OVER the next decade, demand for professionals who can combine maritime expertise with digital and sustainability skills is expected to rise.
This, says MISC president and group chief executive officer Datuk Zahid Osman, could include artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted navigation officers, cybersecurity specialists and data analytics managers, alongside smart-port technologists, electrification engineers and alternative-fuel specialists.
He said traditional seamanship skills required of maritime professionals are increasingly being complemented by digital, analytical and sustainability competencies, as shipping adopts AI, automation and green technologies.
“Maritime professionals would need to develop capabilities in areas including digital systems, data management, alternative fuels and sustainability.
“While Malaysia’s maritime education institutions, including the Malaysian Maritime Academy, are updating their curricula, the pace of change needs to accelerate to remain aligned with international standards.
“Future graduates will need digital fluency, knowledge of green technologies, data and cybersecurity awareness, as well as adaptability and leadership skills to manage increasingly diverse and technologically advanced operations,” he said.
He added that these skills will become increasingly important as the maritime sector moves towards greater automation and decarbonisation, including efforts aligned with the International Maritime Organisation’s net-zero ambitions.
