A Victoria technology upstart is making waves as it arms the Canadian Coast Guard with innovative technology designed to track and monitor the issue of abandoned boats across British Columbia waters.
Barnacle Systems has developed a solution, “Rapid Deploy” devices, to combat this rising environmental and navigational hazard. These devices, positioned on identified vessels, grant a coast guard the ability to remotely monitor ghost ships, issuing notifications if a vessel begins to sink, drag anchor, or is influenced by weather conditions or intruders.
Real-time status updates and alerts drastically enhance the Coast Guard’s ability to respond to high-priority areas, according to Barnacle CEO Brandon Wright.
He said there are nearly 3,000 abandoned or wrecked vessels in Canadian waters, with a majority in BC.
“It’s an overwhelming number,” the chief executive told Victoria Times Colonist, adding that “the average size of these boats is 65 feet long.”
Canada’s coast guard acquired more than three dozen units from Barnacle for a total cost of just over $500,000, which includes one year of cellular and satellite service as well as remote training and support from the company.
Deceptively compact, the 15-kilogram Rapid Deploy units are sized and shaped like small wheeled luggage. They house GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope, and solar technology.
The coast guard hopes to clean up Canada’s waters using this Vancouver Island company’s innovation.
“We feel so proud as a company knowing that our products are being used to help the environment,” Wright informed the Colonist.
Last year, Barnacle Systems—sometimes stylized as BRNKL—collaborated with VoltSafe, also based in BC. VoltSafe wants to power electric water vessels, solving the logistics of charging electric batteries on the water.
“Electricity and saltwater don’t mix,” Philipp Garber, VP of Partnerships & Sales for VoltSafe, pointed out in 2022. “This is why electric vessels need a charging solution specifically designed to withstand uniquely harsh conditions.”
VoltSafe power connectors don’t turn on until both sides are fully connected, eliminating the risk of electric shocks or arcing—thereby significantly reducing related fire hazards and setting a new standard in shore power and electric boat safety, he says.
“This project with our partner, Barnacle Systems, is the first time–anywhere in the world–that such a marine-specific EV charging solution is tested in the field,” noted Garber.
“VoltSafe Marine will set a new standard for marine electrical safety,” affirmed Wright at the time. “By joining forces and integrating VoltSafe’s EV charger with our new remote monitoring and security product, BRNKL Black, we’ll be able to collect critical power system data to help accelerate the adoption of electric vessels for recreational, industrial, and military fleets.”
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