SEA.AI, a maritime computer vision company founded in Brittany in 2018, has been named one of five winners of the 2026 Ocean Innovation Awards for its AI-based detection technology.
The awards, organised by Crédit Maritime Grand Ouest, recognise companies developing innovative solutions for a more sustainable maritime economy. The eighth edition took place at the Palais du Grand Large in Saint-Malo, days before the start of the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe and marking Crédit Maritime's 120th anniversary.
The award recognises SEA.AI's technology for addressing three maritime challenges: safety at sea through early hazard detection, maritime surveillance including vessel tracking and coastal monitoring, and marine life protection through surface detection of marine mammals.
The company's development has been closely tied to offshore racing. From 2018, SEA.AI worked with racing teams and skippers to build artificial intelligence trained on millions of data points collected at sea, sometimes in extreme conditions.
"Our original goal was simple: to give navigators a second pair of eyes to anticipate collisions and protect both vessels and their crews," said co-founder Gaëtan Gouerou. "We were fortunate to work with exceptional sailors who helped us test and refine this technology in the most demanding conditions."
The system combines optical cameras, thermal sensors and onboard AI to detect and classify surface objects in real time, day and night. It identifies people overboard, small craft, floating objects and marine mammals, adding a layer of vigilance that complements radar and AIS.
User feedback has demonstrated practical impact: rescue crews use SEA.AI to locate people overboard, a catamaran owner avoided two night-swimming teenagers in a harbour, and detection of a vessel carrying approximately 15 migrants helped prevent collision and enabled assistance.
"My father wanted to protect boats and skippers. I also wanted to help protect whales," said Solenn Gouerou, marketing and communications director. "Today, when we hear from users who have been able to avoid an accident or assist people at sea thanks to our technology, we can appreciate how far we have come."
Philippe Renaudin, head of the maritime sector at Crédit Maritime, Banque Populaire Grand Ouest, said SEA.AI "perfectly embodies the spirit of the Ocean Innovation Awards: an innovation born out of a real-world need, developed in our region and now providing solutions to some of the maritime sector's greatest challenges."
The award drew more than 63 project submissions. Five winners were selected on innovation, economic potential and environmental impact.
SEA.AI says it hopes wider adoption of its computer vision system by shipbuilders, maritime professionals and safety organisations will eventually see it used alongside radar and AIS as standard safety equipment, rather than the specialist add-on it remains today.
