Maritime logistics, the backbone of global trade, faces substantial challenges and difficulties despite its crucial role. Unpredictable weather conditions, port congestion, and infrastructure limitations heavily impact the efficiency and reliability of maritime logistics.
However, the advancement of technology is changing the maritime industry for the better. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), the industry is undergoing a significant transformation, enhancing the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of shipping.
Among the pioneers who are making strides in reshaping the shipping industry for a sustainable future is Yanis Souami, the CEO of Sinay Maritime Data Solution. Yanis is an internationally acclaimed professional with extensive knowledge about the marine environment and expertise in the development of innovative technologies for maritime surveillance.
Right after pursuing a Master’s degree in Ocean Science, Yanis led the foundation of Sinay in 2008. The vision was to create a world where humanity and biodiversity thrive together on the Ocean. Since then, Sinay has continued to serve its purpose.
Sinay Maritime Data Solution is a trailblazing tech start-up. It leverages the power of AI and machine learning to deliver the finest maritime data-driven solutions to stakeholders to help them reconcile ocean sustainability with business efficiency.
Journey to Success
Yanis’ journey in the industry has been punctuated with a series of successes and milestones. With 15 years of experience in ocean technologies, he has had the chance to work with various industries such as ports, shipping, offshore wind farms, and fisheries. He became a French Navy advisor for issues regarding the marine ecosystem and also served as Chair of the Joint Noise Working Group of the international wildlife conservation agreements: ACCOBAMS, ASCOBANS, and CMS (Convention of Migratory Species), which actively works to reduce the impact of underwater noise on wildlife.
In 2023, Sinay and its 100 team members were recognized as Top Innovators in Ocean Data by the World Economic Forum.
Learning from Experience
Drawing on his vast experience, Yanis developed a unique perspective that really made a difference in helping his team navigate through the test of time.
Five years ago, the maritime industry just started its digitalization journey. Even today, some are digitalized while others are not. Convincing the industry that the use of data combined with AI can help them optimize their activities has been a big challenge for Sinay. The educational part was a long process to succeed. Finding the right market fit was complicated. To adjust to the different perspectives, Sinay identified the gap, understood the needs, and developed a wide range of offerings.
“You have to understand your market and learn from it,” Yanis asserts. “Even if you believe strongly in your technology, if the market is not ready for it, it will take time. At a micro scale, companies are slow to change, but on a macro scale, it appears fast.”
Embracing a Start-Up Mindset
Sinay was founded 15 years ago, and now with more than 100 employees on board, Sinay still maintains a start-up mindset. “Try hard, fail fast, learn from your mistakes, iterate… it’s a continuous loop.” Based on Yanis’ leadership philosophy, the team at Sinay embraces constant learning. They have a core team to develop the up-and-running products and a growth team to explore new markets, new features, and new products.
Conviction and Resilience: Empowering Success
Conviction and resilience are the central tenets of Yanis’ leadership principle. “I lead the company as I lead my life, with vision and values.” Yanis is deeply committed to his company’s vision and strongly believes in its values. He is passionate about what he does, and this passion helps his employees to be more passionate at work.
“It could be difficult to push and lead people toward a direction that is not yet clearly defined. The uncertainty creates fear. I don’t know exactly where we will land, or even the path that we will take. I may not have all the answers, but I must inspire others to join me on the journey toward realizing Sinay’s vision.”
Fostering Diversity and Inclusivity in Workplace
At Sinay, Yanis ensures a good balance between personal and professional life. He believes that a good work environment leads to better performance and eventually to promotions.
“Each year, we calculate our gender equity score based on the gender equity index. In 2023, our score was 91/100! We are proud to promote these values based on diversity, such as cultural and ethnic diversity, as well as business and tech diversity rooted in our personal backgrounds. Thanks to this diversity, each team member contributes to and participates in Sinay’s success.”
Driving Success Amidst Competition
The maritime market is highly fragmented, with various players and different maturity levels. The goal of Sinay is primarily to build an enduring competitive advantage and embrace market trends to establish a strong market position. By regularly adjusting their offers to fit market needs, Sinay drives success amidst evolving competition. They consistently question their products, using an iterative loop to seek continuous improvement. Despite constant changes and uncertainties, Yanis makes it his purpose to stay focused on a fixed direction to accomplish his vision.
Manifesting Future: Leadership Vision
“The final goal is to continue to marvel at nature and the ocean. For us, and for our children, we have to keep the planet safe.”
Yanis wants to envision a positive future—a better world, not a catastrophic one like in science fiction. This is not a utopian vision, but a pragmatic one based on facts. “We can continue to develop our economy but with more harmony. Today, AI is largely used for ‘fun topics’, for military purposes, or to make more money. But AI can also be used to preserve nature and the ocean,” he believes.
This is the start of a virtuous circle. Driven by that vision of creating a safer planet, Yanis harnesses the power of technology and works towards the better preservation of the ecosystem.
