United StatesLogistics and transport2023 – ongoingMatson
WhaleSpotter thermal imaging and AI alerts aboard containerships
Matson crews used AI whale alerts after successful trials of 3 shipboard units
Problem
Ship crews needed earlier warnings of nearby whales to reduce collision risk. Detection had to work in darkness as well as daylight.
Approach
Matson supported Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's development work with funding and vessel access from 2023. WhaleSpotter combined thermal imaging with AI detection and verified monitoring. Following shipboard trials, crews used the alerts and Matson ordered additional units.
Results
Takeaway
The system supplied verified alerts so crews could consider course changes. Matson did not report a measured reduction in whale strikes.
Categories
- Industry
- Logistics and transport
- Business function
- Production and quality
- Innovation type
- Process innovation
- AI technology
- Computer vision
- Adoption
- Partner co-development
- Goal
- Quality and risk
- Evidence
- Company's own claim
Sources
Source summaries
Matson reported successful trials of 3 units and confirmed that crews were already using whale alerts. It said field deployments detected surfacing whales miles away and supplied verified alerts within seconds.
Full details are in the original sources.