April 11, 2022
It is always something special to be considered for an award but there are quite simply some awards which stand out more than others. This is one of those cases.
We are so very proud to have been named as a 2022 finalist for the global Ocean Awards in the “innovation” category. Additionally, we are the only Europeans who made it to this year’s illustrious shortlist.
The Innovation Award recognises the individual, company or group that has publicly introduced innovative measures in 2021 for reducing stress on the oceans or for improving ocean health.
“It is an honor for Swiss Ocean Tech to be recognized at this global level. It confirms the sustainable impact of AnchorGuardian in 1) helping to avoid oil spills and other contaminations in our oceans, 2) reducing the negative impact of a dragging anchor on plant and animal life at the seafloor and 3) providing useful information to the scientific community in the regulation and mapping of sensitive areas. We are still very much at the beginning of our journey so this kind of acknowledgment of our innovation is incredibly gratifying.” says our Managing Director and Founder, Thomas Frizlen.
Fact is, dragging anchors pose a significant threat to fragile marine ecosystems but it is a topic not often openly discussed. Despite advanced naval navigation equipment, it isn’t possible today for the crew to know if, by how much and how fast, the anchor is dragging in real-time leading in worst case to environmental havoc. Any vessel relying on an anchor will be confronted with these problems, from superyachts to merchant ships right up to leisure boats and fishing vessels. AnchorGuardian offers a new dimension of safety at sea by minimising the risk of anchor dragging, providing predictions and offering immediate alarms. It is intelligence not yet available today.
The Ocean Awards are hosted by the Blue Marine Foundation, a leading UK ocean conservation foundation, and BOAT International, one of the leading superyacht magazines.
