In two weeks’ today Geneva Dry, dry bulk’s annual get-together, will start with an entire afternoon dedicated to all things digital.
AXSMarine, one of the big beasts in maritime tech, is sending a sizeable delegation to Geneva, aware, but not overly concerned, about the growing number of vendors in domains it has operated in since before the dot.com bubble.
Founded in 2000, AXSMarine, part of BRS Group, offers a complete suite of interactive, web-based tools and databases to support all commercial ship chartering activities.
“With more vendors providing shipping tech solutions we are seeing charterers and owner/operators becoming more specific with their requirements,” says Stephen Fletcher, AXSMarine’s chief commercial officer. “I feel sorry,” he says, “for newcomers in the tech space simply because the increased number of vendors is causing elongated sales cycles.”
The increased number of vendors is causing elongated sales cycles
This, Fletcher argues, means the high annual recurring revenue (ARR) growth plans for many start-ups are becoming harder to achieve, which, he reckons, will eventually drive further vendor consolidation.
When speaking to clients within the dry bulk space Fletcher says his team is experiencing a lot more demand focusing on workflow streamlining solutions and quality market data.
“While we have been providing these solutions for over 20 years to shipbrokers, owner/operators and charterers, and have over 500 clients in the dry bulk sector, I don’t think we have ever seen this level of focus,” Fletcher says.
Geneva Dry will kick off on May 2 with an hour on digital efficiency drivers with top names from Oldendorff Carriers and Cetus Maritime among the speakers followed by a workshop on making data actionable and finishing with what promises to be a lively debate on the future of fixing, moderated by Mandarin Shipping’s Tim Huxley with well-known names from the likes of Bahri, Lauritzen Bulkers and Arrow as panellists.
“I’m looking forward to an amazing couple of days talking properly about real issues and getting into the details with the people close to the problems and solutions,” Fletcher says. “The line-up for this first Geneva event just proves that the organisers really know what the industry needs.”
Designed to be the annual global summit for the dry bulk shipping community, the event now boasts an extraordinary mix of shipowners, trading companies, miners and tech providers, with more than 200 companies due to convene at the Hotel President Wilson on the shores of Lake Geneva.
The high-level summit is split into relevant sectors to make delegates’ time more targeted and rewarding. Sessions also include minor bulks; agri-commodities; coal; iron ore; and decarbonisation.
Among companies attending are Anglo American, Asyad Shipping, Bahri, the Baltic Exchange, BPG Shipping, Cargill, Cetus Maritime, Cobelfret, CTM, Devbulk, Fednav, G2 Ocean, Grindrod Shipping, Hadley Shipping, Heidelberg Materials Trading, Intercargo, Itochu, KC Maritime, Klaveness, Lauritzen Bulkers, Norden, Nova Marine Carriers, Olam, Oldendorff Carriers, Pacific Basin Shipping, Pangaea Logistics Solutions, Precious Shipping, Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing, Swire Bulk, Taylor Maritime, Trafigura, and Wah Kwong Maritime.
The full Geneva Dry agenda can be accessed here.
Geneva Dry registration, at just $780, can be accessed here.
