Successful Compeltion of Research & Innovation Project
We are proud to announce the successful completion of our research and innovation project CREW-OPT, marking an important step forward in strengthening research and innovation capacity within European enterprises with focus on Maritime industry. The project was completed on time and graded “Excellent”.
Implemented between December 2023 and November 2025, the project was led by Intellar and focused on researching the complexities of maritime operations, with particular attention to the highly complex procedures involved in crew change management. The research included direct seafarer interaction and structured interviews to better understand their experiences and explore how technology can improve their welfare.
Throughout its duration, CREW-OPT developed and validated an advanced crew change optimization platform powered by a proprietary AI algorithm, alongside a dedicated mobile application for seafarers. The platform and its supporting methodologies were designed to enhance enterprise competitiveness and operational resilience.
Pilot activities conducted to date have demonstrated measurable improvements in operational coordination, process efficiency, and innovation management practices within participating enterprises.
Funding Acknowledgement
CREW-OPT was funded by the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) under the “Research in Enterprises” Programme of the RESTART 2016–2020 Programmes for Research, Technological Development and Innovation. With the call ENTERPRISES/0223/Sub-Call1/0211.
The Programme is financed by the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) of the NextGenerationEU instrument, within the framework of Action C3.212 “Innovation Funding Programmes and Funding Schemes for the Enhancement of Growth and Competitiveness of Startups, Innovative Companies and SMEs” of the Cyprus Recovery and Resilience Plan, under Policy Axis 3: “Strengthening the Resilience and Competitiveness of the Economy”.
Next Steps – Introducing Astrolabe
With the successful completion of CREW-OPT, the focus now shifts from research validation to market deployment and long-term value creation of the platform ASTROLABE.
Intellar is moving forward with the commercialisation of the Astrolabe platform, preparing for broader industry adoption across maritime operators and crew management stakeholders. The next phase includes structured market entry activities, strategic partnerships within the shipping ecosystem, and scaling the platform to support international operations.
At the same time, the company is actively advancing the protection and strengthening of its intellectual property portfolio. The proprietary AI optimisation algorithm and supporting system architecture are being safeguarded through appropriate IP protection mechanisms, ensuring long-term competitive advantage and sustainable innovation growth.
Further development efforts will concentrate on enhancing predictive capabilities, expanding system integrations with maritime enterprise software, and continuously improving the seafarer mobile experience.
Building on strong pilot results, Astrolabe is now positioned to transition from a validated innovation project into a scalable commercial solution supporting the digital transformation of maritime operations.