When the “cargo people” of the Association of Ship Brokers & Agents hold their annual conference in Miami Beach, the programme is traditionally closed by an erudite PhD holder in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Marsoft founder and president Arlie Sterling did not disappoint in his usual role on 30 September. But thanks to technology, the MIT graduate now has the ability to poll conference delegates on their views, and that is where things got interesting.