LR study calls for committee to safely develop AI for shipping

A ship at sea with digital overlay
Share it now

A report by Lloyd’s Register and Thetius has called for the establishment of an independent cross-industry body to support the safe development of artificial intelligence for maritime organisations.

The 40-page report, titled Out of the Box, is the second report by LR and Thetius on AI and autonomy in the maritime industry and looks at developments through the lens of prioritizing safety.

The report finds that shipowners cannot hope to remain competitive without incorporating the use of AI and automation into their strategic planning. The benefits of the technologies lie in increasing efficiency, improving security and eliminating human error, the report says, but risks need to be understood if AI decision-making can compromise the safety of human lives.

Current uses of AI and automation generally revolve around trip optimization, safety threat detection, and collision avoidance systems.

The maritime AI market is projected to be worth US$1.47 billion in 2023, with a five-year CAGR of 22%. The market for maritime autonomy is valued at USD 2.3 billion in 2023, with an expected CAGR of 19% over the next five years. Over time, markets are expected to continue to converge with increasing interdependence, the report said.

The report provides three recommendations for the maritime industry to engage with AI and automation technologies. First, it calls for investments in improving the understanding of AI and automation at all levels in all maritime organizations so that companies are able to assess the potential risks and benefits of AI and automation.

Second, the report urges companies to use such technologies only when the risks involved are reasonable. Operators must have a clear understanding of the limitations of systems in real-world applications, as well as how the systems work, the report said.

The third and final recommendation calls for the creation of an independent body to support the safe development of AI for maritime operations. The report envisions this cross-industry body as a means to develop and share datasets to train AI models, ensure transparency, and set trust levels.

“Establishing a cross-industry body would facilitate viability and transparency in addition to the required risk assessment required for the implementation of these technologies. Such a group could help develop clear guidelines on best practices for implementing AI systems safely and transparently, and ensuring that all stakeholders are aware of the risks involved and how to mitigate them,” the report said .

Dipali Kuchekar, Product Manager, Autonomous Systems and Novel Technologies, Lloyd’s Register, said: “As we move towards a future where digital solutions are increasingly integrated into the shipping industry, organizations like Lloyd’s Register will continue to adapt and evolve their assurance processes, to support their adoption of AI and autonomous systems to ensure safety remains paramount. We are here to support shipowners and operators in examining the investment case for autonomy and AI.”

Out of the Box can be downloaded from the Lloyd’s Register website.

Source: News Network

Share it now