As global shipping faces growing pressure to improve safety and visibility at sea, a maritime technology startup has secured fresh funding to expand its AI-powered ocean monitoring network. The company announced that it raised $43 million in a Series A funding round aimed at strengthening maritime intelligence and improving real-time ship tracking across global waters.
The funding round was co-led by First Round Capital and Quiet Capital. Existing and new investors, including TMV, Steel Atlas, BoxGroup, Operator Partners, Shorewind Capital, and David Adelman, also participated in the round.
Quartermaster Expands Maritime Monitoring Technology
Quartermaster is building a distributed maritime awareness platform designed to modernize how ships collect and share information at sea. The company’s core technology, known as SmartMast, combines cameras, radios, environmental sensors, and satellite communications equipment installed directly on vessels.
The system gathers real-time ocean and vessel data that can help shipping companies, insurers, logistics operators, and government agencies monitor activity more accurately. Quartermaster says the technology can identify nearby vessels, monitor weather conditions, and detect unusual maritime behavior using artificial intelligence. The CEO said the maritime industry still relies heavily on outdated tracking systems. He noted that the current Automatic Identification System (AIS), widely used for ship tracking, can be manipulated or turned off, creating risks tied to smuggling, illegal fishing, sanctions evasion, and cargo theft.
Sobin explained that oceans remain one of the least digitally connected environments despite carrying the majority of global trade. He believes better access to reliable maritime data will improve operational safety and supply chain visibility worldwide.
Network Already Covers Major Ocean Routes
According to the company, Quartermaster’s SmartMast technology is already installed on more than 600 vessels operating across 25 countries and four continents. The company says its network has monitored more than 10 million square miles of ocean activity so far.
Quartermaster also stated that vessels equipped with its technology have assisted in more than 20 maritime rescue operations. The company believes the growing sensor network could eventually create a large-scale shared intelligence system for the global shipping industry.
Investors backing the startup see strong long-term demand for advanced maritime monitoring systems as international trade routes become more complex and security concerns continue to rise.
Funding to Support Growth and Hiring
Quartermaster plans to use the new funding to expand its engineering and product teams, improve its AI analytics platform, and increase deployment of SmartMast systems across commercial shipping fleets.
The company is also expected to invest in software development and data infrastructure to support faster real-time analysis of maritime activity. As shipping companies search for more efficient and secure tracking solutions, Quartermaster aims to position itself as a key technology provider for the future of ocean logistics.
With global supply chains becoming increasingly dependent on accurate real-time information, the company’s expansion highlights the growing role of AI and sensor technology in transforming the maritime industry.
