Sensors for Safer Seas
AI has the potential to revolutionise maritime operations and create significant competitive advantages for those companies that embrace it. In the first of our four article series on AI technologies in the maritime industry, we take a look at how the use of multiple sensors and digital technologies can level up the industry’s approach towards safety.
Sensor fusion, or sensor information fusion, can be defined as the process of combining multiple forms of data from multiple sensors to perform data analysis and generate more accurate insights that apply to the AI’s desired output. The concept of integrating multiple data sources focuses on each sensor or data collection point having its own set of strengths and weaknesses. By taking advantage of the strength of each sensor, the system will be able to increase its accuracy in the task that it aims to accomplish. The emergence of industry 4.0 technologies such as the Internet of Things has acted as a precursor towards the integration of sensor fusion AI solutions in the maritime industry.

For Orca AI, they have used artificial intelligence to ensure safer seas. Orca AI is an Israeli startup that has developed a solution to improve the safety of seafarers, ships, and cargo. The company has developed a system that offers navigational decision support and collision avoidance. The system makes use of artificial intelligence and deep learning techniques such as computer vision to help navigators by generating a vessel awareness system from the data gathered through various collection points. These data collection points include high-resolution thermal cameras, and the ship’s existing sensors. The data collected from these points are then contextualised and analysed to offer insights and alerts to mariners regarding the environment surrounding the vessel.
“The concept of integrating multiple data sources focuses on each sensor or data collection point having its own set of strengths and weaknesses. By taking advantage of the strength of each sensor, the system will be able to increase its accuracy in the task that it aims to accomplish.”
The company’s technology is designed to ensure the navigational safety of ships in various conditions, such as low visibility areas, high traffic waterways, and challenging weather and ocean terrain. Their solution utilises AI to help seafarers make better informed decisions and reduce the cognitive strain associated with the work of the ship’s navigational officers. The system is also designed to work with a fleet of vessels and allows ship managers to have a better understanding of the performance and the movement of their ships. This allows them to identify any unsafe behaviours and noncompliant practises that may cause delays or incidents in the company’s operations.
The application of artificial intelligence in Orca AI’s solution is just one of the many examples of how digital technologies can generate significant value for companies by making sure that ships operate more safely and efficiently.
Download the full report here
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SERIES
In collaboration with Lloyd’s Register, Thetius is delighted to present THE LEARNING CURVE, a report on the state of artificial intelligence in the maritime industry. Read by thousands of industry professionals across the globe, this report examines how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can allow maritime companies across the maritime asset value chain to not only get ahead of the market but accelerate their digital transformation and meet the challenges of the upcoming energy transition.
Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing a series of articles on Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a technology that will guide industry stakeholders in meeting the challenges of the evolving landscape of the maritime industry. Each article will look at an emerging form of artificial intelligence, discuss the opportunities that it can bring to improve an organisation’s competitive advantage, and present examples of innovative startups building upon this emerging technology.

Download your copy for free @ THE LEARNING CURVE