Shipping, cruise, and fishing vessels fatally strike an estimated 20,000 whales around the world annually. In the US, approximately 80 endangered and threatened whales are struck each year off the West Coast, and more than a third of all North Atlantic right whale deaths along the Eastern US can be attributed to ship collisions.
Recognizing the need for additional technology to advance an existing suite of protections, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) researchers have developed a marine mammal detection system for large commercial vehicles. Hawaii-based Matson Navigation Company, Inc. is among the first to partner and test this initiative, committing $1 million to support WHOI research and development of Whale Detection Cameras (WDC). This technology uses thermal imaging to detect a whale’s body or spout and provides real-time information on their distance and bearing from a vessel. The goal is to provide ship captains with enough time for vessels to be able to change course or slow down.
Whale Detection Camera
In support of this initiative, Matson has installed WHOI WDCs on its vessels Manulani, Manoa, and Matson Kodiak to gather the real-world use data WHOI needs for its research and continued technology development. Manulani and Manoa serve the Hawaii trade lane; Matson Kodiak serves Alaska.
WHOI Associate Scientist in Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering, Daniel Zitterbart, along with WHOI staff Aymeric Houstin, Lauren Stanley, Daniel Gomez-Ibañez and Miles Ochs, developed this system that uses thermal infrared (IR) cameras to monitor for marine mammals.
“A highly stabilized thermal imaging camera is mounted on a ship and monitors the surface of the water for whale surfacings and exhalations, or blows,” explained Zitterbart. “If a whale blows, its thermal signature is recognized by the integrated AI, and also alerts vessel crews within seconds to the presence of whales up to several kilometers away, which is enough time for most vessels to slow down or change course.”
The technology developed by Zitterbart’s team is linked to artificial intelligence that has been trained on examples of waves, birds, vessels, and whales. These algorithms aim to filter out thermal signatures of boats, birds, and waves and only send out alerts of probable whale detections for verification. All probable whale detections are reviewed by a human within 15 seconds and transmitted to the vessels’ captains. This human-in-the-loop verification ensures that the captains never receive false alerts, thus avoiding alert fatigue and building trust and confidence in the whale detection technology. Unlike human observation from planes and boats, the systems don’t require ambient light, so the cameras can spot whales at all hours, further improving collision avoidance.
In the three months since the Manulani has been operating with the new systems, 1,169 verified detections of whales and dolphins have been recorded, in ranges up to 6,500 meters (3.5 nautical miles).
“This initial data is very exciting for our team, as it gives us real-world feedback on how well the thermal infrared system is performing on a large container vessel platform,” said Zitterbart.
The waters off the coast of Hawaii, and up along the US west coast are home to up to 16 species of whales. Humpback whales migrate from summer feeding grounds in Alaska down to Hawaii, some to mate, and give birth. Killer whales, blue whales, gray whales, and other species also frequent these regions.
“We are committed to operating in an environmentally responsible manner, and that includes finding ways to reduce the risk of whale collisions,” said Matt Cox, Matson’s chairman and CEO. “Having made significant adjustments to our operating schedule and vessel routing along the West Coast to avoid whale conservation areas, we are excited to be adding this new technology and plan to expand its use across our fleet in hopes of helping make a positive difference in the protection of these animals.”
Cox added, “Our vessels navigate some of the most pristine areas in the Pacific, and we look forward to working with Woods Hole on other projects that benefit the environment.”
“We are excited as we continue to get new data pouring in from these systems,” said Zitterbart. “Thermal imaging systems are a powerful tool in real-time whale detection. Used alone or in conjunction with other proven protections like passive acoustic monitoring, this technology can significantly reduce the risk of vessel strikes and be a positive force in the protection of marine animals.”
