Maritime news . Week 46
Ashdod Port Invests in AI Tracking
Israel’s Ashdod Port has invested $650,000 in maritime tech startup Azimut.ai after a successful pilot of its AI-based vessel-tracking system, Albatross. The technology can detect and classify ships in real time, even without radar or AIS signals, and is now being deployed across ports, offshore sites, and government agencies. The funding will support Azimut.ai’s expansion locally and internationally, as Ashdod Port continues turning pilot innovations into operational tools. The port’s tech hub now supports around 100 startups annually across logistics, cybersecurity, and operational sectors.
Making Seafarer Training Relevant
Maritime training is under serious pressure: lack of time, minimal crewing, and rapid technological changes make traditional methods ineffective. Industry leaders warn that the system has turned into “tick-box training” that no longer meets real crew needs or keeps up with the pace of change. The sector is shifting toward microlearning, gamification, simulations, and personalized approaches — but without addressing fatigue and excessive workload, even the best solutions won’t work. The main challenge is not just updating the training itself, but creating conditions in which training is actually possible.
Training gaps threaten maritime competence
Maritime training is lagging behind as digitalisation and decarbonisation accelerate. While simulators and gamified courses are expanding, seafarers often lack essential digital and fuel-handling skills, and soft skills like leadership and teamwork remain neglected. Experts warn that underinvestment, outdated teaching methods, and fragmented certification systems undermine competence, making hands-on, scenario-based, and continuous learning more critical than ever. Closing these gaps is essential to ensure seafarers can safely operate modern ships and lead in a rapidly evolving industry.
Trump targets California offshore drilling
The Trump administration plans to open the California coast to offshore oil drilling for the first time since 1994, proposing six lease sales between 2027 and 2030. Similar expansions are being considered in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and Alaska, including the High Arctic. California Governor Gavin Newsom strongly opposes the plan, calling it “dead on arrival.” Approval is at least a year away, and the offshore oil plan would last five years if enacted.