefore critical and a top priority for European shipowners. Investing in the energy transition is also crucial, to ensure we can meet our decarbonisation targets while remaining competitive. If Europe wants to remain secure, resilient and influential on the global stage, it must continue to invest in a strong, competitive and sustainable shipping sector.

According to your opinion, which are the enabling factors to accelerate the energy transition of the industry?

The energy transition of shipping can only happen if the substantial price gap between conventional and clean fuels is bridged and clean fuels and tech are available at an affordable price.

The revenues generated under the EU ETS can support the transition, but only if they are effectively reinvested into decarbonisation and in particular to encourage the uptake of clean fuels. It is key to leverage the ETS revenues to build up manufacturing capacity in Europe for clean fuels and tech, and to bridge the price gap between clean and conventional fuels, which are on average four time more expensive.

Additionally, shipping is an international industry which requires meaningful global regulations to decarbonise. A global framework is essential to ensure a level playing field at international level, and as such, European Shipowners have reiterated their trust and commitment to the IMO process and will continue to work with our international partners to ensure progress can be made.

The EU should send a clear message that the EU measures are transitional and that it will withdraw the European legislation when the IMO international measures are adopted. This clarity is crucial for long-term investment decisions.

While we continue to push for an international solution, we are also pushing the EU policymakers to invest more in the production and availability of clean fuels. The recently published EU Sustainable Transport Investment Plan is a welcome step forward for the decarbonisation of the sector. It highlights the importance of investing national ETS revenues to support the uptake of clean fuels for shipping. However, investment alone is not enough. more decisive action is needed. The EU still needs to introduce a binding requirement and a mandate for European fuel suppliers to make clean fuels available for shipping. Without supply obligations, the sector cannot meet its decarbonisation targets regardless of regulatory ambition.

Diversity brings unique skills, increases innovation and fosters a more inclusive working environment. What could the industry do to increase diversity and bring opportunities for women and underrepresented groups in shipping?

A successful transition is not only about investment and regulations, it is also about people. The shift to clean fuels and technologies means that 800,000 seafarers will need reskilling or upskilling by the mid-2030s. Within Europe alone, 250,000 seafarers must be trained in the coming decade. At the same time, the maritime sector is not only facing a skills shortage, but also an overall labour shortage. If we want shipping to stay competitive, we simply cannot afford to exclude talent. Diversity is not a 'nice to have', it is a business necessity.

However, the green and digital transition is an opportunity to make the sector more attractive to the new generations, to women and to underrepresented groups. We must ensure that shipping remains attractive to diverse talents. Diversity brings new skills, fresh ideas, and better leadership. It drives innovation and makes the workplace more inclusive, helping the shipping sector stay competitive. To support this, we have to strengthen cooperation between industry leaders, schools, and organisations that promote diversity and gender equality. I have seen firsthand that diverse teams make better decisions. Not because they think alike, but because they challenge each other and that makes organisations stronger.

The European Maritime Skills Forum, led by European Shipowners | ECSA and the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF), is an excellent opportunity to strengthen collaboration for skills development. The Forum brings together shipowners, seafarers' representatives, maritime academies through the Maritime Education and Training Network (MET-NET) and policymakers, and discusses skills gaps, addresses emerging trends and exchanges best practices. As President, I was proud to officially launch at the end of 2025 the European school competition, as part of the ES|ECSA 60^th anniversary. This competition aims to increase the visibility of the maritime sector among the younger generations, by inviting students aged 9 to 12 years old across Europe to use their imagination and create an artwork showing what a ship could look like in 60 years' time. I am also proud to say that the competition is officially supported by the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Commission, who will help us with the outcome and will host an award ceremony in Cyprus later this year. If we want more women and diverse talent in shipping tomorrow, we have to start by showing today that they belong here.

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