Applying Artificial Intelligence in the Maritime Shipping Industry: Sorting through the Digital Deluge, Facilitating Decision Making, and Freeing Personnel to Focus on More Important Tasks

Having an engaged and actively thoughtful workforce is critical in maritime operations. Today’s work environment creates a challenge to this, with the many distractions and time consuming administrative activities. This paper will attempt to highlight areas in the maritime shipping industry where artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning could be used to bring value and commercial advantage. To do this, it will look at those processes that can become more automated, reducing administrative burdens, and increasing employee productivity. The hope is this technology will reduce the work demands for tasks which are less engaging, less fulfilling, for employees. By clearing the forest of some of the distractions, the desired outcome is to have employees that can devote more time to more important tasks, thus leading to a safer and more efficient working culture. The research conducted has determined that some of the AI techniques existing today could be well suited to some of the activities found in the maritime industry. The challenges remain in determining the cost and developing a structured approach to implementing such programs within the existing constraints of the industry.