Events, Partnerships, and Milestones From Across the MariApps Group
A look back at the events, partnerships, speaking engagements, and milestones that defined MariApps Group’s presence across the global maritime industry in the first half of 2026, from Tokyo to Hamburg, Miami to Athens.
CMA Ships Visits MariApps House, Kochi
Q1 2026 opened with a meaningful in-person visit from our partners at CMA Ships to MariApps House in Kochi. In January, we welcomed Rémy Renard (Transformation and Performance Director), William Biegun (Head of Digital Solutions), and Iniyavan Jayaraman (Solution Support & Delivery Manager).
Discussions covered fleet safety, reliability, and cost efficiency, while exploring practical use cases and potential areas for future collaboration. More recently, we also welcomed Shaj Thayil (Fleet Director), for continued engagement on these same priorities.
India AI Impact Summit, Delhi
The MariApps team was at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi, demonstrating how AI is transforming shipping operations in partnership with CMA CGM. Over the course of five days, the team engaged with students, engineers, and young entrepreneurs who where curious about how maritime technology works — going deep into AI frameworks, multi-agent workflows, and how agentic systems solve real operational problems.
The shift from “let’s try this” to “let’s make this work” was visible throughout the event. Companies are actively seeking AI that solves daily operational problems, not just impressive demos. The openness to collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the industry signaled a genuine execution phase for AI in maritime.
Pacific International Lines “Train the Trainer” Program, Kochi
The Pacific International Lines (PIL) team visited MariApps House in Kochi for a four-day “Train the Trainer” program. Sessions covered core pilot modules in a real-world training environment, led by MariApps’ trainers. Beyond the classroom, the team also toured the Fleet Performance Center (FPC) and participated in focused sessions on crew welfare and AI.
Seatrade Cruise Global, Miami
The cruisePAL team attended Seatrade Cruise Global 2026, connecting with cruise industry professionals.
The team comprised of Sankar Ragavan (President), Jimmy Lopez (CEO), Chris Daly (CTO), Stefan Kruellmann (Director, Business Development), Sonja Merckel (Director of Sales), Shabnam Ahmed (Vice President Projects, MariApps), Renata Imre (Product and Quality Assurance Manager), Cecilia Reyes (Manager, Support & New Implementations), David J. Lehman (Senior Accounts Manager), Angela Broyles (Sales and Account Manager), and Murat M. (Application Support Specialist).
The event showcased how cruisePAL is transforming onboard operations through smart digital solutions and how its collaboration with OceanAI brings advanced AI capabilities to the platform, covering inspections, crew management, and document workflows across both hotel and maritime operations.
Powered by a scalable enterprise AI architecture, the platform transforms operational and historical data into intelligent insights, enabling smarter decision-making, stronger compliance, and greater efficiency from ship to shore.
Sea Japan, Tokyo
Our team from MariApps represented the group at Sea Japan 2026 in Tokyo. The team comprised of Henry Thompson (Lead Director, Support/Implementation), Naveen Narayan (Deputy HOD, APAC), Amanda Peter (Head of Marketing & Branding), Robyn Lowe (Professional Services Manager, cruisePAL), Markos Papageorgiou (Assistant Manager, Multimedia & Integrated Communications), Presillyn Tan (Digital Content & Marketing Strategist), and Vivek VP (Multimedia & Digital Marketing Specialist).
Over three days, the team connected with industry professionals, partners, and clients, demonstrating digital solutions including OceanAI, cruisePAL, and SeaMedix. A well-attended seminar led by Henry Thompson — “Navigating the Future: How AI and Digitalization Are Transforming Maritime” — drew a full house, with attendees actively engaged and continuing conversations at the booth afterwards.
As Amanda Peter (Head of Marketing & Branding) reflected: “There is nothing quite like the power of in-person connection. Our time at Sea Japan was incredibly fruitful, providing a platform to showcase the combined strengths of MariApps Marine Solutions, OceanAI, and cruisePAL. Seeing the overwhelming interest in our AI seminar and the curiosity surrounding our integrated group solutions reaffirms our commitment to innovation. Looking forward to turning these conversations into lasting partnerships.“
Panel at Imabari Kokusai Hotel, Japan
Following Sea Japan, Henry Thompson presented on “Navigating the Future: How AI and Digitalization Are Transforming Maritime”. The strong turnout and thoughtful discussions reflected the growing interest in how AI and digitalization are shaping the future of maritime operations across Japan’s shipping community.
Hamburg Maritime Forum, Germany
Goetz von Boddien (Managing Director) and Sijo Abraham (Head of Projects, Europe) attended the Hamburg Maritime Forum, connecting with maritime professionals, meeting clients, and building new relationships. A key highlight was Sijo Abraham joining the panel discussion on “Artificial Intelligence in Maritime: Risk, Ethics & Control”, sharing perspectives on building responsible, practical, and future-ready AI for maritime operations.
As Sijo Abraham (Head of Projects, Europe) noted: “Meaningful conversations, many new connections, and a valued opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces across the industry. Always energizing to exchange ideas and perspectives in person.“
Tschudi Ship Management Visits MariApps, Germany
Following the Hamburg Maritime Forum, MariApps welcomed Mr. Mikkjal Poulsen, CEO of Tschudi Ship Management, to our Hamburg office. The visit provided an opportunity to continue discussions on digital transformation in shipping. Tschudi is progressing in its journey to digitalize fleet operations using MariApps’ smartPAL modules, backed by a strong commitment to innovation and operational efficiency.
Telemetry Installation Onboard Hubert Schulte, Vizhinjam
MariApps completed telemetry installation and integration activities onboard Hubert Schulte at the Vizhinjam International Seaport, Thiruvananthapuram. The work was carried out by Gowri K S (Project Coordinator, PMO) and Aparna Thilak (Software Developer), who handled installation, configuration, validation, and testing onboard, ensuring accurate data mapping and successful integration across multiple systems.
The installations involved connecting key onboard systems — including energy meters, flow meters, AIS, ARPA data sources, navigation parameters, SPM, and MDC PC — to a centralized monitoring platform. This enables real-time visibility of critical operational data through a single dashboard, supporting vessel operators and shore teams in monitoring performance, optimizing fuel consumption, and improving operational efficiency.
Beyond the technical execution, the visits provided valuable onboard exposure, offering a closer look at how vessel systems operate in real environments and how data is generated at source. The successful live data transmission marked a key milestone in both installations.
Posidonia, Athens
From insightful conversations and new connections to reconnecting with familiar faces, Posidonia 2026 brought together the people and ideas that continue to drive the maritime industry forward. The MariApps Group was represented from Khalil Rehman Aziz (Chief Sales & Marketing Officer), Sijo Abraham (Head of Projects Europe), and Petros Andreou (Head of IT Cyprus). It was a week filled with valuable interactions, shared experiences, and opportunities to explore what lies ahead for shipping and technology.
Khalil Rehman Aziz (Chief Sales & Marketing Officer) reflected on the week: “Posidonia 2026 once again demonstrated the strength and resilience of the global maritime community. Throughout the week, we had the opportunity to engage with industry leaders, partners, and innovators, exchanging valuable insights on the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of shipping. The conversations reaffirmed the growing importance of digitalization, AI, and data-driven decision-making in helping maritime businesses operate more efficiently and sustainably. We look forward to continuing these conversations beyond Athens and working together to shape the future of maritime technology.“
