VesselAware Awarded $1.2M Direct-to-Phase II SBIR Contract from the Department of Defense

San Diego, CA – September 22 2025 – VesselAware has been awarded a $1.2M Direct-to-Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract from the U.S. Department of Defense. The award recognizes VesselAware’s breakthrough use of Generative AI to transform maritime VHF communications into actionable, real-time situational awareness.

‍VesselAware addresses one of the most persistent gaps in maritime safety and security: the limitations of VHF voice communications. By continuously monitoring and transcribing radio transmissions, fusing them with AIS data, and translating them into text and visual displays, the platform enables bridge crews, commanders, and remote operators to maintain clarity in high-risk scenarios. VesselAware automatically identifies distress calls, hails, navigational hazards, and multilingual communications—making them searchable, visualized, and accessible across vessels, ports, and command centers.

This Phase II award will allow VesselAware to demonstrate its viability aboard U.S. Navy vessels and at shore-based sites. The effort will focus on deploying and testing the system’s ability to process VHF and AIS data in real time, gathering feedback from Navy and shoreside operators, and identifying pathways to integrate VesselAware Cloud into existing Maritime Domain Awareness platforms across the Navy and DoD.

‍“The open sea leaves no margin for error—one missed or misunderstood radio call can put ships, crews, and missions at risk,” said Santiago Becerra, Founder and CEO/CTO of VesselAware. “This SBIR award enables us to partner with the Department of Defense to demonstrate how VesselAware can turn VHF radio into real-time, actionable intelligence. By reducing crew workload, overcoming language barriers, and strengthening coordination, VesselAware will help Navy operators make faster, safer, and more informed decisions.”The award positions VesselAware as a strategic dual-use technology with applications in both defense and commercial markets, including ports, harbors, recreational boating, and autonomous vessel operations.