The tactician knows what to do when there is something to do; whereas the strategian knows what to do when there is nothing to do
Gerald Abrahams
From decarbonization and blockchain, from safety and autonomous shipping modules to over-regulation, the shipping industry keeps on doing what it knows best – it is moving on. Sometimes leading the way, others adapting to new realities, but never stopping, always evolving.
Sustainability, responsible shipping strategies and new regulations have become the industry constants. New trading patterns emerge as a result of trade wars. Automation, smart technologies and data protection complement the picture. Interconnected infrastructure, smart ports and predictive analytics are here to stay.
Synergies seem more relevant than ever. Shipping finance has been keeping a watchful eye on developments in the industry but is still characterized by much caution on the side of banks and regulators, in equal stride. Banks are constantly shrinking their shipping portfolios with only a few exceptions and NPLs remain high. Leasing is expanding its reach, but in a somewhat more focused way, funds are repositioning in the market and crowdfunding might become more than just a viable option. Availability, timing, coverage: Apart from strengths and weaknesses, each financing solution represents more than meets the eye.
Slide2Open Communications, true to its annual appointment with the Shipping world, organized the Slide2Open Shipping Finance 2020, where the most recent developments in the industry, together with valuable financial and commercial insights into activities, offerings, best practices and trends, were discussed and analyzed.
The question is not just to be good in what we are doing, but also be able to predict and be ready in our rapidly changing world.
Let’s not wait and see what the future holds for us.
Let us jointly brainstorm about ways to be proactive.
Let’s ReFuture Shipping!
