#113 Introduction to the maritime industry trends in 2025 ( PART - 1 )

Introduction to the maritime industry trends in 2025 ( PART - 1 )

1. Artificial Intelligence

In the maritime sector, artificial intelligence finds use in predictive maintenance, autonomous navigation, and route optimization. The key role of AI is to process vast sensor data, public information systems, and asset tracking to yield actionable insights. Leveraging this information, startups enhance forecasting accuracy and optimize fuel efficiency, maintenance, and operational costs.

AI’s role extends to underwater robots and vehicles, aiding search and rescue operations and underwater repairs. Continuous monitoring of ports, ships, and fleets is made possible by AI-powered digital twins, improving vessel and port management. Furthermore, AI boosts safety by analyzing historical accident data, enabling better risk management strategies.

Orca AI develops a Collision Avoidance System

Orca AI is an Israeli startup that provides an AI-based collision avoidance system for ships. The startup combines high-resolution thermal imaging and deep learning to create an awareness system. It offers predictions and alerts on hazards to avoid collisions and, in turn, save lives. Additionally, the thermal camera ensures visibility in low-light conditions while continuous data monitoring optimizes risk assessment to improve event response. Orca AI also develops a visibility platform for fleet management to ensure safety and regulatory compliance.

Bearing provides a Smart Routing Engine

US-based startup Bearing offers a smart routing engine for maritime operations. The startup combines deep learning with various real-world data sources such as the latest weather forecasts and market rates to generate accurate ship performance models. As a result, the routing engine’s recommendations automatically adapt throughout the voyage. This allows fleet managers and vessel owners to reduce fuel consumption and improve overall fleet management.

 

2. Clean Energy

Maritime operations, primarily propelled by marine heavy fuel oil (HFO), contribute significantly to emissions. A shift towards low-carbon, renewable energy sources is vital for maritime decarbonization. Electric propulsion technologies, biofuels, wind energy, solar power, and hydrogen fuel are gaining traction. Startups are emerging with devices to retrofit boats for electrification.

Large marine companies are integrating low-carbon fuels into their fleets, with biofuels as an economical, low-carbon alternative that can replace HFO without structural upgrades. The trend is shifting towards electric and hydrogen propulsion, which significantly reduces emissions without compromising vessel productivity. A pivotal step in this green transition is the adoption of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a cleaner-burning fuel option.

 

TECO 2030 makes Fuel Cell Systems

Norwegian startup TECO 2030 engineers fuel cell systems for heavy-duty marine applications. The startup’s modular fuel cell system enables easy scalability for megawatt-scale power generation and supports a dynamic response time. Its compact design also simplifies retrofitting the fuel cell into existing fossil-fuel-powered ships.

Additionally, the system integrates an advanced fuel conditioning system that supports operations on various H2 carriers like liquid H2, ammonia, and methanol. TECO 2030’s solution thus allows maritime companies to adopt zero-emission power sources for vessel operations.

 

Unnmukt Urja produces Bio-Crude

Unnmukt Urja is an Indian startup that provides bio-crude as a drop-in fuel for the maritime industry. The startup partners with Licella, an Australian company, to make use of its hydrothermal liquefaction platform, Cat-HTR. In addition, Unnmukt Urja develops a smart supply chain system to reduce the cost of agricultural waste. By combining these solutions, the startup offers an economical lignocellulosic renewable energy to replace crude oil. As a result, ship and fleet owners are able to integrate low-cost bio-crude without massive capital investments.

 

3. Maritime Robotics

Worker scarcity and safety in marine environments are pressing issues. Startups are addressing these by developing maritime robotics solutions, leveraging AI and advanced hardware. Robots, designed for maritime maintenance, cleaning, rescue, and inspection, are becoming prevalent. These include automated robots for underwater maintenance tasks, equipped with specialized arms and hardware systems.

Drones are also deployed at ports and ships for inspections and provision delivery. These robotic solutions not only fill the worker gap but also reduce exposure to hazardous conditions during maintenance and inspections. Additionally, these robotic systems gather vital data on ocean health, contributing to conservation efforts.

 

Alicia Bots develops a Multi-Purpose Robot

US-based startup Alicia Bots manufactures a multi-purpose robot for vessel cleaning and maintenance. The startup’s robot, Roverclean 1.0, functions in both remote-operated and autonomous modes to remove sludge from tanks, detect corrosion, polish propellers, and clean hulls. In addition, Roverclean 1.0 assists with repairs, inspections, and data collection. This allows vessel operators and maintenance teams to increase hull resistance and reduce biofouling, in turn, improving fuel efficiency. Since the robot also functions underwater, worker safety is not compromised either.

 

MarineRS builds Marine Robots

Russian startup MarineRS makes marine robots that carry unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and underwater robots. Moreover, the robot contains several devices for environmental monitoring, surface and water temperature measurement, and wave height calculation, among others. Since it is a carrier, it functions both as a service platform and for hydrography and underwater archaeology purposes. The startup’s robot also enables the industry to establish a maritime internet to ensure 24×7 connectivity.

 

4. Energy-Efficient Integrations

Maritime companies are turning to energy-efficient integrations to curb GHG emissions and fuel costs. This involves enhancing various vessel systems, including scrubbers, rudders, lubrication, coatings, and propulsion systems. Startups are stepping in with waste heat recovery solutions and innovations in ship and exhaust design. These additions significantly boost the sustainability of maritime operations while cutting energy and fuel costs. Advanced hull designs and coatings are also being employed to reduce drag, resulting in lower fuel requirements for ships.

 

CARNOT provides Energy Efficient Engines

CARNOT is a British startup that creates energy-efficient engines for ships. The startup replaces metal components in conventional engines with ceramic parts that withstand high temperatures. As a result, the solution diverts the energy otherwise required to cool the engine for propulsion, increasing energy efficiency. Moreover, the startup’s engines run on hydrogen and biofuels to further move towards net zero. These opportunities allow bulk carriers, tankers, and container ships to significantly reduce fuel usage and the total cost of ownership, as well as carbon emissions.

FinX advances Nautical Propulsion

FinX is a French startup that develops bio-inspired boat engines. The startup deploys an undulating elastomer membrane to use this wave pattern to propel watercraft. However, the FinX solution utilizes low amplitude and high frequency to mitigate the effects of pitching and maximize engine power density. And since its membranes undulate like a fish fin, FinX-powered boats move in a straight line with improved hydraulic efficiency. In addition, the startup uses electric motors for its propulsion technology, further reducing its environmental impacts.

 

5. Maritime IoT

Continuous monitoring of ship locations is crucial in maritime operations, reducing collision risks and aiding navigation in challenging weather. IoT integration simplifies data acquisition, tracking emissions, machine conditions, propulsion data, and structural integrity. This provides maritime companies with granular visibility into processes and assets, enabling faster identification of bottlenecks and prevention of downtimes. Additionally, IoT contributes to regulatory compliance by supplying accurate data for environmental reporting.

Wattson Elements builds Connected Ports

Wattson Elements is a French startup that offers FALCO, a range of IoT solutions for ports and boats. The startup’s IoT devices enable boat location monitoring and pedestal management. The FALCO cloud platform uses this data to enable real-time boat monitoring and identification as well as berth occupancy, fire, intrusion, and theft detection. This enables port agents to develop a connected ecosystem, improving visibility into port operations and facilitating data-driven decision-making.

ACUA Ocean develops Zero-Emission Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships

UK-based startup ACUA Ocean builds hydrogen-powered unmanned surface vehicles (H-USV) that do not emit carbon. The H-USV features onboard power for commercial and environmental sensors as well as AI-based processing for data analysis and decision-making at the edge. Its modular design and 4500kg payload capacity ensure long endurance and reduced harbor-to-site times. Moreover, the USV increases offshore operations efficiencies while vastly decreasing operational costs.

                                                                                                                         To be continue...,