It wasn’t always in the cards that Senior Editor at JOC Eric Johnson would become an authority in container shipping. But after spending 17 years covering container shipping, he is just that. And he has a buzzword: technology. One, he’ll be using at this year’s Digital Container Summit.
With almost two decades covering the shipping industry, Eric Johnson has seen his fair share of the world – and the container logistics industry.
Now, as Senior Editor at the Journal of Commerce, he has been deep-diving into the world of technology for the past two years. Giving him profound insight into the technological progress and the opportunities there are in container shipping.
The two P’s
And this knowledge, will Johnson be sharing at the Digital Container Summit 2020 in September. As one of the keynote speakers, he will not only look at the present. He will also make use of lessons learned in the past.
“What is really interesting looking at this through the lens of container shipping is the last time we had a major crisis – the financial downturn last decade – the industry didn’t deal with it very well. Carriers struggled immediately. They suffered financially through most of the next decade,” he said when xChange talked to him.
But during the global crisis we’re now seeing that the industry is acting differently, he points out:
“This year we’ve seen carriers, despite a huge drop in volume, manage pretty well from a business perspective. They manage to be profitable and to be viable at least short term. So, that’s what I’m going to be talking about: What has changed between the last major crisis and this one.”
You can hear more about what Eric Johnson will talk about at the DCS and why he thinks technology can cost future jobs in our interview below 👇
Keeping an eye on the ball
If you 20 years ago had told Eric Johnson that he would be giving keynotes in front of thousands of people on a subject such as container shipping. Or for that matter told him, that he would be a well-known name and authority within the container business, he would probably have laughed. Or at least, shook his head in pure denial and disbelief.
Because Johnson didn’t begin his career in journalism wanting to write about shipping. In fact, he started out someplace quite different: sports.
But nevertheless, fate or life, as he puts it, led him to container shipping. Where he, apart from covering technology at JOC, is sharing his knowledge by giving keynotes across the industry. Just like he will be doing at the Digital Container Summit 2020 along with other leaders in the industry.
“I didn’t mean to get into shipping, but once you start uncovering the nature of global supply chain it’s sort of gets you. You get a hard time doing anything else because you realize how interconnected everything is. And it’s a fun industry because of how international it is,” he says.
About the Digital Container Summit 2020
This year’s Digital Container Summit will be just that – digital. We at xChange are creating an online event on September 3rd with all the most important features from last year’s Digital Container Summit. This way, you will get a full day of personal video meetings with other shipping companies organized for you to discuss business. As well as getting updated on the 
latest trends and changes in the industry.
Find, meet, and build businesses with new partners around the world. Schedule face-to-face personal meetings with thousands of owners, directors, operations people from the container shipping industry. All this, without the high traveling costs, VISA application, and accommodation.
There will also be keynote sessions and virtual workshops by industry leaders. These sessions will be live-streamed with an interactive chat, so you can ask questions on the current topics, that’ll be discussed.
The Digital Container Summit 2020 is open to the entire container logistics industry. The DCS is the only industrywide networking opportunity in 2020.
So, click on the banner below, and give yourself the opportunity to expand your network and be updated on the on-goings in the industry, all from the comfort of your computer screen.
