Embracing Innovation While Honoring Tradition: Kenji Togasaki of IINO Lines

Guest: Kenji Togasaki, Senior Vice President at IINO Lines

Episode Overview: Chris speaks with Kenji Togasaki about how IINO Lines—a storied, publicly traded Japanese shipping company—balances operational excellence with forward-looking innovation. They explore IINO’s venture investments, focus on digitalization, decarbonization, and the promise of autonomous shipping while navigating the realities of a legacy shipping environment.

Key Points:

Kenji’s Maritime Journey: From chemical tanker chartering across Asia and the US to CPA-backed strategy roles, Kenji shares his pathway to leading IINO’s innovation initiatives.
COVID Spark to Innovation: How IINO began structured innovation during COVID, moving the company’s mindset toward technology adoption.
Investing to Learn: IINO’s strategy of investing in TMV (US), The Dock (Israel), and Motion Ventures (Singapore) to map the maritime startup landscape before moving to direct investments.
Focus on Decarbonization, Autonomy, Digitalization: Why these areas are critical for long-term compliance and competitiveness.
The Importance of Hardware: Why emissions reductions require physical technologies like wind propulsion alongside digital tools.
Collaboration Across the Industry: How collaboration with charters, peers, and startups drives meaningful change.
Building Internal Digital Literacy: Using internal newsletters and digital tools to raise innovation literacy within IINO’s conservative culture.

Learn More: For more on how data-driven strategies are transforming maritime operations, revisit Episode 70 with Jeff Wakker of Viterra Chartering.

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Music by: Peg and The Rejected 'King of SKA' Artwork by: GA Design Produced by: Chris Aversano

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