FINLANDS SJÖFART ■ SUOMEN MERENKULKU 57 establish partnerships between defence, academia and industry to create secure, purpose-built AI solutions. We must maintain human oversight in critical operations by training marine personnel to work alongside AI, ensuring human judgement drives key decisions. As part of this, we must implement stringent protocols for AI deployment in military and commercial applications. We should enhance cybersecurity measures by building robust defences against AI-driven cyber threats targeting the marine industry. Further, we should mandate regular cybersecurity audits for marine AI systems and develop AI-specific security protocols, as well as regularly testing AI systems to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities. We must regulate AI in maritime applications by enacting policies that limit the deployment of high-risk AI systems in sensitive operations until thoroughly vetted for national security implications. National bodies should be created to oversee AI in the sector, enforcing strict safety and security standards. It is also important that we adopt ethical guidelines focusing on transparency and accountability in marine AI systems. And we should incentivise the development of regenerative marine technologies, protecting natural ecosystems and aligning with long-term national interests. A CALL TO ACTION New legislation and updated standards must mandate the inclusion of manual override capabilities, often referred to in computing as an ‘air gap’, to ensure systems can be physically disconnected from networks in the event of a cybersecurity threat or AI malfunction or corruption. This is essential for protecting national security. It should be a legislative requirement that key personnel are physically present onboard all vessels entering Australian waters. These personnel must have the authority and capability to isolate and assume full manual control of the vessel, independent of any AI systems or remote command from the vessel’s originating source or ‘mothership’. THE GLOBAL SEAFARER To protect national control and resilience, the adoption of AI in the maritime industry must be approached with caution, strategic planning, and robust safeguards. While AI offers transformative benefits, it also introduces critical risks. Many other industries are similarly grappling with how to balance the opportunities and control associated with AI, including the academic sector, where even our leading universities are currently navigating how best to teach and regulate AI responsibly. A proactive, security-focused approach will ensure AI enhances, rather than compromises, the maritime industry’s critical role in national defence. In summary, to safeguard national security, legislation must at the very least mandate manual override systems and onboard personnel capable of isolating vessels from AI and external control. As many industries struggle with AI’s rapid advancement, a cautious, security-first approach is vital to ensure technological innovation strengthens, rather than undermines, national resilience.
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