Either digitalisation and unmanned ships are 'hype', or they will dramatically slash the ranks of shipowners within a decade.

China's shipowners expressed strong and divergent points of view on the effect of technology at today's TradeWinds Shipowner Forum for Greater China.

Some of the prospects being bruited about are exaggerated, suggested managing director Yang Lei of Sumec Ocean Transportation, the rapidly growing sister company of New Dayang Shipbuilding in the Sumec trading and manufacturing group.