Today, a new layer is being added: Artificial Intelligence (AI). Unlike the past
Technological shifts, such as the transition from paper charts to ECDIS or from manual engine logs to automated monitoring, show that AI does not merely digitize existing processes. It learns from data, identifies patterns, and supports decision-making in ways that were previously impossible.
For maritime professionals and seafarers, AI is not a distant or abstract concept reserved for technology companies or shipyards. It is already influencing how routes are planned, how machinery health is monitored, how fuel consumption is optimized, how risks are detected, and how decisions are supported both onboard and ashore.
Understanding AI is therefore becoming a professional competency, much like understanding radar, GMDSS, or planned maintenance systems.