While just over half of European businesses have made use of AI across their logistics operations, those that have taken the leap - 82% of them, to be exact – report tangible improvements in supply-chain performance. The most commonly reported benefits are faster decision-making, cost reduction, and customer experience.

And while the industry tends to talk about AI in terms of automation and cost reduction, its biggest impact on supply chains today and in the next couple of years, may be something much simpler – helping businesses make sense of the often-overwhelming amount of information.

The ocean networks of today generate large quantities of operational data, be it vessel schedules, terminal productivity, or weather conditions. A lack of information is no longer a challenge for operational teams and leaders. Instead, it is the amount of time spent on scanning the landscape for disruption signals, identifying which signals matter, and translating those findings into decisions that improve logistics outcomes for customers.

This is where AI is making a difference for how supply chains operate.

Instead of having to spend hours scanning operational landscape and data for potential issues, with proper training, AI can surface the signals that truly matter and require immediate attention. The result is better and earlier visibility, which allows for more time for assessing potential problems, scenario planning, and ultimately coming up with a final recommendation earlier. Problems can now be addressed before they escalate – and customers receive recommendations earlier, with a greater confidence.

Using AI to tackle ocean disruption

At times of disruption, the value of AI-assisted decisions becomes particularly evident. Whether caused by geopolitical events, weather-related incidents, changing trade patterns, or congestion across logistics networks, disruption has become a permanent feature of modern supply chains. Traditionally, supply chains have been largely reactive. A disruption occurs, businesses assess the impact, and then begin responding.

AI creates the opportunity to challenge and change the traditional model.

By combining historical patterns, operational data and projected network conditions, AI can help identify emerging risks earlier and provide organisations with more time to react. That earlier warning creates additional optionality, allowing businesses to consider alternative routes, inventory positions, capacity allocations or customer commitments before the full impact of a disruption is felt.

The future of AI-powered supply chains is one where AI continuously analyses network conditions, assesses future scenarios, and recommends actions in real time. Rather than static plans that are updated periodically, supply chains could become living systems that continuously adapt as conditions change.

However, this does not mean removing people from the process – far from it.

One of the most important mindset changes around AI is that it should be viewed as an expansive power, rather than a reductive one. The outcome of AI-powered supply chains is to enable people and businesses to address more complex problems, process information faster, explore more scenarios, and ultimately make better-informed decisions.

Human expertise will always remain essential. AI may process information, identify risks and generate recommendations, but people will continue to provide the business context, establish the guardrails, and make the strategic trade-offs that determine how supply chains respond.

In the above video, Ahmed Bashir (Maersk Europe Head of Ocean Operations) explains how AI is already helping operations identify signals that matter, why predictive capabilities represent the next major step in supply chains, and why human judgment will remain critical as AI capabilities evolve.

Data source: Survey of more than 800 Maersk customers across the Europe region (February 2026).