Spotbarge has introduced a proprietary AI Agent that transforms bunker and maritime data into real-time, conversational intelligence. The platform enables detailed analysis of bunkering activity, vessel movements, and fuel demand across key global hubs.
Rotterdam | February 4, 2026 – As digitalisation reshapes shipping and bunker markets face growing complexity from regulation, volatility, and operational pressure, Spotbarge has unveiled a proprietary AI Agent designed to fundamentally change how bunker intelligence is accessed and applied.
The launch marks a significant evolution of the Spotbarge platform, moving beyond traditional bunker analytics and dashboards toward interactive, real-time intelligence, built on the company’s own verified datasets and deep industry expertise.
Table of Contents
Conversational Intelligence for the Bunker Market
At the core of Spotbarge’s latest development is an AI Agent trained exclusively on the company’s proprietary bunker and maritime datasets. Unlike generic AI tools, the system operates within a closed environment of verified factual data, ensuring outputs remain grounded in operational reality rather than probabilistic assumptions.
Through a natural-language interface, users can now query the bunker market conversationally, transforming complex data extraction into actionable insight within seconds.
Examples of use cases include:
- Vessel bunker history analysis, such as identifying where a specific vessel received bunkers over the past 60 days, including ports, timings, and bunker barges involved
- Market and fleet comparisons, enabling users to analyse and visualise bunkering activity across operators, regions, or time periods
- Supply chain visibility, mapping bunker supply chains linked to specific bunker barges or shipping lines
- Supplier discovery, identifying bunker suppliers in key hubs such as Rotterdam or along defined trading routes
The AI Agent is also capable of producing graphs, tables, and dashboards, either on request or through automated generation, allowing users to visualise trends and comparisons without manual data handling.
“The objective is to analyse the bunker market in minutes rather than hours,” Spotbarge highlighting the platform’s focus on speed, clarity, and decision support.
Built on Real-Time Bunker Analytics
Spotbarge initially established its platform through bunker analytics and real-time tracking, monitoring global bunker deliveries, volumes, and operational activity. The system aggregates bunker demand by fuel type, vessel category, and geographic region, offering users visibility into live market dynamics rather than historical snapshots.
This data foundation enables:
- Real-time insight into where bunkering activity is occurring
- Identification of demand shifts by fuel type
- Monitoring of vessel and terminal loading activity
By layering an AI Agent on top of this infrastructure, Spotbarge enables users to combine multiple datasets dynamically, tailoring outputs to specific commercial, operational, or strategic questions.
From Visibility to Forecasting
Beyond real-time monitoring, Spotbarge is currently developing a bunker forecasting model designed to compare live bunkering activity against projected demand at port and regional levels.
The forecasting capability aims to support:
- Anticipation of fuel demand imbalances
- Better timing of procurement decisions
- Improved market planning for suppliers, traders, and ship operators
According to the company, the forecasting model will serve as a benchmark between current market behaviour and Spotbarge’s predictive outlook, offering an additional layer of intelligence for risk management and planning.
Intelligent Voyage and Compliance Support
A key focus of Spotbarge’s ongoing AI development is the ability to understand shipping line planning and voyage execution.
The next phase of the AI Agent’s training is intended to enable:
- Route-based bunker suggestions for multi-port voyages
- Fuel compliance logic, including Emission Control Area (ECA) requirements
- Consumption modelling based on engine type, sailing speed, and distance
- Identification of bunker suppliers and fuel offerings at relevant ports
For example, a voyage from Vietnam to Barcelona and onward to Hamburg could be assessed for regulatory compliance, fuel availability, and operational efficiency, with bunker recommendations generated directly from Spotbarge’s datasets.
Supporting Efficiency in a Changing Regulatory Landscape
As fuel regulations tighten and fuel options diversify, the ability to align bunkering decisions with compliance requirements has become increasingly critical. Spotbarge positions its AI-driven tools as a way to reduce uncertainty, minimise unnecessary deviation, and support more efficient fuel planning.
Rather than replacing human decision-making, the AI Agent is designed to act as an analytical layer, filtering large volumes of data into structured, relevant insight that can be applied immediately.
Inside Spotbarge AI: Key Questions Answered
What type of questions can users ask Spotbarge AI?
Users can query vessel movements, terminal visits, bunkering activity, and regional market trends using natural language. Typical questions include how many barges visited a port in a given period, recent terminal activity, average vessel size at a terminal, or comparisons between ports such as Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
How does Spotbarge AI present its answers?
Responses can be delivered as structured data tables, interactive charts, or dashboards. Depending on the query, the AI automatically generates visualisations such as bar charts, line graphs, heatmaps, or comparative tables.
Can the AI analyse bunkering activity at fleet or vessel level?
Yes. Users can analyse bunkering operations by shipping line, individual vessel, or bunker barge, including historical activity, regional breakdowns, and changes in bunker volumes or fuel types over time.
Does the platform support dashboards and saved analysis?
Spotbarge AI allows users to generate dashboards directly from query results. All AI conversations are automatically saved, enabling users to revisit previous analyses, continue earlier queries, and build a persistent intelligence history.
What data does Spotbarge AI have access to?
According to the company, the AI Agent can access all data available within a user’s Spotbarge account, including vessel tracking, terminal and refinery data, bunker operations, fuel demand by type, freight rates, and regional market indicators.
About Spotbarge
Spotbarge is a digital bunker and maritime intelligence platform focused on increasing transparency and efficiency across the bunker market. The company’s approach centres on:
- Verified data, ensuring accuracy in bunker activity and market intelligence
- Transparency, providing visibility into bunker flows, demand, and supply chains
- Digital workflows, replacing manual processes with real-time analytics
- User-driven intelligence, allowing market participants to tailor insights to their specific needs
Key Capabilities of Spotbarge’s Bunker Intelligence Platform
- Decision-support analytics for companies, based on verified market data
- Real-time bunker tracking, covering quantities, fuel types, and bunkering activity across major hubs
- Analytical tools for monitoring fuel supply and demand dynamics at port and regional level
- Global market coverage, with active monitoring in hubs including ARA, Singapore, the Mediterranean, Fujairah, and Panama
Platform Reach and Data Coverage
- 4,500+ active barges tracked
- 815 terminals and refineries integrated
- 129 major ports covered
- 22 major regions monitored
- 14,000+ bunkered vessels tracked monthly
- 9 million+ tons of bunker fuel monitored each month
By combining proprietary datasets with AI-driven analysis, Spotbarge aims to equip shipowners, charterers, bunker traders, and bunker suppliers with the tools required to navigate an increasingly data-intensive and regulated bunker market.
With the launch of its AI Agent, Spotbarge signals a clear shift in bunker intelligence, from static reporting toward interactive, on-demand decision support, built specifically for the realities of modern shipping.
Source: Spotbarge