Essence by seabo
Thinking differently in chartering: How embracing change can give you the edge
Markets, technologies, and customer demands evolve at an increasingly rapid pace, particularly within the maritime sector. In chartering, continuous adaptation is crucial, driven by changing conditions and significant time pressures on decision-making. What provided certainty yesterday can become a growth inhibitor today or be obsolete tomorrow. Have routines now become the most critical risk in the business world? The key question is this: how do you stand out in such a dynamic environment and create fresh opportunities for success? seabo's answer is to think differently and have the courage to challenge established patterns. In this article, we've compiled the most essential tips for you: the mindset you need, insights from other industries, and concrete starting points for thinking differently in chartering.
19.08.2025
To think differently, you need the right mindset
On the one hand, extensive experience in chartering is rightly valued and respected. On the other hand, it can lead to over-reliance on routines and the risk of falling behind and missing tomorrow's successes. Many still view novelty as a threat. Escaping that mindset requires a new inner attitude: one that is open to improvement and willing to embrace uncertainty. Above all, you must be ready to change.
We've examined the mindset you need. Here are our recommendations:
- Neighbour curiosity, not comfort. Be prepared to experiment with new technologies or working methods, even if they feel unfamiliar at first. Given chartering's high pace of innovation, these trials can unlock significant new opportunities.
- Learn by doing. Setbacks are part of personal progress; failure is an inevitable part of the process. What matters is drawing the right lessons and applying them. The more consistently you do this, the bolder and ultimately more successful you will become.
- Focus on what matters. It's not about knowing everything yourself. It's more about having a good sense of which sources of information can effectively support your decision-making. Embracing simplification frees you from unnecessary complexity, creating room for fresh thinking.
- Challenge established routines. Professionals aim for continuous improvement, not stasis. Ask yourself: Is there a faster or simpler way? If so, test it.
Do it like Picasso: Master the rules – then break them
The right mindset is also required outside of chartering to rethink and achieve success. Pablo Picasso once put it like this about art:
"Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist."
This isn't a call to dismiss proven processes carelessly. Instead, it's an invitation to act with intent. Experiment boldly, yet thoughtfully, to drive even greater success. Key principles include:
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Own your outcomes. Thinking differently means you may make mistakes. What's crucial is acknowledging them and then seeking the subsequent improvement in chartering. That's how professionals operate.
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Measure impact. If you restructure your information flows, ensure they move you forward in terms of relevance, speed, or efficiency. Being "different" alone isn't enough.
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Shift perspectives. Step into the shoes of customers, partners and colleagues. How do they view your work? This often reveals exciting avenues for doing things differently.
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Start thinking differently tomorrow. Whether it's a fresh sales strategy, an agile organisational model or smarter tech use, there are endless ways to innovate. Once you integrate initial solutions, you will quickly develop a sense for additional "change potentials".
Draw inspiration from those who think differently
The business world is rife with examples of how a different way of thinking has sparked major success, often from small ideas and humble beginnings. Here are a few pioneers and the mindsets they adopted:
The founders of the first company refused to accept that a business couldn't change, just because "that's how it's always been."
We are talking about Spotify. Until this platform revolutionised the music industry, people bought their favourite songs. Today, over 678 million users worldwide do things differently: they stream their music. Decades of usage patterns have been called into question and have undergone permanent changes. In chartering, certain behaviours have also become standard. Imagine being among the first to adopt a more effective approach that becomes the new industry norm.
Uber reimagined taxi-hailing.
At some point, there was a moment of magic when the founders questioned the status quo, problems were recognised, and creative solutions were found. Instead of phone lines and high fares for short trips, they introduced flexible private driver bookings, dynamic pricing based on demand, and a fully digital experience. Now the crucial question is: Where are your most significant pain points in chartering, and what solutions might be available to tackle them? What can you change accordingly? Or better still, which solutions already exist that you need to leverage?
The following example shows that a different way of thinking often goes hand in hand with a keen sense of trends.
PayPal capitalised on the dot-com boom in the early 2000s by creating a simple, secure way to transfer money online. No bank account required. Just a thought: Is there a current trend in chartering that you could harness to boost efficiency or service quality? By answering questions like these, you too can become a different kind of thinker.
Explore new ways of managing information
Managing vast and complex data, ports, cargoes or contract details is particularly challenging in your sector.
Around 94% of chartering professionals cite a lack of data standardisation as a major problem.
This figure underscores a genuine desire for change. While you can't alter rapidly shifting conditions or the volume of information, you can transform how you handle it. Move from passive consumption to proactive management. Knowledge advantage isn't born of quantity, but of clarity. That's where technology plays its part: innovative tools help you use information strategically, rather than merely amass it. The result? More freedom to focus on what truly matters: your success as a chartering professional.
Our three final tips:
- Stay open to new mindsets and technologies that can supercharge your performance.
- Pursue continuous optimisation, drawing inspiration from other industries that have deliberately broken conventions.
- Free up time by restructuring, automating and simplifying your information management. So you can afford to think differently.
seabo frees you up to think differently by streamlining workflows
Often, a small initial step is all you need to spark a significant, positive shift in your working methods. Or perhaps you lack the right tool. With seabo, you get exactly that: we cut through the chartering data deluge by aggregating all the relevant information for you.
That means relevance over volume, structure over chaos and clarity over uncertainty. You gain a more focused, substantive view of the critical factors in your daily chartering operations. Armed with smarter information, you can make quicker, more informed decisions and capitalise on opportunities with greater confidence.
Our essence for you: In chartering, it's crucial to challenge entrenched routines regularly and adopt fresh approaches to information management. This lays the foundation for future competitive advantages. Other industries have demonstrated the potential of chartering, particularly in navigating complex data environments.
seabo stands by your side with technology designed for those who think differently, or those ready to start.
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