Shipowners are asking for easy-to-use solutions, offering a one-stop shop, according to Joachim Gerlach, senior sales manager at Weathernews, one of the world’s largest private weather information companies.
“Customers are facing more and more systems in their everyday operations, and being able to integrate as much as possible into one unique interface is key,” Gerlach says, something he and his colleagues will be trying to get across to delegates attending next week’s Geneva Dry conference.
“Owners are telling us that they care deeply about ROI—they want to stay ahead of the game when planning their vessel strategies. Given the market’s volatility, they can’t depend solely on automated systems without the insight and expertise that only humans can provide,” says John Sideris, another senior sales manager at Weathernews.
In terms of what Gerlach wants to take away from next week’s big Swiss dry bulk summit, he tells Splash: “Learning from shipowners about their evolving operational challenges is invaluable, especially regarding the balance between compliance, operational efficiency, and market competitiveness.”
Of specific interest for Gerlach and Sideris will be the Digital Efficiency Drivers At Sea session next Tuesday morning where an expert panel will look at how digitalisation can enhance dry bulk shipping operations to the benefit of both shipowners and charterers. This quick-fire session aims to eliminate some of the myths surrounding digital miracles at sea, while highlighting projects that are making a genuine impact.
