TL;DR: Modern sister ships with sensors on board give AI a clear picture of what "normal" looks like. Collecting data is no longer the hard part. Acting on it quickly is, and that is where AI helps. Owners who invested early in data are among the first to put AI agents to work, with their people still in charge.
A young fleet is a data advantage
Newer engines and hull forms set a strong efficiency baseline. But hardware only improves when a ship is replaced, while gains from how the fleet is run can come every day. A modern fleet has the data to capture them:
- Similar ships: patterns seen on one vessel are easy to compare across its sisters.
- Sensor data: readings arrive continuously, not once a day by hand.
- Clear baselines: each ship's own normal is well defined, so deviations stand out sooner.
Collecting the data is no longer the hard part
Shipping has never been short of data. The problem is that it is spread across noon reports, emails, invoices and onboard systems. For owners with sensors and a data platform already in place, the question is no longer "do we have the data?" but "how quickly can we act on it?"
The groundwork is getting easier. ZeroNorth now uses vessel sensor data to pre-fill key noon report fields, with crews able to override any of them. That means less manual reporting and one set of numbers that technical and commercial teams can both trust.
Where AI is already at work
Two kinds of AI are already at work in fleet operations. One watches the vessel and warns early. The other takes on routine voyage work, so your people can focus on the decisions.
AI does the work, people make the call
Handing work to AI doesn't mean handing over decisions. Operators see every step, decide how much Propel does on its own, and can step in at any point. Routine work moves to the agent, so experienced people spend their time where their judgement matters most.
Proven on our own operations first
Before offering Propel to anyone else, we put it to work in our own Professional Services team. Here is how that trust was earned.
Owners who invested early in data are moving first
- Euronav, now CMB.TECH, built its own high-frequency data platform, FAST, and brought it into ZeroNorth in 2024.
- CMB.TECH, Cargill and Ultrabulk are launch partners for Propel, with early access since August 2026.
- Teekay is a long-standing ZeroNorth customer.
As Oskar Fabricius, CFO at Ultrabulk, put it:
“The potential for AI that can take action, not just surface insights, is significant.”
Put your data to work
If your fleet already produces good data, you are well placed to put AI to work on it. Book a demo to see how it works, and how your team stays in control.
