AI cameras are coming to the world’s merchant fleets, but a leading maritime technology firm is urging the industry to get the human side of the equation right before the technology gets ahead of itself.
Digital vessel performance platform Smart Ship Hub is calling on the maritime industry to embrace AI-enabled camera systems as proactive safety tools, while insisting that their deployment must be underpinned by strong governance and genuine respect for seafarers’ working and living environments.
The company warns that, introduced without clarity or context, the technology risks being perceived as surveillance rather than safety enhancement.
Captain Nagpaul, Voyage Performance Specialist at Smart Ship Hub, outlined a broad range of operational applications for AI cameras at sea, from early fire detection and cargo monitoring during high-risk activities such as mooring operations, to improved situational awareness in areas of poor visibility and high vessel traffic.
The systems can also generate time-stamped visual records to support incident investigations and enable shore-based specialists to provide remote technical support through secure mobile applications.
Smart Ship Hub CEO Joy Basu argued that resisting the technology is not a viable strategy for the sector, noting that crew acceptance improves when workers see tangible benefits such as reduced workload and safer daily operations.
He described AI camera systems as powerful tools that enhance safety and strengthen the connection between ship and shore, but stressed they are not substitutes for professional experience and judgement.
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