Kirsi Tikka, PhD, shares her perspective on one of the key questions facing maritime digitalisation today –  is the industry ready for digital regulation?

Kirsi reflects on the delicate balance between oversight and innovation as new digital technologies continue to develop across the sector. She points out that regulation must be approached carefully. If introduced too early, it risks slowing the very progress the industry is trying to achieve.

She notes that the maritime sector is still at the early stages of its digital transformation journey. Before formal regulation can be effective, the industry needs to gain more practical experience with emerging technologies and learn from their real-world application. At the same time, regulators may not yet have the detailed technical expertise required to govern rapidly evolving digital tools, and historically regulation has often followed incidents rather than anticipated them.

Kirsi highlights the growing need for guidance and best practices, particularly in areas such as cyber security, as companies begin to integrate digital solutions more deeply into their operations.

As digital technologies continue to evolve, how should maritime strike the right balance between innovation and oversight?