SubSeaDetect: Breakthrough Blue-Green Laser Technology Set to Transform Maritime Safety

SubSeaDetect: Breakthrough Blue-Green Laser Technology Set to Transform Maritime Safety by Detecting Hidden Underwater Hazards

Innovative Solution Addresses the Critical “Near-Surface Detection Gap” Threatening Global Shipping

In a significant advancement for maritime safety, the SubSeaDetect project has been launched to address one of shipping’s most persistent challenges: the detection of semi-submerged and fully submerged objects that pose significant collision and entanglement risks to vessels worldwide.

The Scale of the Challenge

The Blue Economy is a vital and rapidly expanding global sector, with the EU segment alone employing 4.8 million people and generating nearly €890 billion in turnover in 2022. Globally, the ocean economy reached $2.6 trillion in gross value added (GVA) in 2020. However, this growth has intensified sector challenges, including dense traffic, tight schedules, intense weather conditions, and marine pollution.

These pressures translate directly to severe financial risk: industry analyses show that 8.5% to 11% of vessels incur a navigational incident claim annually, with an average cost of approximately $430,000 per incident. Semi-submerged and fully submerged objects are of particular concern because they often remain undetected until it is too late.

The Near-Surface Detection Gap

Existing maritime detection systems face significant limitations:

• Sonar and radar struggle to detect objects in the surface layer between air and water
• Optical sensors and cameras often miss items when the line of sight is obstructed by waves, fog, or heavy rain

This near-surface detection gap contains numerous hazards, particularly in coastal or near-coastal waters:

• Flotsam including litter, drifting logs, and ice floes
• Unanchored or lost buoys and floating objects
• Small vessels such as rubber dinghies and kayaks
• Floating sheets of plastic and abandoned fishing gear (“ghost nets”)
• Slow-moving or resting marine mammals

The SubSeaDetect Solution

SubSeaDetect introduces a patented blue-green laser technology capable of penetrating the water surface to observe—detect, characterise, and track—objects that are both partially and fully submerged. This breakthrough capability operates effectively even in low light or foggy conditions, providing reliable detection when traditional systems fail.

Key Capabilities:

• Water Penetration: Blue-green laser technology sees through the water surface
• Comprehensive Detection: Identifies partially and fully submerged objects
• All-Weather Operation: Functions in low light, fog, and adverse conditions
• Real-time Tracking: Continuous monitoring and characterisation of detected hazards

Impact on Maritime Safety

SubSeaDetect’s breakthrough obstacle detection capability enables ships to significantly reduce the risk of collision with or entanglement in submerged and semi-submerged marine hazards. This technology represents a crucial advancement for:

• Commercial shipping operations seeking to minimise navigational risks
• Passenger vessels requiring enhanced safety measures
• Autonomous and unmanned vessel development
• Environmental protection through better detection of marine pollution

“SubSeaDetect addresses a fundamental challenge that has plagued maritime navigation for decades. By enabling vessels to see beneath the surface, we’re providing a critical safety capability that simply hasn’t existed until now.”