Lawrence Sciberras holds a PhD in Development Studies from the University of Lisbon and has specialized in maritime affairs with emphasis on sustainable development and international shipping regulatory matters. He holds an MBA in Strategic Management from Maastricht School of Management, the Netherlands and works at the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), a European Union Agency based in Lisbon, Portugal. Dr Sciberras is responsible for several horizontal activities within the Department for Safety, Security, and Surveillance. He also coordinates and manages several innovative engagements related to space-based solutions in the field of satellite communications, including feasibility studies and space demonstrations with the European Space Agency (ESA) and EU Agencies.

Dr Sciberras has extensive experience in maritime transport matters and in dealing with technical issues related to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), particularly in the implementation of IMO instruments and treaties. He served as an IMO auditor within the IMO Member States’ Voluntary Audit Scheme and conducted audits in the IMO Member States to establish how effectively they administer and implement the mandatory IMO instruments. For the past 25 years, he has actively participated in international fora mainly at: IMO; the International Telecommunications Union (ITU); the International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO); and the European Commission. Since 2008, Dr Sciberras has represented EMSA and the European Commission at IMO on issues related to his portfolio.

Dr Lawrence Sciberras is an integrated researcher at the Research Unit in Social Sciences and Management (CEsA/CSG/ISEG/ULisboa) of the Lisbon School of Economics and Management (ISEG/ULisboa) of the University of Lisbon. His research interests include: interconnection between the theoretical and applied aspects of the research; development policy; grounded theory as a research methodology; maritime transport regulatory matters; sustainable shipping; the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs; and interrelationships between safety, environmental protection and the efficiency of maritime transport. Dr Sciberras has published several articles in internationally renowned peer-reviewed journals and regularly acts as a peer reviewer. Dr Lawrence Sciberras also provides academic support to the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology in aspects related to the recently launched Professional Research Doctorate (DRes) on the Competitive Behaviour of Small Organizations.

Prior to taking up the position at EMSA, Dr Sciberras served as Head of Maritime Radiocommunications Services at the Department of Wireless Telegraphy and at the Merchant Shipping Directorate, Malta Maritime Authority, where he also worked as a Flag and Port State Control Inspector. For several years, he held the position of part-time lecturer at the MCAST Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and was also an examiner and course auditor at the MCAST Maritime Institute.

Dr Sciberras is a qualified Chartered Engineer specializing in maritime safety, maritime communications and satellite-based systems and is registered as a Eur. Ing. (European Engineer) with the European Federation of National Engineering Associations (FEANI). He is a Graduate Member of the Chamber of Engineers (Malta) and a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (United Kingdom).