Book excerpt: Innovations are dramatically changing the traditionally conservative global ocean shipping industry as it works to become more efficient and more sustainable. Academic and former shipping company owner Peter Lorange is best placed to make sense of how to approach and keep ahead of these changes. This book explains what the key innovations are, how to ensure a return on investment, the barriers to innovation and how to overcome them. Drawing on a number of specialist case studies, Lorange outlines the specific analytical and decision-making steps to consider and the actions to take to arrive at a new strategic blueprint for modern shipping companies. This book is invaluable for practising shipping company executives, advanced students of shipping, logistics, port management and maritime economics, and investors deciding whether to invest in a particular shipping firm.