The Norwegian Maritime AI Centre (MAI) aims to make artificial intelligence a trusted, practical, and transformative force in the maritime domain.

Our research connects the latest AI science and technology with deep maritime expertise, uniting data, algorithms, human insight, and practical testing. Through this approach, MAI will deliver open, reusable, and validated AI methodology and solutions that make ships, operations, and decision-making safer, greener, and smarter.

Three pillars of maritime AI research

The centre’s activities are organised into three tightly connected work packages that together bridge fundamental research and practical application.

1. The Open Technology Foundation for Maritime AI

(WP1: Data, Models, and Algorithms)

AI depends on data, but data alone is not enough. Our first mission is to create a shared technological foundation that makes AI usable, safe, and adaptable for the entire maritime sector.

We are developing:

• AI-ready maritime databases and data streams for maritime navigation, metocean conditions, ship traffic, logistics, and ship operations.
• Multi-purpose maritime AI models, made from scratch, or fine-tuned and adapted from global foundation models using domain-specific data.
• Hybrid models that combine physics-based and data-driven approaches for trustworthy predictions.
• Algorithms and agents for edge AI, enabling real-time analysis and decision-making onboard ships.
• Frameworks for explainable, human-centred, and responsible AI, aligning with emerging regulations such as the EU AI Act.

This open foundation will be shared, reusable, and interoperable — accelerating innovation across the maritime ecosystem.

2. From research to demonstrated impact

(WP2: Applications and Use Cases)

Research becomes practical when it is deployed and tested in relevant test environments and real operations. WP2 translates the outcomes from WP1 into demonstrators and prototypes through 13 major use cases, and several smaller use cases, spanning the entire maritime value chain.

Examples include:

• AI-supported ship design and construction for efficient and optimized greener and safer vessels.
• Traffic surveillance and anomaly detection to improve maritime security and safety.
• AI-based decision support for remote operation of uncrewed vessels.
• Predictive maintenance and energy optimisation for efficient and sustainable operations.
• Smart testing of autonomous systems to ensure safety and regulatory compliance.

Each use case involves close collaboration between researchers and user partners, ensuring that solutions are relevant, validated, and ready for industrial adoption.

3. Open Innovation and Capacity Building

(WP3: Education, Collaboration, and Scale-Up)

MAI is more than a research project — it is a tool/arena for open innovation and capacity building. WP3 ensures that knowledge, tools, and results are shared widely through:

• AI bootcamps, workshops, and webinars for students and professionals.
• Master’s and PhD education, including more than 200 student theses and 25 doctoral projects.
• A Maritime AI Lab, providing infrastructure for testing, simulation, and collaboration.
• Partnership with maritime industry clusters and stakeholders to accelerate adoption and stimulate innovation.
• Focus on responsible AI, trust, transparent/explainable, ethics, and sustainability across all activities.

Through these initiatives, the centre cultivates the next generation of maritime AI experts and strengthens Norway’s global leadership in ocean technology.

Towards a Smarter, Safer, and More Sustainable Ocean Future

By integrating artificial intelligence into the very fabric of maritime operations, MAI is shaping the digital transformation of the ocean industries.

Our ambition is not only to advance technology — but to ensure that AI serves people, organisations, and society responsibly and effectively.