Global conservation organization Ocean Wise and marine solutions provider Trelleborg Marine and Infrastructure have integrated Ocean Wise’s Whale Report Alert System (WRAS), into Trelleborg’s marine navigation system to reduce the incidence of whale strikes and other accidents in which mammals are struck by ships.
Every year, some 20,000 whales are killed in whale strikes. The WRAS was designed as an early warning system to help vessels avoid the strikes. It is powered by real-time whale sightings submitted through Ocean Wise’s Whale Report platform as well as visual observations and automated detections submitted by partner organizations. It delivers alerts to commercial mariners via SMS, email and push notifications.
Now the effort will be boosted by Trelleborg’s integrated navigation systems, Trelleborg’s SafePilot Pro software, a professional-grade navigation system used by marine pilots globally.
Building on the success of similar systems on Canada’s West Coast, Trelleborg is partnering with Ocean Wise to deliver real-time alerts to pilots in northwestern Australia – one of the country’s busiest export hubs and a critical stopover for migrating humpback whales from June to October.
“This collaboration demonstrates how technology innovation can drive environmental progress,” said Tommy Mikkelsen, Managing Director for Navigation and Piloting division at Trelleborg Marine and Infrastructure. “We’re not just providing navigation tools; we’re enabling our users to be active participants in marine conservation. This integration showcases our commitment to developing solutions that serve both operational excellence and environmental responsibility.”
The scalable integration enables Trelleborg to deliver marine mammal protection capabilities across multiple regions while providing Ocean Wise with a strategic distribution channel to embed WRAS technology within professional navigation systems used by commercial mariners worldwide.
“This project represents a significant step forward in global marine conservation,” said Ocean Wise VP Programs, Dalal Al-Abdulrazzak. By integrating our Whale Report Alert System into widely used navigation systems like SafePilot Pro, Ocean Wise is making it easier for mariners to take action in real time to avoid whales and protect these incredible animals.”
