Digitalization posses the potential to change the maritime market, and should thus be regarded as a paradigmatic transition rather than technological innovation.

This course is about digitalization in shipping with focus on the strategic level, that is the strategic responses to the digitalization of shipping. The course is divided in six parts:

1. In the first part the students will get an introduction to the digitalization of shipping with focus on digitalization as an economic phenomenon. That is to understand how digitalization caused a shift in costs in the processing of information. In this first part we analyze digitalization as a engine of integration caused by the dramatic shift in costs. The
2. The following four parts of the course concerns maritime digitalization as a great integration force in four dimensions. The first dimension concerns the technological integration between sea & shore. In this first part we analyze how shipping strategies has changed due to new opportunities for integration the vessels with the HQs – this include route planning, IoT on smart vessels. We will illustrate the points with real life cases and guest lectures with focus on operational optimizations and fleet operations.  
3. The third part of the course concerns institutional integration. This dimension of the course is focused on the integration between private companies and public institutions at various levels including global (IMO), regional (EU), national and local (ports). The students will get an introduction to the legal landscape of international shipping and cases from the various levels of institutional integration.     
4. The fourth part concerns maritime digitalization and the integration between companies and customers. The focus will be specifically on platform economics and the loop of information with customers.   
5. In the fifth part of the course we focus on the integration between past experiences and present decisions often through big data and algorithms. We will focus on risk management and commercial chartering.   
6. In the conclusion the students will analyze digitalization in three shipping segment: Container, product tank and dry bulk within the four dimensions based on the relevant theories.

Expected literature

Andal-Ancion, A., Cartwright, P., and Yip, G. S. (2003). The Digital Transformation of Traditional Businesses. MIT Sloan Management Review, Vol. 44, No. 4, pp. 34-41.

BCG (2019), Digital Transformation in the Shipping Industry (available from https:/​/​www.bcg.com/​industries/​transportation-travel-tourism/​center-digital-transportation/​shipping.aspx)

Berman, S. J. (2016). Digital transformation: opportunities to create new business models. Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 40, No. 2, pp. 16-24.Bray, J. (2018).

Egloff, C., Sanders, U., Riedl, J., Mohottala, S., and Georgaki, K. (2018). The Digital Imperative in Container Shipping (available from www.bcg.com/​publications/​2018/​digital-imperative-container-shipping.aspx).

Freeman, C. & Louca, F. (2002). As Time Goes By: From the Industrial Revolutions to the Information Revolution, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Fitzgerald, M., Kruschwitz, N., Bonnet, D., and Welch, M. (2013). Embracing Digital Technology: A New Strategic Imperative. MIT Sloan Management Review, Vol. 2, pp. 1–12.

Futurenautics Maritime in association with Ericsson (2017). Waypoint Digital 2017. Digital Infrastructure, Investment, Initiatives and Transformation in the Shipping and Maritime Industry. London: Futurenautics Ltd.

Iversen, M.J. and Bull, J. (2020). Danish Shipping in the 21st Century, Navigating Troubled Waters, London: Palgrave MacMillan.

PWC (2017). The Digital Transformation of Shipping. Opportunities and Challenges for Norwegian and Greek Shipping Companies (available from www.pwc.no/​no/​publikasjoner/​shipping/​The-Digital-Transformation-of-Shipping_HE-NO.pdf).

Quitsau, J., Tontara, N., Vöpel, H., Jahn, M., Otto, A., and Wolf, A. (2018). Shipping in an Era of Digital Transformation. Hamburg. Berenberg and HWWI.

Saxon, S., and Stone, M. (2017a). Container shipping: the next 50 years. London: McKinsey & Company – Travel, Transport & Logistics (available from www.mckinsey.com/​~/​media/​mckinsey/​industries/​travel%20transport%20and%20logistics/​our%20insights/​how%20container%20shipping%20could%20reinvent%20itself%20for%20the%20digital%20age/​container-shipping-the-next-50-years-final.ashx).

Saxon, S., and Stone, M. (2017b). How container shipping could reinvent itself for the digital age. London: McKinsey & Company – Travel, Transport & Logistics (available from www.mckinsey.com/​industries/​travel-transport-and-logistics/​our-insights/​how-container-shipping-could-reinvent-itself-for-the-digital-age).

Taran, Y., Boer, H., and Lindgren, P. (2015). A business model innovation typology. Decision Sciences, Vol. 46, No. 2, pp. 301-331.

Teece, D. J. (2010). Business models, business strategy and innovation. Long Range Planning, Vol. 43, No. 2/3, pp. 172–194.

Tellis, G. J., and Golder, P. N. (1996). First to Market, First to Fail? Real Causes of Enduring Market Leadership. MIT Sloan Management Review, Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 65-75.

Verdin, P. and Tackx, K. (2015). Are You Creating or Capturing Value? A dynamic framework for sustainable strategy, Harvard Kennedy School, M-RCBG Associate Working Papers Series, No. 36.

Vonck, I. (2017). The impact of maritime digital transformations. Three options to respond to the challenges of digital disruption. Deloitte, August 8 (available from www2.deloitte.com/​nl/​nl/​pages/​energy-and-resources/​articles/​the-impact-of-maritime-digital-transformations.html).