Neptune Robotics, a Singapore-based artificial intelligence (AI)-powered robotic hull cleaning services firm, has announced a major manufacturing and research and development (R&D) expansion with $12 million investment in Singapore.
This is part of the company’s continuing ambition to tackle biofouling, one of the shipping industry’s costliest issues with significant environmental impact, the firm said in a statement on Monday.
On the back of a US$52 million Series B round led by Granite Asia in September 2025, the new facility will accelerate Neptune’s mission to slash maritime carbon emissions and fuel wastage through automated hull maintenance.
“Our investment in Singapore is a strategic milestone that will enhance our service provision to clients and position us to meet their current and future needs,
“With operators facing mounting fuel cost and emissions pressures, we’re scaling autonomous hull cleaning to help mitigate these issues and empower our clients to run more sustainable shipping operations,” said Elizabeth Chan, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Neptune Robotics.
It is noted that more shipowners are turning to Neptune’s solutions as they seek to manage rising fuel costs and tighter environmental requirements.
Biofouling — the accumulation of marine organisms on vessel hulls — can raise greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 25 percent to 30 percent, depending on operating conditions and vessel type.
Neptune said it deploys AI-enabled robots to remove such buildup without affecting hull coatings, helping operators improve fuel efficiency and potentially lower operating costs amid volatile energy prices and increasing regulatory pressure.
The new facility will bring a number of benefits including increased capacity and advancing AI and robotics.
By the end of 2026, Neptune will increase its local autonomous cleaning capacity by 400% with plans to reach 60 daily hulls by 2027.
The new facilities in Singapore will house dedicated R&D operations to advance the company’s proprietary computer vision and machine learning capabilities.
This will ensure robots can operate 24/7 in challenging conditions including extreme weather, strong currents and low-visibility water.
With a global network now covering 61 strategic ports across Singapore and China, Neptune is scaling AI-driven hull maintenance to the heart of global trade.
The company now services 70 percent of Asia’s primary shipping lanes, providing standardized, robotic hull cleaning at more than half of the world’s international merchant stops.
Since entering the Singapore market in 2024, Neptune said it has seen significant growth even as the local competitive landscape has thinned.
By automating the hull cleaning process, it noted the firm eliminates the need for human divers in dangerous environments while ensuring vessels remain fuel efficient at sea.
Singapore Gulf Bank launches Stablecoin service for instant cross-border transactions