Why we fear AI and why the maritime workforce shouldn’t

Why we fear AI and why the maritime workforce shouldn’t
November 3, 2025 https://splash247.com/why-we-fear-ai-and-why-the-maritime-workforce-shou...

Why fear of artificial intelligence says more about us than about the technology itself. By Giampiero Soncini, member of the board at Oceanly.

Recent weeks have seen a sharp rise in cyber-attacks targeting different industries across the globe. In the latest survey by the International Chamber of Shipping, cyber-attacks now rank among the top four risks facing the maritime industry.

This proves the maritime sector is entering a new era of digital exposure. And, as a result, discussions about the impact of digitalisation and AI on seafarers have never been more timely or misunderstood!

For as long as people have worked, we’ve feared the tools that might one day replace us. The Luddites smashed looms in the 18th century, terrified that machines would end their craft. The same anxiety resurfaced with cars, computers, and now AI.

What we don’t understand, we tend to fear, especially if it threatens our livelihood. And fear sells. News stories run worst-case scenario headlines because they attract readers. As Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman observed, our first response to change is emotional, not rational.

Even respected leaders feed that fear. One tech CEO recently predicted that “AI will write 90% of all code within six months.” Seven months later, programmers remain in high demand. Scaremongering makes headlines, but it rarely matches reality.

Shipping has lived through disruption before. Every major innovation, from sail to steam, from sextant to ECDIS, reshaped roles but rarely erased them. AI will be no different.

At first, it will make seafarers’ lives easier by automating repetitive, time-consuming tasks:

MRV and noon reporting
Emission and performance logs
Maintenance and purchasing documentation
SMS and ISM compliance records

These are vital but laborious tasks for an overworked crew. AI can process data faster, flag anything that doesn’t look right, and simplify compliance reporting, freeing seafarers to focus on navigation, safety, and decision-making.

At Oceanly, we’ve worked with high-frequency data for over a decade. Our experience proves that intelligent systems don’t replace professionals, they support them. AI provides clarity, consistency, and operational efficiency. Human insight still drives the result.

In the future I think it is only right to assume that automation and remote control will shift some work ashore. Fleet Operation Control Rooms will be able to monitor multiple vessels, staffed by former seafarers who analyse data and coordinate maintenance teams at ports.

That won’t be the end of seafaring, it will be its evolution. Future seafarers will become remote navigators, data interpreters, and automation supervisors. The ships will continuously stream operational data, and AI will analyse billions of data points. There will still be a role for human input to interpret findings and act accordingly.

The key word here is support. AI assists, it doesn’t decide. Responsibility and judgment always remains with people.

History shows that technology eliminates some jobs but creates many more. Cars replaced horse grooms but created mechanics and engineers. The digital era ended typewriters but launched entire new professions.

Resisting change only delays the inevitable and risks falling behind more forward-thinking companies. Preparing for this means identifying at-risk roles and investing in retraining, not retreating from the inevitable. Fighter jet pilots became drone operators; seafarers can just as effectively become data specialists and remote-operation experts.

In my view, protecting old roles for sentiment’s sake only weakens the industry. Preparing for the future means shaping it, not fighting it.

AI is simply the next innovation. At Oceanly, we believe its purpose is clear, to help maritime professionals work smarter, safer, and faster. So instead of asking, “Will AI take away seafarers’ jobs?” let’s ask, “How can AI help them do those jobs better?”

The future of shipping isn’t about replacing humans, it’s about equipping them to steer maritime’s next wave of innovation.