The A-Z of 2026 technology predictions continues with:
V is for verticals: logistics
Digitalisation
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| Source: SSH. Basu. |
“The industry is entering a decisive phase,” said Joy Basu, CEO of Smart Ship Hub.
“Owners and operators no longer want vague promises. They want clear, measurable value and digitalisation is now delivering exactly that. Time savings, agility, reduced intermediaries, and data-driven processes are directly strengthening both top and bottom lines.”
Basu believes the strongest digital momentum next year will come from measurable ROI frameworks with defined KPIs aligned across owners, operators, charterers, ports, and insurers, as well as high-frequency automated sensor data that will improve accuracy, efficiency, and operational resilience.
“The winners of 2026 will be those who can clearly articulate value and show exactly how digital tools lead to smarter operations,” Basu said.
The company anticipates that popular solutions will include low-cost edge gateways and plug-and-play sensors enabling wide-scale retrofit on older vessels; unified platforms combining machinery data, video feeds, user inputs, and vibration monitoring for real-time fleet awareness; AI-driven digital twins enhancing collaboration between owners, operators, charterers, ports, brokers, and agents, as well as remote inspections and automated vessel health assessments powered by high-frequency data and rule-based intelligence.
“These innovations will democratise data,” said Basu.
“Advanced insights will no longer be a privilege for a few large companies. They will be accessible across the sector.”
While the push to implement IMO’s Net-Zero Framework has moved from October 2025 to October 2026, introducing policy uncertainty, SSH sees this as a window for organisations to strengthen internal structures and adopt future-proof digital systems.
Basu said: “The delay doesn’t slow digitalisation - it accelerates it. Companies now have a crucial window to get their data foundations right, modernise workflows, and adopt fuel-agnostic digital platforms that simplify compliance and protect margins. Digital transformation remains the smartest choice in any market condition.”
AI
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| Source: Kaiko Systems. Kocer. |
“Over the next three years, we believe AI will stop being a collection of tools and instead become the central operating brain of vessel management,” he said.
“When we talk about AI, people often assume it’s about replacing crew. It’s not. It’s about expanding what people can do. Imagine a superintendent confidently managing 10 vessels instead of five. Imagine a chief engineer not spending any time buried in paperwork and instead making proactive safety decisions. That’s where AI comes in, by relieving humans of repetitive, error-prone work so they can focus on the job they want to do.”
“The real transformation for AI comes with its ability to predict potential faults and recommend human action. Human eyes miss weak signals. But AI doesn’t. It can say: ‘This anomaly suggests a maintenance action is required in three months. Fix it now, avoid downtime later.’ That is the leap, from reporting what went wrong to preventing it in the first place," Kocer elaborated.
“This is why we see the rise of AI as inevitable in shipping. It’s not about buzzwords; it’s about operational resilience. Ship owners who embrace it now have a competitive advantage. Those who don’t will struggle to keep up.”
AI and robotic process Automation (RPA) will be another key area, reducing manual effort and enabling faster, real-time reporting. Personalised digital services and omni-channel decision support will also advance digital adoption.
According to SSH, AI will expand from isolated applications to fully embedded enterprise systems influencing safety, compliance, onboard workflows, and commercial decisions in the maritime industry.
“AI in maritime must be context-specific and trained on real data,” Basu emphasised.
“With accurate models, we can predict failures, forecast emissions, optimise voyages, and support faster port coordination. Predictive intelligence is becoming mainstream, and affordable.”
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| Source: Dataiku. Douetteau. |
Agentic AI
"While technology for agent-to-agent integration in the enterprise is still in its infancy, logistics and transportation enterprises start automating the most repetitive parts of contracting and scheduling pickups. The current manual, which is heavily email-driven, is being automated on both sides by agents, leading to the most versatile protocol being used for agentic communication: email," predicted Florian Douetteau, Co-founder and CEO at Dataiku.
Data-driven operations
Digital tools will help the shipping industry deal with uncertainties such as geopolitics impacting trade, security threats, rising costs, and disruption to the supply chain, the COO at MCTC, Kyriacos Georgiou said. |
| Source: MCTC. Georgiou. |
“Crews are working under increasing pressure, and our role is to give them the tools, knowledge and support they need to succeed. Through real-time consumption monitoring, menu-planning tools and wellness initiatives, we make galley operations smoother and more sustainable.”
Georgiou added: “Training is no longer about a one-time classroom course. The future is personalised, data-driven and immersive, where real vessel data shapes learning and VR simulation strengthens practical skills.
Greenfield deployment
Expereo predicts that the China Plus One concept - to add one more country as a supplier in addition to China - will shift spending to technology greenfields. "Accelerated by geopolitical pressures and trade tariffs, multinationals are aggressively diversifying supply chains into markets like Vietnam, Malaysia, and India. In 2026, this will trigger a massive wave of greenfield network demand. Unlike in mature markets, the priority in these emerging hubs will shift from cost-cutting to securing stable, high-performance connectivity for mission-critical operations, such as semiconductor manufacturing," the company said in a list of 2026 predictions.
"Asia Pacific remains a global engine of growth, but the rules of engagement are changing," said Eric Wong, President of Asia Pacific, Expereo.
"We are moving past the phase of experimentation. In 2026, the China Plus One strategy and the demand for AI ROI will force enterprises to reckon with their infrastructure foundations. Success will no longer depend just on expansion, but on the ability to consolidate fragmented networks and navigate an increasingly complex web of local data regulations."
The Internet of Things (IoT)
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| Source: Wireless Logic. Natashrul. |
"The use of cellular IoT connectivity in the supply chain and logistics sector continues to record strong year-on-year growth across the region, and AI-enabled IoT adoption is set to accelerate further over the next year," said Syed Natashrul, Head of APAC, Wireless Logic, a global Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity specialist.
"Real-time shipment tracking, fleet management, AI-driven in-vehicle safety systems, and predictive maintenance powered by IoT sensors are already being deployed, with adoption rising across markets. This evolution is expected to deliver some of the largest operational and productivity gains for ASEAN enterprises in 2026."
The takeaway, Natashrul said, is that companies must ensure IoT systems are AI-ready, with reliable, consistent data, to fully leverage predictive insights and real-time operational intelligence.
MCTC is a catering management company.
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