Nick and Raal speak with technologist Peter Rossi about the rapid shift from chat-based AI to agentic workflows, exploring practical use cases, risks, and implications for maritime operations, SaaS models, and workforce structure. The discussion highlights governance, productivity gains, and how companies should start adopting AI while retaining human judgment.

• 00:00 Opening anecdote and introduction to Peter Rossi
• 00:12 Rossi’s background: F1, SaaS, private equity, and M&A
• 02:19 Entry into maritime and Beluga origins
• 03:09 Building and integrating 20+ companies
• 06:48 Tech due diligence in the age of AI
• 09:00 From chatbots to agentic AI
• 13:33 Tiered AI evolution and real-world workflows
• 20:23 Building AI-powered personal productivity systems
• 23:04 Human-in-the-loop and risk management
• 30:13 Applications in ship management and operations
• 35:04 How companies should adopt AI
• 42:42 Administrative automation vs “moonshot” tech
• 48:29 Agentic AI and the future of software
• 54:30 The future of SaaS and data ownership
• 59:30 Decentralised AI and infrastructure shifts
• 01:04:17 What comes next: agentic systems
• 01:12:09 AI in education and learning
• 01:13:35 Beluga relaunch and closing thoughts

This episode begins with Peter Rossi’s unconventional journey through Formula One, venture capital, and SaaS into maritime, setting the stage for a grounded discussion on how technology actually gets deployed inside businesses.

The conversation quickly moves to AI’s recent evolution—from static chat interfaces to embedded, context-aware tools and now toward fully agentic systems. Rossi outlines a three-tier model of AI maturity and explains why many organisations are still stuck at the earliest stage. Practical workflows, including automated content creation and data analysis, illustrate how quickly productivity gains can be realised.

A central theme is the shift from tools to systems. The discussion explores how agentic AI can orchestrate tasks across multiple platforms, enabling “management by exception” and dramatically reducing administrative burden—particularly relevant in process-heavy maritime environments like ship management.

The episode also examines the implications for SaaS, arguing that value is shifting away from interfaces toward data ownership and orchestration. This raises fundamental questions about how maritime software businesses will compete in a world of commoditised intelligence.

Finally, the conversation addresses governance, workforce impact, and adoption challenges. The hosts and Rossi emphasise that human judgment remains critical, even as AI systems take on more execution. The episode closes with a look at what comes next—and why organisations that fail to engage risk being left behind.

This episode is brought to you by Fortec.
Fortec delivers high-performance marine display and hardware solutions designed for demanding onboard environments, ensuring reliability, clarity, and operational continuity.

Learn more about Fortec’s solutions for maritime applications.

Nick and Raal are joined by maritime veteran Steen Lund, CEO of RightShip, to explore how one of shipping’s most influential maritime supply chain risk management digital platforms and standards organisations is evolving as technology reshapes the maritime industry.

Steen reflects on his wealth of experience through nearly four decades in shipping, from Maersk and global operational roles to leading RightShip through a period of significant transformation. Over the past five years the organisation has been moving beyond its traditional roots in vessel inspections and vetting to become a technology-led platform focused on safety, sustainability and transparency across the maritime supply chain- with the ambition of raising collective standards towards zero harm.

The conversation looks at how RightShip has brought product development in-house, enabling closer collaboration between maritime experts and technologists, and accelerating the development of digital and AI-enabled tools for maritime risk intelligence.

They also discuss the future of vessel inspections. With thousands of ships inspected each year, RightShip is exploring how digital data from vessels could complement or replace parts of traditional inspections, reducing time onboard while improving insight sharing across the industry.

The discussion concludes on the role of industry standards and seafarer welfare, including how frameworks like RISQ are helping raise safety baselines and why improving transparency around crew welfare is becoming a growing focus for charterers and ship operators alike.

Chapters

00:00 Steen Lund’s maritime journey and career path
08:55 What RightShip is today and why it exists
16:10 Transforming from services to a technology platform
20:23 Bringing product development in-house
27:30 Managing internal and customer adoption of new technology
31:30 The future of vessel inspections and digital verification
36:20 RISQ and raising safety standards across shipping
45:40 Measuring and improving seafarer welfare
57:17 Permira investment and RightShip’s growth strategy
01:01:20 What’s next for RightShip and maritime AI

Links:

Join the priority list to get full acess to the Digital Ship summit agenda: https://thedigitalship.com/summit/

This week on UnDocked, Nick and Raal examine escalating risks to shipping in the Gulf, the market forces driving record tanker rates, and the tension between profit and seafarer safety. They also pay tribute to industry leader David Dearsley, the first Secretary General of the International Maritime Employers’ Council and his legacy of transforming seafarer rights, welfare and as a key architect of the Maritime Labour Convention. The launch of the Korean Registry’s new software hub sparks a discussion class societies entering the software race. The duo discuss a new maritime venture investment fund with a timely purpose and wind up asking whether anti-acid tablets for the ocean is a geo-engineering step too far.

Chapters

00:00 – Opening and the week in maritime

Conflict around the Gulf intensifies, with merchant ships hit and security risks rising.

02:00 – Crew mobility disruption

Flight disruptions and soaring travel costs complicate crew changes across Middle East hubs.

04:00 – Seafarers’ perspective in the news

Connectivity at sea is allowing seafarers to share frontline experiences during crises.

07:00 – Tanker markets surge

VLCC rates spike dramatically as geopolitical risk and supply constraints collide.

12:00 – The economics of tanker deployment

Why shipping supply is relatively fixed and how positioning vessels affects the market.

15:00 – Tribute: David Dearsley

Remembering the architect of key global seafarer welfare frameworks and the Maritime Labour Convention.

30:00 – Class societies enter the software race

The Korean Registry launches a new software hub, signalling deeper digital competition.

43:00 – Maritime venture capital

Mare Liberum’s new fund backs technologies supporting free trade and maritime security.

53:00 – Climate experiments at sea

Geoengineering ideas, ballast water lessons, and the unintended consequences of regulation.

57:30 – Wrap-up

This episode is supported by Fortec.

In marine environments, power variability and efficiency are critical. Fortec’s N-Line panel-mount glass monitors are engineered for stability across diverse vessel setups, with 12V DC operation, galvanic isolation, and IEC 60945-compliant EMC filtering.

DNV-approved and built for real-world reliability, Fortec helps shipowners deploy robust display systems for both new builds and retrofits.

Explore the full range at fortec.uk