Digitalisation and the new frontiers of maritime safety

James Ng, of the Britannia P&I Club, discusses turning technology into tangible risk control

The maritime industry is undergoing one of the most significant transitions in its modern era. While the fundamentals of seamanship, engineering and regulatory compliance continue to form the backbone of safe operations, the rapid expansion of digital systems is reshaping how safety is understood and managed. From artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled navigation assistance to predictive maintenance models and cyber-risk frameworks, digitalisation is not merely an operational upgrade, it is redefining the industry's approach to risk.