A conversation with Abhishek Yadav, Senior Manager and Innovation Officer at IINO LINES
You grew up in India. How did that experience shape your worldview?
My dad was in the Indian Army – that was incredibly impactful because we moved cities every two or three years. That made me more resilient in terms of changing environments, meeting new people, and adapting to new places. The experiential learning involving soft skills, leadership, and social skills came indirectly from that exposure. I really enjoyed it.
Why shipping?
Growing up, I saw many different places and found it quite adventurous. I was clear about my path – I wanted to do something that wouldn’t keep me behind a desk – and yet, here I am! I explored three ideas: defense, getting a commercial license to be a pilot, or becoming a merchant mariner. I was most fascinated by being a merchant mariner – the idea of roaming around the world, being out on the ocean, and being independent. The money was certainly a factor – when I joined as a cadet at 18, a $600 stipend sounded pretty decent. It was a combination of all those things.
How did your career progress? How did you end up where you are today?
I believe in a continuous learning journey. Right from the start as a cadet, I was always looking at how I could move faster: from third mate, to second, to chief, and eventually to Master. I kept pace with my qualifications and exams throughout my time as a merchant mariner. To advance in the sailing ranks I’ve taken my chances sailing on older/tougher tonnage, but those ships had the best camaraderie amongst the crew, and I learnt a lot there.
Once I reached the level of Master, I started thinking about the next step. I wanted to learn the core of the business – why the trade moves the way it does, why ships route certain ways, and why we pick up cargo from specific points. I wanted to move into a commercial role. I’ve been ashore for ten years now. I am currently a senior manager leading commercial operations within IINO. I briefly went to Dubai to build a new team there, now I’m leading our team from Singapore. It has been a continuous learning process, never a still moment. I am always thinking what I can deliver in terms of impact to make the lives of people around me better.
What exactly do you do today in your current role?
I’m in the chemical department for IINO LINES. We commercially manage 27 ships. I head the commercial operations desk, we have team members in Singapore, Dubai and Tokyo. I also wear a second hat as the innovation officer. I manage gaps in our business processes and figure out what we can optimize or transform. It is my job to rally people around changes that can bring positive outcomes for everyone – things that create dollar value and make the workplace more efficient.
What helped you succeed in your shipping career?
Building relationships has been my key success factor. This applies not just within Singapore, but on a global level. Shipping is a remarkably small world, and I have seen many instances where roles shift – someone who was once the customer might later become the vendor on the other side. Because these transactions and roles are constantly changing, I have made it a point since day one to maintain cordial relationships with everyone I work with and meet. Ultimately, those connections truly matter.
What does the commercial team do?
Our team is composed of operations, claims, and analysts. Our process begins with the pre-fixture phase, which involves clearing all documentation for the ship and verifying the technical and practical feasibility of carrying specific cargo. We liaise with all parties – including agents, brokers, and ship managers – to ensure that by the time our sales department (the chartering team) fixes a cargo, we are fully prepared in all regulatory, commercial, and practical aspects.
Once the sales team finalizes the cargo, it is handed over to us. From that point on, we focus on carrying the cargo safely and efficiently while simultaneously monitoring the ship’s P&L. For instance, if we estimate a ship should earn $20,000 a day, our goal is to maintain that figure through efficient bunker planning and negotiations with suppliers, agents, and other vendors. By managing these voyage costs effectively, we increase the overall value of the voyage.
After the ship arrives at the discharge port and finishes its task, the post-fixture phase begins. This involves administrative tasks like billing costs and freights, as well as managing demurrage. This is where our claims team truly shines. I am incredibly proud of them; when we send a claim out, I look for nearly 100% accuracy, which is exactly what our customers have come to expect from us.
Throughout this entire process, I personally oversee quality management and customer relationship management. We stay in constant contact with our customers to handle specific requirements such as providing additional emissions data, unique cargo instructions, or documentation beyond the standard charter party. While sales closes the deal, the real relationship management happens on our side. We don't view our roles as just following a process; we ensure the relationship improves by offering high-quality service.
What are the key dynamics in the chemical tanker business today?
Chemical tankers are a niche part of shipping. The advantage is that the supply chains are more stable; you don’t see the massive cyclical turns common in other segments. The disadvantage is that it can be a bit of a "box" – it limits how much you see of other sectors in shipping. Chemical tankers are specialized ships; they are built based on long-term supply chains. This usually protects business from wild disruptions.
The biggest factor affecting our market is "swing tonnage." These are medium range (“MR”) or Handysize tankers that switch from petroleum products and chemicals like palm oil. We see an influx of swing tonnage ships into our space, which increases competition. At IINO, we balance this with long-term contracts and our exposure to the open market.
When customers choose IINO, what is the main reason?
We call it "IINO quality." It’s built on two things: the quality of our relationships and the technical quality of our operations. Shipping is a small market; relationships matter. If we have a good relationship, we take trade-offs when markets are tough, and customers value that loyalty when markets improve. Some of our customers have been with us for decades. Additionally, our chemical carriage is world-class. We take the regulatory and safety burden off our customers.
What do you consider the most pressing issues facing shipping today?
The top priority is finding common ground on how the global fleet moves toward regulatory compliance on decarbonization. This depends heavily on honest information sharing. At IINO LINES, we actively participate in this within our professional circles in Japan. We share details on new builds and experiment with different vessels from various companies, sharing data on how those ships perform.
Shipping is an ancient industry. There is significant room to bring our industry up to speed by observing adjacent sectors, such as aviation. By adopting modern practices, we can make shipping a more attractive industry. This is essential because finding and retaining talent is becoming an increasingly difficult task.
We also need to address issues relating to the quality of life for seafarers. It is an incredibly tough job, and recruitment is getting more challenging every year. At IINO, even those on the commercial team make it a point to attend every possible crew seminar. While we discuss the commercial side and how we make revenue, we emphasize that the entire business relies on the crew’s safe operations. They are our people on the front lines, and we must strive to make the world better for them.
Where do you see the most significant opportunity for digital transformation?
We have long operated in a very closed environment with limited transparency but the market is finally moving toward a more efficient model. We are seeing more visibility regarding the ships around us and the supply chains and cargoes that are in motion. For me, the true opportunity in digital transformation lies in a combination of the "gut feeling" traditionally used to fix a ship enhanced by data-driven insights.
Why is it so hard to sell digital technology to shipping companies?
We have a lot of conservative people in the industry. I respect them – they bring immense practical experience – but it means the pace of adaptation is slow compared to other industries. There’s a "if it works, why break it?" mindset. To sell tech in shipping, you need quick wins. If you show a superintendent that your platform turns 20 daily reports into one useful dashboard, that’s an incentive. But if they don’t see how it makes their life better or gives them a value-add for the overall business, adoption would be tough.
You were already enjoying a successful career in maritime. What motivated you to pursue an MBA?
It was a combination of personal ambition, career strategy, and my commitment to continuous learning. Recently I felt that my professional world was becoming a bit of a silo where I only knew what was happening within the shipping industry. As I advanced into more senior management roles, I saw that to truly transform a business and move beyond business as usual, you need to know much more than just your specific sector. You need a holistic overview of how other businesses run and the ability to identify synergies across different industries. I wanted to ensure that when I eventually step into a C-suite role, I am fully aware of the global business landscape.
My time at INSEAD was an incredible experience. Learning from people outside of shipping and sharing the complexities of the maritime world with them was fascinating. Because so few people outside our sector truly understand how shipping works, I found myself "shining out" as I explained our industry to them. Spending time with inspiring people from completely different backgrounds was transformative. I feel ready for the next phase of my career.
Finally, what advice do you have for young people considering shipping?
It is a huge, adventurous world. The number of roles you can do is vast. Come in with an open mind and believe in the value of people and relationships. If you invest in those, the industry will give back to you.
