The shipping industry is currently undergoing a profound digital transformation. Technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics are redefining how we move goods across oceans. These tools offer the promise of cleaner, safer, and more efficient maritime operations. But they also present new risks-from workforce disruption to digital dependency and governance gaps-that demand strategic attention. This article explores the current trajectory of maritime digitalisation, the emergence of hybrid autonomy at sea, and the need to build international mechanisms of trust and oversight to guide this transformation responsibly.

Shipping has always been foundational to global trade. Roughly 80-90% of global trade by volume is transported by sea. What’s changing now is how it works. From AI-powered route planning to autonomous hull inspections, digital technologies are increasingly embedded across the maritime value chain. In ports, automation has reduced congestion and increased efficiency. Onboard vessels, systems now predict mechanical failures, optimize fuel usage, and support crew decisions in real time. Satellite connectivity and marine IoT networks allow us to monitor operations continuously across vast distances.

These innovations are not just about operational gains-they are fundamentally changing the nature of maritime decision-making. Where once captains relied on experience and instinct, today they are supported by algorithms trained on millions of data. Efficiency, sustainability, and safety are now driven by data-first thinking.

While digital tools currently support human crews, the long-term trajectory is clearly moving toward higher levels of autonomy. Autonomous surface vessels are already being trialled for short-haul cargo, offshore inspections, and surveillance. These are no longer speculative concepts: in countries like Norway and Japan , real-world tests of uncrewed vessels are advancing steadily. Commercial traction is growing for systems such as assisted navigation, autonomous docking, and smart maintenance platforms-technologies designed to reduce human error and increase operational efficiency.

That said, full autonomy in deep-sea, ocean-going vessels remains a fairly distant goal. Instead, we are entering an era of hybrid autonomy, where human operators and intelligent systems work in tandem to make shipping safer, more efficient, and more predictable.

Current AI systems can reliably manage narrow, well-defined tasks-such as collision avoidance, engine diagnostics, or port maneuvers-especially in controlled environments like harbors or inland waterways. But open-ocean operations still pose significant challenges: extreme weather, limited connectivity, system malfunctions, and the unpredictable nature of maritime conditions all demand continued human oversight.

In the foreseeable future, shipping will not be defined by crewless vessels, but by smart ships with augmented crews. This human-machine collaboration allows us to validate technologies under real conditions, build operational trust, and progress incrementally-without compromising safety or accountability.

Still, as autonomy expands, so do the concerns around reliability, liability, and resilience. What happens when a critical system fails-mid-voyage, under pressure, and far from support? These are not just engineering questions; they are core to how we design, regulate, and trust the future of maritime transport.

1. Job displacement across the sector

As automation advances, it inevitably disrupts labor markets. From automated cranes in ports to AI-led navigation, many tasks once performed by humans are being absorbed by machines. While some digital roles are being created, this shift is unlikely to offset the scale of displacement in the near term.

Seafaring nations-especially those with large maritime workforces-must act now to develop retraining, digital literacy, and inclusion strategies. Without them, the transition risks deepening inequality, weakening maritime communities, and eroding industry resilience.

2. Strategic dependency on tech giants 

A more subtle but equally urgent issue is the concentration of digital maritime infrastructure in the hands of a few global technology providers. Most of the AI models, analytics engines, and cloud services that underpin today’s smart shipping systems are owned by firms with no maritime heritage-and no alignment with the sector’s long-term priorities.

This raises several concerns:

• Operational autonomy may be lost if key systems are embedded in proprietary platforms.
• Innovation could be constrained by licensing models or closed ecosystems.
• Strategic decisions about trade routes or fleet behavior could be influenced-directly or indirectly-by non-maritime actors.

Shipping must not become a passive consumer of external intelligence. The sector must retain its capacity to innovate independently and ensure data sovereignty remains a strategic priority.

3. Cybersecurity and black-box AI 

The digitalisation of shipping increases its exposure to cyber threats. Systems that control navigation, cargo, and communications are vulnerable to attacks-from GPS spoofing to ransomware.

Moreover, many AI systems operate as “black boxes.” When decisions made by these systems lead to incidents-such as unexpected course deviations or mechanical faults-investigators may struggle to determine what went wrong and who is responsible.

Without explainability, there can be no true accountability.

To fully harness AI and robotics while mitigating their risks, we must invest in international, interdisciplinary centers of excellence for maritime autonomy and AI.

These centers would:

• Test and validate technologies in controlled, real-world environments;
• Provide independent certification for AI models, ensuring safety, explainability, and compliance;
• Develop standards for interoperability, data governance, and digital infrastructure;
• Support workforce transition, offering training and policy guidance for regulators and employers alike.

Europe is uniquely positioned to lead this effort. With its strong maritime tradition, leading AI research institutions, and commitment to digital sovereignty, the region can shape global norms and ensure that maritime digitalisation aligns with democratic values and long-term strategic interests.
 

The future of shipping is not about replacing people with machines. It is about augmenting human capabilities with intelligence, improving how we navigate, maintain, and manage the flow of goods across the globe. More than two millennia ago, Aristotle imagined a future in which tools could operate themselves, freeing humans from μόχθος-the toil of labor. He was also aware of the ethical, social, and political implications of labor, technology, and dependence.

Autonomous systems may one day become central to maritime operations. But for now, the most important journey is not to eliminate the human role-it is to redefine it responsibly, with care for safety, ethics, and equity.

Above all, we need to build trust: in the systems, in the governance that surrounds them, and in the people who will ultimately remain accountable for their outcomes.