MOL plugs AI into global vessel monitoring

Generative AI analyses historical records alongside current operating data.

Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and IBM Japan have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) platform to support vessel operations by combining operational, weather, and geopolitical data in a single system.

The platform went live on 1 July and is centred on MOL's Safety Operation Supporting Center (SOSC), which monitors MOL-affiliated vessels worldwide, the shipping group said in a statement.

SOSC monitors MOL vessels around the clock and provides operational advice and recommendations to captains and operations managers.

It consolidates information from multiple sources, including weather and sea conditions, navigation status, and geopolitical developments, enabling operators to identify critical information and prioritise operational decisions.

The system includes a generative AI assistant that identifies risks using historical vessel operation records and current data to support monitoring, situation assessment, and decision-making.

It also draws on past accident records, response case studies, and operational knowledge to support organisation-wide knowledge sharing and analysis.

"In recent years, the environment surrounding vessel operations has become increasingly complex due to rapid changes in weather and sea conditions, as well as the growing influence of geopolitical factors," MOL said.

The company said SOSC had faced the challenge of balancing the quality and speed of decision-making by extracting critical events from large volumes of dispersed information whilst assessing multiple factors simultaneously.

MOL said the platform combines SOSC's operational expertise, AI technologies from MOL Information Technology India, and IBM Japan's expertise in AI and data utilisation.

“The development leveraged the IBM Garage methodology, which enables an end-to-end approach from proposing system designs tailored to customer needs through development and implementation,” the group said.

MOL said it plans to expand the platform's capabilities and the scope of operations it supports in collaboration with affiliated companies to improve safety across the shipping industry.