Seabed 2030 Project Gets AI, Robotics Boosts From New Partners to Accelerate Mapping of World’s Entire Ocean Floor (1)
Published on November 22, 2024
The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project has recently teamed up with three new partners to accelerate the mapping of the entire ocean floor by the end of this decade.
This has brought to 288 the total number of official partners, contributors and supporters that have officially signed on to Seabed 2030 from across government, industry, philanthropy and academia in more than 50 countries.
The three new partners are SeaDeep of the United States, Exail of France and Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) of the United Kingdom.
Seabed 2030, a joint initiative of The Nippon Foundation and the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (Gebco), seeks to map the world's entire ocean by 2030 and compile the data into the freely available Gebco Ocean Map.
This initiative is a vital part of understanding the world’s oceanic floor, which plays a crucial role in navigation, coastal management and various other applications, including tsunami forecasting and environmental change monitoring.
Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, SeaDeep is an innovative company dedicated to transforming ocean exploration through the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The company is developing an AI platform that can deliver intelligence for subsea exploration and monitoring of the ocean with exceptional efficiency and accuracy. Its AI’s patented, multimodal undersea intelligence platform enables users to see more than current techniques, enhancing, analyzing and generating inspection reports instantly.
Mr. Eric Osherow, CEO and cofounder of SeaDeep, said: “We are excited to join forces with Seabed 2030, a project that aligns with our vision of utilizing technology to better understand the ocean. By integrating AI-driven solutions into this international effort, we can enhance data collection.
“The ocean holds vast untapped potential, and partnerships like this will enable us to gain a deeper understanding of it, ultimately allowing us to manage and protect it more effectively.”
Seabed 2030 Project Director Jamie McMichael-Phillips said: “This collaboration with SeaDeep marks a significant milestone in our journey towards a fully mapped ocean. At Seabed 2030, working in partnership with industry and other stakeholders to develop leading-edge technology and provide practical at-sea surveying experience is central to our mission. It’s a pleasure to welcome SeaDeep on board－a true pioneer in innovative technology for ocean exploration.”
Paris-based Exail is a world leader in robotics, navigation and subsea imagery solutions. Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in September, Exail and Seabed 2030 will work together to promote each other’s initiatives and share knowledge and best practices in ocean mapping and bathymetric data management.
As part of the agreement, Exail will contribute bathymetric data, promote the Seabed 2030 vision through its advanced technologies and solutions and actively engage in promoting Seabed 2030 to the users of its sonar, navigation and autonomy solutions.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project,” said Mr. David Vincentelli, autonomy business developer for the hydrographic market at Exail. “This partnership reflects our commitment to advancing ocean exploration and our belief in the importance of a complete and accurate map of the world’s ocean floors. By joining forces, we can accelerate progress toward a fully mapped ocean by 2030, benefiting not just our industry, but the entire planet.”
Seabed 2030 Project Director Mr. Jamie McMichael-Phillips, commented: “This partnership with Exail represents a significant milestone for Seabed 2030 as we continue to drive forward our mission of inspiring a complete map of the world’s ocean floor. Exail’s innovative solutions and expertise will not only enhance our technical capabilities, but also help raise awareness of the critical importance of ocean mapping. Together, we are committed to a better understanding of the ocean’s depths.”
The MOU underscores both organizations’ dedication to the UN Decade of Ocean Science in Support of Sustainable Development (2021-2030), aligning their efforts with global initiatives to enhance ocean knowledge and management, Seabed 2030 said.
(To be continued)