The Future of Shipping Is Digital - And It Needs All Kinds of Talent!
Image: Kristina Rep, Operations manager at Klaveness Digital
If you work in tech and you're looking for your next challenge, it might be time to look beyond the usual suspects. The shipping industry—responsible for moving some 90% of the world’s goods—is undergoing a massive digital transformation. The problems it faces aren’t just your everyday tech challenges; they’re global, high-impact, and deeply rewarding to solve.
Just ask Klaveness Digital Operations Manager, Kristina Rep. Before joining the company, Kristina had never worked in shipping. Coming with previous experience from finance tech and communications, she was looking for a new challenge.
“I’ll admit, I was a bit unsure on my first day,” she says. “I didn’t know much about shipping and thought maybe I should stick with what I already knew. But then a colleague gave me a ‘Shipping 101’ intro, and I was instantly hooked.”
Solving big, tangible problems
For Kristina, what makes shipping exciting is the combination of scale and substance. “Our products help customers plan their cargo movements in a smarter, more cost-effective, and more sustainable way,” she says. “It’s real-world value, and it makes my work incredibly motivating.”
Shipping may not be top-of-mind for many in tech, but the industry presents the kind of puzzles that product managers, developers, and operations professionals thrive on: interconnected, high-stakes, and constantly evolving. (Read more about building software for a traditional industry from our Front-End Lead, Tony Elmquist)
“Take demurrage*, for example,” Kristina says. “It isn’t just a fee; it’s the financial consequence of a highly dynamic system breaking down. Avoiding it means giving customers better visibility, smarter planning tools, and actionable data at the right time.”
That’s where platforms like CargoValue come in, and where tech professionals can make a real impact. She adds, it’s just one piece of the supply chain puzzle—both fascinating and challenging at the same time.
*Demurrage refers to a charge payable to the owner of a chartered ship when cargo isn’t loaded or discharged within the time agreed.
Where collaboration drives innovation
At Klaveness Digital, solving these challenges means working across roles, disciplines, and time zones. Kristina’s day often starts with a quick check for urgent customer needs, followed by close collaboration with teams in Product, Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success.
“You need to sync constantly, sharing insights, asking hard questions, and aligning everyone around the customer,” she explains. “It’s like learning a dance. Everyone has to be flexible but still move together.”
That spirit of collaboration is what fuels innovation, and it’s a big part of what keeps Kristina energized. She goes on to explain that sometimes it’s tricky to align, especially when there are a lot of good ideas and limited time, but that everyone working towards the same goal makes it easier: i.e., building tools that solve real problems in a high impact industry.
Curiosity at the core
What defines the culture at Klaveness Digital, Kristina says, is something she calls collaborative curiosity; a shared willingness to learn from one another and grow as a team. “People here are naturally curious and open to new ideas. Sharing knowledge, asking questions, giving constructive feedback are all encouraged.”
That openness is especially important in a team that brings together people from so many different cultures, countries, and disciplines. “We need to be mindful of respecting each other and having an openness to different perceptions, opinions, and ways of working,” Kristina explains. “And here, it’s totally okay to disagree. That kind of healthy discussion helps us grow. It brought us to where we are today.”
An open door for tech talent
For anyone in tech thinking about their next move, Kristina’s advice is that shipping offers a compelling opportunity. It’s strategic, complex, and deeply purpose-driven—the kind of work where tech professionals can thrive. “I’m simply proud to be part of a company that’s at the forefront of digitalizing the shipping industry. It feels like we’re all on an icebreaker creating new paths to improve the supply chain. I love it.”
About Kristina
Originally from Croatia and now based full-time in Norway, Kristina Rep is the Operations Manager at Klaveness Digital. She leads key initiatives across customer support, onboarding workflows, internal operations, and the management of commercial data. Her work ensures that Klaveness Digital delivers a consistently high level of service across all products and that customers experience real value from day one.
We are hiring
Keen to see for yourself? With great ambitions, we need great people and Klaveness Digital is currently looking for a Data Engineer. To learn more about the position and how to apply, please visit the link below.