From May 20 to 23, an Estonian delegation will visit Northern Germany with a focus on green propulsion, artificial intelligence, and virtual training solutions for the maritime sector. The participating companies will showcase cutting-edge innovations — including AI-based navigation systems, hydrogen-powered vessels, and cleaning robots for port areas.

Following a successful visit by German port and logistics decision-makers to Tallinn in April, a delegation of leading Estonian maritime technology companies is now heading to Northern Germany. The programme includes visits to the ports of Rostock and Hamburg, meetings with the Ocean Technology Campus in Rostock, discussions with organisers of the Ancora Yacht Festival, and a networking evening in Hamburg hosted by Estonia’s Ambassador to Germany, Marika Linntam.

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“Germany and Estonia share a long maritime tradition — and now it’s time to shape that relationship for the future through innovation and cooperation. The companies in our delegation offer a compelling look at Estonia’s strengths in technology, sustainability, and training,” said Ambassador Linntam.

The aim of the visit is to strengthen research cooperation, develop joint training programmes, and exchange experience in sustainable maritime technologies.

Innovation meets partnership

Estonia is positioning itself as an agile innovation hub for maritime technologies — with solutions for zero-emission propulsion, digital port technologies, and AI-driven navigation. The participating Estonian companies are:

• Baltic Workboats will introduce its new series of hydrogen- and electric-powered workboats. Equipped with an in-house developed power management system, these vessels are already in operation — including by the Hamburg Water Police and German customs authorities.
• Flydog Solutions, a specialist in modular marine sensor systems, is already collaborating with the German Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon. The company has also developed a buoy platform for real-time monitoring of marine ecosystems — a solution relevant, for example, to offshore wind farms in Northern Germany.
• Insta Globe Engineering, active on the German market for seven years with 70% of its exports going to Germany, is currently expanding into modular underwater drones. These are designed for environmental monitoring, wreck and infrastructure inspection, and subsea cable maintenance — operated either remotely or autonomously.
• MindChip will showcase its AI-based captain system for autonomous vessels, along with the MC4000 cleaning robot for port operations. The company is already working with Bremen-based shipyard Abeking & Rasmussen and is a project partner in the EU initiative FerryGo.
• VARCUS Solutions will present AEGIR, a high-precision virtual training platform that recreates real port environments at a 1:1 scale. Based on a digital twin approach, it allows for realistic and safe simulation of maritime navigation and manoeuvres — for skipper training, offshore missions, or complex operations in busy waters. Each simulation is tailored to its use case and enables multi-session training for unlimited users, without the need for costly simulator rooms. AEGIR can reduce training time by up to 70% and costs by as much as 90% compared to conventional training formats.
• As Estonia’s  largest port operator (operating 18 ports), Saarte Liinid is seeking dialogue with German partners on VR-supported safety drills, digital port planning, and ferry logistics.

The delegation is accompanied by the Association of Estonian Marine Industries (AEMI), which brings together nearly 30 companies from shipbuilding, supply industries, research, and education.

German-Estonian port dialogue gains momentum

In April, representatives from Hamburg, Lübeck, and Rostock visited Estonia — including decision-makers from HHLA, Hamburg Port Authority, Transfennica, and the Lübeck Port Company (LHG). During the German-Estonian Port Days in Tallinn, initial collaboration opportunities were identified in areas such as sustainable port development, green transport corridors, and digital infrastructure projects. The upcoming visit continues this dialogue in Germany — with the aim of launching concrete partnerships.

This content is funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU

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