UnDocked: The Maritime Transformation Show

Raal Harris and Nick Chubb
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Undocked is a weekly podcast where Nick Chubb and Raal Harris explore what’s changing in maritime and technology. Through candid conversations and guest interviews, the show unpacks emerging trends, overlooked stories, and strategic insights, offering a fresh, unfiltered perspective on the evolving future of one of the world’s oldest industries.

  1. 3d ago

    What's the difference between R&D and Innovation? Lomar Labs has the answer

    Stylianos Papageorgiou of Lomar Labs joins Nick and Raal to explain how a ship owner can help maritime startups move from promising prototypes to usable technology. The conversation covers the Compass programme, onboard testing, energy transition, autonomous systems, seafarer engagement, and why innovation only matters when it solves operational problems. Chapters00:27 Introduction to Stylianos Papageorgiou and Lomar Labs01:24 Lomar’s 50-year history and appetite for change02:42 Episode partner: GTT Marine03:21 Why Lomar built its own venture lab09:35 Using a changing fleet as a testbed11:34 How Lomar Labs works with startups14:08 Choosing problems worth solving16:14 Building the Compass programme17:56 R&D, innovation, and procurement20:38 The three pillars: technical risk, commercial readiness, and funding25:40 Portfolio focus: future of work, energy, and emissions29:47 Testing technology on ships without overwhelming operations31:09 Seafarer feedback and onboard experimentation33:41 What makes a startup worth backing37:22 Commercialisation, pricing, and market realities39:15 Regulation, timing, and the energy transition46:46 Future of work at sea49:45 Autonomous navigation and alarm overload51:10 Signal Fusion, behavioural data, and human judgement53:27 Automated audit trails and the limits of measurement54:01 The long-term vision for Lomar Labs55:56 How shipping can better support innovation58:23 How startups and shipping companies can reach Lomar Labs This episode begins with Stylianos Papageorgiou, managing director of Lomar Labs, drawing a sharp line between R&D and innovation: one creates knowledge, the other turns it into viable businesses. It is a useful distinction for shipping, where promising technology often struggles to survive contact with operational reality. Nick and Raal explore why Lomar built its own venture lab rather than joining an accelerator or investing through a fund. Stylianos explains how the Compass programme gives startups structured access to ships, crews, class, flag, and commercial feedback — without demanding exclusivity, discounted first units, or shared IP. The conversation moves from model to mechanics: technical de-risking, commercial readiness, funding pathways, and the floating laboratory Lomar uses to test modular technology onboard without disrupting day-to-day operations. There is also a clear focus on seafarers, who are not treated as passive subjects of innovation but as critical users whose feedback can shape whether a product works. The episode closes on regulation, energy transition, autonomous systems, and founder discipline. Stylianos argues that startups should solve problems shipping genuinely values, not simply wait for regulation to force adoption. For shipowners, the lesson is equally pragmatic: innovation needs managed risk, real assets, and enough patience to let useful ideas mature. Episode PartnerThis episode of Undocked is brought to you by GTT Marine. The Great Integration, a new report from Danalec and Thetius, looks at how fragmented systems are eroding decision quality across shipping — and what owners can do about it. Learn more at gttmarine.fr.

    59 min

  2. Jun 4

    Posidonia, AI Hype and the Technologies Shipping Is Actually Buying

    This week,  Raal and Nick catch up as Posidonia 2026 gets into full swing. With Nick reporting live from Athens and Raal experiencing Posidonia FOMO from afar, the conversation explores what’s really happening beneath the headlines. From the explosion of AI messaging across the exhibition floor to the technologies that are quietly moving from concept to commercial reality, this episode separates hype from substance. They discuss why governance is becoming the defining challenge for AI adoption, how simulation technology is reaching new levels of realism, why condition-based maintenance may finally be having its moment, and what recent industry deals tell us about the future direction of maritime software. Along the way, they examine why alternative fuels seem to have disappeared from centre stage and what has replaced them as shipping's immediate priority. Chapters 00:00 Live from Posidonia: Raal's missing, Nick's roaming 02:00 AI everywhere: genuine innovation or marketing necessity? 05:00 What separates serious AI solutions from AI wrappers 09:00 From ideas to products: when does innovation become commercial reality? 12:00 Why shipping only solves problems when they become unavoidable 14:00 Hot or Not: the technologies dominating Posidonia 2026 17:00 Alternative fuels are out. Vessel performance is in. 18:00 Simulation technology is getting frighteningly realistic 23:00 Why great simulations don't always need great technology 26:00 AI governance moves from theory to business priority 28:00 Kaiko's acquisition and what it says about maritime software consolidation 38:00 Condition-based maintenance may finally be ready for prime time 41:00 Why inspections are becoming valuable data sources 44:00 Looking ahead to Bergen Shipping Conference This episode is brought to you by KVH. Delivering resilient connectivity, data, and insights to keep maritime operations connected, informed, and moving, wherever you are. Learn more at kvh.com.

    48 min

  3. May 28

    Why Resilience is Becoming More Important Than Efficiency in 2026

    Nick and Raal reunite after weeks on the road to discuss the growing pressures reshaping shipping: geopolitical instability, seafarers operating in conflict zones, AI-driven decision-making, and the fragility of global supply chains. The conversation explores why resilience — operational, human, and digital — is rapidly overtaking efficiency as shipping’s defining priority. Chapters00:00 A long-overdue hosts-only episode01:39 IMEC and “People at the Helm”04:21 Seafarers in conflict zones07:27 Real-time information and crew psychology10:34 Geopolitics and rerouted supply chains15:33 Decision-making under pressure19:11 Welfare support and trust in AI21:59 Voyage optimisation and supervised automation30:15 AI adoption gaps onboard35:25 Maritime AI and fragmented data46:02 Vendor lock-in and cloud dependency55:50 Digital twins and organisational knowledge01:02:19 Email overload and operational cultureEpisode ShownotesNick and Raal return for a rare hosts-only conversation following several weeks of conferences, travel, and near-misses in airports and hotels. The discussion opens with reflections from IMEC’s “People at the Helm” conference, where shipowners, unions, welfare organisations, and employers gathered to discuss the realities facing seafarers in an increasingly unstable world. A major theme throughout the episode is geopolitics and what it now means for maritime operations. From the Red Sea to the Strait of Hormuz, the pair explore how conflict risk is reshaping assumptions around global trade, crewing, and operational resilience. They discuss the uncomfortable reality that merchant seafarers are increasingly exposed to direct geopolitical risk while supply chains continue to rely on globally fragmented ownership, flags, and labour models. The conversation then turns toward resilience — not just in trade routes, but in people and decision-making. Nick and Raal examine how rerouted voyages, longer sailing distances, and constant operational pressure are changing the demands placed on crews. That leads into a wider discussion around training, fatigue, welfare support, and whether existing maritime frameworks were ever designed for the level of disruption now facing the industry. The second half of the episode focuses on AI, voyage optimisation, and the “human in the loop” problem. Drawing on recent research into RPM optimisation and supervised automation, Nick explains why sophisticated AI recommendations often fail to translate into operational behaviour onboard. Workload, alarm fatigue, fragmented systems, and competing priorities all contribute to the growing execution gap between software and shipboard reality. The episode closes with a broader discussion about digital infrastructure, vendor lock-in, and AI-enabled organisational knowledge. From cloud dependency to digital twins, Nick and Raal explore how maritime businesses may eventually codify operational judgement and experience — while questioning how much human expertise can truly be replicated by machines. Episode PartnerThis episode of Undocked is brought to you by Lloyd’s Maritime Academy. The future of shipping is being shaped right now — from AI and decarbonisation to digital operations. Lloyd’s Maritime Academy offers forward-looking courses designed to help maritime professionals build practical expertise for the industry ahead. Download the 2026 here.

    1h 4m

  4. May 22

    Psychological Safety, Crew Certification, and the Economics of Welfare with Susanne Justesen

    Raal Harris speaks with Susanne Justesen of the Global Maritime Forum about the evolution of the All Aboard Alliance and a new industry effort to establish transparent, independently verified crew welfare standards. The conversation explores fatigue, psychological safety, data ownership, commercial incentives, and why shipping must move beyond minimum compliance toward measurable human sustainability. 01:22 Susanne Justesen on joining maritime and the role of GMF04:20 How the Global Maritime Forum drives industry collaboration07:00 The origins and evolution of the All Aboard Alliance11:15 Why crew welfare, diversity and safety are interconnected14:45 Maritime exceptionalism and lessons from other sectors18:05 Sustainable crewing guidelines and sharing best practice22:10 Moving from self-assessment to measurable transparency25:00 New welfare standards, benchmarking and certification plans28:10 Aligning commercial incentives with crew welfare31:15 Charterers, retailers and the challenge of transparency34:00 Human data, AI and concerns around surveillance38:00 Learning from what works rather than only failures41:00 What happens next for the Alliance and its standards work44:00 Closing remarksEpisode ShownotesRecorded live from the IMEC People at the Helm conference in Southampton, Raal Harris sits down with Susanne Justesen, Human Sustainability Director at the Global Maritime Forum, to discuss the next phase of the All Aboard Alliance and the industry’s growing focus on measurable crew welfare standards. The conversation begins with Susanne’s route into maritime from the world of innovation and diversity advisory work, before unpacking the role GMF plays in convening senior leaders across shipping’s value chain to tackle problems that regulation alone has struggled to solve. From there, the discussion turns to the origins of the All Aboard Alliance and how its initial focus on diversity, equity and inclusion has evolved into a broader effort to improve living and working conditions at sea. Susanne explains why fatigue, safety, psychological wellbeing and inclusion cannot be treated as separate issues, and why the industry needs clearer ways to identify what “good” actually looks like onboard. A major focus of the episode is the Alliance’s newly launched initiative to develop independently verifiable crew welfare standards. Susanne outlines plans for global benchmarking, transparency around operational indicators, and certification models that could eventually help charterers, financiers and cargo owners distinguish between vessels based not only on technical performance, but also on the conditions experienced by crews. The conversation also explores the economics behind welfare investment, the risks of fragmented customer-led regulation, and the growing importance of human-centred operational data. Raal and Susanne discuss AI, fatigue monitoring, psychological safety, and the tension between useful insight and intrusive surveillance. The episode closes with a wider reflection on culture change in shipping: why the industry often focuses too heavily on failures, and why meaningful progress may come faster by studying vessels and operators where things are already working well. Episode PartnerThis episode of Undocked is brought to you by IEC Telecom. IEC Telecom delivers fully integrated multi-orbit connectivity solutions for maritime and offshore operations, combining LEO and GEO networks into seamless, reliable systems at sea. Learn more at iec-telecom.com

    45 min

  5. May 14

    FuelEU Pooling, Carbon Markets, and Regulatory Fragmentation with Friederike Hesse

    Zero44 founder Friederike Hesse joins Undocked to unpack the operational reality of maritime decarbonisation compliance. From FuelEU pooling and EU ETS accounting to the unintended consequences of CII, the discussion explores how regulation is reshaping commercial shipping — and why software is rapidly becoming essential infrastructure for managing complexity. 00:38 Introducing Friederike Hesse and Zero4402:15 From startups and consulting into maritime04:34 Lessons from scaling Homeday07:36 Why maritime decarbonisation became a software problem11:25 Breaking down EU ETS and FuelEU15:06 FuelEU pooling and compliance markets19:06 Early operational impacts of regulation21:09 Why spreadsheets are no longer enough24:34 Building Zero44 product-by-product around regulation31:17 Paying penalties versus optimising compliance35:32 Regulatory uncertainty and the IMO net zero framework40:43 Fragmented global regulation and UK ETS43:06 Women, networks, and inclusion in maritime47:56 Building a mixed maritime-tech startup team50:11 What comes next for Zero44Episode ShownotesThis week on Undocked, Nick and Raal are joined by Friederike Hesse, founder and CEO of Zero44, to discuss the rapidly growing complexity of maritime decarbonisation compliance — and why software is becoming central to how shipping companies operate. The conversation begins with Friederike’s route into shipping from economics, consulting and Berlin’s startup ecosystem, before unpacking how Zero44 emerged from the wave of regulation arriving in European shipping from 2023 onwards. What started as a tool for monitoring CII risk has evolved into a broader platform for managing EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime and increasingly complex commercial carbon strategies. The discussion explores the mechanics behind FuelEU pooling, the emergence of private carbon marketplaces, and why compliance is becoming a commercial optimisation exercise rather than a simple reporting obligation. Friederike explains how operators are balancing fuel costs, penalties, charterparty agreements and voluntary carbon markets — often simultaneously — and why spreadsheets are no longer sufficient to manage the interdependencies involved. Nick and Raal also examine some of the unintended consequences of regulation, including distorted operational behaviour under CII, while discussing the industry’s growing adoption of biofuels and the increasing fragmentation of regional carbon regimes, including UK ETS and potential future national systems. The episode closes with a broader conversation about building technology companies in maritime, the challenge of regulatory uncertainty, and the social dynamics of an industry still heavily shaped by traditional networks and relationship-building. Episode PartnerThis episode is brought to you by Lloyd’s Maritime Academy. With students in more than 185 countries, Lloyd’s Maritime Academy provides industry-recognised maritime education designed for professionals across shipping, trade and logistics. Click here to learn more.

    52 min

  6. May 8

    Seafarer Retention, Human Factors, and the Limits of Compliance with Claire Georgeson

    Claire Georgeson joins UnDocked to discuss why shipping’s human element remains under-measured despite mounting operational pressures. From piracy-era chartering to founding PsyFyi, she argues the industry must treat seafarers as strategic assets rather than operational costs. The conversation explores crew benchmarking, paperwork fatigue, retention risks, and the growing commercial value of human-centred operational data. 03:03 Falling into shipping via dry bulk and Maersk Broker05:27 Commercial shipping culture and disconnect from seafarers10:57 What PsyFyi does and how the platform works12:48 Why Claire left Intertanko to found a company16:05 Data privacy, benchmarking, and owner reluctance20:09 Measuring organisational culture and communication gaps28:26 Asking better questions and listening properly30:45 Crew engagement rates and using WhatsApp at sea32:23 Charterers, paperwork fatigue, and operational impact37:48 OCIMF, human factors, and enclosed space fatalities42:00 Why shipping struggles to use human element data47:39 Linking crew data to operational KPIs50:09 Advice for women entering maritime51:21 Bootstrapping a maritime technology company Claire Georgeson joins UnDocked to discuss one of shipping’s most persistent blind spots: the gap between operational performance and the lived reality of seafarers. Drawing on a career spanning commercial tanker operations, Intertanko, and now her own company PsyFyi, Claire explains why she became increasingly concerned by the disconnect between shore-side commercial decision-making and the operational realities on board vessels. The conversation revisits piracy-era chartering decisions, the industry’s fixation on asset value, and the assumption that crew resilience can endlessly absorb operational pressure. The discussion then turns to PsyFyi’s approach to collecting human element data directly from seafarers through low-friction messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram. Claire outlines how anonymised daily feedback allows owners to benchmark communication, motivation, recognition, safety culture, and organisational performance across fleets and crew populations. Nick and Raal explore why shipping remains highly sophisticated in technical and commercial data collection, yet comparatively immature when it comes to understanding people. Claire argues that fragmented reporting structures, cultural gaps on board, paperwork fatigue, and charterer-driven administrative demands are now materially affecting vessel performance, retention, and safety outcomes. The episode also examines enclosed space fatalities, the limits of traditional training approaches, and the growing focus on human factors from organisations such as OCIMF. Throughout, the conversation returns to a central question: if seafarers are fundamental to operational performance, why are they still largely treated as a cost centre rather than a strategic asset? Episode PartnerThis episode is sponsored by Danelec. Danelec’s new report, The Great Integration, explores why shipping’s growing volume of disconnected systems and operational data is undermining decision-making across the industry. Produced with Thetius, the report examines how owners can move from fragmented tools to integrated operational intelligence. Download the report here

    54 min

  7. May 1

    Supply chain strain, training uncertainty & navigation reality

    Sixty days after the Hormuz closure, supply chains are straining in unexpected ways, from sulphur to food systems. The conversation shifts to maritime training, questioning whether regulation-led models can keep pace with AI, accelerating change, and highlighting persistent real-world competency gaps in new ECDIS performance data. 01:49 – 60 days after Hormuz: strain emerges02:59 – Sulphur: the hidden dependency05:31 – Supply chains as complex systems08:53 – CO₂ shortages and food security risk10:25 – AIS misuse and mariner ingenuity12:28 – Inside the Riga People Conference14:20 – Education models vs uncertain futures20:22 – The AI-enabled ship and future seafarer25:04 – Personalised learning vs regulation29:26 – ECDIS competency gaps revealed37:53 – Theory vs reality on the bridge43:16 – Human judgement vs AI advice46:27 – Bergen Shipping Week preview Sixty days into the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the impact is no longer theoretical. Beyond oil, sulphur emerges as a critical pressure point, embedded across fertilisers, metals, batteries, and everyday goods, revealing how deeply interconnected and fragile global supply chains really are. As delays ripple through the system, early signals appear: tanker markets flip, shortages begin to surface, and even CO₂ production becomes a concern for food security. These second- and third-order effects underline a central theme; complex systems don’t fail immediately, they unravel. From there, the focus turns to people. Reporting from Riga, Raal shares insights from a maritime training conference centred on capability, resilience, and workforce development. At the core is a growing tension: education systems designed for predictability are struggling to prepare seafarers for a future defined by uncertainty and rapid technological change. AI sharpens that tension. With the potential for personalised, real-time learning and onboard decision support, the technical barriers are falling fast. But regulation, built around standardisation and control, remains a significant constraint. New data from NorthStandard reinforces the challenge. Despite widespread certification, gaps persist in ECDIS knowledge, from chart updates to hazard recognition. The discussion questions whether traditional assessment truly reflects operational competence, and argues for a more dynamic, data-driven approach to training. The episode closes on the human factor, judgement, interpretation, and empathy at sea, and how these will coexist with increasingly capable AI systems. Plus, a preview of Undocked Live at Bergen Shipping Week. Episode PartnerThis episode is brought to you by Lloyd’s Maritime Academy. Expert-led maritime training built around real-world application, from compliance to digital transformation. Click here to download the prospectus. Links: Nick's Shipping in 2035 ArticleBergen International Shipping Week

    50 min

  8. Apr 24

    Cadet Berths, Industry Incentives, and AI Labour

    Nick and Raal examine seafarer risk in conflict zones, the worsening shortage of cadet berths, and the industry’s misaligned incentives. The discussion expands into AI’s growing role in maritime operations, from performance data to decision support, before confronting wider questions around automation, labour displacement, and human accountability in increasingly machine-led environments. Chapters00:00 Reconnecting after travel and reflections on Japan02:00 Strait of Hormuz, seafarer risk, and media attention07:30 Cadet berth shortages and training pipeline pressures12:30 Onboard realities: risk, cost, and declining access16:40 Human data, AI, and performance insights21:00 Personality profiling and crew dynamics27:00 Workflow data and real-time decision support30:30 Automation, aviation, and human disengagement33:20 AI labour and workers training their replacements37:00 Claude, coding tools, and accelerating capability41:00 Cybersecurity risks and unintended consequences43:30 Closing reflections Episode ShownotesNick and Raal open with a catch-up after time on the road, before quickly turning to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. With tens of thousands of seafarers still operating under heightened risk, they reflect on the limited but growing mainstream media attention on the human impact of geopolitical disruption. The conversation then moves to a persistent structural issue: the shortage of cadet berths. While the need to train the next generation of officers is widely accepted, the burden of doing so remains unevenly distributed. The result is a familiar industry dynamic—collective benefit, individual cost—with long-term consequences for the maritime talent pipeline. From there, the discussion shifts toward data and technology. Drawing on examples from industry initiatives and emerging platforms, Nick and Raal explore how fragmented human performance data could be brought together. The opportunity lies in moving beyond retrospective analysis toward real-time decision support. However, this raises a more complex question: as systems become more capable, what happens to human accountability when decisions are increasingly machine-informed? The episode then broadens beyond shipping. Examples from aviation and manufacturing illustrate how automation is already reshaping work, from pilots disengaging in highly automated environments to factory workers generating the data that may ultimately replace them. These cases frame a wider concern: the pace of technological change is accelerating faster than industry—and policy—responses. The episode closes with a reflection on that gap. Maritime may feel insulated, but the same forces are already at work. The challenge is not whether change is coming, but how the industry responds while it still has agency to shape outcomes. Episode PartnerThis episode is brought to you by IEC Telecom. Connectivity at sea isn’t just about operations, it’s about people. For today’s crews, staying connected to family and life onshore has become an essential part of life at sea. IEC Telecom’s Voucher Management System makes that possible, a flexible, easy-to-manage solution that gives operators full control over onboard connectivity, while ensuring fair and reliable access for crew. Simple to deploy. Transparent to manage. Built for real life at sea. Because when crews feel connected, they perform better. Click here to learn more.

    45 min
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About

Undocked is a weekly podcast where Nick Chubb and Raal Harris explore what’s changing in maritime and technology. Through candid conversations and guest interviews, the show unpacks emerging trends, overlooked stories, and strategic insights, offering a fresh, unfiltered perspective on the evolving future of one of the world’s oldest industries.

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