- Digital twins and AI will transform maritime safety and operations.
- The future of safety focuses on capacity, capability, and cybersecurity.
- Industry needs to adapt through training, systems, and cybersecurity for maximum impact.
Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman and CEO, emphasized that digital technologies like data, digital twins, and artificial intelligence (AI) will revolutionize maritime safety. He shared these insights during his keynote at the Capital Link Shipping and Marine Services Forum in London, highlighting how these advancements will reshape the entire industry, from regulations to operational procedures, reports SAFETY4SEA.
The Role of AI in Maritime Safety
Wiernicki stressed that AI will generate real-time insights, conduct risk assessments, and monitor behaviors, improving hazard detection by offering enhanced visualization.
“AI’s ability to generate real time insights, risk assessments and behavior monitoring will improve hazard detection through visualization. Digital twins will be used to provide an operational representation of current performance and to project forward. This predictive ability allows us to tackle the major boundary condition of digitalization and decarbonization – the unintended safety consequences of rapid technological advance,” he explained.
He noted that this predictive ability helps tackle the safety concerns that come with rapid digitalization and decarbonization.
According to Wiernicki, adopting a fully digital operating model will fundamentally change the nature of maritime safety. He explained that, going forward, safety won’t just be about preventing accidents, but will evolve into a more complex equation involving capacity, capability, and demand.
A New Definition of Safety
He introduced a new safety equation, stating,“Safety going forward will not be defined as just the absence of accidents but as the new equation of capacity and capability over demand.” This equation includes systems thinking, skilled personnel, and the use of digital technologies to match the growing complexity of decarbonization and rapidly changing technology.
Wiernicki further pointed out that safety is becoming synonymous with cybersecurity and reliability. As technological advances accelerate, the maritime industry must adapt its safety protocols accordingly, focusing more on cybersecurity measures.
Shift in Maritime Safety
He referred to this shift in maritime safety as a “new forward-looking, predictive safety frontier,” which has the potential to significantly enhance safety within the industry. Wiernicki sees this as a major opportunity but warns that the industry still has work to do in training, systems development, and cybersecurity.
It’s worth noting that Wiernicki was honored with the 2023 GREEN4SEA Leadership Award for his contributions to greener, more sustainable shipping. His vision for maritime safety aligns with the broader industry goal of sustainability.
Huge Safety Gains
Wiernicki concluded by expressing optimism about the future, stating, “I believe this new forward-looking, predictive safety frontier represents nothing less than a paradigm shift in the performance of our industry, with the potential to unlock huge safety gains. But there remains significant work to be done in training, systems development and cybersecurity, to mention a few areas, to ensure the industry is able to fully capitalize on the opportunity before us.”
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Source: SAFETY4SEA
