Norway’s Torvald Klaveness is tapping into the next generation of shipping talent to help meet the challenges of a transformative era.
An interview on the company’s website with two sales development interns in Singapore, Joanna Woo and Shaun Ong, shows how important collaboration and digitalisation are to members of Generation Z, the cohort born in the late 1990s now moving into the sector.
The duo is working on the company’s optimisation platform Market Manager and for its Baumarine by MaruKlav panamax pool.
These digital natives believe the impact of commercial technology will provide them with interesting careers.
Ong, a student of maritime studies, argues that partnerships are essential.
In a world filled with uncertainty and volatility, the sharing of resources and technical know-how will enable companies to navigate challenging circumstances more effectively, he said.
“By streamlining operations and sharing data, the industry can navigate unfavourable circumstances better by either riding with bullish markets or hedging against bearish markets and furthermore, doing so would allow the industry to level up as a whole,” Ong added.
Woo, a student of operational analytics and business strategy, believes countries are exporting and importing cargoes based on their competitive advantages, which in turn increases the volatility and risks for the industry.
As a result, international affairs and politics are becoming increasingly more influential on shipping.
She believes collaboration will reduce risk for shipowners.
“We would see players create a more cost-effective mode of transportation and maintain relevance in a time where decarbonisation is becoming a hurdle that will determine the survival of many,” Woo said.
Late adopters?
She argues it is long overdue for the industry to move away from the manual process of record keeping and performance tracking.
Data must be made “easily interpretable and accessible to stakeholders so value-driven decisions can be made faster — especially in an industry where time is your most elusive resource,” she said.
Ong also sees shipping as slower than other sectors to embrace digitalisation.
“With the increasing prevalence of data, the challenge for shipping lies in effectively filtering and utilising the vast amount of available information,” he said.
And Ong thinks artificial intelligence will play a pivotal role in making vessel and shipyard operations safer and more efficient.
Klaveness head of dry bulk Michael Jorgensen said: “Through their perspectives, Shaun and Joanna demonstrate the vital role that the Gen Z workforce plays in driving progress and bringing positive change to an industry that is essential for global trade.”
Woo and Ong will continue working with Klaveness in Singapore through to the end of July, before returning to their respective studies.
