When It Goes Wrong: 30 Maritime Decisions You Cannot Delegate to AI
February 23, 2026
When shipping goes sideways, the hard part is not “finding the rule,” it is making a defensible decision under uncertainty, time pressure, and competing risks, then owning that decision in the logbook, the incident review, and sometimes the courtroom. The reason these moments cannot be delegated to AI is accountability, COLREG responsibility and “ordinary practice of seamen,” and the master’s protected discretion and overriding authority in safety and security decisions.
When It Goes Wrong: 30 Maritime Decisions You Cannot Delegate to AI
AI can advise, simulate, and summarize. These decisions require a human to judge, act, and be accountable.
1
The collision-avoidance maneuver in an ambiguous encounter
Decision
Choose the maneuver and timing when the “textbook” situation does not match reality, then commit and communicate.
Why non-delegable
Responsibility sits with the bridge team and master, including “ordinary practice” and special circumstances.
AI can assist
CPA/TCPA projections, scenario simulation, traffic summaries, and alerting.
2
Departing from a rule to avoid immediate danger
Decision
Make and justify a deviation from normal practice because conditions demand it.
Why non-delegable
It is a judgment call tied to accountability, logs, and later scrutiny.
AI can assist
Hazard identification, alternative routing suggestions, and risk prompts.
3
Calling the master and escalating bridge risk at the right time
Decision
Escalate early when visibility, traffic, equipment, or fatigue changes risk, even if it is inconvenient.
Why non-delegable
Watchkeeping is a human duty under the master’s direction, including knowing when to escalate.
AI can assist
Trend detection, fatigue prompts, and alert thresholds.
4
The “slow down, stop, or divert” call for safety of life and ship
Decision
Choose to reduce speed, seek shelter, divert, or delay arrival when the safest path conflicts with schedule.
Why non-delegable
Law and SMS frameworks protect the master’s discretion and authority to act for safety and environment.
AI can assist
Weather routing, risk scoring, and decision logs.
5
Handling suspected GNSS disruption or spoofing as an operational decision
Decision
Decide when to distrust sensors, change navigation mode, increase lookouts, or alter track because position integrity is degraded.
Why non-delegable
The bridge must choose safe navigation practices under real conditions, and own the consequences.
AI can assist
Interference detection flags, cross-check prompts, and anomaly summaries.
6
Pilot-master exchange judgments and local navigation commitments
Decision
Agree on passage plan, tug use, speed policy, and abort points, then act when reality diverges.
Why non-delegable
It is a coordinated human command decision in a high-consequence environment.
AI can assist
Under-keel clearance estimates, traffic and berth readiness summaries.
7
Using the master’s overriding authority against unsafe instructions
Decision
Refuse or alter orders from company, charterer, or others when safety or pollution prevention requires it.
Why non-delegable
The SMS must state the master’s overriding authority and responsibility, and the master must exercise it when needed.
AI can assist
Drafting risk statements, documenting evidence, and summarizing decision rationale.
8
Security decisions that restrict access or change posture
Decision
Approve or deny boarding, adjust security levels, and take protective actions based on threat context.
Why non-delegable
The master’s professional judgement is explicitly recognized in ship security decisions, and cannot be constrained.
AI can assist
Threat intel summaries and anomaly alerting, with human confirmation.
9
Emergency response command in fire, flooding, or blackout
Decision
Set priorities, assign teams, isolate systems, and coordinate communications under rapidly changing conditions.
Why non-delegable
It is physical command, coordination, and accountability for life and ship.
AI can assist
Checklists, system diagrams, and action sequencing prompts.
10
The “continue operating or shut down” engineering call
Decision
Decide whether to keep running equipment under abnormal indications, or stop and accept operational disruption.
Why non-delegable
It is a risk acceptance decision with safety, pollution, and mission implications.
AI can assist
Alarm correlation and probable cause suggestions, never final authority.
11
Stability and ballast decisions in abnormal conditions
Decision
Balance stability margins, structural limits, and operational needs when conditions deviate from plan.
Why non-delegable
The officer and master must judge the real condition of the vessel, not just the model output.
AI can assist
What-if calculations and alarms, paired with human verification.
12
Cargo acceptance or refusal when red flags appear
Decision
Decide to accept, conditionally accept, or refuse cargo when documentation, condition, or safety signals are inconsistent.
Why non-delegable
It is a legal and safety accountability decision with downstream claims and enforcement exposure.
AI can assist
Document checks, completeness scoring, and exception lists.
13
Dangerous goods exception handling and segregation reality
Decision
Resolve DG conflicts, stowage exceptions, and operational constraints when paperwork does not match what is on the dock.
Why non-delegable
It requires on-scene judgment and acceptance of risk with safety consequences.
AI can assist
Rule lookups and incompatibility alerts, with human verification.
14
Cargo securing reality versus paperwork
Decision
Decide when securing is inadequate and stop, re-stow, or re-secure, even if the terminal wants departure.
Why non-delegable
Physical inspection and accountability for safe carriage is human-owned.
AI can assist
Checklists and photo documentation, not the go/no-go decision.
15
Protecting evidence after an incident
Decision
Decide what to photograph, preserve, isolate, and log to protect the factual record.
Why non-delegable
Evidence handling is a human process tied to credibility and legal outcomes.
AI can assist
Organizing timelines, summarizing logs, and drafting incident narratives for review.
16
The salvage and tow acceptance posture
Decision
Choose whether to accept assistance, what form, and under what terms, while managing immediate safety.
Why non-delegable
It combines real-time safety command with major legal and financial consequences.
AI can assist
Checklist prompts and documentation support, not the acceptance decision.
17
Port State Control engagement and corrective action commitments
Decision
Choose what to concede, what to correct immediately, and how to present credible corrective actions.
Why non-delegable
It is a live human interface with enforcement outcomes and credibility stakes.
AI can assist
Preparing checklists and summarizing evidence, with human control of statements.
18
Class and statutory survey decisions during repairs
Decision
Agree repair scope, temporary measures, and operating limitations under surveyor oversight.
Why non-delegable
It is negotiated, physical, and accountable decision-making tied to certification.
AI can assist
Document preparation and change tracking.
19
Crew fatigue and fitness-for-duty interventions
Decision
Pull someone off watch, adjust manning, or change operations when fatigue creates unacceptable risk.
Why non-delegable
It requires human leadership, judgment, and accountability for safe watchkeeping.
AI can assist
Hours analysis and risk prompts, but not authority.
20
Refusing an unsafe berth, approach, or tug plan
Decision
Say no, delay, or require changes when conditions or support make the evolution unsafe.
Why non-delegable
The master must act on professional judgement, and cannot be constrained in safety decisions.
AI can assist
Risk checklists and scenario planning.
21
Security escalation decisions in a live threat scenario
Decision
Choose when to alert coastal state, flag, company, or naval forces, and what posture changes to implement.
Why non-delegable
It is professional judgement and command responsibility tied to safety and security.
AI can assist
Comms drafts, contact lists, and structured reporting.
22
The “suspend cargo operations” call in unsafe conditions
Decision
Stop work when wind, moorings, personnel safety, or equipment conditions cross a safety threshold.
Why non-delegable
It is an accountable safety call with direct harm prevention.
AI can assist
Weather thresholds and alerting, with human authority to stop.
23
Deciding what to report, when, and to whom after an incident
Decision
Make time-critical notifications and choose wording that is factual, complete, and defensible.
Why non-delegable
It is accountability and judgement about facts, uncertainty, and commitments.
AI can assist
Drafting structured reports for human approval.
24
The “continue voyage or seek repairs now” class-compliance choice
Decision
Choose the operational limitation, repair location, and timing that keeps the vessel safe and compliant.
Why non-delegable
It is negotiated with survey and operational reality, and the master and company own the risk.
AI can assist
Option comparisons and documentation support.
25
Muster discipline and crew coordination under stress
Decision
Direct people, maintain discipline, and adapt roles when the plan breaks.
Why non-delegable
It is human leadership and accountability for life and safety.
AI can assist
Role checklists and accountability tracking.
26
The “abandon ship” threshold and timing call
Decision
Decide when remaining on board is more dangerous than launching survival craft, then direct execution.
Why non-delegable
It is the highest-consequence command decision a master can make.
AI can assist
Decision support prompts and checklist sequencing, never authority.
27
Negotiating an emergency operational exception with port, terminal, or authorities
Decision
Make the tradeoffs, request assistance, and agree the operational constraints that keep the situation controlled.
Why non-delegable
It is relationship, credibility, and accountability under pressure.
AI can assist
Drafting messages and summarizing constraints and options.
28
Choosing a defensive posture in a claims or dispute scenario
Decision
Decide what is admitted, what is disputed, and what evidence is required immediately.
Why non-delegable
It is legal and commercial accountability, and relies on human judgment and counsel.
AI can assist
Evidence indexing and timeline drafting for human review.
29
Deciding when to stop work due to a safety culture breakdown
Decision
Intervene when near misses, shortcuts, or reporting failures indicate an unsafe culture in the moment.
Why non-delegable
Safety management depends on human leadership and accountability, not automation.
AI can assist
Trend spotting and anonymized reporting analysis.
30
Signing your name to the decision and living with it
Decision
Own the outcome, document the rationale, and stand behind the choice under review.
Why non-delegable
Regimes and practice assign responsibility to humans in command and watchkeeping roles.
AI can assist
Drafting, structuring, and retrieving the record, with the human as the accountable signer.
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