Matt Filosa, Vice President of Strategy and Operations at Vessun Nautical, stressed that to achieve innovation in the shipping industry, a change in organizational approaches is essential. Matt Filosa stated that describing shipping as a lagging digital industry is no longer acceptable and that there must be a shift towards the optimal use of modern technologies.
Challenges of Digitalization in Shipping
Filosa believes that many organizations still view digitalization as an IT project, whereas the true value of digitalization becomes apparent only after processes and working methods are changed. This approach leads to operational teams remaining as passive customers and vendors addressing needs that no one has challenged.
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Change in Organizational Structure
Jimmy Jones, CEO of GT Maritime, also emphasized that the structure of shipping departments can be recognized as a greater barrier than technology. He states that most of the money the industry loses is wasted in transferring responsibilities from one department to another. In this regard, it must be believed that optimizing each department alone will not lead to an overall improvement in performance.
Kris Vodat, CEO of SmartSea, also pointed out that the idea that each ship is a self-sufficient and separate environment is no longer applicable. Ships should be managed as an intelligent operational network to effectively utilize each other's expertise and information.
Fabien Fousk, CEO and co-founder of Kaiko Systems, referred to another deeply rooted habit in shipping: reporting in a way that portrays the fleet positively. He believes that digitalization only brings real value when reporting is done in a way that serious problems are identified and addressed in a timely manner.
Finally, David Joris, partner and owner of Kima Technologies, emphasized that the shipping industry must approach risk and return in a new way. Investments in this industry typically have horizons exceeding 20 years, which shapes the industry's mindset.
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