British maritime technology startup Spot Ship has raised 1 million pounds in new funding to accelerate the expansion of its AI powered ship chartering platform. The round was led by Ventures.eu, marking the Lisbon based fund’s first investment from its inaugural fund, alongside participation from Improbable CEO Herman Narula, maritime industry leaders, Tradeworks.vc and Marcel Kind. The investment reflects growing demand for faster, data driven solutions in a sector that has historically relied on slow manual processes and fragmented information systems.
Modernising a Traditionally Slow Industry
Spot Ship aims to modernise the global ship chartering process, a critical but notoriously outdated part of maritime logistics. Coordinating vessel availability, cargo requirements, performance data and operational constraints typically requires days of manual work. Spot Ship’s platform uses advanced artificial intelligence, machine learning and large scale vessel tracking to compress this workflow into just a few hours.
The platform provides brokers, charterers, ship owners and operators with an intelligent system that identifies relevant vessels, analyses fleet data and supports complex decision making with accurate, real time insights. This transformation allows market participants to move with greater speed, efficiency and precision.
AI Powered Chartering at Scale
Built as an API first platform, Spot Ship integrates seamlessly with existing systems used by shipping companies and brokers. Its data pipeline continuously ingests global fleet information, performance records and operational metrics, enabling the software to evaluate vessel suitability for specific voyages or cargoes.
By automating what traditionally required dozens of manual spreadsheets, emails and phone calls, the platform significantly reduces costs and unlocks new levels of productivity. For companies operating fleets or managing cargo logistics, these efficiency gains translate into faster chartering cycles, reduced risk and improved commercial outcomes.
Investor Support to Accelerate Growth
Founder and CEO James Kellett says the new funding will help Spot Ship bring much needed digital transformation to an industry that has been slow to adopt modern tools. He emphasises that Ventures.eu aligns closely with Spot Ship’s mission to streamline maritime operations and has already delivered strategic value beyond capital.
Ventures.eu used its international corporate network to connect Spot Ship with major shipping companies and senior industry professionals. These introductions provided early customer validation and allowed the company to secure new clients while still closing the investment round. The firm’s involvement also encouraged additional co investors to join, strengthening Spot Ship’s funding base and commercial opportunities.
Strong Early Market Traction
Spot Ship’s traction reflects widespread interest in maritime technologies that save time and simplify decision making. With global shipping responsible for moving more than 80 percent of international trade, even small efficiency improvements can have significant economic impact.
The company reports rapid onboarding of new customers following pilot engagements facilitated through Ventures.eu’s industry network. Early adopters include prominent brokers and operators who see Spot Ship as a competitive advantage in a market where timing and accuracy often determine profitability.
Scaling AI Across Global Shipping Markets
The new capital will fuel product development, expand the engineering team and support international commercial growth. Spot Ship plans to enhance its AI models, broaden its data sources and roll out additional workflow tools tailored to brokers, operators and chartering teams.
Future product features will focus on predictive modelling, voyage optimisation and deeper integrations with existing shipping software. These enhancements aim to make the ship chartering process even faster and more transparent while reducing operational risk and enabling smarter fleet utilisation.
A New Standard for Digital Maritime Operations
With global supply chains under increasing pressure and demand for digital maritime solutions rising, Spot Ship is positioned to become a key player in the modernisation of vessel chartering. The company’s focus on automation, data quality and real time insight addresses long standing inefficiencies and offers a path toward a more agile and technologically advanced shipping industry.
As Spot Ship scales its platform and expands globally, it aims to redefine how the maritime world approaches chartering, creating a new standard where speed, accuracy and intelligence are built into every part of the process.
