Western Bulk chief executive Torbjorn Gjervik believes the best shipping conferences are those that sharpen thinking rather than simply fill a calendar with meetings. Ahead of his appearance at the inaugural Splash Singapore conference on September 24, Gjervik says he values gatherings that leave him with fresh perspectives on the industry.

"I'm looking forward to hearing what's on people's minds and discussing the issues facing our industry," Gjervik told Splash ahead of his participation in the Chartering Spotlight panel. "A genuinely useful day for me would be one where I leave with a new set of ideas and inspiration, as I usually do after good conferences — and where I've had the chance to raise Western Bulk's profile along the way."

Gjervik will join speakers from companies including Vale, South32, and Heidelberg on the Chartering Spotlight panel, where the outlook for dry bulk markets is expected to be a central topic of discussion. The panel brings together perspectives from major cargo owners — Vale is one of the world's largest iron ore exporters, South32 is a diversified minerals group, and Heidelberg is a global cement producer — alongside Western Bulk, one of the largest commercially operated dry bulk shipping platforms, whose business model centres on chartered-in tonnage rather than owned fleets.

Near-Term Freight Optimism

On the near-term freight outlook, Gjervik is bullish. Geopolitical disruption continues to boost tonne-mile demand while vessel speeds remain low, and Atlantic fundamentals appear supportive. Tonne-mile demand — a key metric that multiplies cargo volume by distance sailed — has been inflated as vessels divert around Africa's Cape of Good Hope rather than transiting the Red Sea and Suez Canal, effectively absorbing fleet capacity.

"Atlantic tonnage is tight just as ECSA and USG have plenty of grain to load in the coming months," Gjervik said, referring to the East Coast of South America and the US Gulf regions.

Long-Term Uncertainties

The longer-term picture is considerably more complex. A growing dry bulk orderbook is looming over the market, and China remains the greatest source of uncertainty for commodity demand. China accounts for the largest share of global seaborne dry bulk imports, particularly iron ore and coal, meaning shifts in Chinese industrial activity and infrastructure spending carry outsized weight for freight rates. Additionally, any easing of current geopolitical disruptions could shorten voyages and return efficiency to a fleet that has benefited heavily from longer trading patterns.

"Further out, we are more uncertain," Gjervik admitted. "We see a growing orderbook, uncertain Chinese demand, and the potential for some of the geopolitical disruptions to fade over time, leading to a more efficient market."

Technology and Digitalisation

Technology will inevitably feature prominently in discussions at Splash Singapore, though Gjervik is sceptical that the shipping industry is on the verge of a single dramatic breakthrough. Instead, he expects the next 12 months to bring numerous incremental gains across existing processes.

One potentially significant shift is the declining cost of building proprietary digital tools. "Those at the sharp end will stop paying for user interfaces as the barriers to creating your own tools come down; it's the data that's important," Gjervik stressed.

Despite the enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence and digitalisation, he argued that shipping's fundamental competitive advantages remain decidedly traditional. "The core differentiator between the winners and losers will still be people, assets and timing," he said.

The inaugural Splash Singapore conference takes place on September 24. Registration is available at S$750, with the full agenda accessible at