The Last Dinosaur - Maritime Shipping In the Digital Age

Guest: Evan Efstathiou, CEO of Burmester & Vogel and Founder of SkySail Advisors Episode Overview: For the fourth year in a row, Evan joins The Last Dinosaur to unpack the big storylines in maritime tech. From AI hype vs. reality and sector consolidation, to decarbonization, hardware innovation, and the next wave of corporate venture investing, this episode is your annual "state of the union" for digital shipping. Chris and Evan revisit last year's predictions, look at what played out in 2025, and lay out what to watch closely in 2026. Key Points: AI Moves From Hype to "Show Me the Money": AI has shifted from novelty add-on to table stakes. Vendors can't just say "AI" anymore—customers want real productivity gains and measurable ROI, not marketing gimmicks. Roll-Ups, Acqui-Hires, and the Looming "Big Five" Question: 2025 saw continued M&A among larger players and classic roll-ups plus AI acqui-hires. Evan talks about Kpler, Marcura, Sedna and others—and what it might look like if some of the "big five" platform players eventually combine. Decarbonization Tech Is Here to Stay (Even If Policy Pauses): Despite IMO's slower tempo, tools for ETS, FuelEU and emissions accounting are now baked into contracts and day-to-day operations. Tech and digital remain the "low-hanging fruit" for compliance, risk reduction, and cost savings. VC & Corporate Venture Capital Double Down on Maritime: Dedicated maritime funds and shipowner-backed CVC arms are becoming core capital sources for seed and early-stage innovation, especially where AI, optimization and decarb intersect. Hardware + Software Stacks Gain Momentum: From robotic hull cleaning to onboard sensor platforms and wind-assisted propulsion, Evan highlights how digital twins and AI-enhanced analytics are making hardware projects more bankable and easier to scale across fleets. The Future of Work: Smaller Teams, Bigger Tools: Claims departments, chartering desks, and brokers aren't going away—but their toolkits are changing. The real future is smaller, highly experienced teams amplified by AI, not full automation replacing human judgment and relationships. 2026: The Year of the AI Shakeout: With spending at "epic levels" for AI - boards, investors, and customers will all be asking the same thing: did it pay off? Evan predicts 2026 will be a defining year where resilient, commercially viable AI products pull ahead and weaker offerings fall away. Learn More: If you enjoy this episode, go back to our earlier Year in Review with Evan: Episode 94 – "Maritime Digitalization Year in Review 2024 with Evan Efstathiou" Tune in Now: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. Music by: Peg and The Rejected – "King of SKA" Artwork by: GA Design Produced by: Chris Aversano Support Our Podcast: If you've found value in this episode, please: Follow the show and rate us ★★★★★ Share the episode with a colleague or friend Support via Buy Me a Coffee if you'd like to help keep the pod going 💼 Advertising: If you would like to advertise with us, please contact Digital Ship.

Episode 125: Leveling the Playing Field in Global Trade with Carmit Glik of Ship4wd Guest: Carmit Glik, CEO, Ship4wd Episode Overview: Global trade isn't just mega-shippers and Fortune 500s. It's thousands of small and mid-sized businesses trying to move a single container without getting crushed by complexity. In this episode, Carmit Glik, CEO of Ship4wd, explains how her team is building a digital-first freight solution that combines technology and human support to give underdogs a fair shot in international logistics. Key Points: Why SMBs Are the Real Backbone of Trade How small and mid-sized businesses make up the majority of economic activity—and why they're often ignored by traditional logistics providers. Trust After Turbulence What COVID, the Red Sea disruptions, and shifting tariffs have done to SMB confidence—and why "too good to be true" is the default reaction to new services. Digital-First, Human-Backed How Ship4wd blends self-service booking, tariff calculators, and shipment tracking with real people on call when things go sideways. Knowledge as an Antidote to Chaos Why transparency on duties, tariffs, and total landed costs is now non-negotiable for business owners making tight-margin decisions. From VC to Founder: Lessons for Maritime/Logistics Startups Carmit's path from maritime VC to operator, what's changed in the startup ecosystem since 2018, and her advice for founders who want to solve real problems in freight. Sponsored by Accelleron This episode is brought to you by Accelleron and the LOREKA360° Emissions Desk—one partner, one process, and complete confidence in your compliance. Learn more at accelleron.com/emissions-desk. If you'd like to discuss sponsoring The Last Dinosaur, please get in touch with Digital Ship. Tune in Now: Listen to Episode 125 on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast platform.

Connecting Ships with Local Experts Guest: Manos Koukouvios, COO,  Vsltec Episode Overview: Former seafarer and now COO of Vsltec, Manos Koukouvios shares how a real off-hire HVAC failure in West Africa sparked the idea for a vetted, location-based network of technical service providers. We talk about building a two-sided marketplace in shipping, managing expectations in a "WhatsApp world," and what founders should really focus on when starting in maritime tech. ⭐ Sponsor: Accelleron – LOREKA360° Emissions Desk You Should Be Operating Ships, Not Filing Paperwork Accelleron's LOREKA360° Emissions Desk is a complete compliance service that handles data checks, documentation, forecasting, and verification – powered by intelligent software and experts who've actually worked at sea. 👉 Learn more at accelleron.com/emissions-desk Want to advertise with the podcast?  Contact my friends at DigitalShip Key Points From sea to startup: Manos' journey from LNG and cruise ships to Flagship Founders and into VesselTech. The HVAC case that sparked Vsltec: How one bad technical job turned into months of off-hire and a clear problem to solve. Vetted, local networks: Why Vsltec insists on truly local service providers and how that de-clutters the "we do everything, everywhere" noise. Change management & expectations: Selling into overloaded technical/purchasing teams whose expectations are shaped by free, consumer-grade apps. Advice for founders: Obsess over the problem first, talk to people, and only build when you know it's real, big, and worth paying for. Learn More: For another deep-dive on maritime innovation, check out Episode 78: Navigating Maritime Innovation with Fabian Feldhaus Tune in Now: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Support the Podcast: Please rate 5 stars, follow, share, or support via Buy Me a Coffee. Stay curious, stay salty. 🦕🌊

Episode Overview: Crews are still getting paid with cash, FedExed checks, and manual wires. ShipMoney is trying to end that. In this episode, Stuart Ostrow explains how digital payroll and controlled payout options are changing how seafarers get paid, how owners manage cash, and how operators stay compliant in a sanctions-heavy world. This episode of The Last Dinosaur is produced in proud partnership with The Captain's Table, a global pitch platform spotlighting the people building the future of maritime. Sponsor: Staying compliant in shipping is only getting harder. CII, EU ETS, FuelEU… it's nonstop. OrbitMI's Orbit Reporter automates regulatory reporting, improves data accuracy, and helps owners get ahead instead of scrambling. Named one of the 150 Most Innovative Companies in Maritime four years in a row. Want compliance to be an advantage, not a tax on ops? Learn more at https://www.orbitmi.com/connected-maritime-era. Interested in sponsoring The Last Dinosaur? Reach out to Digital Ship. Key Points: Paying crew is still painfully manual — cash on board, wires, even paper checks. Digital pay gives seafarers control: they can send money home how they want (bank, wallet, cash pickup). Removing cash from vessels also helps owners with compliance, auditability, and fraud risk. Cyber and compliance are daily battles: sanctions, KYC, OTP security, penetration testing. This isn't just payroll anymore — companies are using these tools for ship stores, superintendent expenses, and vendor payments. Tune In: Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and watch on YouTube. Music by: Peg and The Rejected "King of SKA" Art Work By: GA Design Produced by: Chris Aversano Support the Show: Follow, rate us 5-stars, and share with someone in crewing, compliance, or vessel management.

Episode 122: Why Maritime Needs a Data Utility, Not Another App – Ari Marjamaa, Raa Labs Episode Overview: Raa Labs helps maritime businesses collect, organize, and share high-quality operational vessel data—onboard and onshore—so owners and operators can run analytics anywhere. Ari explains why Raa Labs acts like a "data utility layer".  This turns messy inputs into trusted signals, and what it takes to drive adoption from bridge to boardroom. Sponsor: KVH keeps fleets connected with a hybrid OneWeb + Starlink solution managed by one trusted partner. Learn more at kvh.com. Want to advertise with the podcast? Contact our friends at Digital Ship. Key Points: Data Utility Model: Deliver clean, contextualized data that any analytics tool can use—plumbing first, dashboards later. Horizontal, Not Vertical: Standardize and route data independent of OEM/app silos. Standardization by Software: A contextualization engine converts mixed units/labels into consistent outputs. Crew Workload: Use sensor data to auto-populate reports; crews validate instead of retyping. Adoption = Org Change: Exec buy-in, clear use cases, new team structures, and internal champions drive scale. Decarb & ROI: Voyage optimization + precise reporting support EU ETS/compliance while cutting fuel. Learn More: Related perspective on ROI for owners: Joy Basu (Smart Ship Hub). Tune in Now: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube. Music by: Peg and The Rejected "King of SKA" • Art: GA Design • Produced by: Chris Aversano Support Our Podcast: Please rate 5-stars and follow. Subscribe to our newsletter for updates. Stay curious, stay salty. Chris