Neptune Robotics

What Neptune Robotics does

Neptune Robotics is a maritime robotics company providing automated hull cleaning, biofouling management, and underwater inspection services to commercial shipping operators. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Singapore (relocated from Hong Kong in November 2024), the company serves container lines, bulk carrier operators, tanker operators, gas carriers, and car carriers across 60+ ports in China and Singapore. Named customers include 3 of the world's top 5 container lines, 2 of the top 4 agricultural commodity traders, and Japanese shipping major NYK Line (Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha). The company reports outcomes of 9-18% annual fuel savings and 25-30% greenhouse gas emissions reduction for fleets using its services.

The company's core technology is a fleet of patented remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) equipped with proprietary cavitation jet cleaning systems that remove biofouling without damaging anti-fouling coatings. The robots leverage AI-powered route optimization, computer vision capable of operating in zero-visibility murky waters, and machine learning models sourced from DeepSeek and Anthropic to enable 24/7 autonomous operations in challenging marine conditions, including currents up to 4 knots and 6-10 meters of above-waterline coverage. Supporting the robots is the Neptune Online Management System (NMS), a cloud-based fleet dashboard for booking, inspection report delivery, biofouling analytics, and fuel savings tracking. The company holds patented robotic technology for hull inspection and cleaning in clear and low-visibility waters.

Neptune operates a robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) model with two commercial structures: per-service fees for cleaning, inspection, propeller polishing, and niche area cleaning, plus annual subscription programs (Neptune Annual Care for proactive hull maintenance and Neptune Coating Care for new-build and post-drydock coating monitoring). Distribution is through direct enterprise sales to shipowners, charterers, and fleet managers, with services delivered at berths and anchorages without vessel downtime. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Neptune has raised approximately $69.25 million across disclosed rounds, including a $52 million Series B led by Granite Asia in September 2025 with NYK Line participation, and is investing $12 million in a new Singapore factory to scale autonomous cleaning capacity by 400% by end of 2026.

Name

Neptune Robotics

Legal name

Neptune Robotics

Website

https://neptune-robotics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Neptune Robotics provides AI-powered ROV hull cleaning, inspection, and biofouling management services to commercial shipping operators across 60+ ports in Asia, serving container lines, bulk carriers, tankers, and gas carriers with claimed 9-18% fuel savings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Robotics Services

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Underwater Hull Services (Diving, In-Water Cleaning, Propeller Polishing, Inspection) (TLAHAMAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine & Underwater Robotics (USVs/UUVs) (HDAAAIAH), Underwater Hull Inspection, Cleaning & Propeller Services (TLAKAKAJ)

Keywords

• Robotic hull cleaning
• Biofouling management
• Underwater hull inspection
• Maritime robotics services
• Ship hull maintenance

Headquarters

HQ city

Shenzhen

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS): The company operates a robotics-as-a-service model providing recurring hull cleaning and inspection services to shipping companies. Services are delivered at ports across their coverage area, with customers paying for hull cleaning operations. The model enables shipowners to maintain hull efficiency without capital investment in robotic equipment.
2. Hull Cleaning Services: Per-service fees for robotic hull cleaning, hull inspection, propeller polishing, and niche area cleaning. Services can be booked individually or through annual care programs (Neptune Annual Care - NAC, Neptune Coating Care - NCC) for proactive fleet maintenance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Neptune Robotics provides robotic hull cleaning, robotic hull inspection, and biofouling management services to maritime operators using proprietary ROVs with cavitational waterjet technology. Services are delivered at berths and anchorages across 60+ ports in China and Singapore, supported by subscription programs (Neptune Annual Care, Neptune Coating Care) and a cloud-based fleet management dashboard. The model enables shipowners to maintain fuel efficiency and regulatory compliance without dry-docking or capital investment in cleaning equipment.

Product overview

Neptune Robotics offers a robotics-as-a-service platform for automated ship hull biofouling management. The core offering consists of Robotic Hull Cleaning (using ROVs with cavitational waterjet technology) and Robotic Hull Inspection services, supported by specialized compliance modules for Australia & New Zealand and propeller/niche area maintenance. The Neptune Annual Care (NAC) subscription program provides proactive year-round hull maintenance, while Neptune Coating Care (NCC) addresses coating monitoring for new builds and post-drydock vessels. All operations are managed through the Neptune Online Management System (NMS) dashboard, which delivers reports, tracks fuel savings, and enables fleet-wide biofouling management. The company operates across 60+ ports in China and Singapore, using AI-powered robots that can work in murky waters, strong currents, and extreme weather conditions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Neptune Annual Care (NAC): Proactive annual hull maintenance program keeping vessel hulls and niche areas clean for 12 months
• Neptune Coating Care (NCC)
• Neptune Online Management System (NMS)

Products and services

• Robotic Hull Cleaning ROV-based hull cleaning service using proprietary cavitational waterjet technology with AI-powered robotic routes. Removes biofouling from vessel hulls without damaging anti-fouling coatings, operating in clear and murky waters with strong currents up to 4 knots. Available across 60+ ports in China and Singapore.
• Robotic Hull Inspection Comprehensive underwater vessel assessment using patented robotic technology for inspecting hulls in clear or very low visibility water. Delivers digital biofouling and coating representations with detailed paint and fouling analysis for each hull section.
• Australia & New Zealand Compliance Service Specialized hull underwater cleaning and biofouling management service compliant with Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) regulations. Ensures vessels meet biofouling management requirements for smooth port entry into Australia and New Zealand, avoiding fines up to AUD $300,000.
• Propeller & Niche Areas Service Propeller polishing and niche area cleaning service covering sea chest gratings, bow thruster gratings, rudder, bilge keels, and bulbous bow. Ensures smooth propeller surfaces to minimize power loss and reduce fuel consumption, meeting MPI compliance standards.
• Neptune Annual Care (NAC) Proactive annual hull maintenance subscription program providing year-round biofouling management. Keeps vessel hulls and niche areas clean for 12 months through scheduled robotic cleaning services, maximizing fuel and carbon savings with minimum management effort from the vessel owner.
• Neptune Coating Care (NCC) Coating application monitoring and antifouling (AF) system management subscription service for new builds and vessels after dry dock. Monitors coating application quality, detects issues, and manages hull maintenance during the first year after shipyard delivery.
• Neptune Online Management System (NMS) Cloud-based fleet management platform for enterprise customers to submit service requests, access full inspection reports with before/after images and videos, track fleet-wide biofouling management, schedule proactive annual services, and view detailed analytics on fuel savings and carbon reduction traceability.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9-18% fuel savings annually for fleets
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MPA Singapore (Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026Selected as one of six technology partners to develop and trial in-water robotic hull inspection and cleaning solutions in the Port of Singapore. Receives approximately USD $2.91 million (SGD $3.7 million) in R&D co-funding from the Maritime Innovation and Technology (MINT) Fund for 18-month trials starting H2 2026.
• HKSTP (Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner ecosystem member shown in investor/partner logos, indicating Neptune's connection to Hong Kong's tech ecosystem.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Emerging players

• Hullbot: Australia-based startup developing autonomous robotic hull cleaning systems for commercial shipping. Most direct head-to-head competitor to Neptune, with overlapping target customers in APAC and similar ROV technology approach.
• Katena Robotics: Portugal-based developer of robotic hull cleaning technology for the maritime industry. Emerging competitor with similar ROV approach and focus on biofouling management; primarily serves European and Mediterranean shipping routes.
• Kystdesign: Norway-based manufacturer of ROV systems including hull cleaning and inspection platforms. Component-level competitor and potential partner, supplying ROV technology to underwater service providers in the maritime sector.

Direct peers

• Fleet Cleaner: Netherlands-based provider of ROV-based underwater hull cleaning services to commercial shipping. More mature European competitor with established port coverage; competes directly with Neptune for global shipping customers seeking in-water cleaning alternatives to dry-docking.
• Vesco Group: Established underwater hull cleaning services provider with operations across multiple ports globally. Direct competitor offering traditional diving-based and emerging ROV-based hull cleaning to commercial shipping customers.
• Subsea Industries: Belgium-based provider of hull coating and cleaning solutions, including the Ecospeed coating system and hull cleaning services. Direct competitor in the biofouling management value chain serving similar commercial shipping customers.
• UKB Marine: Netherlands-based provider of underwater hull cleaning services using remotely operated technology. Direct competitor serving commercial shipping in European ports with comparable in-water hull cleaning offering.
• Hauk Marine: Provider of commercial diving and underwater hull cleaning services to the maritime industry. Established competitor offering both traditional and technology-assisted hull cleaning solutions to shipping customers.

Broad incumbents

• Wärtsilä: Finland-based major maritime technology and services provider with broad portfolio including environmental solutions, vessel services, and emerging digital offerings. Broad incumbent that could enter or expand underwater hull services as part of wider sustainability portfolio.

Others

• Royal Dirkzwager: Netherlands-based maritime information and services provider including vessel tracking, port call data, and shipping intelligence. Adjacent ecosystem participant supporting shipping industry operational decisions complementary to hull maintenance services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/neptunerobotics
• Xx.com/NeptuneRobots

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Neptune Robotics