The growing role of AI in the shipping industry

Artificial intelligence is everywhere these days. It has become a ubiquitous term – a pervasive part of our lives – transcending business, sports, the media, education, recreation, and everything in between.
The shipping industry is no exception to this AI revolution, though its integration into shipping may not be exactly what one first imagines when considering AI’s impact on the sector.

In this regard, it must be made clear from the outset that AI, really, is the latest umbrella term used to describe developments in information technology across the board, rather than a specific or narrow piece of kit, tangible or not, that can be bolted onto the side of a boat before it sets sail.
Just as the “computers” which allowed for ships to navigate using satellites were different from the “computers” which digitised the banking systems and the “computers” on which we played Fifa 08, “AI” spans many varied and different technologies, some of which are only loosely translated to one another.

Boat captains are not, for example, asking ChatGPT where they should dock.

Even without being able to use ChatGPT to dock, however, Cyprus’ shipping companies have found ways to utilise AI to move themselves, and their boats, forward.

Columbia Ship Management, which operates out of the Limassol port among many others worldwide, said AI is “being adopted by the shipping industry as a valuable, innovative technological tool for applications including weather routeing and voyage optimisation.”

The company’s director of crewing and training Faouzi Fradi clarified that “the future of bridge operations could see AI-powered radars and electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS) interacting with navigation officers to help them navigate more safely and efficiently.”

He added, “I can see it being used directly with ECDIS and radar systems to help officers to navigate the vessel and recommend solutions when problems arise.

“We need to be open to new innovative technological solutions and look at how it can improve our current operations.”
He went on to say it is a “very interesting piece of technology” which, he believes, “will revolutionise shipping in different areas of operations.”

However, cautioned that the full extent of AI’s potential in shipping may not have yet been reached.

“We are yet to fully understand AI and what it can do at its full potential,” he said, adding, “we will have to go through a few transitional steps first. The industry is quite slow moving when it comes to regulations, so we need to look at safeguards now.”

With this in mind, he added that the advancement of AI and its further integration into the shipping industry may meet challenges as people may not fully understand how to best use it.

He said that to best prepare people for the future of AI in the industry, “there must be regulations in place”, and that in this regard, “we still have a long way to go.”

“We also need to look at training, which is vital if we are going to adopt AI,” he added.

“Crew safety will always come first, so we need to look at what training resources and modules need to be created before it can be used on ships. AI is something we need to set up and start listening to now, we need to be prepared and have regulations in place for the safety of our crews and vessels.”

Former chief executive officer of nautical digital services supplier Transas, Frank Coles, echoed this view. Speaking to maritime magazine Splash, he discussed how AI could transform the safety management systems (SMS) on ships.

“Currently a big headache, voluminous in size and wordy to the point of distraction, AI could change the process and operation to the point that one person could manage 100 ships, maybe even 200,” he said.

He added, “the power of AI is made for something like the SMS process, the repetitive nature of checks, report writing and the need to stay up to date with compliance.”

“If you take the international convention on standards of training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers (STCW), tanker management self-assessment (TMSA) requirements, compliance regulations, and dump it into an AI tool, along with four or five drafts of various owners’ SMS, AI is more than capable of drafting a standard SMS that should satisfy the industry. Why do we need a million drafts?”

“Not only that, AI can operate in the background, ensuring all new regulations and rule changes are added and the SMS adjusted,” he said.

He added, “on the output side, reports, checklists, action items and much else can be produced with considerably less effort than today. The SMS becomes an owner’s friend not something that causes angst amongst users. This has the power to completely transform the model of ship husbandry.”

With this in mind, he said AI can provide for the automation of repetitive tasks, more and faster insight from data, enhanced decision-making, fewer human errors, 24/7 availability, and reduced physical risks.

Closer to home, Limassol-native Aristos Philis is bringing AI into Cyprus’ shipping industry through maritime technology company KeelX.

KeelX ambitiously speaks of a “shipping 4.0”, and integrates AI with software as a service, fleet performance monitoring tools, on-demand crew training, and robotics.

The AI-driven KeelX Analytics is said to not only enhance profits but actively contribute to reducing ships’ carbon emissions, showcasing dedication to sustainability and innovation.

Last year, he told the Cyprus Mail “the industry’s embrace of automation, digitalisation and data analytics creates a ripe environment for innovation, where tech-savvy youth are becoming a driving force for change.”

The future is now, then. AI has arrived in shipping and is not only here to stay but here to expand into an ever-increasing range of areas of the industry. The next time you see a ship coming over the horizon, there is a chance that while the captain is not asking ChatGPT where to dock, it may in sundry other ways be charting its course with the help of AI.