Cetasol, the Gothenburg-based maritime sustainability startup and Volvo Penta have signed a partnership to accelerate efficiency gains through intelligent marine technology.

The two companies say they will explore new ways to minimise emissions and maximise efficiency for a broad range of commercial marine vessels.

This collaboration marks a step forward in both companies’ commitment to enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability in maritime operations. By combining Volvo Penta’s extensive expertise in marine technology with Cetasol’s cutting-edge fleet management solutions, the partnership is poised to deliver innovations to benefit the marine industry at large.

Software company Cetasol

Cetasol is a fast-growing startup company focusing on sustainability powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Since 2021, Cetasol team has developed AI-powered energy optimization solutions for maritime sustainability.

Cetasol’s first innovation, the iHelm solution, is an intelligent, maritime digital platform that provides eco-driving guidance for commercial vessels, predictive maintenance, and actionable analytics. According to the Cetasol team, the platform offers features such as path planning, speed recommendations, and ready-made reports based on vessel operation statistics. 

The iHelm solution consists of an on-board interface and a cloud solution that utilises AI to continuously find the optimum operation. iHelm provide recommendations in real-time with analysed data, interpretation of data and recognition of patterns that give optimum recommendations for minimising fuel consumption or energy usage.

Since the introduction of iHelm, Cetasol has also introduced the patented technology, Cetafuel, a virtual sensor that helps the operator to gain access to fuel usage in real-time at a fraction of the cost and without risk of clogging.

Collaborating to explore further efficiency gains

Volvo Penta has pledged its commitment to the Science Based Target Initiative and is dedicated to achieving the sustainable development goals. The company says it is moving forward in a multi-faceted approach in its path towards decarbonisation at sea.

Through this collaboration across Volvo Penta and Cetasol, there will be potential to leverage technology strengths on both sides to test and learn in real-world operation towards new efficiency gains. By combining the strength of Volvo Penta’s marine heritage and customer base with the agility and flexibility of Cetasol’s startup driven mentality, both companies will be able to test new technology to a broader range of customers across the marine industry.

A short-term opportunity is to accelerate learnings based on Cetasol’s initial implementation of iHelm technology and explore new potential applications across a broader customer base, leveraging Volvo Penta’s global network.

Another potential aim is to share learnings and insights on how existing marine technology can drive efficiency gains.

“Creativity is needed within the marine industry to spark new ways to drive efficiency gains – already with today’s technologies. We aim to explore the potential in meeting operators jointly with Cetasol”, says Volvo Penta director marine commercial, Jan-Willem Vissers. “By leveraging our respective strengths, we can accelerate the implementation of smart solutions designed to meet operators’ needs. This is an opportunity that contributes to our overall efforts towards decarbonisation at sea.”

“Cetasol is focusing on providing the maritime industry with intelligent solutions to improve sustainability. However, the change toward a more sustainable maritime industry can only happen if we work together. Collaboration is an essential element for this transition. ” Ethan Faghani, CEO and founder of Cetasol.

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