UN Security Council hears calls for human oversight of maritime technology

The UN Security Council heard calls for human oversight, stronger cybersecurity and international cooperation as governments weigh how emerging technologies could protect maritime routes — or make them more vulnerable to attack and disruption.

At a high-level debate on 29 October, speakers cited risks including cyberattacks, interference with navigation systems and the misuse of autonomous maritime technology. They also argued that tools such as artificial intelligence could improve early warning, vessel monitoring and responses to maritime crime.

Earle Courtenay Rattray, the UN Secretary-General’s Chef de Cabinet, said that technology must serve humanity and warned that errors or unintended escalation could have human consequences. He urged states to build safeguards and an evidence base for assessing risks, and called for international norms and stronger cooperation.

The debate ranged from commercial shipping and subsea cables to military systems and critical infrastructure. Fareed Zakaria said AI could quickly cross-reference data to identify anomalies, while Greece’s cybersecurity chief, Michail Bletsas, described AI as both a defensive tool and a threat multiplier. Bletsas said 87 per cent of maritime organisations had experienced a significant cybersecurity incident in the previous 12 months.

Ukraine’s representative said more than 1,600 port infrastructure facilities in the country had been damaged or partially destroyed in Russian attacks. Russia’s representative disputed that the Security Council was the right forum for discussions of AI and maritime security, arguing that existing international law applies and that additional restrictions on military AI systems are unwarranted.

Speakers also differed over the role of international institutions. The United States’ representative backed industry engagement and experience-sharing, while saying the International Maritime Organization should not exceed its mandate. Russia’s delegate argued that the issues belonged in other UN bodies and specialist forums. Other speakers stressed the importance of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and rules protecting freedom of navigation.

The meeting’s UN press account records proposals and national positions, rather than an agreement by the Council to adopt new rules. The discussion echoed a separate UN warning about civilian risks from drones and autonomous weapons, which also called for stronger governance of artificial intelligence.