Episode 118: Driving Strategy and Scaling Maritime Tech with Aleksander Askeland of Manta Marine Technologies
The Last Dinosaur - Maritime Shipping In The Digital Age
Release Date: 09/16/2025
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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°...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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 118: Driving Strategy and Scaling Maritime Tech with Aleksander Askeland of Manta Marine Technologies
Guest: Aleksander Askeland, Chief Financial Officer, Manta Marine Technologies
Episode Overview:
Aleksander Askeland’s career journey has taken him from the Arctic coal trade to leading strategy and finance at Manta Marine Technologies, one of the most forward-looking players in maritime decarbonization.
In this conversation, we dive into the CFO’s role as a strategic driver, the realities of scaling tech in shipping, and why digitalization and emissions compliance must go hand in hand.
Key Points:
- From Svalbard to Shipping: How a coal export operation in the Arctic introduced Aleksander to shipping’s complexity and sparked his passion.
- The Yara Years: Why Yara’s pivot from scrubbers to a broader tech portfolio laid the groundwork for Manta’s evolution.
- CFO as Strategist: Moving beyond balance sheets and towards how finance leadership shapes market positioning, acquisitions, and tech bets.
- Change Management at Sea: Why crew adoption is central to decarbonization technologies and how to avoid disrupting daily workflows.
- Acquisition by Okapi Supply Trading SA: How independence from Yara is making Manta more agile in responding to market and regulatory pressures.
- Scaling Beyond Pilots: Overcoming the challenge of moving shipowners from 1–2 trial vessels to fleet-wide adoption.
- Investor Attention: Where maritime tech is in the “football match” of investment and why maritime-focused VCs are changing the game.
Learn More: Listen to my conversation with Scott Bergeron, Head of Fleet Management at Oldendorff Carriers, on scaling maritime operations [Episode 82].
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
Head cook and bottle washer: Chris Aversano
Support Our Podcast: If you’ve found value in this episode, please rate us 5-stars and follow. Subscribe to our newsletter for more updates. Your support truly makes a difference!
Proudly sponsored by:
- The Captain’s Table – the premier global pitch competition for maritime and logistics startups
- SHIPPINGInsight – North America’s premier technology & innovation forum for shipping
- London International Shipping Week 2025 – where the world’s maritime leaders meet
Curious about adverstising with us? Get in touch with the team at Digitial Ship