On the occasion of the International Day for Women in Maritime, the Union Maritime et Fluviale Marseille-Fos (UMF) and WISTA France organized a roundtable discussion on the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in the maritime sector.

The evening was opened by Elodie Bianco, Coordinator of WISTA France’s Southern branch, Audrey Delbreilh, General Delegate of the UMF, and Nathalie Bureau du Colombier, moderator of the discussion. Together, they emphasized that, in the symbolic context of this day and at a time of rapid AI development, the transformation of the maritime sector is underway and must remain inclusive, promoting diversity and improving the representation of women both in operational roles and in governance bodies.

The event brought together a panel of experts who explored AI in the maritime sector from different perspectives:
- Sarah Amri, Member of the Executive Board in charge of Finance, Strategy and Information Systems at the Port of Marseille Fos, highlighted that data is a key driver of competitiveness for smart ports.
- Emilie Espanet, Secretary General of the Coalition for New Energies at CMA CGM, illustrated how AI enhances operational efficiency.
- Audrey Abrinas, Chief Commercial Officer at DMSLOG.Ai, advocated for augmented AI that does not replace experts but gives them a competitive edge.
- Diana Abinader, PhD in AI and Senior Data Scientist at DMSLOG.Ai, presented use cases of AI to streamline port operations through data sharing.
- Linda Valero, Senior Manager AI Trust at KPMG, member of CLUSIR Sud-PACA, partner of Campus Cyber.IA Euromed and co-founder of the AI working group, highlighted the issues of trust, cybersecurity, and responsibility associated with AI in port environments.
- Sonia Benmaa Massin, HR and Communications Director at TRANSCAUSSE, demonstrated how AI already saves nearly 30% of time on document-related tasks, while emphasizing that human analysis remains essential and that team training is key to successful adoption.

In conclusion, Marie-Noëlle Tiné-Dyèvre, President of WISTA France, conveyed a message from Minister Catherine Chabaud, recalling that the future of the maritime sector will be built with all talents, and fully with women.