The presence of marine mammals in operational areas pose significant challenges to maritime operations, with vessel strikes causing significant concern for a range of large whale species. Between 1970 and October 2016, nearly half of all documented North Atlantic right whale deaths were due to human-related causes, primarily vessel strikes and entanglements in fishing gear1. Ship strikes were also the major known cause of death before the mid-2000s1, and despite various mitigation measures, vessel strikes continue to pose a significant threat2.
Collisions and disturbances from vessel operations can cause serious injuries or even death to marine mammals, disrupt their migration patterns, and interfering with their communication and feeding habits. These incidents have significant repercussions for vessels, including unexpected operational delays while repairs are made, increased maintenance costs due to damages, potential legal actions and fines for non-compliance with environmental regulations, and negative impacts on the company’s reputation. This emphasises the need for smart, effective detection systems to provide real-time monitoring and early warnings, ensuring both the safety of marine life and the smooth operation of maritime activities.
Traditionally, the most common solution has been the use of human marine mammal observers. However, this method is labour-intensive and prone to human error. More advanced solutions involve deploying high-tech camera systems, requiring significant investments and modifications to existing vessels. These systems can be cost-prohibitive, introduce operational inefficiencies and create hardware management headaches.
Lookout+ offers a modern approach to marine mammal detection as a hardware-agnostic optical radar system designed to seamlessly integrate with existing cameras already onboard a vessel. It eliminates the need for expensive hardware overhauls, providing a cost-effective and time-efficient solution. Lookout+ leverages AI-powered perception, continuously improving through updated machine learning models to ensure reliable and round-the-clock surveillance. It can be installed on edge computing platforms or run from the cloud, delivering an intuitive web-based user interface accessible from any device. This flexibility ensures that Lookout+ adapts to the specific requirements of each vessel, and purpose of each operation.
Traditional camera systems can require significant downtime due to the complexity of their installation, halting operations. In contrast, Lookout+ requires minimal time for calibration, allowing existing cameras to remain operational throughout the short integration process. During this process, Lookout+’s machine learning algorithm rapidly adapts to your camera, ensuring a seamless and efficient setup.
By implementing Lookout+, vessel operators and maritime organisations can enhance the safety and efficiency of their operations while contributing to the conservation of marine life. The system's ability to detect and classify hazards and marine life, significantly reduces the risk of vessel strikes, protecting whales and vessels from unnecessary damage. By shifting the workload from humans to AI, organisations can enhance their current marine mammal observers, reducing the time spent on watchkeeping duties and allowing them to focus on more pressing tasks.
Additionally, adopting Lookout+ can help maritime organisations meet strict environmental targets, showcasing their commitment to sustainability and marine conservation. This proactive approach can lead to reductions in insurance premiums, as companies can demonstrate the adoption of advanced, effective measures for detecting and avoiding marine mammals, lowering the risk profile of their operations.
In a world where the intersection of maritime operations and marine conservation is increasingly critical, Lookout+ stands out as a game-changer. It offers a practical, economical, and efficient solution to the challenges faced by mariners, reducing the risk of vessel strikes and ensuring the safety of both the crew and marine life.
Lookout+ offers an efficient solution to enhance your current operations and marine mammal observation activities, reducing the risk of vessel strikes and ensuring safety for both your crew and marine life. Contact us to find out how simple it is to enhance your operations with Lookout+.