Ericsson and Net Feasa's AI-powered maritime connectivity revolutionises shipping operations

Ericsson and Net Feasa have joined forces to push 4G and 5G connectivity deeper into the maritime sector, combining onboard mobile networks with agentic AI tools designed to give ship operators better control over cargo and vessel operations.

According to the companies, the partnership is intended to give container shipping lines and port operators secure, carrier-grade connectivity that can move with vessels at sea, supporting real-time monitoring from departure to arrival. Th...

e aim is to improve visibility across the supply chain while also helping operators act faster when conditions change in transit.

Computer Weekly reported that the collaboration is being built around Net Feasa’s Agentic Control Tower platform, which the company says provides full visibility of smart-enabled containers on board. Ericsson is supplying its Radio System products, while Ericsson On-Demand is set to provide 5G core functionality as a service, with low-earth orbit satellites used for backhaul between ships and the network core.

The companies said the system is already being used for reefer monitoring, dangerous goods handling and early heat detection. They also expect it to scale to thousands of connected assets on a single vessel, with plans to extend the model beyond container ships into other vessel types and into ports.

Ericsson’s Andres Vicente said the deal was laying the groundwork for data-driven and AI-enabled services from ship to shore. Net Feasa founder and chairman Mike Fitzgerald said maritime digitisation had reached a “tipping point” and argued that agentic AI could help carriers improve operational efficiency, safety, cargo risk reduction and compliance.

The move builds on growing interest in digital port infrastructure and connected shipping, as operators look for more resilient ways to track cargo, reduce waste and respond to incidents over long voyages.

Source: Noah Wire Services