Marea launches smart shipping modelling

Marea Scale Models has launched in the UK, introducing its proprietary AI-assisted design process to the European maritime market initially targeting the large-scale shipping model sector.

The company says its Ai Refloat technology enables highly detailed and accurate representations of commercial vessels while reducing the manual redesign traditionally required before production.

Its initial commissions have included container ships, bulk carriers and crude oil tankers for an international maritime client.

“Speed on its own is not the point,” said Rezz Ghanty, creative director of Marea Scale Models. “The purpose of the technology is to remove delays from the parts of the process where they add no value, without taking time away from the finish.”

Marea said Ai Refloat allows vessel-specific features to be retained during the design stage, addressing a key challenge in producing large-scale models of ships. Details that are clearly visible on full-sized vessels, including railings, deck equipment and structural features, can become too fine or fragile when reduced.

The technology can reproduce details as fine as 30 microns, or 0.03mm, helping preserve features that might otherwise be simplified or lost. Marea has already delivered several commercial models within two months, with each model assembled, painted, detailed and finished by hand.

The company’s initial focus is merchant shipping, covering container ships, cargo vessels, bulk carriers, crude and product tankers, and very large crude carriers. On tankers and gas carriers, details such as manifold arrangements, pipework, deck equipment and containment systems can be particularly important to accurately representing an individual vessel.

Ai Refloat is used solely during the design process and does not manufacture or finish models autonomously. Marea’s model makers complete assembly, painting, detailing, finishing and weathering by hand, overseen by a master model maker with more than 30 years’ experience.

“Technology should not replace skilled people,” Ghanty said. “It should allow them to concentrate on the areas where judgement and experience matter most.”

The company also produces smaller presentation models using recycled marine waste material, while maintaining its focus on accurate, recognisable representations of individual vessels for maritime clients.