The Maritime Risk Podcast

Artificial intelligence is rapidly finding its way onto ships at sea, from collision avoidance and route optimization to predictive maintenance and decision‑support tools. But when machines speak with confidence, do we always know when to challenge them? In this episode of the ShorelineHudson Maritime Risk Podcast - Cequra Mini Series, Captain Thomas Brown is joined by Andrew Saly, Co‑Founder and CEO of Cequra, to explore the real‑world promise and peril of AI at sea. Together, they unpack where AI is already being deployed onboard vessels, how automation bias can quietly erode human judgment, and why “confident” answers based on uncertain assumptions may be more dangerous than no answer at all. This is a practical, experience‑driven discussion on why guardrails, offline resilience, visible failure modes, and crew training matter and why, despite powerful new tools, the master must always remain in command.  

Modern ships are more connected, more automated, and more exposed than ever before. In this episode of the ShorelineHudson Maritime Risk Podcast, we move beyond theory and into operational reality. What happens when navigation systems don’t fail… but quietly degrade? When everything appears to be working, yet the data guiding the vessel is no longer trustworthy? Drawing on real-world developments, including escalating GNSS disruption in high-risk regions, Captain Thomas Brown and Andrew Sallay (Cequra) explore a critical and often misunderstood risk: the danger of ambiguity at sea. From degraded positioning signals and decision-making under pressure, to the erosion of traditional seamanship skills and over-reliance on connected systems, this episode reveals how modern vessels can drift into a fragile state, without warning. Most importantly, it examines what can be done about it. If Episode 1 explored how fragility builds, Episode 2 shows what happens when that fragility meets reality. A must-listen for shipowners, operators, and anyone responsible for safe navigation in an increasingly complex risk environment.

Modern ships rarely fail in dramatic fashion. Instead, they drift. In this first episode of a special five-part Maritime Risk Podcast miniseries, Captain Thomas Brown is joined by Andrew Sallay, Co-Founder and CEO of Cequra, to explore how vessels can gradually accumulate hidden cyber and operational fragility without any single alarm bell sounding. From vendor remote access and GNSS interference to “workarounds” becoming standard practice, this episode reframes maritime cyber risk beyond Hollywood-style attacks. Instead, it examines the quiet erosion of resilience that occurs when digitization, connectivity, and operational pressure intersect. This conversation sets the foundation for the series, exploring: How ships drift into heightened risk environments Why experienced crews can unintentionally mask deeper fragility The danger of false redundancy and hidden system coupling How AI and geopolitical tensions are reshaping the maritime threat landscape This is Episode 1 of a planned five-part series with Andrew Sallay of Cequra, with further episodes rolling out over the coming months as we explore GNSS interference, operational stress events, AI-enabled risk, and practical resilience strategies for shipowners and operators.

In this latest episode of the ShorelineHudson Maritime Risk Podcast, host Captain Thomas Brown is joined by our Global Policy Advisor, Andrew Baskin, as they dive deep into the America’s Maritime Action Plan (MAP) a sweeping initiative that could reshape the future of global shipping. From game-changing fees on foreign-built vessels to the push for a strategic US flag fleet, Andrew breaks down the key elements shipowners and operators need to watch. This is an episode you won’t want to miss if your vessels trade to US ports! Tune in now to prepare for the changes ahead and hear what steps you can take to stay ahead of the curve.

Recent months have marked a clear shift in how geopolitical risk manifests in the maritime sector. What once appeared as policy statements and sanctions lists is now translating into direct enforcement at sea, with real operational, legal, and financial consequences for shipowners and their insurers. In the latest episode of the ShorelineHudson Maritime Risk Podcast, Captain Thomas Brown is joined by Joshua Hutchinson, COO of Ambrey Risk, to unpack the growing enforcement activity linked to Venezuelan oil movements and why it represents a broader inflection point for global shipping. The discussion explores how U.S. authorities are moving from designation to action, boarding and detaining vessels suspected of sanctions breaches, and what this means for operators navigating increasingly blurred lines between lawful trade, shadow operations, and geopolitical escalation. Importantly, the episode highlights that this risk is not confined to Venezuela or the Caribbean. Similar dynamics are already visible in the Black Sea, the Persian Gulf, and other strategically sensitive waters.

Today’s episode isn’t about reinventing COFR guaranty insurance. It’s about how the COFR guaranty insurance transaction itself can be enhanced to reflect the operational reality of modern U.S. trade. We’re going to unpack COFR Plus a jointly developed solution that embeds insurance, compliance, and shipboard attendance into a single framework built around the traditional COFR Guaranty. This is a technical discussion for operators, managers, insurance brokers, and compliance professionals who want fewer surprises, cleaner outcomes, and better control over enforcement-driven business disruption in U.S. waters.

For years, US mariner credentialing relied on fragmented systems, inconsistent records, and limited transparency—leaving mariners, shipowners, and operators exposed to hidden risk. That is about to change. In Episode 44 of the ShorelineHudson Maritime Risk Podcast, Captain Thomas Brown is joined by US maritime attorney and former US Coast Guard lawyer Benjamin Robinson (Chalos & Co.) to unpack the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General’s findings into Coast Guard credentialing failures—and the sweeping reforms now underway.   We explore: Why thousands of drug, alcohol, and misconduct cases were never properly tracked How multiple Coast Guard databases failed to speak to each other What the new MEAM digital enforcement system means in practice Why mariners will now have direct online access to their own case files And how increased transparency will impact Port State Control, crew vetting, detentions, and legal exposure   This episode is essential listening for anyone operating vessels into US waters, or responsible for ensuring their crews are compliant, qualified, and defensible when the Coast Guard comes aboard.

Foreign-flagged vessels calling at U.S. ports now face a significant new operational challenge: the Department of Homeland Security has implemented a $1,000 immigration parole fee, effective 16 October 2025, for any non-exempt alien who is paroled into the United States. This includes vessel crew members requiring medical treatment under certain circumstances. In this episode, ShorelineHudson’s Global Policy Advisor Andrew Baskin sits down with our Head of Claims Deborah Stabile to unpack what the new fee means in practice, why parole is now being denied in some cases, and what shipowners must do to protect their crews, avoid unnecessary delays, and stay compliant when trading to the United States.

Confusion reigns in the wake of Washington’s last-minute amendments to the USTR Section 301 maritime measures. In this episode, Captain Thomas Brown and Washington D.C.–based policy advisor Andrew Baskin break down what’s changed, who pays, and why these new U.S. port fees are about far more than economics. From vessel classifications and deferral windows to Pay.gov payment challenges for foreign shipowners, the discussion separates fact from speculation. The episode also unveils how ShorelineHudson’s newly launched USTR Fee Clearing and Payment Service helps operators stay compliant, avoid port delays, and maintain good-faith standing with regulators and charterers alike. If your fleet trades to the U.S., this is essential listening.

This week, the U.S. begins enforcing port fees on Chinese-built, flagged, or operated vessels under new Section 301 tariff measures. These fees are assessed against the operator listed on the vessel’s COFR — a fact with far-reaching implications for shipowners, managers, and charterers. In our latest Client Advisory and Podcast (Episode 41), we explain: Who’s now liable for these fees The risks of a cosmetic “operator” name change Contractual and operational steps to take immediately New guidance from CBP, USTR, and legal commentators What to watch for from Beijing in response