The next 20 years will bring more changes than the past 300 years; things that looked like science fiction only 10 years ago are now becoming reality. Automation and virtualization in every aspect of our society, robotisation and artificial intelligence, a global shift to affordable renewable energy, cognitive computing, predictive analytics and achieving business 'super-intelligence', 3D printing and a completely networked, social-local-mobile society. How will these exponential technological changes play out in the next 15 years, how will consumers and businesses change, and what might this mean for the shipping and maritime business? A lateral view from the future.