Whether itB次元官网网址檚 protecting endangered whales off CanadaB次元官网网址檚 coasts or preventing illegal fishing in Hawaii, Open Ocean Robotics saw its technology have real-world impacts on making the seas more sustainable in 2021.

The companyB次元官网网址檚 solar-powered and autonomous boats beam real-time data back to SaanichB次元官网网址檚 Vancouver Island Technology Park. In the last year, the company has gone from a start-up to delivering for customers.

Open OceanB次元官网网址檚 fleet is up to five boats referred to as Uncrewed Surface Vehicles (USVs), with three operational and two in development. CEO and co-founder Julie Angus said it takes about three months to build a USV from scratch and theyB次元官网网址檝e tried to improve their technology with each new vessel.

The ocean-tech company is looking to grow its team from 20 to 30 employees this year. It hopes to take on more engineers to expand the fleet, but also needs more people to operate the boats and analyze data.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 exciting to shift into this area where weB次元官网网址檙e actively providing services and weB次元官网网址檙e able to see the positive impact our boats can make on the marine environment,B次元官网网址� Angus said.

Among those impacts was helping deter illegal fishing by patrolling a Hawaiian marine sanctuary non-stop for 25 days. That was the longest deployment yet of an Open Ocean USV, and it still had power to spare after almost a month.

B次元官网网址淚t performed really well in some strong winds and big waves,B次元官网网址� Angus said. B次元官网网址淲e were able to show how our boat can patrol a region, how it can monitor for other vessels in the area and how it can collect oceanographic data so we can better understand the marine sanctuaries.B次元官网网址�

READ:

Open Ocean Robotics knows its boats can be valuable for Canada after its vessels plunged into waters on the east and west coasts last year.

B次元官网网址淲e have the longest coastline in the world, so thereB次元官网网址檚 a big need to better understand our oceans in order to protect them and operate on them safely.B次元官网网址�

Within the last year, Angus said their boats helped study marine mammals for Defence Research Development Canada in the Maritimes and they worked with Fisheries and Oceans Canada to monitor the Southern Resident Killer Whale population.

In late March, the team launched a boat to monitor marine mammals in Southern Gulf Islands waters and the boats will be enforcing interim Southern Resident sanctuaries around Vancouver Island this summer.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e looking to see what kind of marine mammal activity we have in those regions so we can understand how important that area is, how they utilize that area.B次元官网网址�

Angus has noticed heightened awareness around the vital roles oceans play, but challenges facing the seas B次元官网网址� such as plastic pollution and the impact of climate change B次元官网网址� are also catching peopleB次元官网网址檚 attention. As EarthB次元官网网址檚 largest carbon sink, oceans can also play a larger role in preventing the climate change that impacts them, Angus said.

B次元官网网址淭hat is turning an eye to the ocean.B次元官网网址�

It also comes as technological advancements in sustainable ocean industries are driving economic interest. With Greater Victoria organizations being global leaders in ocean data collection, Angus said the region is positioned to take advantage of the rapidly expanding blue economy.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 very exciting, I think weB次元官网网址檙e seeing more of a focus on oceans than we really have in any time in the past. People are increasingly aware of the important role oceans play in protecting our environment, but also in providing sustainable economies.B次元官网网址�

READ: