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What will the future of Europe’s maritime sector look like, and who will shape it? Those are the key questions that European Forum 2026 – Innovations and Security in Europe’s Maritime Future will seek to address when it takes place in Opatija on 21 April, bringing together leading security experts, decision-makers, researchers and innovators from across Europe.
At a time of major global change, the maritime sector stands at the intersection of technological development, the green energy transition and increasingly complex security challenges. That is precisely why this forum carries added weight, using the public space for a concrete dialogue on how Europe can respond to these changes and remain competitive and secure in the long term within a global context.
The EU Forum will open with a keynote by Daria Dasha Krivonos of the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies, titled Uncertainty is a Feature, Not a Bug.
At the heart of the programme are panels addressing key questions about Europe’s development. The Future of Europe: Innovation panel will focus on cooperation between universities, academia, the business sector and local communities, with participation from Alen Ružić, the Minister of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, Goran Hauser, Rector of the University of Rijeka, and representatives of regional government.
The panel on international relations will bring together senior diplomatic representatives, including the ambassadors of Germany, Norway and Sweden, giving the forum additional political and strategic importance.
A panel organised in cooperation with the European Forum Alpbach will open up the question of Europe’s competitiveness in the global environment and its ability to respond to new challenges.
Industrial and technological development will be further explored through the discussion Accelerators of the Smart Industry, which will examine the role of digital solutions and accelerated innovation in industry.
A dedicated part of the programme will focus on concrete examples of innovation, including hydrogen development and clean energy in the maritime sector, with international experts and alumni of the Lürssen Foundation programme sharing their experience.
The security dimension of the maritime sector will come into focus in the second part of the programme through a lecture by Basil Germond of Lancaster University and Fausto Ferreira of MARBLE, who will speak about maritime security challenges in the context of international relations and new technologies.
An important part of the forum will also be the presentation of Lürssen Foundation scholarships, through which the foundation continues to support and invest in the development of a new generation of experts and innovators who will shape the future of the industry.
European Forum 2026 is positioned as a meeting point where knowledge, industry, expertise and decision-makers come together with the aim of shaping a more resilient, innovative and secure maritime system for Europe.
