Podcast: CCTV mandates mark a turning point for maritime safety

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In this podcast, Perry unpacks the potential rabbit hole the industry could be heading toward as countries like India begin mandating CCTV on flagged vessels.

Osher Perry.

Written by Osher Perry, CEO & founder, ShipIn Systems

EDITOR’S NOTE: Osher Perry and Marine Log recently did a podcast on this topic, which you can find below on either SoundCloud or Spotify. In this podcast, Perry unpacks the potential rabbit hole the industry could be heading toward as countries like India begin mandating CCTV on flagged vessels—and others may soon follow. But rather than sounding the alarm, Osher sees this as a moment of opportunity. He’ll explain why now is the time for the industry to fully embrace AI-powered shipboard CCTV. So, is the industry ready to leap forward—or will it settle for surveillance without insight?

The maritime industry is no stranger to mandates. But every so often, a regulatory move comes along that signals more than a compliance requirement, but a shift in mindset. That’s what we’re seeing with the growing number of global mandates around onboard CCTV.

India’s recent decision to require CCTV across its flagged fleet is one of the most visible examples, but it’s not an isolated development. In the U.S., Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment (SASH) provisions under the Jones Act require CCTV monitoring in accommodation areas to deter misconduct and ensure crew safety. Australia is mandating systems on Capesize vessels at the steering gear, and Panama has introduced CCTV as part of its strategy to address illegal fishing.

Each of these mandates responds to very real challenges: crew safety, operational visibility, and environmental protection. But they also open the door to something bigger – a moment of opportunity for the industry to go beyond basic monitoring and embrace smarter, more impactful safety practices.

The concern is that shipping risks missing the moment. Traditional CCTV, while useful, only tells part of the story. Continuous footage from multiple cameras is difficult and time-consuming to analyze. In many cases, these systems become little more than an archive, useful only after something goes wrong. Compliance is met, but the potential for real-time risk reduction is lost. With human factors behind nearly 60% of incidents, timely intervention is everything.

That’s where AI-powered CCTV comes in. By turning video footage into real-time operational intelligence, these systems move us from post-incident forensics to proactive risk prevention. AI can automatically detect safety violations, such as non-compliant watchkeeping, improper PPE use, or unsafe maintenance practices, and send alerts to crew and shore teams in real time. This enables direct action before issues escalate. It also provides aggregated data insights to inform training, refine safety protocols, and benchmark fleet performance.

These benefits are already being realized. On fleets using ShipIn’s AI-powered CCTV platform, we’ve seen a 40% reduction in onboard incidents, equivalent to $1.87 million in annual savings across a 30-vessel fleet. In some cases, operators have reported zero incidents for 180 consecutive days. That’s not just regulatory compliance, it’s measurable, operational change.

It also changes the dynamic for crews. By creating a shared record of onboard activity, AI-enhanced systems can protect seafarers from false accusations and ensure they’re judged on fact, not assumption. As global scrutiny on safety, labor conditions, and accountability grows, that protection matters.

Crucially, this isn’t about adding another layer of complexity for operators. The right AI platform filters out routine activity, surfaces only what matters, and enables ship-to-shore collaboration in real time. It’s not surveillance, it’s support.

Mandates should be seen not as the end goal, but the starting point. The technology exists today to do more than comply. With it, we can transform how the industry manages safety, supports crew, and reduces risk.

Other industries, from aviation to manufacturing, have long used technology not just to enforce compliance, but to raise the bar for best operational practices. Maritime should be no different. If we act with intent, this could be a generational leap forward. But if we settle for surveillance over insight, the opportunity could pass us by.