Seatrade-Maritime: BV, CMA CGM and SDARI team up on AI-assisted containership concept

Published by Seatrade-Maritime

Bureau Veritas (BV), CMA CGM and Shanghai’s SDARI have kicked off a joint development project to figure out how far AI and digital decision-support can go on container vessels without pushing crews out of the picture.

The JDP, signed at SMM, will develop an “assisted vessel” concept aimed at boosting energy efficiency and operational performance while cutting crew workload through digital tools. The emphasis is on support rather than replacement – keeping human oversight and control firmly in place.

Each partner brings different angles: CMA CGM provides the operational requirements and shipowner reality check, SDARI handles ship design and smart systems engineering, while Bureau Veritas covers classification, safety assessment and regulatory navigation.

The project will identify which onboard functions benefit most from assistance, then develop a detailed concept including crew roles, shore support and safety analysis through BV’s risk-based framework. It culminates in technical specs, an Approval in Principle application, and cost estimates with a development roadmap.

BV’s Alex Gregg-Smith said decision-support tech needs developing “within a robust, human-centered and risk-based framework” to deliver real improvements in efficiency and safety.

CMA CGM’s Christine Cabau Woehrel stressed crew involvement from day one is “vital for the success of any technology enhancement,” while SDARI’s Lyu Zhiyong positioned the work as a model for implementing the MASS Code during its experience-building phase.