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How are digitalisation and AI currently influencing your fleet's competitiveness in terms of freight rates, operating costs, and ESG performance?The maritime shipping sector is entering a particularly challenging phase. Between volatile freight markets, rising operating costs, and increasingly strict ESG requirements, it is clear that traditional ways of operating are no longer enough, which is exactly why digitalisation and AI are not just relevant but are quickly becoming essential.These technologies are fundamentally reshaping how companies think about operations and competitiveness. Tools like predictive analytics and real-time monitoring are no longer optional add-ons; they are actively enabling smarter, faster, and more informed decision-making. From what I can see, areas like predictive maintenance and route optimisation are already delivering tangible benefits, such as reduced fuel consumption and less downtime, which directly strengthen fleet performance.What stands out is how real-time data and advanced analytics allow for continuous diagnostics and early fault detection. This kind of responsiveness creates opportunities for dynamic optimisation that were not possible before. Similarly, advanced forecasting models seem to give companies a stronger advantage in navigating market volatility, a long-standing challenge in this industry.However, the transition is not as straightforward as it may seem. There are still significant barriers that cannot be overlooked. High investment costs, fragmented regulations, and persistent data-sharing issues make large-scale adoption difficult. On top of that, the shortage of a skilled workforce is one of the most critical constraints.There are also deeper, longer-term uncertainties that raise important questions. For instance, we still do not fully understand how digitalisation and AI will impact fleet competitiveness across different operational contexts, or how human interaction with increasingly intelligent systems will evolve over The maritime industryis moving toward greater transparency and more robust digital performance reportingOpinions expressed by Maria Tsompanoglou,Energy Performance Managerat Pantheon Tankers Management Ltd,Alpha Bulkers Shipmanagement Inc,Alpha Gas SAMaria Tsompanoglou reflects on the evolving dynamics of the Greek shipping sector, examining how operational demands, regulatory pressures, and shifting labour-market expectations are reshaping the profession. Drawing on her long experience across technical and managerial roles, she offers a grounded perspective on the skills, structures, and cultural shifts required to sustain competitiveness in an increasingly complex maritime environment.Smart shipping166 NX