Charting a New Course: Oceanis and the Digital Revolution in Shipping

From Complexity to Clarity: Inside Oceanis’ Mission to Simplify Maritime Finance

Every great business starts with a problem. The most impactful companies emerge when someone sees a gap, discovers a creative solution, and adapts as the landscape shifts. This journey is exemplified by Oceanis, a maritime technology company that is transforming how shipping investments are analysed.

At the heart of this transformation is a brilliant team and one of its co-founders and COO, Georg-Maximilian Kuhlmann. From his early days in logistics to redefining how the maritime world approaches investment decisions, Kuhlmann has dedicated nearly two decades to driving progress in shipping. His career spans ship financing, asset management, commercial operations, and technology — a rare combination that gives him a holistic understanding of the maritime value chain.

Kuhlmann’s journey began in Singapore in 2006, working in logistics, before moving to Hamburg to support a container feeder owner while writing a Bachelor thesis on ship financing. Since then, he has held roles across shipping finance, asset and cash management, and technical ship management — culminating in the creation of Oceanis. Today, Max is leading the development of cutting-edge software that leverages AI and data-driven intelligence to help ship-owners, brokers, financiers, and investors evaluate projects faster, with more transparency and strategic clarity.

With over 15 years of experience and a passion for digital innovation, Kuhlmann represents a new generation of maritime leaders — bridging the operational and financial worlds with a relentless drive to modernise a traditionally conservative industry.

When Kuhlmann looked back on the origins of the startup, he pointed to 2019 — the year Oceanis was founded by Maximilian Otto, and Erlend Sommerfelt Hauge. Their vision was clear yet ambitious: to simplify the way shipowners and financiers connect in an industry long burdened by opacity and inefficiency. To achieve this, they created a technology-driven marketplace designed to bring transparency, speed, and accessibility to maritime finance — likened to a “Tinder for shipping”— that empowers stakeholders across the maritime industry. Yet, underneath the playful metaphor lay a serious ambition: to reduce inefficiencies, build trust, and create lasting relationships between capital and ships. The startup journey of Oceanis provides valuable lessons in innovation, pivoting, and creating user-centered solutions.

Their journey began with a clear observation: the maritime industry, particularly in shipping investments, was plagued by complexity and a lack of transparency. Ship-owners, especially smaller players, faced significant barriers when trying to access financing. Financial institutions, on the other hand, struggled to connect with potential customers in an industry known for its fragmentation. Thus, Oceanis set out to create a digital solution – one that bridges the gap between ship-owners and financiers through a transparent, standardised marketplace.

Evolving in Response to Market Shifts

Then came COVID-19. Ironically, while much of the world was slowing down, shipping boomed. Many ship-owners became unexpectedly cash-rich, and the shipping finance landscape evolved quickly. It was a turning point. While the financing demand faded, one need remained—and even intensified: access to reliable, unbiased, and actionable data. While access to financing was no longer the priority for many ship-owners, there was still a significant need for better decision-making tools. Ship-owners, brokers, and investors require accurate, real-time data to navigate the shifting tides of the market. At this point, the company pivoted, transitioning from a matchmaking marketplace to a full-scale analyses, data and calculation platform.

Kuhlmann and his team didn’t shy away from this shift, instead, they leaned into it. This was a defining moment for Oceanis. Instead of continuing down the same path, they saw an opportunity to evolve. Oceanis Tech was spun off and launched in April 2025, co-founded by Federica Maiorano and Georg-Maximilian Kuhlmann.

The pair realised that many market participants were still dissatisfied when it came to analysing investment opportunities. Tools were perceived as outdated. Data was fragmented. And cash flow modeling—essential for any investment decision—was either unavailable or inflexible. Oceanis Tech’s founders built a solution tailored to the specific needs of the shipping industry. They were focused on rethinking how an industry functioned in a more user-friendly and transparent way.

So Oceanis Tech was born with a new purpose: to build a one-stop platform for smarter ship finance decisions. It offers a suite of tools designed to make capital allocation in shipping faster and more informed:

1. Dynamic cash flow tools, to help users evaluate financing options and investment scenarios. 

2. An AI-driven loan oracle that predicts financing possibilities based on historical data. 

3. Real-time vessel valuations, ensuring that users have the most current and accurate market information.

The Role of Data and Technology

Data and technology are not just enablers at Oceanis Tech — they are at the core of the company’s mission and value proposition. Recognising the importance of comprehensive and accurate data, Oceanis Tech is committed to continually expanding and refreshing its data pool. By rigorously vetting external data sources and expanding their proprietary database, Oceanis Tech aims to deliver the highest quality information to users.

Building on Industry Expertise

The transition from the original Oceanis business to Oceanis Tech was supported by a strong network of shareholders. Kuhlmann emphasizes the continuity from the original Oceanis team, including a senior full-stack developer and a product manager with deep maritime knowledge. This gave the new company the ability to move fast without starting from scratch.

Their approach to growth is deliberately lean—but strategically sharp. Backed by decades of collective experience and a network of supportive ship-owners and brokers, the team has both credibility and agility.

What Businesses Can Learn from Their Journey

1. Clarity of Purpose: Observe users’ pain points directly. Build solutions around real, persistent problems — not abstract ideas. 

2. Strategic Pivots: Adaptability is a strength. Build with flexibility in mind and pivot decisively when the environment changes. 

3. Focus on Depth and Quality: Provide focused, high-value features that truly improve your users’ workflows. You can’t be everything to everyone. 

4. Build Trust: In B2B markets, credibility outpaces novelty. Users won’t just pay for your product—they’ll stay loyal if they trust you. Loyal customers are more valuable than large customer numbers. 

5. Leverage Partnerships for Growth: Partnerships are powerful, but your business should aim to own its most valuable data or IP in the long run. 

6. Invest in Insight: Own your data. Interpret it well. Deliver it meaningfully. 

7. Keep It Lean, But Expert: Small, experienced, and committed teams can outperform larger, less coordinated ones. Hiring people with deep sector knowledge is useful, especially in niche or technical industries.  

8. Market Focus First, Global Ambition Later: Dominate your niche before expanding. When you have credibility, then scale strategically. 

Looking Ahead: The Future of Oceanis

Oceanis Tech may be a startup, but it carries the weight and maturity of a company shaped by years of real-world experience. It is a tool born from within the industry, built by people who understand its intricacies, and driven by a passion to make ship finance simpler and smarter for everyone involved. By identifying a problem, building a user-centered solution, adapting to change, and scaling intelligently, Oceanis Tech is positioning itself as a leader in shipping investments—and offering a roadmap for others to follow in their own industries.

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