Written by:
Editorial Team
DSG.AI
This page tracks publicly confirmed maritime AI deployments (production systems, not pilots or proof-of-concepts). It is updated as new deployments are announced or verified through trade press reporting. Each row links to its source.
The gap between claimed and confirmed deployments is large in maritime AI. Most "AI in shipping" statistics aggregate survey responses about intent to deploy. This reference tracks only what is confirmed deployed and operational.
Deployment counts by use case (confirmed operational, 2026)
| Use case category | Confirmed deployments | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vessel ETA and arrival prediction | 20+ | Includes Windward, Awake.AI, Portcast live customer bases | Windward 2026 State of Maritime AI |
| Freight rate forecasting (ML models) | 10+ carriers | Maersk Spot, Evergreen, multiple mid-size carriers using ML-assisted pricing | BIMCO Digital Shipping Survey 2026 |
| Auto-quotation (email-to-quote automation) | 30+ freight forwarders | Fastest-adopting use case in 2026; forwarders, not carriers, leading | Wisor.ai industry report, Jun 2026 |
| Predictive maintenance (vessel equipment) | 15+ carriers | ABB Ability, Kongsberg, Wärtsilä deployments confirmed | ABB Ability Marine deployment log, 2025-2026 |
| Port congestion and berth forecasting | 12+ ports | Port of Rotterdam, Hamburg, Singapore operationally using ML forecasting | Port of Rotterdam annual tech report 2025 |
| Stowage optimization (AI-assisted) | 8+ carriers | Navis/XVELA, a top-10 container carrier, AP Moller Maersk R&D confirmed | Navis 2026 customer deployments |
| Empty container repositioning | 5+ carriers | Planning horizon extensions confirmed (from 1-week to multi-week forward visibility) | UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport 2025 |
| Demurrage and detention prediction | 10+ | Project44, Descartes, in-house builds at tier-1 carriers | Project44 2026 carrier integration report |
| FuelEU/CII compliance monitoring (AI-assisted) | 20+ shipping companies | Orca AI, Lloyd's Register, Orbit MI deployments confirmed | Lloyd's Register FuelEU compliance tech brief, 2026 |
| Agentic workflows (multi-step, production) | 15+ at a single tier-1 carrier | Production agentic deployment at a top-10 global container company | DSG.AI production deployment, 2025-2026 |
Deployment by carrier tier (2026 estimates)
| Carrier tier | AI deployment status | Most common use cases | Source basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 (top 10 global carriers) | All 10 have at least 2 confirmed AI deployments | Freight forecasting, ETA prediction, stowage optimization | Alphaliner top 100, matched to public announcements |
| Tier 2 (top 11-30) | 60-70% have at least 1 confirmed deployment | ETA prediction, demurrage automation, fuel monitoring | BIMCO Digital Shipping Survey 2026 |
| Mid-size carriers (top 31-100) | 30-40% have at least 1 deployment | Typically vendor-supplied (Windward, Portcast) not in-house | Splash247 maritime AI coverage, Jan-Sep 2026 |
| Smaller carriers (100+) | Under 10% confirmed AI deployments | Auto-quotation tools (lowest barrier to entry) | Wisor.ai, FreightMynd industry data, 2026 |
AI adoption survey data (self-reported intent vs. confirmed deployment)
Survey data reflects intent and awareness, not confirmed production deployments. The gap between these numbers and the confirmed deployment counts above indicates the distance between the industry's AI ambition and operational reality.
| Survey finding | Sample | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 78% of shipping companies plan to deploy AI in next 2 years | 450 maritime decision-makers | Inmarsat Maritime Digitalisation Survey 2025 |
| Only 34% say they have deployed at least one AI system in production | Same sample | Inmarsat Maritime Digitalisation Survey 2025 |
| 60% of software vulnerabilities in ship/onshore systems weaponized within 48h by AI-assisted attackers | 200 BIMCO members | BIMCO AI Cybersecurity Survey, Aug 2026 |
| 70% of shipping professionals expect AI adoption in contract review within 3-5 years; only 20% using it today | BIMCO member survey, 2026 | BIMCO Digital Tools Survey 2026 |
| Maritime cyber incidents rose 17% YoY; OT systems featured in 62% of incidents | USCG incident database | USCG Maritime Cyber Incidents Report 2026 |
Production AI deployments: selected verified cases
These are individual deployments confirmed through public statements, case studies, or trade press reporting.
| Deployment | Carrier/operator | Use case | Outcome reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freight rate forecasting and dynamic pricing | A top-10 global container company | ML model replacing manual analyst rate estimates; spot rate dynamic pricing | Quoting cycle: hours to minutes; planning horizon extended from 1 week to 9 weeks | DSG.AI maritime case |
| Auto-quotation (email classification) | A tier-1 global container carrier | Automated parsing and quotation generation from incoming customer email | 15+ agentic workflows deployed across one enterprise | DSG.AI maritime case |
| Predictive vessel ETA (North Sea routes) | Awake.AI commercial customers | ETA prediction from AIS + weather data | Median ETA error reduced below 4h for short-sea routes | Awake.AI 2025 performance benchmark |
| Port congestion prediction | Port of Rotterdam | Berth-level arrival forecasting for container terminals | 48-72h berth occupancy forecasts operational | Port of Rotterdam tech report 2025 |
| Voyage simulation and routing | Kongsberg Maritime | Fuel optimization through voyage simulation | 5-8% bunker cost reduction per vessel confirmed in pilots | Kongsberg Maritime 2025 case studies |
| FuelEU compliance monitoring | Orca AI fleet customers | Automated CII scoring and FuelEU exposure dashboards | Real-time compliance status replacing quarterly manual calculations | Orca AI product update, 2026 |
Notes on methodology
What counts as a "deployment": a system is counted as deployed when (a) a named carrier, port, or operator has confirmed operational use through a press release, case study, or verified third-party report, and (b) the use case is operational rather than in pilot or testing phase. Vendor-claimed "customers" without confirmation from the customer are excluded.
Coverage gap: mid-size and smaller carriers are underrepresented because their deployments are less likely to generate press coverage. The confirmed deployment counts above are minimums, not totals.
Data currency: this page reflects data available through September 2026. Trade press sources are checked quarterly; individual verified cases are updated on publish.
For a companion reference on forecasting methods used in production maritime AI, see the Container Freight Rate Forecasting Methods Reference.
<!-- related-links:start (auto-managed by seo/sync-internal-links.mjs) -->Related
- Container Freight Rate Forecasting Methods Reference
- Vessel ETA Prediction in Production: What the Academic Papers Don't Tell You
- Maritime AI vs. PowerPoint AI: What's Actually in Production in 2026
- Freight Rate Forecasting with Machine Learning: Replacing Analyst Estimates with a Live Model
- Demurrage Prediction: The AI Project That Pays for Itself in One Quarter
- Maritime AI Companies in 2026: Who Ships Production Systems and Who Ships Decks
- Auto-Quotation in Production: From Customer Email to Formatted Quote in Minutes
- Empty Container Forecasting: How We Extended Planning Horizon from 1 Week to 9 Weeks
- FuelEU Maritime Compliance in Year One: What Shipping AI Teams Need to Know
- Dynamic Pricing for Spot Deals: How a Top 10 Container Line Quotes Against Live Market Data
- Maritime AI Cybersecurity: How Shipping Lines Govern the New OT Attack Surface
