When we asked Albert Wesenhagen, Senior Advisor at RVJ Cargo Inspections, how he views AI in cargo inspection, he didn’t hesitate. He sees a real use for it — and a hard limit.

The use case: “I see AI as a tool to check the variables in a report or certificate. Does the certificate match the report? Does it match the worklists, the correspondence? If it says A in one place, it must not say B in the other.” That consistency check is exactly where errors tend to creep into reporting, Albert notes — rarely in judgement, more often in consistency. “It should be a tool to prevent mistakes and sloppiness. And above all, it should save time — time we can spend on what we are actually hired for: thinking along with the client, being honest and open, adding value.”

The limit: “It has no soul. There is no heart in it. It cannot feel, and it cannot weigh what it sees. That remains human work.”

For Albert, good inspection still comes back to the same foundation: current product and contract knowledge, awareness of food and feed safety, correct application of the relevant contracts and certifications, and complete honesty — including when mistakes are made, so the team can learn from them. “In this trade there is one line that counts: my word is my bond. No nonsense.”

At RVJ, technology is there to sharpen the craft, not replace it. “And we always go the extra mile for the customer. That is my motto.”

This is part 3 of a 3-part series with Albert Wesenhagen, following part 1 on what makes a good inspection and part 2 on progress in a traditional market.