Charles River Tech Brings AI Vision to Maritime Safety

Discover how Charles River Analytics’ Awarion system evolved from government-funded research into a powerful AI-driven lookout solution enhancing maritime safety, protecting marine life, and delivering real-time situational awareness across sea and land environments. 

Developed over 13 years, Awarion uses electro-optical and infrared cameras, edge-based real-time processing, and advanced object detection algorithms to identify, classify, and track vessels and marine life, even in challenging conditions such as fog, low light, and glare. Its capabilities extend beyond simple detection, offering real-time vessel tracking, threat prioritization, and autonomous camera control.

One of Awarion’s most notable applications has been in marine mammal protection, particularly near offshore wind farm construction sites. In these sensitive areas, the system has demonstrated its ability to detect endangered whales at distances of nearly two miles, even when human observers are unable to see them. This success has earned the system recognition, including a “Best of What’s New” award from Popular Science.

Awarion is modular and flexible, with deployments on ships, buoys, autonomous vehicles, and fixed platforms. It supports operations without constant human monitoring or network connectivity, making it ideal for remote and long-duration missions. The technology is already aiding industries such as commercial shipping, offshore energy, marine conservation, and national security by reducing collision risks, enhancing regulatory compliance, and protecting ecosystems.

Looking ahead, Awarion continues to evolve with new features in development, including hull-text recognition, improved object localization, and user interface enhancements to boost operator trust. Its core AI perception engine is also being adapted for land-based applications, making Awarion a scalable solution for intelligent situational awareness across domains.

From protecting whales to preventing vessel collisions, Awarion represents a significant advancement in AI-powered maritime safety.