Ionic extends Orca AI to bulker fleet to boost safety

(Posted on 09/09/25)

Athens-based Ionic controls a fleet of eight crude tankers and 11 bulkers under its respective wet and dry arms. So far seven tankers have been equipped with the Orca AI platform, but as part of its long-term commitment to safety and fuel efficiency, Ionic will roll it out to another recently delivered tanker and all the bulkers.

The platform comprises the SeaPod digital watchkeeper that enables unmatched situational awareness and the FleetView shoreside application that allows office-based teams to monitor navigational behaviour and support decision-making in real time.

Using advanced computer vision and real-time data analytics helps crews detect and classify targets earlier and more accurately, reducing the risk of incidents especially in congested waters and low-visibility conditions while enabling smarter, more energy-efficient navigation. This aligns directly with Ionic’s stated goal of “zero incidents, zero spills”.

“We aim to operate a fleet that not only delivers reliable transport solutions, but also continuous improvement in safety, efficiency and environmental performance. The Orca AI platform adds a powerful layer of support for our crews, helping us to mitigate operational risk," said Spyros Vlassopoulos, Managing Director at Ionic.

Feedback received from Ionic vessels has been consistently positive, especially regarding the platform's ability to track objects in challenging weather and in thermal mode, as well as overall ease of use. Ionic has also seen a marked reduction in close encounter events.

"Orca AI has been fast to address any concerns, and with their support and training we look forward to getting maximum value out of the platform," Vlassopoulos added.

Yarden Gross, CEO and Co-founder of Orca AI, said: “Ionic has a strong reputation for quality and safety, and their decision to deploy our platform fleet-wide underlines how forward-looking owners are using AI technology to promote voyage efficiency and reduce risk.”

He adds that Orca AI's core mission is to deliver meaningful value where it matters most. "By continuously updating the platform, we can help all our customers including Ionic to improve fleetwide visibility, support service excellence and safeguard seafarers, assets and cargo."

Ionic was established in 2009 with the aim of steadily building a vertically integrated tanker and dry cargo shipping group focused on the ownership and operation of a medium-sized fleet of high-quality, modern vessels in the tanker and dry cargo sector.

Orca AI is the leading maritime operations platform utilizing artificial intelligence and computer vision to achieve the most significant change across the shipping industry in centuries.