Orca AI
Assembly Line
Orca AI Raises $23 Million to Propel Autonomous Shipping
Orca AI, the industry-leading AI-based operational platform for ships, has raised $23 million in new funding, led by OCV Partners and Mizmaa Ventures taking its total raised to nearly $40 million.
Orca AI’s solution is the first step in introducing autonomous features to vessels already on the water. In 2022, it powered the world’s first autonomous commercial ship voyage with NYK and is now working on the second phase of fully autonomous ship technology to be rolled out in 2025.
By detecting and alerting crew to high-risk marine targets, Orca AI optimizes operations to avoid unnecessary maneuvers and speed drops, reducing fuel burn and emissions. The improved navigational decisions enabled by Orca AI resulted in an average $100 – 300k saving in fuel per vessel per year (3-5%) and 172,716 tonnes of CO2 reduction last year.
AI camera steers ships away from collisions in fog and darkness
Japanese trading company Marubeni is partnering with Israeli startup Orca AI to equip ships with artificial intelligence cameras that aid visibility in fog or darkness to reduce collisions. Orca AI’s camera system, dubbed SeaPod, has accumulated over 20 million nautical miles worth of marine visual data – equivalent to 4,200 transpacific trips between Japan and Los Angeles. The AI analyzes the big data from the footage, as well as from other parameters such as weather-related delays, to improve situational awareness of potential collisions.