Human 5.0 in Maritime

Human 5.0 is an approach that positions the human being as a decision-maker, a creative actor, and an individual with high ethical responsibility in a society where artificial intelligence, big data, robotics, autonomous systems, and digital infrastructure are fully integrated. This approach considers the individual from a perspective that prioritizes social and empathetic qualities, societal benefit, and sensitivity to sustainability principles. In the maritime domain, the concept of Human 5.0 can be defined through new-generation maritime operators and deck officers within the processes of maritime business management and ship operations. In other words, it refers to employee profiles operating across all work domains encompassing ship–port–logistics processes within the maritime industry. In today’s world, individuals are expected to adapt to the rapidly changing dynamics of digital transformation by acting with lifelong learning awareness, acquiring new skills, and keeping themselves up to date particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence literacy, data analytics, digital competencies, and creative problem solving. This study aims to define the “next generation mariner” profile by examining the reflections of the Human 5.0 perspective on the maritime sector through the concepts of Human 5.0. Based on a literature review, the research analyzes how digitalization, automation, and socio-technical transformations reshape professional roles in ship management, port operations, and maritime–logistics processes. The findings indicate that maritime operators and deck officers must possess not only technical maritime knowledge but also hybrid skills such as artificial intelligence literacy, data analytics, digital operation management, human–machine collaboration, and creative problem solving. By systematically addressing the impacts of Human 5.0 in the maritime field, the study fills a significant gap in the literature and provides an original framework regarding the skill sets that will shape the future mariner profile. In this respect, the research serves as a guide contributing both to academic discussions and to the sector’s transformation strategies.