New Zelim base in Canada supports maritime market growth

by Americas - Featured NewsFeatured NewsPorts & Maritime

Zelim expands in Atlantic Canada

Zelim has opened new premises in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, with the site set to serve as its Atlantic Canada base from April 2026.

Zelim announced that the office will be located at the COVE ocean facility, which it described as a technology hub for maritime innovation.

The company said the site will support ongoing partnerships and future opportunities in the region for its AI-enabled technologies designed for safety and security operations at sea.

The move follows activity in the Canadian cruise, ferry and defence sectors.

In 2024, Zelim demonstrated its man-overboard detection and monitoring system, ZOE, to the Canadian Coast Guard and other maritime partners.

In 2025, the company was selected for the NATO DIANA Phase II programme, through which ZOE was used in a NATO naval exercise and introduced to the Royal Canadian Navy.

Zelim also secured a commercial contract with BC Ferries in February 2026 to equip four new-build ferries with its ZOE technology.

Leadership and regional plans

Zelim said the Canada office will be led by its newly appointed regional Vice President, Brigadier General (Retired) Tom Dunne.

Dunne has served as a search and rescue leader with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the United States Coast Guard.

Sam Mayall, Zelim’s Founder and CEO, said: “Given the scale and complexity of its maritime domain and the operational challenges associated with remote and harsh environments, Canada is a strategically important market for Zelim’s maritime detection and automated alerting capabilities.

“With a number of partnerships and agreements already in place in North America, and significant potential for future development, establishing this office base and bringing Tom on board were the next logical steps in our growth journey, with a view to a long-term presence and economic contribution in the region.”

Melanie Nadeau, CEO of COVE, said: “Zelim’s expansion into Canada is an important step for the maritime industry.

“Since first connecting with COVE in 2024 through Innovate UK’s Ocean ScaleUp Accelerator, Zelim has demonstrated the innovation and expertise that strengthen the sector.

“Its Canadian presence will enable new partnerships, foster collaboration, and deliver maritime detection and automated alerting solutions, with COVE supporting access to an ecosystem designed for growth and opportunity.”

Zelim said the new office follows the launch of a defence business unit and additions to its senior leadership team as it continues its international expansion.

Zelim’s ZOE intelligent detection system aims to improve global search and rescue operations

by Featured NewsProductsSearch and Rescue

The challenges facing search and rescue operations at sea

According to Zelim, current search and rescue (SAR) technologies are insufficient for detecting and rescuing people in the water.

A lack of reliable sensor integration and human error has resulted in low success rates, with only 19% of SAR responses involving persons in the water leading to life-saving outcomes.

Former US Coast Guard officer, Commander Matt Mitchell, highlighted these limitations during his tenure, overseeing the Coast Guard’s search and rescue planning systems.

Mitchell explained: “The core challenge we face is that search and rescue authorities simply don’t have the tools to detect and track persons in the water effectively.”

ZOE: A solution to long-standing problems

Mitchell’s involvement with Zelim started after his years of service with the USCG, where he observed the difficulties faced in integrating new sensor technologies.

During his career, he found that only three of the 20 sensor types used by the Coast Guard could be reliably integrated into search plans.

This gap, combined with the unreliability of human observers, spurred his interest in Zelim’s AI-powered detection system, ZOE.

ZOE is designed to continuously scan the water around a vessel using machine learning and computer vision, detecting persons in distress.

Mitchell explained: “ZOE doesn’t get tired, it doesn’t get distracted, and it doesn’t have the inherent variability of a human searcher.”

ZOE’s advantages over traditional SAR technologies

ZOE offers several key improvements over existing SAR technologies, particularly with its ability to detect and track persons in the water with high precision.

Unlike traditional systems, ZOE operates 24/7 and can work in poor visibility and harsh conditions.

It also provides the ability to monitor for persons falling overboard, pinpointing the exact time and location of such events.

“With ZOE, we know the precise time and location of the man overboard event,” Mitchell said.

“That gives us a fighting chance to get there in time and make the rescue.”

US Coast Guard validation and global adoption

Zelim’s ZOE system gained significant validation when the US Coast Guard partnered with the company to test its capabilities.

Mitchell played a key role in facilitating this partnership, collaborating with USCG personnel to refine the system for real-world operations.

Following extensive testing, the US Coast Guard recognised the potential of ZOE, which has now been integrated into their operations.

Mitchell’s goal is to expand the use of ZOE worldwide, leveraging his network of SAR contacts to promote its adoption.

He said: “This technology has the potential to revolutionize the industry, and I’m determined to make that a reality.”

ZOE’s impact on global search and rescue operations

As Zelim’s Director of Search and Rescue for the US and Asia-Pacific, Mitchell’s mission is to ensure that ZOE becomes a standard tool for search and rescue authorities around the world.

The technology’s ability to accurately detect persons in the water and integrate seamlessly into SAR systems could significantly improve rescue efficiency and save lives at sea.

“This is the biggest breakthrough in search and rescue since the advent of search theory back in 1946,” Mitchell asserted.

Zelim’s ZOE intelligent detection system: Summary

Zelim’s ZOE system, led by former US Coast Guard officer Matt Mitchell, aims to address the limitations of current search and rescue technologies.

ZOE uses AI and machine learning to improve detection and tracking of persons in distress in the water.

After successful trials with the US Coast Guard, Mitchell is working to expand ZOE’s use globally.

This system is seen as a potential solution to long-standing SAR challenges, with the goal of improving rescue rates and saving lives.