Study Finds Maritime AI Ambition Is High, but Readiness Lags

AI is a boardroom priority across shipping, yet new research shows widespread pilots have not translated into the organisational readiness needed to scale safely and reliably.

A first‑of‑its‑kind study by Thetius in partnership with Marcura shows a sharp disconnect between executive ambition and operational preparedness for AI in shipping.

While 82% of maritime professionals believe AI can improve efficiency, only 23% of companies are training staff to use it, and a mere 11% have policies and guardrails to scale pilots into production.

The research, entitled “Beyond the Hype: What the Maritime Industry Really Thinks About AI and Where They’re Making It Work,” surveyed more than 130 industry respondents and paired survey findings with in‑depth interviews. 

It found a sector enthusiastic about the promise of automation and machine assistance, but hamstrung by unclear objectives, poor data quality, limited governance and inadequate change management.

“The C-suite and leaders expressed genuine interest in AI, but how come only 23% of companies are training their staff? It tells me that we have a challenge in bridging that gap. It's very easy to say, 'yes of course we're interested in AI,' but actually you need to set aside resources, time and energy to embrace AI in practical ways,” said Strategic Advisor at Marcura, Christian Vinther Christensen.

The study also highlighted real‑world harms. Some 37% of respondents reported witnessing an AI project fail or disrupt an existing process, and nearly a quarter accused vendors of overhyping solutions that do not reflect maritime context or risk profiles. 

The research warned that many off‑the‑shelf models lacking maritime‑specific training produce plausible‑sounding but erroneous outputs, making rigorous maritime evaluation frameworks essential before deployment.

Although 82% see benefits from AI, two‑thirds worry that overreliance could erode human oversight, and 70% say AI should recommend actions while humans make final decisions. 

“In the shipping industry there is still that feeling of the person, the face‑to‑face relationships and not just the computer,” said d’Amico Shipping Director, Giuseppe Oliveri.

The study’s authors argue the route to effective adoption is straightforward in principle, starting with precise problems, investing in vertical AI built for maritime use‑cases, and training people. They also recommended establishing governance for transparency and auditability, and measuring outcomes with business‑focused KPIs. 

The study warns AI adoption cycles that once took a decade may now compress into two to three years, offering competitive advantage to those prepared to invest in the people and processes that underpin safe scaling. 

The paper’s central warning is clear. Enthusiasm without the accompanying training, governance and domain‑specific engineering risks introducing new hazards rather than solving existing inefficiencies. 

The maritime industry must move from aspiration to disciplined implementation if AI is to fulfil its promise.

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