Governing the digital transition: the role of protection and indemnity associations in China’s green and sustainable maritime transformation

Under the backdrop of data-driven maritime era and the shipping industry’s green and low-carbon transition, the China Shipowners’ Mutual Assurance Association is confronted with unclear legal status, insufficient operational capacity and delayed internationalization. Emerging risks including shore power, alternative fuels and emission control have posed systemic challenges to its traditional governance framework, with risk scenarios expanding from navigation to port berthing and liability identification shifting from single party to multi-party coordination. While digital tools like big data and AI are reshaping risk assessment and governance paradigms internationally, this paper adopts methodologies of legal characteristic analysis, comparative study of domestic and international practices, and case studies to clarify the core roles of Protection and Indemnity Associations (P&I Clubs) in areas such as accident investigation, oil pollution claims, and security provision. The findings indicate that international P&I clubs have formed mature governance and risk-sharing mechanisms, while Chinese counterparts are hampered by legislative gaps, traditional risk control models, incomplete global networks and limited international influence. To address these gaps and position the association to leverage future data-centric governance models, this study puts forward a four-pronged strategy based on institutional construction, capacity building and international expansion: formulating special legislation, advancing digital transformation and talent training, and participating in the formulation of technical standards and international rules to boost green port governance collaboration. This will help the association transform from passive adaptation to active leadership, so as to support the high-quality, data-aware, and sustainable development of China’s shipping industry.