Consultant Frank Coles said artificial intelligence should be treated as a tool to improve ship operations rather than a buzzword or threat to seafarer jobs, reports Singapore's Splash 247.
Mr Coles noted that satellite communications and data sharing have already transformed shipping over the past 30 years, but technology has often been layered onto manual tasks, overburdening crews. He said AI could provide a "do over" by making operations more efficient and safer. He warned that AI's impact will be catastrophic if used improperly or fraudulently, but positive if applied to support humans in navigation and routine ship operations. AI-generated smart tools, he said, can free crews from mundane tasks and enhance oversight. Mr Coles criticised the hype around AI, saying it is often portrayed as either destroying jobs or replacing humans entirely. He argued that operators, not providers or inventors, will decide how AI is used in shipping. The consultant concluded that the industry must embrace AI as a means to create more effective operations, rather than simply layering new tools onto already overburdened crews.
2026/3/20 13:48:00