It’s that time again! We’re back with another weekly dose of Tech insights shaping maritime today. Let’s dive right in…

This week, I spoke with Abhishek Yadav, an innovation expert with over 19 years of experience in the industry. Working within IINO Lines, Abhishek specialises in driving maritime innovation and digital transformation. His expertise lies in bridging technology solutions to create smarter, more efficient shipping operations whilst optimising fleet performance through data analytics and automation. 

The recent voyage optimisation revolution at IINO Lines was championed by Abhishek, who orchestrated the shift away from simple spreadsheets towards an integrated optimisation platform. Abhishek discussed his firsthand experience navigating this digital transformation project and provided valuable insights on how organisations can ensure they maximise success.

Your IT budget has evolved from 'keep the lights on' to 'digital transformation.' But as technology becomes more critical to shipping operations, one question keeps getting harder to answer: Are we spending the right amount?

The Thetius IT Cost Benchmarking Club turns that question into clarity. We analyse your fleet's IT spending and anonymously benchmark it against industry peers. From vessel connectivity to shoreside systems, we'll show you where you stand. Better yet, we'll measure the performance of your IT investments against industry standards.

Because in today's maritime industry, knowing your costs isn't enough - you need to know everyone else's too.

Check it out here

The path to implementation presented numerous challenges, such as finding technology providers that understood their unique operational context, winning approval from key stakeholders, rolling out comprehensive training across vessel teams and establishing clear metrics for measuring success. Implementing a new fleet-wide solution is no easy feat and can seem like a very daunting process.

For one, the maritime SaaS industry is flooded with suppliers; the vessel performance and voyage optimisation markets are no exception. Choosing the right software out of many, all claiming to be No. 1 on the market raises the question:  ‘How can I confidently select the supplier that’s right for my organisation?’

Having well-defined goals in place before reviewing software was one thing Abhishek particularly emphasised. He found that clearly understanding the challenges you aim to overcome helps ensure you select a supplier who genuinely meets your needs.

Abhishek also shared a practical suggestion from his experience: reaching out to industry peers about their software choices. He asked them what aspects of their solutions worked well or fell short, and why they selected their particular provider. By discussing specific platforms, he gained insights into the reasoning behind different companies' varying choices. 

Though valuable, Abhishek noted that this feedback must be considered alongside your company's unique circumstances. What works brilliantly for one organisation might prove unsuitable for yours. "If it works for one company, it may not work for you. You should consider other opinions without letting them drive your choice of vendor"

Once you’ve found your ideal vendor, the next challenge is arguably the most difficult: securing ‘buy-in’ from your key stakeholders. Without these leading individuals on board, it’s almost impossible to get a digital transformation project off the ground. 

Abhishek’s advice is to identify the innovative decision-makers and secure their support as early as possible. It’s easier to get projects over the line when being supported from the very top. 

"Taking time to understand the specific challenges faced by different departments proves worthwhile in securing support." When you present your selected software as a tailored solution to these specific challenges, your leadership will adopt the change more willingly.

Abhishek also offered advice to organisations beginning their digital transformation journey, is to set realistic timeframes and ROI expectations. 

When embarking on digital transformation projects, many suppliers may promise swift implementation and rapid returns. However, Abhishek cautioned that these timeframes often fail to account for each organisation’s unique structure, “You need to check resources internally, how free are your people for a training session? How many people would attend? What has been the usual timeline for similar projects to be rolled out?”

What looks achievable on paper frequently requires additional months in practice, particularly when rolling out solutions across multiple vessels or offices with varying levels of digital literacy.

Furthermore, Abhishek highlighted a significant industry challenge: the absence of standardised regulations or guidance on how suppliers measure performance and savings. ”Each vendor employs their own methodology, so how do you quantify the actual benefits?”

Many external factors can substantially affect optimisation outcomes (including weather conditions, market fluctuations, crew expertise and operational constraints), yet these variables are rarely adequately factored into suppliers' analyses. Consequently, the impressive savings percentages presented in initial sales pitches may not materialise as expected in real-world applications, leading to disappointment and potential stakeholder scepticism. 

For Abhishek, creating a truly innovative company culture isn't about grand gestures or expensive software investments. "Change starts from the ground up…you need to empower your people," he insists. At IINO Lines, this means encouraging small but meaningful improvements, like transforming basic spreadsheets into interactive dashboards. 

When staff feel ownership over these innovations, they naturally become champions for future advancements. The result? A workforce that actively seeks out better ways to work rather than simply accepting the status quo.

Well, that's all for this week's round-up of all things innovation. Join me again next Thursday when I'll be back with another curated collection of industry updates and insights. Here's to a productive week ahead! All the best, Ailsa