The Evolution of AIS and Maritime Visibility: Driving Innovation in a Data-Driven Industry
In a recent Teqplay Vodcast, we sat down with Carsten Bullemer, a serial entrepreneur and AIS visionary, to discuss the transformation of AIS and maritime visibility over the past two decades. The conversation explored everything from the humble beginnings of AIS to the future of maritime data and the potential of AI in revolutionizing the industry. This article highlights key insights shared by Carsten in our discussion.
AIS: Simple Technology, Complex Implications
At its core, AIS is a relatively straightforward system. It uses radio signals to transmit a vessel’s identity, position, speed, and course. These signals can be received by land-based stations, satellites, or onboard equipment. When strategically deployed—especially at elevated locations—AIS receivers provide extensive maritime coverage.
Although the technology itself has remained largely unchanged, its application and commercial significance have evolved. Initially perceived as a live-tracking tool with limited historical relevance, AIS data has proven to be a rich source of operational and environmental insights, particularly for historical route analysis, emissions reporting, and port call optimization.
From Open Data to Data Silos
One of the most significant shifts in recent years is how AIS data is shared and monetized. Early adoption was driven by hobbyists, researchers, and startups who exchanged data openly. Over time, however, several trends have altered the data landscape:
Regulatory divergence: Countries such as Norway continue to provide open coastal AIS data, while others, including China and India, impose strict access controls.
Market consolidation: The number of global AIS data providers has contracted significantly. From a landscape of many small operators, the field has narrowed to a few dominant commercial entities.
Competitive secrecy: Data has become a strategic asset, with many shipping companies and service providers choosing not to share AIS information to preserve competitive advantage.
As a result, despite the foundational openness of AIS signals, global-scale access to complete, high-quality data has become more challenging and cost-intensive.
Rethinking Value: Analytics vs. Access
Early expectations predicted that the value in maritime data would shift from the raw AIS signals to analytics platforms built atop them. However, the opposite has occurred in many cases. While analytic tools are important, access to reliable, global AIS data has proven to be the greater barrier to entry. This is particularly true for startups and smaller solution providers seeking to develop tools for emissions tracking, predictive routing, or port coordination.
Building analytics solutions is relatively straightforward in today’s environment. Maintaining resilient, real-time AIS data pipelines globally, however, involves significant technical, logistical, and financial complexity—something many organizations underestimate when deciding to develop in-house capabilities.
AI and Maritime: Promising but Gradual Adoption
Artificial intelligence is beginning to influence the maritime sector, though adoption has been uneven. The greatest near-term potential lies in commercial processes: automating invoice processing, document classification, and procurement workflows. These are areas where AI can deliver immediate efficiency without interfering with vessel operations.
In contrast, operational deployment of AI—such as decision-making based on predictive AIS data—is subject to higher safety standards and risk tolerance. Many maritime stakeholders require 90–95% confidence thresholds before integrating AI outputs into mission-critical systems. As such, the pace of operational AI adoption is likely to remain cautious, even as the technology matures.
Collaborative Potential and Challenges
A recurring theme in maritime technology is the balance between collaboration and independence. Despite the complexity of managing and analyzing AIS data, many larger organizations opt to build their own tools, often motivated by data control, customization, or strategic independence. Yet doing so can lead to fragmented ecosystems and duplicated effort—particularly when solutions could be more efficiently developed and maintained collaboratively.
Real-time global AIS processing requires sustained infrastructure investments, robust monitoring, and continuous maintenance—demands that can be prohibitive when borne by a single organization.
Revival of AIS Summit
In response to renewed interest and evolving challenges in AIS and maritime visibility, Carsten Bullemer has announced the return of the AIS Summit, scheduled for November 5–6 in Hamburg. The event promises to gather leading voices in the space, including representatives from Lloyd’s List Intelligence, IHS, AIS Hub, and more.
The second day will explore the role of AI in maritime, offering a platform for innovators to showcase tools, share lessons, and explore the intersection of real-time data and intelligent systems.
Our CEO Leon Gommans will be at the Summit to share his experience in the past 10 years of Teqplay. We look forward to seeing you there!