Data-driven maritime innovations shape operations

The discussion also addressed the challenges posed by regulatory pressures and alternative fuel adoption.

“Navigating the transition to greener fuels is expensive and uncertain,” Mr Coustas explained, “AI helps reduce these costs by enabling more precise operational planning.”

Scorpio Group chief operating officer Cameron Mackey brought attention to the human factors involved in technology adoption and stressed while AI can reduce workloads, the industry must manage the transition carefully to avoid overloading crews, “We do not see a skills gap; we see a time gap. Our focus is on aligning priorities to ensure new tools enhance, rather than complicate, operational workflows,” he said.

The webinar concluded with reflections on the long-term potential of AI in enabling autonomous operations.

Mr Gross shared insights from Orca AI’s work with Japanese shipping companies on remote control and autonomous voyages, while Mr Coustas highlighted DeepSea’s efforts to combine naval engineering with AI for holistic optimisation.

ABS chief technology officer Patrick Ryan noted advanced data analytics are already reducing drydock days for clients, a tangible step toward maximising fleet availability.

With AI models becoming increasingly robust and user-friendly, the consensus among the panellists was clear: technology is not replacing human expertise but augmenting it.

As Mr Mackey succinctly put it, “The goal is to make individuals more effective, not just more efficient.”

This chimed with the results of the Riviera poll that took place during the webinar, revealing lowering operational costs emerged as the leading expectation from autonomous capabilities (41%), followed by minimising crew workload (34%), underscoring the industry’s drive toward efficiency.

When considering safety priorities for 2025, over half of respondents (54%) stressed identifying high-risk trends for proactive action, signalling a focus on predictive measures.

Automation dominated crew management priorities, with 65% favouring daily task automation to reduce workloads.

Advanced inhouse analysis was the most prevalent vessel performance monitoring capability (45%), reflecting the industry’s growing reliance on proprietary systems.

In performance areas, advanced analytics were seen as most beneficial for improving fuel efficiency (40%), further emphasising cost control and environmental goals.

Regarding high-frequency sensor data adoption, 33% reported more than 75% of their fleet was equipped, though a significant 27% indicated less than 10%, showcasing a wide disparity in technological integration across fleets.

These results illustrate the industry’s focus on leveraging technology to streamline operations, enhance safety and meet sustainability goals.

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