THE WEEK Maritime Conclave 2025: Maritime industry has to incorporate AI, says Cochin Shipyard Design Head Anjana K.R.

“Ship designing has come a long way since the ‘90s in India,” said Anjana K.R., CGM Design, Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). 

 

"First came shipbuilding and designing software that improved over time, then came robotics—and today, we are in the age of AI". 

 

Speaking on the panel ‘Innovations in Shipbuilding’ on Day 1 of THE WEEK Maritime Conclave 2025, moderated by GRSE CMD Cmde PR Hari, Anjana explained the technological advancements in modern shipbuilding and design in India.

 

“Software design tools are now mature enough that we can see an entire life cycle of a ship in the building process,” she stated. “There is better revision management, better control, and fewer errors.”

 

However, Anjana said that the robotics involved in the process needs to be improved. 

 

Responding to a question about the advent of artificial intelligence, Anjana asserted, “The Maritime industry has to incorporate AI.” 

 

The panel included Rajiv Nayyer, Advisor, Swan Defence Heavy Industries; Biju George, Director, Ship Building, MDL; Kalyanjit Hatibaruah, expert in AI and Blockchain in Shipping; and Kripakar M. Marur, IRS Classification Society.

 

Anjana went on to explain how the ship design process would benefit from AI. From structural design to creating statutory drawings, AI would help free the load of the designers. For instance, an engineer can generate better ship models by feeding a series of “hull forms” that have been available over the past many years to AI.

 

The CSL design chief also hailed how AI and new technologies can now optimise the design process overnight. The digital aspects of structural design can be taken to the next level with AR (augmented reality), she said.

 

The nation is already transitioning to new technologies. And the shipping and maritime industry should also adapt to the change, she added.

 

The panel also discussed the ethics and the security issues related to adopting new technologies, as part of the first day of the maritime summit.

 

The WEEK Maritime Summit 2025, in its second edition, is a two-day event held on September 15 and 16 at The Crowne Plaza in Kochi.

Maritime