Shipping industry body BIMCO has emphasized that human expertise remains indispensable as artificial intelligence tools become increasingly prevalent in the drafting and review of maritime contracts.

BIMCO — the Baltic and International Maritime Council, one of the largest international shipping associations, whose standard contracts and clauses are widely used across global maritime trade — serves as a key forum for developing standardized contractual language adopted by shipowners, charterers, and other industry participants worldwide.

In a statement published on its website last week, BIMCO reported the findings of a survey conducted among members of its Documentary Committee. The survey revealed that 20% of respondents already use AI for contractual work, while 70% anticipate adopting such tools within the next three to five years. Additionally, one in four respondents reported having encountered contract clauses generated by AI in place of established industry wording.

BIMCO acknowledged that AI can assist with tasks such as drafting, clause comparison, and other routine activities. However, the organization cautioned that AI-generated language may contain inaccuracies and could overlook critical commercial and legal nuances — a particular concern in maritime contracts, where parties frequently operate across multiple jurisdictions and where even small wording differences can affect liability, insurance coverage, and dispute resolution.

The development of BIMCO's standard contracts and clauses involves extensive consultation among shipowners, charterers, brokers, lawyers, and insurance professionals, followed by formal approval by the Documentary Committee.

"AI may be able to generate clauses," BIMCO stated. "What it cannot replicate is the process through which BIMCO clauses are developed: consultation across the industry, scrutiny by experts, consideration of insurance implications, balancing of competing interests and approval by the Documentary Committee."

Source: Ship & Bunker