Lloyd’s Register  has expanded its Digital Maturity Index benchmarking tool with a new AI maturity assessment, helping shipowners and operators evaluate their readiness for artificial intelligence as adoption accelerates across the maritime industry.

Unveiled at Smart Maritime Network Singapore 2026, the enhanced DMI process introduces AI readiness benchmarking and sector-specific digital use cases while marking a milestone of more than 100 participating organisations.

Developed to help maritime organisations benchmark their digital capabilities against industry peers, the DMI enables organisations to assess current capabilities, prioritise investment and accelerate progress towards their digital ambitions.

The new AI maturity assessment examines the foundations required for successful AI adoption, including governance, workforce training, organisational culture, data readiness and performance measurement. It also assesses how AI is being applied across operational areas such as crew management, trade execution, vessel technical management and commercial functions.

By looking beyond technology adoption alone, the assessment helps organisations identify whether they have the people, processes and data infrastructure needed to support AI-driven decision making and operational improvement. It also explores industry expectations, perceived opportunities and barriers to implementation.

Eleanna Apostolidi, Head of DMI Product Innovation, LR, said: “Across the industry, we’re seeing organisations move beyond AI curiosity and into practical implementation. The challenge is that many companies are investing in AI before fully understanding whether their governance, data and internal capabilities are ready to support it.

“The DMI helps organisations establish that baseline. By introducing AI maturity benchmarking, we’re giving shipowners and operators a clearer view of where they are today and what they need to address before they can scale AI with confidence.”

Alongside the AI assessment, LR has introduced a range of gas-sector-specific use cases, allowing LNG operators to benchmark the application of digital technologies against operational challenges including boil-off gas management, sloshing risk management, LNG cargo ageing prediction, rollover prevention, pump tripping mitigation, tank maintenance optimisation and brittle fracture monitoring.

The additions reflect growing interest in how technologies such as analytics, automation, IoT and digital twins can support safer, more efficient and data-driven LNG operations.

Constantinos Chaelis, Gas Segment Director, LR, said: “For LNG operators, digital transformation needs to be grounded in the operational realities of gas shipping. By embedding targeted LNG use cases into the Digital Maturity Index, LR is helping operators benchmark their digital readiness against the specific challenges they face, from cargo management and asset integrity to maintenance planning and operational performance.

“The value of the DMI is that it gives the gas sector a structured way to understand where digital capability is already mature, where gaps remain and where investment can be focused to improve safety, efficiency and decision-making across LNG operations.”

The DMI helps maritime organisations understand where they are on their digital transformation journey and identify where a clearer roadmap may be needed to turn insight into practical progress.

The latest enhancements build on LR’s Digital Transformation Research Programme and support the industry’s transition towards increasingly connected and intelligent operations.