Episode 94: Maritime Digitalization Year in Review 2024 with Evan Efstathiou
The Last Dinosaur - Maritime Shipping In The Digital Age
Release Date: 12/23/2024
Episode 129: Decarbonization That Actually Works; Founder Lessons with Gordana Ilic, PhD of BetterSea
The Last Dinosaur - Maritime Shipping In The Digital Age
Guest: — Co-Founder & Co-CEO, and host of Episode Overview: Gordana Ilic didn’t come up through shipping. Gordana’s path was through sustainability, entrepreneurship, corporate innovation, then into Maersk’s decarbonization work before returning to entrepreneurship. In this episode, we go beyond regulation talk and into what’s really happening in the market: how FuelEU is being received, why smaller owners moved faster than some of the giants, what pooling is changing culturally and commercially, and what founders learn the hard way about building in an industry that’s...
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Episode 128: Bridge to Boardroom: Class Society Reality, Tech Adoption, and the Ship–Shore Gap
The Last Dinosaur - Maritime Shipping In The Digital Age
Guest: , Global Market Leader, Commercial at Episode Overview: Capt. Ankur Arora has lived shipping from all sides. Years at sea, senior roles with shipowners, and now inside a leading class society. In this episode, he breaks down what changes when innovation stops being a slide deck and starts living onboard: design choices that affect daily work, the role of modeling and verification, how connectivity reshapes crew life, and why talent pipelines depend on telling the real story of seafaring. Key Points: Why he chose sea life (and what he learned fast): Early responsibility, rapid...
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Episode 127 — Starting 2026 with the Right Mindset with Akanksha Batura Pai PD
The Last Dinosaur - Maritime Shipping In The Digital Age
Guest: , PD Executive Director, Shipping Agency Pte Ltd | IMO Goodwill Maritime Ambassador (Emerita) | #1 Top 100 Women in Shipping Episode Overview: We kick off 2026 with a grounded, practical conversation with Akanksha Batura Pai PD, one of my favorite interviews to date. We talk about what digital transformation actually looks like inside a ship agency, why incremental change beats big-bang initiatives, how mindset drives successful adoption, and why clean data still matters more than AI hype. This episode is part of our ongoing partnership with and for the second year in a...
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Episode 126: Maritime Digitalization Year in Review 2025 with Evan Efstathiou
The Last Dinosaur - Maritime Shipping In The Digital Age
Guest: , CEO of l and Founder of 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...
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Episode 125: Leveling the Playing Field in Global Trade with Carmit Glik of Ship4wd
The Last Dinosaur - Maritime Shipping In The Digital Age
Episode 125: Leveling the Playing Field in Global Trade with Carmit Glik of Ship4wd Guest: CEO, 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...
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Episode 124: Connecting Ships with Local Experts: Manos Koukouvios, COO, Vsltec
The Last Dinosaur - Maritime Shipping In The Digital Age
Connecting Ships with Local Experts Guest: s, COO, 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°...
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Episode 123: Digital Pay at Sea: Crew Wages, Compliance, and Cashless Ships with Stuart Ostrow of ShipMoney
The Last Dinosaur - Maritime Shipping In The Digital Age
Episode Overview: Crews are still getting paid with cash, FedExed checks, and manual wires. is trying to end that. In this episode, 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 , 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. Orbit Reporter automates...
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Episode 122: Why Maritime Needs a Data Utility, Not Another App – Ari Marjamaa, Raa Labs
The Last Dinosaur - Maritime Shipping In The Digital Age
Episode 122: Why Maritime Needs a Data Utility, Not Another App – , 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: keeps fleets connected with a hybrid OneWeb + Starlink solution managed by one trusted partner. Learn more at . Want to advertise with the...
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Episode 121: From Excel to Foresight: Ingrid Kylstad on Building Resilient, Low-Carbon Supply Chains
The Last Dinosaur - Maritime Shipping In The Digital Age
From Excel to Foresight: Ingrid Kylstad on Building Resilient, Low-Carbon Supply Chains Guest: , Managing Director, Episode Overview: Ingrid Kylstad joins Chris to unpack how Klaveness Digital’s helps industrial shippers shift from day-to-day firefighting to foresight-driven planning. They dive into digital twins for the seaborne supply chain, AI-enabled scenario modeling, change management in B2B software, and what it will take to build resilient, decarbonized, and cost-effective supply chains. As part of our Challenge series, this conversation spotlights practical innovation that...
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Episode 120: From F1 to Wind Wings: John Cooper on Data-Driven Decarbonization
The Last Dinosaur - Maritime Shipping In The Digital Age
Episode Title Episode 120: From F1 to Wind Wings: John Cooper on Data-Driven Decarbonization Guest: CEO, Episode Overview: How motorsport-grade simulation, digital twins, and on-deck feedback are turning wind-assisted propulsion into real fuel and CO₂ savings—especially for smaller operators. Key Points: F1 → fleets: Simulation culture applied to ship design. Digital twin: ShipSEAT models routes; guides real voyages. Crew buy-in: Pride, stability, and daily “CO₂ saved.” Retrofit ROI: 25-year wings move between vessels. Smart routing: Engine + wind changes voyage planning. SME...
info_outlineEpisode 94: Maritime Digitalization Year in Review 2024
Guest: Evangelos Efstathiou, Managing Director of SkySail Advisors Ltd and Chief Executive Officer of Burmester & Vogel
Editor's Note: Please note that there were some minor audio inconsistencies on the host's side during this episode. We appreciate your understanding and hope you enjoy the discussion!
Episode Overview: In this annual tradition, Christopher Aversano is joined by Evangelos Efstathiou for the third year in a row to review the year in maritime digitalization and tech. They discuss the biggest trends of 2024, including the evolution of AI in the maritime industry, private equity’s increasing influence, and the critical intersection of decarbonization and digitalization. Evangelos also shares updates on SkySail’s exciting partnership with AMA Capital and Burmester & Vogel’s game-changing advancements in AI for demurrage management.
Key Points:
- AI’s Transformational Role: AI’s integration in maritime operations has moved beyond hype, with practical applications driving revenue growth and operational efficiency. Burmester & Vogel’s AI solutions now account for 25% of its revenue, highlighting the technology’s real-world impact.
- Regulatory Push Toward Decarbonization: 2024 saw an increased focus on decarbonization initiatives such as FuelEU, with digital tools playing a pivotal role in tracking and optimizing emissions.
- Private Equity and Platform Consolidation: Evangelos highlights Kpler’s acquisition of Spire Maritime and MarineTraffic as an example of the ongoing trend of private equity-backed consolidation in maritime tech.
- SkySail’s Partnership with AMA Capital: The collaboration combines SkySail’s maritime tech expertise with AMA Capital’s proven investment banking capabilities, creating a new suite of services for maritime tech investments.
- The "Real AI" at Burmester & Vogel: After three years of development, Burmester & Vogel’s AI tools for demurrage management are redefining the workflow, automating processes, and significantly reducing human labor.
- Challenges in AI Adoption: While enthusiasm for AI is high, customers are navigating the noise created by vendors offering AI solutions without clear value. Evangelos draws parallels with the blockchain buzz five years ago.
- Consolidation in Maritime Efficiency Solutions: A bold prediction for 2025 suggests significant mergers between software and hardware players, offering holistic efficiency services from hull coatings to weather routing.
- Interest Rates and VC Funding: Rising interest rates have forced startups to focus on self-sustaining economics, challenging maritime tech ventures to prove product-market fit in a high-CAC environment.
Special Mention: Christopher Aversano’s podcast is proud to be a media sponsor of London International Shipping Week, coming in September 2025. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting collaboration!
Learn More: Check out Episode 89: Seafarers, Decarbonization, and Diversity at Sea with Ralph Juhl, EVP, Technical at Hafnia
Tune in Now: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more! Watch the episode on YouTube.
Music by: Peg and The Rejected 'King of SKA'
Art Work By: GA Design
Produced by: Chris Aversano
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