ADVANTUM Participates in CMU Maritime Research Roundtable
ADVANTUM was among several shipping and logistics stakeholders in attendance at the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) Industry Breakfast on February 19, 2024, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston. The event, organized by CMU’s Research Implementation Committee (RIC), aimed to foster collaboration between the university and industry stakeholders, setting a research agenda aligned with the maritime sector’s innovation, training, and problem-solving needs.
Other key industry entities present included the Port Authority of Jamaica, Maritime Authority of Jamaica, Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited, Kingston Wharves Limited, Seprod, Caribbean Broilers, the National Environment Planning Agency (NEPA), and the Jamaica Public Services (JPS) among others.
In his opening address President of CMU, Professor Andrew Spencer, underscored the importance of marrying academic research with industry demands, emphasizing CMU’s commitment to producing actionable and relevant research outcomes that address the specific needs of the maritime logistics industry.
Professor Spencer also highlighted CMU’s recent achievements, notably its ranking as third in Jamaica for academic research citations trailing only the University of the West Indies, Mona, and the University of Technology, Jamaica, a remarkable feat given its recent transition from a training institute to a university status just seven years ago. This reinforced the university’s dedication to shaping a research agenda that not only contributes to academic knowledge but also solves real-world challenges faced by the maritime and logistics sectors.
Maritime Research Brainstorming Session
The event featured brainstorming sessions among attendees, fostering a collaborative environment to identify pressing research needs within the maritime logistics industry. The discussions aimed to ensure that CMU’s future research initiatives are directly instructive and beneficial, addressing the challenges and leveraging the opportunities within the industry. Following these sessions, representatives from each group presented their strategic insights and proposed areas for future research, highlighting the synergy between CMU’s academic endeavors and the maritime industry’s practical needs.
ADVANTUM’s Takeaway
Tsahai Morgan, Communications and Marketing Executive at ADVANTUM, who was in attendance commended the CMU’s initiative in exemplifying the essential role that academic-industry partnerships play in driving the maritime sector forward that.
She shared that, “By aligning CMU’s research capabilities with the industry’s needs, the event paved the way for future projects and collaborations that promise to enhance operational efficiencies, drive innovation, and address the pressing challenges of the maritime logistics industry.”
ADVANTUM believes that this strategic alignment between academic research and industry requirements is crucial for the sustained growth and development of the maritime sector in the Caribbean and beyond.