Safety at sea is a concern for maritime workers and their employers. Maritime work is high-risk and involves dangers, including fires, capsizing, bad weather, failed equipment, piracy, and more. Accidents and injuries can be personally devastating and cost companies money. Technology is advancing maritime safety, providing new solutions to reduce human error and other risk factors.
A Growing Maritime Safety Market
According to recent data, maritime employers are spending more money on safety. The maritime safety systems market is growing and is expected to be worth nearly $50 billion by 2029. The uptick reflects a greater investment in autonomous vessels, big data analysis, artificial intelligence, and improved cybersecurity.
Technology plays a major role in the growth in the market and the ability of shipping companies and other maritime companies to make jobs safer at sea. These are some of the most important facts about the growth in the market:
- Ship security reporting systems are seeing some of the biggest growth, largely due to piracy around the Horn of Africa.
- The oil and gas sector is seeing significant growth in technologies that help reduce oil spills.
- Geographically, Africa and the Middle East are expected to see the most growth in safety systems. This is related to piracy and violence triggered by political situations.
How Artificial Intelligence is Changing Maritime Industries
AI is a trend in many industries worldwide, including the maritime industry. AI systems collect data and look for patterns. They then use machine learning to automate functions and suggest changes to make processes more efficient, sustainable, and safe.
Maritime companies are using AI in several ways, many of which impact safety and make dangerous work safer for employees. Navigation is one area where AI can make shipping more efficient and safer. The system reviews all possible routes and all the multiple factors that inform them, like weather and piracy reports. It then selects the best option and makes changes as necessary.
AI systems can also make navigation through ports much safer. Ports are crowded and contain hazards like shallow waters, bridges and piers, and submerged rocks and other materials. Most ports rely on local maritime pilots to navigate safely through them, but it is still a dangerous job fraught with risks. AI systems can use past information on port navigation along with current information to plot a safer course.
Vessel and equipment maintenance is an essential part of operating safely and efficiently. Traditionally, this has relied on human workers, but AI is helping to make it safer by reducing human error. Sensors collect data about how equipment is functioning and provide early alerts of any issues that need to be addressed.
AI, machine learning, and other technologies are making the maritime industry safer and more efficient. Reducing human error is one of the most important overarching factors that will be reduced with a greater reliance on technology. While it might eliminate some jobs, this kind of technology should significantly reduce accidents, injuries, and fatalities.