The opening fireside chat on day one of the Maritime Information Services Shipping Summit event in Athens, “Insights from the Helm: A Conversation with a Maritime Industry Leader”, offered an intimate look at leadership, sustainability, and talent development in shipping.
Akanksha Batura Pai, Executive Director of Sinoda Shipping Agency Pte Ltd, shared her perspective on navigating complex challenges, building long-term resilience, and mentoring the next generation in a rapidly evolving industry.
Punit Oza, President of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, began the conversation by asking Batura Pai about her first exposure to shipping.
She reflected on her upbringing in a shipping family, working alongside her father, a ship captain.
Batura Pai said: “I have always known about the maritime business but it was never the first port of call so to speak. Combine these four things, what can you make an impact in, what do you love, what can you make money doing, and there is one final one which I cannot remember, however, I realised shipping ticked all those boxes for me.”
The discussion quickly turned to sustainability. Oza noted her evident passion for the subject, asking how she defines it in the context of shipping.
Batura Pai framed sustainability in shipping as “longevity,” encompassing the resilience of a company, the development of talent, and the cultivation of trust.
While alternative fuels such as LNG, methanol, and ammonia play a role, she noted that the overwhelming majority of vessels, around 110,000 to 112,000, will require broader systemic approaches.
She emphasised that smaller players and incremental actions matter, with talent development and digitalisation being central to the path forward, describing data as “the new green fuel.”
Oza asked whether longevity implies that each company must develop its own sustainability strategy and how difficult it is to achieve without friction.
Batura Pai argued that future challenges are too complex to be solved by single disciplines: “When you have that kind of mindset, you take people with different disciplines and talents and bring them together. It is really just putting together good minds in a new situation with new problems and letting them come with different angles to solve it.”
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) were also discussed as a critical component of organisational success.
Batura Pai noted that DEI, while a relatively recent focus, has become an everyday reality in the shipping industry.
She explained that bringing together people with different backgrounds and perspectives drives tangible improvements in productivity, efficiency, and workplace satisfaction.
The discussion also turned to mentorship and supporting younger professionals. Batura Pai stressed that early-career workers often fixate on salary, but long-term success comes from relevance and contribution.
She described mentorship as a two-way process, highlighting that learning flows both from senior colleagues and peers.
Batura Pai encouraged young professionals to broaden their horizons by reading outside of shipping to develop a deeper understanding of values and priorities beyond the immediate industry context.
The conversation highlighted the need for long-term thinking, multidisciplinary collaboration, and leadership that balances operational realities with the evolving demands of sustainability, talent, and organisational resilience.
The session built on insights from the summit’s opening panel, “Global Market Dynamics,” which explored how macroeconomic trends, geopolitical developments, and shifting trade routes are shaping shipping strategies and investment priorities.
