May 9, 2026
Trust, technological capabilities, and the boundaries of automated systems took center stage during the opening discussion of the second day at Geneva Dry 2026, held the previous week. The gathering brought together vessel owners, charterers, commodity traders, and tech suppliers to explore how digital innovations are transforming the dry bulk shipping supply chain.
Digital Efficiency in Dry Bulk
A panel titled Digital Efficiency Drivers Across The Dry Bulk Supply Chain examined how predictive analytics, automated processes, port call optimization, and emissions tracking can minimize waste and enhance profitability from extraction to processing. While panelists acknowledged that the sector now gathers unprecedented volumes of data, many contended that shipping still fails to translate this information into improved real-time choices.
Janani Yagnamurthy, vice president of product and strategic growth at Marcura, moderated the session and began by highlighting the vast amount of data already circulating within the industry. She noted that the sector logs approximately 1.3 million port calls each year, yet dry bulk continues to experience operational inefficiencies, planning deficiencies, and profit erosion.
A persistent topic throughout the discussion was the widening gap between planned operations and actual conditions. Audra Drablos, strategy director at Inmarsat Maritime, contended that dependable connectivity forms the essential basis for any meaningful digital progress. She outlined a typical bulk shipping situation where a berth schedule changes shortly before a vessel arrives, but the revised information either reaches the crew too late or never arrives. The ship then continues at full speed, wasting fuel unnecessarily. Drablos emphasized that without consistent connectivity, particularly during these crucial moments, achieving operational efficiency becomes extremely difficult.
Panelists concurred that the industry has largely overcome the challenge of simply obtaining data. The primary obstacle now involves delivering information to decision-makers at the appropriate time and in a format that enables swift action. Russ Hubbard, chief commercial officer at Veson Nautical, observed that the sector continues to grapple with connectivity issues both internally and externally. He explained that all necessary data may exist, but it may not be accessible when decisions need support, requiring multiple components to align for prompt and correct choices.
Interoperability and Data Quality
The conversation repeatedly circled back to interoperability, a term that panelists joked had become one of the most frequently used expressions at Geneva Dry this year. Beneath the buzzword, however, lay a genuine issue: insufficient standardization among platforms, owners, charterers, ports, and other supply chain participants. Morten Lovstad, business director for bulk carriers at DNV, argued that confidence in data quality will dictate whether artificial intelligence and automation can truly enhance shipping operations. He stated that data drives the industry but must be verified and subjected to quality assurance. Lovstad cited emissions reporting frameworks like MRV and DCS as examples of existing standards that could serve as powerful optimization instruments if properly integrated across fleets and systems.
Several panelists emphasized that the value of AI will hinge less on impressive user interfaces and more on the caliber of the proprietary data that powers these systems. Daniel Schildt, chief strategy officer at Pangaea Logistics Solutions, noted that owners are inundated with technology products and face increasing difficulty distinguishing genuinely useful tools from marketing claims. He cautioned that many companies are experiencing technology fatigue as vendors aggressively promote AI-driven solutions to chartering and operations teams already managing complex workflows. Schildt stated that the crucial test for any new platform is whether it enhances utilization, lowers expenses, and enables staff to reach faster, better-informed decisions without increasing their operational load.
Automation Versus Human Judgment
The debate also underscored the growing friction between automated processes and human expertise. Despite the emergence of predictive tools and AI-supported voyage planning, several speakers argued that dry bulk’s fundamental unpredictability still demands experienced operators to analyze information rather than mechanically following automated recommendations. Willem Vermaat, shipping director at Heidelberg Materials Trading, questioned whether the industry has truly evolved as much as it asserts. Using vessel estimated time of arrival management as an illustration, Vermaat pointed out that despite years of digitalization, charterers still frequently depend on brokers calling owners directly for arrival updates instead of relying on automated systems. Schildt added that fully automated voyage communication could sometimes generate more confusion than clarity, as a computer will transmit exactly what is entered that day, potentially creating additional issues.
The panel agreed that dry bulk poses a particularly difficult challenge for AI compared to more uniform shipping segments like containers or tankers. Schildt remarked that numerous factors influence the business and everything affects dry cargo, describing dry bulk as an entirely distinct category. Nevertheless, speakers acknowledged that AI is already beginning to address practical operational issues. Hubbard pointed to port coding and standardization as an area where AI can now fill gaps that previously required extensive manual mapping between different systems.
Trust Remains Central
Trust persisted as the overriding concern throughout the session. When Hubbard asked the audience how many had confidence in their data, only a few attendees raised their hands. When asked whether they trusted their personnel, nearly everyone in the room responded affirmatively. This disparity captured the prevailing sentiment: technology may be progressing rapidly, but faith in the systems still lags behind. Concluding the discussion, Yagnamurthy cautioned that even minor inefficiencies can quickly accumulate in a low-margin sector like dry bulk shipping. She calculated that for an owner or operator managing roughly 2,000 port calls annually, inefficiencies of just 1% to 2% could total approximately $7 million each year.
As the panel ended, speakers broadly agreed that the next stage of digitalization in dry bulk will not be characterized by standalone software products alone, but rather by cooperation, improved data quality, and a stronger readiness across the supply chain to exchange information. Yagnamurthy concluded that transparency, data, and interoperability are the essential elements, and everything else will naturally follow.