American maritime technology innovator, Mythos AI, has marked a significant milestone with the successful installation of its Advanced Pilot Assistance System (APAS) aboard the chemical cargo ship CB Pacific. This vessel, a key asset of CB Tankers, will serve as a crucial platform for a year-long trial aimed at integrating next-generation bridge intelligence into the commercial shipping sector.

The APAS project is specifically engineered to enhance navigation at sea. Diverging from many conventional systems that predominantly rely on machine vision, Mythos AI's APAS adopts a distinctive radar-first approach, seamlessly integrating it with other sophisticated sensing technologies. The system directly interfaces with a ship’s radar, efficiently streamlining data to provide timely alerts to the human crew, thereby enhancing their situational awareness during voyages.

A core tenet of APAS's design philosophy is to empower mariners, not replace them. The system is meticulously crafted to reduce cognitive load and significantly improve situational awareness, all while ensuring that human judgment remains central to the navigation process. Geoff Douglass, CEO of Mythos AI, emphasized this vision, stating, “Our goal isn’t to replace the crew. It’s to equip them with next-generation capabilities. By integrating our proprietary radar perception, machine vision, and intelligent alerting with the vessel’s dynamics, APAS transforms complex situations into clear, actionable decisions, enhancing safety and operational resilience.”

The selection of the CB Pacific for this critical trial was strategic, owing to its predictable routes and the reliability of its Furuno radar system. This installation follows an earlier successful deployment of APAS on a Southern Devall towboat operating on the Mississippi River in August 2025. The current year-long experiment with CB Pacific is designed to rigorously validate the system's performance at scale and lay robust groundwork for its broader, fleet-wide adoption across the maritime industry. A vital aspect of the trial will be to ensure APAS functions safely and effectively under real-world conditions and fully complies with international regulations, including the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREG).

Mythos AI's collaborative efforts with lomarlabs and CB Tankers (part of the Lomar group of companies) are instrumental to the project's success. Douglass highlighted the importance of these partnerships in enabling APAS to “capture and retain the expertise of master mariners and the navigational norms of ports worldwide.” Stylianos Papageorgiou, Managing Director of lomarlabs, echoed this sentiment, stressing that true advancements in maritime AI stem from practical operational testing rather than theoretical exercises: “Real innovation doesn’t happen in pitch decks. It happens in real-time operations, port calls, dry docks, and sea trials.”

The APAS project represents a pivotal advancement towards the widespread adoption of AI-driven navigation systems in both commercial and strategic maritime operations. With increasing interest also emanating from the defence sector, this initiative by Mythos AI underscores a significant step forward in enhancing the safety, efficiency, and resilience of global shipping.