Ashdod Port Company announced this week in a statement its recent investment of over half a million dollars in Azimut.ai, an Israeli AI start-up whose product could revolutionize how ports worldwide operate.
According to the statement, Ashdod Port Company, which oversees Israel's largest port, invested $650,000 in Petah Tikva-based Azimut.ai, a specialist in maritime surveillance.
The investment follows the start-up’s “successful proof-of-concept as a part of the Port’s Maritime Technology Hub,” it said. The product, an AI-powered system named Albatross, allows for “real-time detection, classification, and tracking of vessels even when traditional systems such as radar or [automatic identification system] are inactive.”
Ashdod Port Chairman Schaul Schneider told Defense & Tech by The Jerusalem Post that the investment comes amid a “huge change” in Israel’s maritime environment. “Ashdod is the only state-owned port in Israel,” he noted. “We are a critical infrastructure… part of the Israeli ecosystem that deals with global kinds of threats.”
Schneider explained that the investment in Azimut.ai reflects the unique situation of Ashdod Port. While the Port of Eilat, another major Israeli port, faces piracy-related problems, Ashdod faces other issues.
Ashdod Port invests in AI maritime surveillance
“Vessels that enter our port can’t always be recognized, or have GPS problems. You need other tools,” he said, adding that the port works closely with the IDF, particularly the navy, as well as the Israel Cyber Directorate.
Schneider told D&T that the Ashdod Port Maritime Technology HUB, through which Azimut.ai expanded, has supported 112 companies over the past two years. Of those, 44 completed proof-of-concept trials, 14 became suppliers to the port, and eight received direct investment. “We build the innovation hub that is part of the Israeli Start-Up Nation,” he said. “We are providing for start-ups to use our real-time platforms.”
He described the HUB, which launched in December 2024, as an opportunity for the port to “make a change in the traditional industry and become an innovative port with groundbreaking solutions that serve as an example for ports around the world.”
Moreover, he pointed out that Azimut stood out among the dozens of companies tested at the port. “Azimut brings something new to the table,” he said. “Ports should be protected… and to know exactly which vessels are entering or calling our port. Usually, there is not enough data, and you can't recognize patterns… This system allows us to provide a more secure port for our clients.”
The investment likely offers benefits not only to the port but also to the start-up itself.
Interest in the system extends beyond Israel. “Other ports are interested as well,” Schneider said, noting that Ashdod has cooperation agreements with 28 ports worldwide, such as in the United States, Japan, Lithuania, and Barcelona. “When we saw what other ports said about Azimut and Albatross, we understood that it’s the right solution not only for us but for other ports as well.”
According to Matan Saat, CEO of Azimut.ai, the investment is fuel for the start-up to expand its horizons.
“Working with Ashdod Port gave us a shared operational language that resonates with other organizations as well. Following the pilot, we launched new projects across Israel from offshore gas platforms and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority to defense entities.”
As for Ashdod Port, the benefits are seemingly endless.
Chief Innovation Officer of Ashdod Port Roi Avrahami noted that ”Azimut.ai’s technology adds a new dimension to understanding the maritime domain. [Its] ability to create a live visual layer over the sea enables faster and more accurate decision-making. This capability can redefine how ports around the world operate and communicate.”
For Ashdod Port CEO Nissan Levy, the investment reflects the port’s “commitment to applied innovation. Ashdod Port is focused on technologies that demonstrate true operational value.
During the pilot, Azimut.ai demonstrated that even when communication systems or signals fail, its system still continues to deliver a full real-time operational picture. This is a genuine breakthrough for the maritime world.”