Humanoid Robots To Begin Work in Shipyards with ABS and Persona AI

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and Houston-based startup Persona AI just inked a deal to bring humanoid robots into shipyards.

Why it matters: Unlike traditional industrial robots, these bots can navigate the tight, awkward corners of shipyards built for humans. ABS wants them to handle inspection tasks, collect data, and support remote surveys, while writing the rulebook for robotic certification along the way.

“This collaboration with Persona AI reflects our commitment to innovation and safety,” said John McDonald, ABS President and COO. Persona CEO Nic Radford added, “Humanoid robotics are no longer a distant concept but on a path toward certified reality.”

The bottom line: Robots may not be welding hulls tomorrow, but with ABS behind the wheel, humanoid helpers are moving closer to prime time in shipbuilding….read more

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Morocco’s PORTNET Sets Global Standard

Morocco is getting props from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) for PORTNET, its digital “single window” for port and trade operations.

What it does: PORTNET ties together 14 ports, 42 public institutions, and over 120 online services, from customs clearance to ship arrivals. Daily throughput? About 5,000 transactions. Import license wait times have plunged from five days to just three hours.

The scale: PORTNET now counts 99,000 users, including 80,000 economic operators and 1,800 freight forwarders. UNCTAD says the platform has slashed costs, boosted transparency, and helped Morocco stay competitive in global trade.

Zoom out: Tangier Med, Morocco’s flagship port, is also riding the digital wave, cementing its spot as a key transshipment hub in the Mediterranean.

Takeaway: With UNCTAD calling PORTNET a “best practice” for developing countries, Morocco just turned a homegrown digital reform into a global case study….read more

Cetasol Expands AI Platform for Fuel Savings

Swedish startup Cetasol just closed a €2.3 million seed round to expand iHelm, its AI-driven fuel-saving platform for ships. Investors BackingMinds and Shift4Good led the round, with existing backer Sarsia joining in.

How it works: iHelm uses edge computing and digital twins (virtual models of a ship and its engine) to give captains real-time recommendations for cutting fuel burn. Data goes to a cloud dashboard where operators can track performance, plan maintenance, and stay compliant.

The focus: Most maritime tech has chased big ships or electrification. But nearly 90% of the global fleet are small and mid-sized vessels, which often miss out on optimization tools. iHelm targets that gap, promising 10–25% fuel savings.

CEO Ethan Faghani says the investment shows their approach is “both needed and trusted.” BackingMinds’ Niclas Wijkstrom calls it tackling one of the industry’s “biggest blind spots.”

Big picture: As the shipping sector faces pressure to slash emissions, startups like Cetasol are betting that smarter data, not just bigger batteries, can help fleets clean up….read more

Ports Join Forces on Ship Electrification

Wah Kwong NatPower Holdings (WK NatPower) and Shandong Port Group (SPG) just signed a deal to roll out large-scale shore power and ship charging projects, starting at Qingdao Port International in China. Think of it as the maritime version of installing EV chargers at gas stations, only on a global scale.

What’s the plan?

• Expand shore power (aka cold ironing) so vessels can plug into the grid instead of burning fuel while docked.

• Push into propulsion charging, which could one day keep electric ships moving beyond the harbor.

• Build out “green shipping corridors” that connect China to Europe with low-emission supply chains.

WK NatPower General Manager Vincent Ni called it “a major step in decarbonising global supply chains.” NatPower Marine UK CEO Stefano D.M. Sommadossi added that the alliance is “turning ambition into action and creating the infrastructure that will power the next era of sustainable shipping.”

Why it matters: Ports are some of the dirtiest parts of global trade. Plugging ships into clean power while they’re docked could cut massive amounts of emissions. But building a truly global network means coordinating across continents, hence the talk of green corridors linking Asia and Europe.

SPG, which already has experience supplying shore power across its Chinese terminals, is betting that its scale plus NatPower’s global infrastructure network can give shipping lines a one-stop shop for cleaner operations.

Qingdao Port International’s general manager Zhang Baohua summed it up: “It is our shared vision to develop green port infrastructure and reduce emissions in shipping, which is central to establishing Qingdao as a leading international shipping centre.”

The bottom line: If this partnership works, plugging in could become as routine for ships as it is for Teslas, only with far bigger climate payoffs.….read more