The world's oceans, the arteries of global trade, are becoming increasingly perilous. Between 2018 and 2024, maritime safety incidents surged by a staggering 42%, with over 3,300 shipping casualties reported last year alone. In an industry still largely reliant on traditional navigation methods, the need for real-time, collaborative intelligence has never been more urgent. Enter Orca AI's Co-Captain, a groundbreaking platform that promises to be the "Waze of the Seas," transforming how vessels anticipate risks and navigate complex waters.
Orca AI, a leader in autonomous maritime navigation, has launched Co-Captain to enable real-time data sharing between ships. Imagine every vessel not just as a cargo carrier, but as a mobile sensor, contributing to a collective intelligence network. That's the core idea. With over 1,000 Orca AI-equipped vessels already on board and hundreds more joining, this system turns individual ships into nodes in a vast, interconnected safety chain. They share and receive verified alerts based on live conditions, enriched with external data like weather, traffic, and local regulations.
"Given that 90% of international trade is transported across oceans, collaborative navigation at sea is no longer optional—it’s a safety, environmental, and security imperative," states Yarden Gross, CEO and Co-Founder of Orca AI. He emphasizes that the platform is building a "living, evolving ecosystem," where each vessel becomes a critical link, keeping crews connected and ahead of potential risks. This crowdsourced engine aims to be the most accurate in shipping history, enhancing situational awareness far beyond what individual radar or AIS systems can provide.
A Collaborative Network for Smarter Navigation
The power of Co-Captain lies in its ability to detect and disseminate critical information that often goes unnoticed by conventional systems. It continuously identifies high-risk targets, including non-AIS vessels like fishing boats and small craft, as well as navigational hazards such as nets or unmarked obstacles. Beyond physical obstructions, the platform alerts on severe weather, GNSS interference (spoofing or jamming), dense traffic, and even piracy zones. These route-specific notifications are tailored to each vessel's operational context, allowing crews to make timely adjustments to speed, course, or watchkeeping.
For instance, Co-Captain can warn of congested waters based on live traffic density, provide real-time Beaufort Scale readings for severe weather, or flag satellite signal interference detected by other nearby Orca AI vessels. It also aids in environmental compliance, relaying updates on whale sightings, whale-protection zones, and emission-control areas. All data shared is fully anonymized, ensuring privacy while maximizing collective safety. With over 100 million nautical miles of data collected, Orca AI's dataset continuously refines its detection accuracy and predictive power, making the "Waze of the Seas" smarter with every voyage.
