Taking the lead in technology for tomorrow

Lisa Edvardsen Haugan was recently recognised by leading maritime publication Lloyd’s List as one of the Top 100 influencers for 2023 in the maritime industry, along with An-Magritt Tinlund Ryste. Haugan also placed third on Lloyd’s List Top 10 Technology Leaders for 2023.

It is a double honour that reflects Haugan’s ambition for the future of both Kongsberg Maritime and the maritime industry. The immense challenge of decarbonising and digitalising a sprawling, global maritime industry is compounded by the need to attract new employees willing and able to take on meaningful responsibilities.

Lloyd’s List writer Richard Meade noted that the strategic thought behind Haugan’s appointment included onboarding and integrating a new generation of engineering talent.

“It is the industry players in this (Top 100) list, from owners and charterers to financiers and technology innovators, who will determine the success or failure of the targets that these governments are setting,” wrote Meade of the IMO and its emissions targets.

In October 2022 when Haugan was appointed president of Kongsberg Maritime, she referred to Kongsberg Group’s “societal mission”. Since then, she has continued to invest in R&D, focusing on providing ship owners with practical solutions to the thorny problems around reducing or eliminating carbon emissions.

The costs and benefits of technology investment and deployment are key questions for companies trying to decarbonise, a process often addressed by incremental gains in performance and capacity. Haugan is familiar with concerns such as these. Before becoming president, Haugan worked with the defence and civil businesses of Kongsberg Group, including as executive vice president for Finance at Kongsberg Maritime and Finance Director at Kongsberg Protech Systems.

She has also worked to tie the mission of decarbonisation within the industry to an appeal to a new generation of talent.

A recently completed project with Norwegian cruise ship operator Hurtigruten showed that an extensive refit of thirty-year old vessels could yield dramatic cuts in carbon emissions while extending the life of the vessels. It is this kind of thinking that will help the maritime industry reach the goal of zero emissions, while also offering the kind of meaningful work that Generation Z is looking for.

Co-listed with Lisa Haugan on the Top 100 list was An-Magritt Tinlund Ryste, Director Next Generation Shipping, Kongsberg Maritime. Ryste joined Kongsberg Maritime as a trainee in 2009 and has since gone on to manage research consortiums and provide engineering for control system automation. Ryste has rapidly become a key figure in Kongsberg Maritime’s work on ship automation, showing the importance of recruiting and developing talent. 

In its 2023 Top 10 Technology Leaders list, Lloyd’s List noted Kongsberg Maritime’s developments in autonomous operations as well as low- and zero-emissions solutions across all sectors. In 2023, the company unveiled next generation designs for container feederships, platform supply vessels and tankers.

Lisa Haugan has pointed to the connection between solving the problems of today with the people of tomorrow.

“Our employees enable operations at the bottom of the sea, in Arctic waters, in the busiest ports and under the harshest weather conditions. I am looking forward to leading the team with the very best experts who will drive forward sustainable solutions in close collaboration with our customers,” said Haugan in 2022 when she was appointed president of Kongsberg Maritime.

Judging by the industry’s view at the end of 2023, Haugan is staying true to her word.