The maritime sector has traditionally been dependent on radar, sonar, and manual observation as the primary means of navigation and collision avoidance; however, the performance of these tools is compromised under adverse weather, low visibility, and human response time limitations. The incorporation of artificial intelligence and computer vision technologies has opened up new possibilities for the monitoring of vessels and obstacles at sea. The combination of optical cameras, thermal imaging, and machine learning enables not only the detection of objects in real-time but also the provision of situational awareness and decision support, especially in offshore and high-speed scenarios.
Several technology companies have, during the last ten years, delved into these systems with the intent of lowering the accident rate, raising the level of safety in operations, and providing an additional navigational aid to the traditional ones. The company SEA.AI is one of the entities that is working on these AI-based maritime solutions.
SEA.AI GmbH was founded in 2018 under the name OSCAR by Raphaël Biancale, an automotive engineer, and Gaëtan Gouérou, co-founder of CDK Technologies and former managing director of the IMOCA offshore racing class. The company initially adapted automotive vision technology to the maritime environment, creating machine vision systems capable of detecting floating objects and vessels under challenging offshore conditions. In 2022, the company rebranded to SEA.AI, reflecting a broader focus on artificial intelligence applications in maritime safety and operational monitoring. The founders aimed to provide a scalable solution across various vessel types, from private yachts to commercial and governmental fleets.
The company’s global footprint covers various continents. The company’s headquarters is based in Linz, Austria, and also has offices in Port la Forêt, France, Portugal, the United States of America, and Australia. As of 2026, SEA.AI has reported the installation of over 1,200 systems globally. The systems are intended for use in a wide range of vessels, such as sailing yachts, motor yachts, superyachts, commercial ships, unmanned surface vessels, and offshore racing yachts. This global deployment of the company’s systems underlines the real-world application of AI-based safety systems in maritime operations across the world.
SEA.AI’s systems integrate low-light optical cameras with thermal imaging sensors and in-house-developed artificial intelligence software. The systems continuously record visual information and process it in real-time, detecting and tracking floating objects or hazards. The system provides alerts and visual information on onboard multifunction displays, computers, or mobile devices. The company has also annotated over 80 million images from real-world maritime environments by the end of 2025, which are used for training machine-learning algorithms. These datasets are intended to enhance detection accuracy and minimize false positives in various conditions, including night, fog, and high sea conditions.
The company’s early projects include involvement in offshore racing events. In 2020, about half of the Vendée Globe fleet, a solo, non-stop, around-the-world sailing race, employed SEA.AI systems. This was one of the first large-scale, operational tests of AI-based detection in extreme offshore conditions. After this, SEA.AI explored commercial applications, raising Series A funding of €3 million in 2021 to further research and development and operational capabilities. This round of funding was supported by investors Stephan Schambach and Christoph Ballin, who provided capital for the company’s global expansion and technology development.
SEA.AI’s expansion into the United States began in 2021 with the establishment of an office in Miami. In the following years, the company collaborated with European and international shipbuilders to integrate their systems into new ships. In 2022, SEA.AI was introduced on Outremer catamarans. By 2025, the company’s partnerships included Nautitech Catamarans, which integrated AI collision avoidance technology across its performance range, and Privilège Marine, which standardized SEA.AI systems on all ships. Furthermore, AIRCAT Crew Transfer Vessels adopted the company’s Sentry system, including the world’s fastest 35-meter SES ships, to improve operational safety.
SEA.AI has also partnered in environmental monitoring projects. In 2025, the company partnered with the European Union’s ATLANTIC WHALE DEAL, collaborating with the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group and the University of La Laguna to implement AI solutions that could detect the surfacing of whales. The aim was to minimize ship strikes, proving the use of maritime AI technology beyond the avoidance of collisions for efficiency in operations, to include environmental monitoring and marine conservation.
The company’s efforts have also been acknowledged in the maritime technology sector. SEA.AI’s products and solutions have been recognized in various awards and listings. These include nominations and special mentions at the DAME Design Awards, the Innovation Route Award at the 2025 Cannes Yachting Festival, listing in the Blue Tech Index in 2025, and nomination for Thetius Top 150 maritime technology companies in the same year. The Brain system was also nominated for a DAME Design Award at METSTRADE in 2024, and Watchkeeper received a special mention at the same show in 2025. These awards show the prominence of SEA.AI in the maritime technology industry.
Throughout its development, SEA.AI has focused on the integration of its AI solutions with the existing maritime infrastructure. The solutions are intended to work in conjunction with existing maritime infrastructure, such as traditional navigation systems, rather than replacing them. This provides the operators with enhanced situational awareness. The data-driven strategy of the company and its collaborations with shipbuilders, vessel operators, and research institutions show the integration of technology and operations. This enables SEA.AI to focus on both performance and safety issues in commercial, recreational, and offshore settings.
In conclusion, SEA.AI can be considered a case study of the adaptation and implementation of AI technology in the maritime industry. From its inception as OSCAR in 2018 to its current rebranding in 2022, the firm has been working on AI-based camera systems for collision avoidance and situational awareness for a variety of vessel types. Its worldwide implementation, including over 1,200 installations, early adoption in offshore racing, and collaborations with shipbuilders and vessel operators, indicates the operational integration of AI technology in maritime safety.
Industry awards and environmental projects also indicate its visibility in the maritime industry. The firm is currently operating in Austria under the management of Marcus Warrelmann, with its presence in Europe, North America, and Australia. It is said to further develop AI-based maritime technology.
