A new requirement comes into force. A vessel reports a recurring fault. An inspection is approaching, and the HSQE team is gathering the evidence it will need.
Each task carries work beyond the immediate problem. Someone must locate the relevant procedure, trace an earlier decision or establish which version of a document applies. The context has to be assembled before the team can decide what to do.
This is the work around the work. As requirements and reporting demands accumulate, it draws on the same people who must assess defects, interpret regulations and take responsibility for the response.
“As requirements grow, we need to give the people we have better support—so they can focus on more strategic work and the decisions that need their expertise,” says Vassilis Mavrogiannis, Co-Founder and Chief Maritime Officer of AskChief.
Putting company knowledge to work
The opportunity is to turn a company’s existing knowledge — manuals, SMS, defect history, audits and recorded experience — into an AI layer that supports crew and shore teams every day. Doing this well requires AI built around the specific tasks, documents and responsibilities of maritime professionals.
AskChief is built to address this challenge, bringing specialised AI to maritime Technical and HSQE teams. Its two agents support technical troubleshooting and compliance work, drawing on company documents, available vessel history and relevant requirements, with answers linked to their sources.
Supporting each step of troubleshooting
When a breaker trips, finding the relevant drawings, manuals and maintenance records can take time. The electrician then needs to establish what to check, where to measure and what readings to expect.
AskChief acts as a troubleshooting assistant throughout the investigation. It uses the vessel’s equipment documentation and available history to guide checks and measurements, help interpret findings and suggest the next action, with links to supporting sources.
Recording the symptoms, measurements, actions taken and final resolution also makes each investigation useful beyond the immediate fault. When a similar problem recurs, searchable cases help the next electrician build on earlier work and troubleshoot more thoroughly and quickly.
From a new requirement to an SMS revision
The HSQE team faces a similar challenge. Preparing for an audit or inspection involves connecting requirements with company procedures and supporting records. Finding a document is one step; establishing whether it addresses the requirement takes further review.
When a new requirement arrives, the team must determine which SMS sections are affected and whether procedures, forms, checklists or responsibilities need to change.
AskChief helps teams update their SMS when requirements change. It identifies affected chapters and related procedures, forms, checklists and responsibilities, then prepares the corresponding revisions. This helps carry the requirement consistently through the SMS, reducing manual editing and the risk of overlooking connected sections. The team reviews and approves the proposed updates before they take effect and then keeps everyone up to date.
The broader opportunity spans Technical and HSQE work, onboard and ashore: putting the company’s accumulated knowledge to work every day. Success should be judged by whether teams can troubleshoot more effectively, manage changing requirements and make better-informed decisions, while carrying useful experience into the next challenge.
