Sea, security, scale: How dual-use ocean tech is powering the future

The final major talk on the Vancouver stage at the Web Summit closed the event with a conference discussing ocean security. Both the technological innovations built in British Columbia that aim to improve upon maritime sectors in this country, and the recent push for arctic protection by the government of Canada. The conversation was led once again by COAST Executive Director Jason Goldsworthy, who was joined by James Spencer, Founder and CEO of Shift Coastal Technologies, and Commander Matthew Arthur of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).

The idea behind uncrewed maritime vessels is nothing new, not even for Spencer himself. The Tōhoku tsunami of 2011 displaced tons of material into the ocean, where some of it was carried on currents to the coasts of BC. In 2017, roughly 6 years after the cleaning efforts to get rid of that same debris started, Spencer started thinking about a better way to conduct the cleaning of marine debris without putting people in danger.

On January 2024, the Advanced Naval Capabilities Unit was formed in the RCN to push the boundaries of naval technology. Overseen by Commander Arthur, one of the most important tasks of the unit is to explore and expand the usage of uncrewed vehicles, train NCMs and personnel, as well as co-development of modern marine tech with the industry. This unit enabled the collaboration of the Canadian Armed Forces with companies like Shift Coastal Technologies to build sustainable answers to modern marine problems, including security and counterterrorism.

When asked about the RCN's perspective on the current landscape of the tech industry, Commander Arthur talked about the ongoing revolution of the way the marine is operating. To be able to properly lead the navy to the future and adapt to the fast pace of the tech industry, the Advanced Naval Capabilities Unit has set as one it's next goals the improvement of data gathering and data processing capabilities, as well as the generation of highly capable operators that can work at the bleeding edge of technology. To stay on the top it isn't enough to just do the engineering and the training, but also do constant, rigorous testing.

Despite this recent effort to revolutionize the RCN's technological capabilities, companies such as Spencer's go through a lengthy back-and-forth process to be able to work with the navy. As Spencer advises, to work with the navy you must build an integrated network where your tech can be verified and tested by the very agency you want to conduct business with.

A theme that was echoed throughout many major talks at the Summit, including this one, was that of a "respectful" approach towards innovation. Due to the critical nature of the work done by the Canadian Armed Forces, change must be a gradual and meticulous process. Innovation happens at the battlefront. A hybrid approach where there's a cultural mix between how stuff was done before and how things are advancing in the future ensures that progress is done in the most secure, reliable, and permanent way.

Advancements like uncrewed systems present a unique opportunity within the defence sector to reduce the risk of human life in delicate operations. This is one of the main drivers behind initiatives proposed by units similar to ANCU across the Department National Defence. Over the last couple of years Canada has been slowly building a reputation as a leader in sectors such as quantum, security, and tech. This strategic development has enabled collaborative, innovation-driven programs such as these.