Press & Media

Navigating the Path to Protection: How SeaPicket Is Helping Prevent Whale-Ship Collisions

By enabling ships to tune in to underwater sounds, acoustics technology is helping to protect vulnerable marine giants.

Marine biologist Susannah Buchan is committed to studying the Fin Whale, the world's second-largest whale species, which is tragically the most frequent victim of ship strikes. Her research aims to help prevent these collisions by providing data that can guide ships away from the whales' paths, particularly in busy ocean shipping lanes. With the increasing volume of commercial maritime traffic, the need to protect these endangered creatures has never been more urgent.
 

“Unfortunately, some of the world's busiest shipping lanes - including ones Buchan studies in Chile - overlap directly with places where endangered whales feed, breed or migrate.'” - Brianna Randall.

In this effort, ThayerMahan's SeaPicket system plays a vital role. By collecting critical data, SeaPicket helps scientists like Buchan and vessel operators work together to reduce whale strikes and enhance the safety of maritime navigation.