Protecting sea life from ships

Every year, thousands of whales and dolphins are hit by ships, causing serious injury if not death. With global shipping continuing to increase, so too will the risk of collision.

Transport and Mobility

Climate Change and Environment

Energy

© Francois/stock.adobe.com

Working to reduce this risk is SEADETECT. The project developed several technologies capable of detecting a cetacean within a 1 km radius – giving a ship enough time to change course. Using multiple high-sensitive sensors and artificial intelligence, the innovative on-board system enables a vessel to self-detect a cetacean. The system also uses a network of passive acoustic monitoring buoys that can detect and triangulate a creature’s position in real time. The project says its system will save at least 100 cetaceans a year.

Keywords

SEADETECT, waterborne transport, CINEA, sustainability, EU-funded, research, shipping, freight, inland waterway, port, alternative fuel, wind, methanol