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n the competitive world of offshore energy logistics, where the value of a single shipment can stretch into the tens of millions, effciency, transparency, and pre- dictability are paramount. Jason Aristides, founder

I and CEO of OpenTug, believes the barge sector, long hampered by manual processes and limited data visibility, is overdue for a digital revolution.

Founded out of Aristides’ frsthand experience at Foss

Maritime, OpenTug began as a marketplace platform for barge transport before pivoting into a full-scale software- as-a-service (SaaS) provider. Its fagship solution, BargeOS, now serves as an operating system for barge logistics, en- abling companies to quote, schedule, track, and reconcile barge voyages in a single digital platform.

Mind the [Visibility] Gap

Unlike tugboats, barges in the U.S. are not covered by

With recent investment from

AIS requirements, making it diffcult for shippers to know maritime-focused backers, OpenTug where their cargo is in real time. For the oil and gas sector is doubling down on AI-driven — where high-value liquid cargo demands absolute preci- document processing, live tracking sion — this information gap can cause costly idle time and infrastructure, and collaborative disrupt downstream operations.

OpenTug is flling that gap with a multi-pronged ap- tools designed to bridge operators, proach. The company tracks over 3,500 active barges each shippers and terminals.

month, deploying GPS devices to deliver live location data, integrating voyage orders and traffc updates via AI, – JASON ARISTIDES, and consolidating this information into a single source of

FOUNDER AND CEO OF OPENTUG truth. For oil and gas operators, that means real-time ETA

JULY/AUGUST 2025 OFFSHORE ENGINEER 31