Maritime securityCanada funds digital technology to enhance maritime security, surveillance
New funding will allow exactEarth to improve its ability to locate more than 80,000 ships daily anywhere around the world and transmit this information quickly to its customers; this data is used within Canada and globally for a number of purposes, including enhancing maritime security and surveillance as well as search and rescue support
Christian Paradis, Canada’s minister of industry, and Gary Goodyear, the minister of state for science and technology, the other day announced an investment in exactEarth Ltd. from the Digital Technology Adoption Pilot Program (DTAPP), delivered by the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP).
“The Government of Canada is investing in science and technology to create good jobs, strengthen the economy and improve the quality of life of Canadians,” said Paradis. “In every sector of the economy, digital technologies allow companies like exactEarth Ltd. to be more innovative, productive and competitive.”
A National Research Council of Canada release reports that exactEarth Ltd. will receive up to $50,000 from DTAPP to implement projects that include the adoption of new software tools and information and quality systems. These new tools and systems will allow exactEarth to improve its ability to locate more than 80,000 ships daily anywhere around the world and transmit this information quickly to its customers. This data is used within Canada and globally for a number of purposes, including enhancing maritime security and surveillance as well as search and rescue support.
“As an organization that excels in developing and exploiting leading-edge technology, we are extremely grateful for the opportunity to work with DTAPP,” said Peter Mabson, president of exactEarth Ltd. “This project will help us further increase our competitive advantage worldwide.”
Founded in 2009, exactEarth Ltd. is a data services company providing advanced location-based information on global maritime traffic. It collects ship monitoring data and delivers the information to customers around the world. The company says its information improves maritime domain awareness for governments and commercial organizations, whether tracking a single vessel or monitoring large, unwired ocean regions. NRC-IRAP has been working with exactEarth since March 2012.
The Canadian government’s Economic Action Plan 2012 provides substantial direct support for research and development and business innovation, aiming to lead to job creation, growth, and long-term prosperity for Canadians. Of this investment, an additional $110 million is allocated to NRC-IRAP annually to expand the program’s reach and services for innovative small and medium-sized enterprises in Canada, including $80 million for DTAPP to support the digital economy.
