The 5 Major Themes in Digitalisation and Shipping in 2022

What are the major themes for 2022 and beyond in shipping?

I’ve been wondering about this a lot lately. Ports, carriers, freight forwarders, government authorities, customs — each of us are working on many initiatives to advance the industry, but it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture.

I wanted to take a step back and consider what the broader themes might be, and touch on some of the major developments I see for the coming year.

With better visibility of the major themes and an understanding of what everyone is working toward, we may find opportunities to improve collaboration and accelerate those changes.

In this post, I propose my first draft of what I think those key themes and trends that are here to stay.

To reiterate, these are just my observations, I welcome your feedback and input in the comments below for a more well-rounded perspective.

With your input, I hope to refine these themes and in future posts, dive a bit deeper into how we’re progressing.

#1 Digital-first approach

The slow and steady transformation toward a digital-first information infrastructure.

In an increasingly technology–driven world, digitalisation is a key driver of change across the industry.

• Digitisation of documents. The electronic bill of lading (eBL) has been the first major step toward the digitisation of documents, but this year I anticipate more and more important documents being digitised (and opening up data-sharing opportunities in the process).
• Standards for interoperability. As the volume of data increases, so does the importance of standards for interoperability. As DCSA and other organisations continue to advocate for standardisation, I expect skyrocketing recognition and adoption of industry standards.
• Openness to sharing information. The ability to share data is only part of the picture, there has to be a will to share as well. As more and more opportunities for data-sharing emerge, will the collaborative mindset be there to embrace them?

#2 Customer centricity

Prioritising business around the needs of the ‘customer’ and continuing to develop solutions that better serve those needs.

In an interdependent industry, we’re all somebody’s customer, and customer-centricity will see us collectively putting more focus on who we are serving.

• Solving customers’ biggest pains. Creating a more open environment where we actively seek to understand what customers need, and then develop suitable solutions for their most relevant problems, using new technologies for a greater customer service and experience.
• More self-service access to data. Through APIs and other tools, customers will gain more access to useful data through self-service tools (for those who want to use it), and have a more flexible and efficient way to do business.
• Expanded service offering from ports. As Smart Ports collect and organise more data, they can now provide more value and information to partners, and in doing so, attract new customers with a better service offering.

#3 People first

An emphasis on attracting, retaining, motivating and training the right people to shape the future of the industry.

We’re an industry driven by people, but the mix of those people will continue to change. How do we ensure it’s the right mix, and create an environment where they can get the best outcomes?

• Simplifying processes / minimising frustration. A gradual but important shift toward removing roadblocks and opening up more efficient ways of working across the industry. Flexible working arrangements, reducing bureaucracy and minimising tedious redundant processes will all be key.
• Attracting young talent. The next generation will be highly skilled digital natives who won’t tolerate manual tasks. As the need to attract this talent increases, so too will the pressure to become more digital-friendly.
• Inclusion, equity and diversity. A continuation of welcoming a more diverse mix of people, from all backgrounds, orientations and perspectives. Better equity, inclusion, and ultimately, better outcomes.

#4 Collaboration

A greater openness to sharing information and collaborating with one another, both within a company, and across the industry as a whole.

In such an interdependent industry, collaboration is an essential driver of successful change (and one I’m fond of, as you can see by this post!)

• Culture and mindset. As the new generations enter the workforce, there will naturally be differences in perspectives between the new and the established. All groups must learn to keep an open mind, treat each other with respect, share a common vision and discover the benefits of working together.
• Industry collaboration. As we’ve demonstrated with DCSA, industry-wide collaboration can lead to powerful steps forward. But such collaboration requires more openness and transparency, with each party working out what to compete on, and what to collaborate on. Collaboration is also key for the industry to successfully decarbonise.

#5 Sustainability / Environment

The increasing emphasis on implementing more sustainable practices and reducing impact on the environment.

In line with global trends, the shipping industry is further embracing the responsibility to adopt more sustainable and environmentally friendly practises in everything that we do.

• Decarbonisation. Everything from optimising fuel consumption, transitioning to alternative fuels, carbon pricing, and making better use of weather and ocean data for more efficient journeys — there is an industry-wide push toward reducing emissions. All of these initiatives will depend on effective digital infrastructure to capture, interpret and distribute the data and greater success on the progress toward net zero targets.
• Digital docs to save paper and reduce emissions. Another case for digitising documents is sustainability. One source has estimated that 400,000 trees are cut annually to produce the many millions of Bills of Lading issued, not to mention the environmental impact of couriering these (and other) documents across the globe. It’s low hanging-fruit to reduce our carbon footprint.
• Just in time delivery. On the back of better data-sharing, and greater visibility of port capacity, vessels increasingly can better adjust travel speed to arrive just in time, reducing fuel use and carbon emissions during the journey.

There you have it, my first attempt at the five major themes affecting the shipping industry and some initiatives I see as important.

Now, it’s your turn!

What have I missed? What would you add? What key initiatives are you working on?

Let me know in the comments below.