Viking’s WAVS Taskforce wins MRH Award
The Whale and Vessel Safety (WAVS) Taskforce was awarded the Marine Research Hub (MRH) Innovation and Sustainability Award during the 2025 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The award recognizes companies leading in marine innovation and environmental stewardship.
The WAVS Taskforce is a Viking Marine Group initiative formed in 2022 with leading industry partners to advance technology that reduces vessel strikes on North Atlantic right whales and other marine life.
“WAVS stood out for education, outreach and convening industry stakeholders around a critical environmental challenge,” said Katherine O’Fallon, executive director of Marine Research Hub. “Viking’s leadership has raised awareness and gathered actionable data for boating and conservation efforts.”
WAVS operates a 24-foot Contender with a 300hp Yamaha research vessel. It’s equipped with advanced detection systems, radar and AI classification software to collect real-world data on vessel speed, detection and avoidance.
“We’d like to thank Joe Neber, founder and president of Contender Boats, for donating the 24-foot outboard research boat that made this work possible,” said Pat Healey, president and CEO of Viking. “It’s been an essential part of our WAVS efforts, helping us collect data and validate technology to reduce vessel strikes and improve safety.”
WAVS Taskforce members and collaborators include Viam, Garmin, Yamaha, Brunswick, FLIR, BRNKL, Simard, Motion Information Systems, Atlantic Marine Electronics (AME), Fathom Science, LOOKOUT, SEA.AI and the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA). These partners are developing new systems for real-time whale detection, data sharing and vessel alerts to reduce collisions and improve maritime safety.
