Hrvoje Mihovilović, founder and CEO of ELNAV.AI, is pushing for a more grounded approach to artificial intelligence in shipping and tells Maritime CEO that the technology’s real value lies in delivering practical AI assistance within existing operations, not in attempting to create autonomous shipping.
A master mariner with more than 30 years at sea across cargo ships, ferries, and cruise vessels, Mihovilović founded ELNAV.AI to build practical AI safety systems for bridge operations, with a focus on watchkeeping, human-factor risk, and real-world deployment.
In line with his company’s mission, he sees the real breakthrough happening when shipping stops treating AI as a feature label and starts treating it as part of a safety management system.
“That means clear limits, traceable outputs, proper change control, degraded-mode behaviour, human-factors testing, and evidence from real operating conditions,” Mihovilović says.
Shipping understands that AI will matter, he tells Maritime CEO, but says the governance around it is less developed, especially for safety-critical AI, which can’t be just seen as software.
“That distinction matters. AI can support safer watchkeeping, earlier risk recognition, fatigue-aware intervention, and better learning from weak signals,” Mihovilović explains. “But if AI is designed mainly for remote monitoring, scoring or blame-by-replay, it can damage trust and weaken just culture.”
Mihovilović tells Maritime CEO that his position is not anti-AI and that he is more focused on a pro-safety, pro-seafarer view.
“Shipping should use AI where it improves safety and reduces harm. But we should resist designs that quietly turn professional seafarers into data sources for remote scoring and post-event blame. The principle I keep coming back to is simple: assist the bridge, don’t audit it,” he states.