SEA.AI’s Watchkeeper Nominated for Top Honor at METSTRADE

Amsterdam - November 4, 2025 - SEA.AI is proud to announce that its award-winning Watchkeeper system has been nominated for the DAME Design Awards at the upcoming METSTRADE show. The nomination cements Watchkeeper’s status as one of the industry’s leading innovations in the “Navigation and Communication” category and SEA.AI’s commitment to saving lives at sea through accessible, advanced vision systems.

Visitors to METSTRADE (18-20 November, RAI Amsterdam) are invited to meet the SEA.AI team at Stand 513 – Hall 1 and experience live demos of AI-powered machine vision, including its ability to detect navigational hazards, persons overboard (MOB), and marine mammals using real-time thermal and optical imaging.

“Being nominated for the DAME Design Awards is a major milestone,” said Marcus Warrelmann, CEO of SEA.AI. “This recognition shows that the maritime industry not only sees the need for smarter vision-based safety, but also values solutions that make it scalable and accessible. We’re delighted to bring Watchkeeper’s next-generation capabilities to METSTRADE.”

Watchkeeper's powerful optical sensors and onboard AI are fully contained in its unobtrusive design, with housings in black or white

Designed for simple integration into existing set-ups and intuitive use, Watchkeeper combines clean industrial design with AI-based detection capability. Its compact housing (110 × 163 × 86 mm) and lightweight design (around 1 kg) enclose optical and thermal sensors capable of detecting a person overboard or a buoy up to 900 meters away, and larger vessels at over 2 kilometers, depending on models and camera set-up. Built to complement both sailing and motor vessels, the system’s weatherproof construction and balanced proportions allow it to integrate cleanly into any yacht or bridge environment.

Every detail, from cable routing to mounting options, reflects SEA.AI’s design approach: making advanced maritime vision practical, elegant, and ready for real-world conditions. Based on one platform with seven versions, Watchkeeper adapts to all kinds of boats from compact sailing yachts to large motor vessels. Available from €4,490 excl. VAT, it brings professional-grade vision safety within reach for a wider boating community.

Exploded view of Watchkeeper

Since its Innovation Route Award win at the Cannes Yachting Festival and a Marine Research Hub Innovation and Sustainability Award nomination at Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Watchkeeper is already gaining traction as “standard equipment” across several forward-thinking boatbuilders and OEMs. Its modular architecture allows installations from compact, single-camera lowlight setups to a full three-camera configuration with two thermal sensors. Integration with networked navigation systems delivers instant alerts to the helm or handheld devices, providing an extra set of unblinking eyes on the water and peace of mind for vessel operators.

With a growing network of over 150 global dealers and OEM partners, SEA.AI continues to expand its reach through key collaborations that embed its technology directly into new-build production lines, marinas, retailers, and marine electronics specialists. Through this rapid industry uptake, SEA.AI is bringing vision-based safety technology from luxury yachts and high-duty-cycle commercial vessels to mainstream recreational boaters.

High-resolution photos and videos

About SEA.AI

SEA.AI has been a pioneer in Machine Vision for maritime applications since 2018. The company is dedicated to making Machine Vision the new standard for safety and situational awareness in the maritime sector. SEA.AI's product range includes fully integrated systems that combine optical and thermal sensors with artificial intelligence to enhance safety and security at sea, as well as their maritime machine vision solution, Brain, which is compatible with third-party cameras. SEA.AI systems are designed to quickly detect and identify floating objects, providing the crew with real-time information. The technology is available in various versions tailored to the specific needs of recreational, commercial, and governmental vessels, including unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). www.sea.ai