I have worked in marine insurance for more than 30 years, and uncertainty has always been part of the job. Weather and shipping routes change, and a decision made in one part of the world can disrupt a supply chain thousands of miles away.
That experience has taught me something important. We cannot remove every uncertainty, but we can understand it well enough to help clients make decisions with confidence. That is where specialty insurance has a distinctive role. Capacity matters, but clients also need technical knowledge, clear insight and a long-term partner.
I see that need across marine, aerospace, political risk, credit and other specialty lines. Geopolitical shifts, new energy sources, cyber threats, new technologies and supply-chain disruption are increasingly connected. The world does not operate in silos, and insurance cannot either. My maritime career has shown me how our industry can help clients navigate that complexity.
A maritime perspective
My route into insurance began with a lifelong love of the ocean. I followed my uncle and cousin to the United States Merchant Marine Academy, where I earned my Merchant Mariner Credentials and received a commission as a naval officer. It gave me firsthand experience in an industry that sits at the heart of global trade.
I moved into insurance because I wanted to help businesses manage the risks that come with operating in that environment. Every role since then has taught me more about risk, leadership and people. But one principle has stayed the same: clients do not need an insurer only when something goes wrong. They need a partner that understands their business and can help them prepare for what may come next.
Insurance has two roles: creating confidence for investment and helping new technologies enter service safely.
Expertise turns uncertainty into confidence
Risk never stands still. Shipping is going through another major transformation as the industry explores new energy sources, vessel designs and ways of operating. Before new technology can scale, people need to understand how it works, how it will be financed and how its risks can be insured.
That means underwriters, risk consultants and clients need to work together from the start. We need to look at how vessels will be designed, built and operated, identify hazards and reduce exposure where we can. Insurance has two roles here: creating confidence for investment and helping new technologies enter service safely.
Our work to support the construction of the world’s first commercial sail-assisted cargo ship is one example. It is a hybrid vessel with powerful wind-assisted propulsion that significantly reduces fuel use helping to move maritime transport closer towards decarbonization.
We worked with the company and other industry partners to develop a first-of-its-kind solution combining marine hull coverage with credit protection to support financing for additional vessels. The project shows how marine and credit expertise can help investors assess an unfamiliar technology, while giving insurers an opportunity to understand how new vessels will be built and operated.
Our participation in the Nuclear Energy Maritime Organization (NEMO) reflects the same thinking. Advanced nuclear technologies could eventually offer another way to power long-range maritime operations with lower emissions. But they also raise difficult questions about safety, regulation, operations and liability. Working with experts from the maritime and nuclear sectors helps us understand those risks, share insurance expertise and contribute to the frameworks that any future applications would need.
Resilience is a competitive advantage
We cannot predict every disruption. The COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical conflict and changing trade routes have shown that efficiency alone is not enough. Businesses also need to adapt when assumptions, routes or technologies change.
That is why I see resilience as a competitive advantage, not simply a compliance exercise. Organizations that understand where they are exposed, test alternatives and plan for disruption are better placed to protect their operations and act when conditions shift.
Insurance can help by going beyond risk transfer. Risk consulting, data and specialist underwriting can show clients where they are vulnerable, how scenarios might change and what action they can take. Bringing that expertise into a project early can influence design choices, strengthen safeguards and give everyone a clearer view of the exposure.
Curiosity and collaboration drive progress
Changing risks require leaders and teams to stay curious. Early in my career, I thought a leader needed to have all the answers, but experience has taught me otherwise. Strong leaders create an environment where people can ask difficult questions, share what they know and find answers together.
I still learn through reverse mentoring and from colleagues across generations, disciplines and markets. In a fast-changing industry, we need the humility to challenge assumptions and recognize when a familiar approach no longer works.
That mindset matters in underwriting. No single discipline can fully assess the technological, operational, geopolitical and financial risks shaping global trade. We make better decisions when we bring together different experiences and remain willing to learn.
Authenticity matters too. I have been open about being a gay woman because people should not have to hide who they are to succeed. When colleagues can bring their full perspective to work, teams are better able to question established thinking, understand clients and solve difficult problems.
Helping the next generation develop is a business priority and a personal passion. I want talented colleagues, particularly those from underrepresented groups, to see a path into leadership and feel confident taking it. Our industry will need their ideas and expertise in the years ahead.
Making progress possible
The maritime industry has always reinvented itself. Containerization transformed global trade in the 1950s. Today, new fuels, digital technologies, artificial intelligence and changing supply chains are reshaping the sector again. There will not be one simple path forward.
Our report produced in association with Reuters Events, Freight in a Low-Carbon Economy: Managing the Risks, shows the scale of the challenge. Over 80% of the world’s goods are transported by sea, but shipping still relies heavily on bunker fuel. Alternatives such as ammonia and hydrogen bring technical, safety and infrastructure challenges, and no single solution is ready to scale across the industry. This is why we need to consider risk across the full life of an asset and involve insurers as new technology, infrastructure and operating models develop.
Standing still is not an option. Innovation needs investment, and investors need to understand how exposure can be managed. Specialty insurance brings together capacity, insight and partnership to help clients act.
After more than three decades in marine insurance, that is the lesson I carry forward. We cannot know exactly what the next transformation will bring. But if we stay curious, work together and build resilience, we can help clients navigate change and keep moving forward.
