Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
23rd International Logistics and Supply Chain Congress, İstanbul, Türkiye, 16 - 17 Ekim 2025, ss.80, (Özet Bildiri)
Purpose: Smart logistics technologies, such as AI-assisted decision systems and IoT-based cargo monitoring systems, are increasingly integrated into maritime operations, as they are becoming the new normal among maritime operations. While these systems aim to minimise human error and optimise performance as they focus on accuracy and efficiency, they also simultaneously impose new psychological burdens on seafarers and logistics personnel. The expectation to override, monitor, or validate machine outputs creates a high-stress environment where the boundaries of legal responsibility become blurred. Study design/methodology/approach: This study explores how increasing cognitive load in smart maritime logistics environments affects human decision-making and legal responsibility. While automation enhances operational efficiency, it also brings new forms of psychological pressure, expecting seafarers to stay alert, make judgment calls, and be accountable even when working alongside AI systems. Drawing from maritime law, psychology, and business administration, this paper argues that current legal frameworks fall behind these technological changes. Emotional fatigue, decision-making stress, and mental workload are rarely considered in liability assessments. Using a qualitative, interdisciplinary approach, the research combines legal analysis with human factors literature, supported by case studies and references to the Turkish Commercial Code, MLC 2006, and IMO instruments. Findings: Ultimately, the analysis highlights that legal frameworks governing maritime logistics must evolve with technological advancements by addressing structural risks introduced by automation and acknowledging the psychological vulnerabilities of the human element. Originality/value: The paper’s originality lies in framing psychological vulnerability not as individual weakness, but as a systemic blind spot in maritime law, calling for a more human-centred understanding of legal responsibility in an era increasingly shaped by automation. KEYWORDS Smart Logistics, Cognitive Load, Human Factor, Liability in AI Systems, Human-Centred Regulation, Maritime Labour Law. RELATED TOPICS Artificial Intelligence in logistics and supply chains, Transportation and logistics law, Humanitarian logistics and supply chains.