Marine Horizon Viewer: The Smart Lookout Serving The Tuna Fleet

– Sponsored content – The innovative Marine Horizon Viewer (MHV) system from Marine Instruments has begun its operational testing phase on board tuna vessels. It acts as a “digital lookout,” replacing traditional binoculars with an intelligent camera capable of detecting birds – and with them, potential tuna schools – from the boat’s crow’s nest. The Viewer offers a highly advanced technological solution in the field of digital maritime surveillance.

The Marine Horizon Viewer means a new era in maritime observation. The device streams real-time images of the horizon, reducing search time and improving catch efficiency through intelligent recognition of fish schools. It combines artificial intelligence, edge computing, and high-precision gyro-stabilization, enabling continuous observation of the maritime environment even under challenging conditions.

Even in rough seas or electromagnetically complex environments, it will provide stable and precise imagery due to the integration of three GPS receivers, an industrial-grade IMU, and a three-axis gimbal with brushless motors.

Its multi-user web interface allows the MHV to be operated from the bridge, in control centers, or remote stations. In addition, its modular design and IPX6-rated sealing guarantee reliable performance in any situation.

Precision, Efficiency, And Situational Awareness

The evaluations of the first trials conducted on tuna vessels show the MHV performed well on the automatic detection of birds and fish schools, intelligent target recognition, and integration with the ship’s navigation and communication systems. It transmitted real-time, both electro-optical and infrared camera feeds with automatic georeferencing and sensor fusion, providing advanced situational awareness to captains and crews.

“We are very pleased with the system’s performance during its initial sea trials. The Horizon Viewer is demonstrating its ability to enhance visual detection and reduce crew workload,” said Gabriel Gómez Celaya, Managing Director of Marine Instruments.

Dual Applications And Future Vision

From its inception, the MHV was designed for interoperability, integrating seamlessly with X and S-band radars, AIS receivers, SIGINT payloads, and C2 systems, extending its usefulness beyond the fishing sector.

In combination with the Tunadrone naval UAV, it extends visual surveillance up to 18 nautical miles, offering joint air-surface coverage that strengthens the fleet’s safety and operational efficiency.

Further trials are planned. These mark the final step toward commercial production, scheduled for 2026. Applications will include fishing, defense, oceanographic research, and environmental protection.

Innovation Applied To The Ocean Awarded

With the Marine Horizon Viewer, Marine Instruments reaffirms its commitment to developing dual-use, adaptive, and intelligent technologies aimed at enhancing safety, efficiency, and sustainability in the maritime domain. Thanks to this new development in technology, the company was recently honored with the TUNA Award, a distinction granted by Anfaco-Cytma and the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

What Sets It Apart From Similar Systems?

• Exceptional angular precision (<0.1°), even under rough sea conditions.
• Real-time AI processing powered by NVIDIA Orin NX, enabling autonomous detection and automatic alert generation.
• Intuitive multi-user web interface accessible from the bridge and remotely.
• Native interoperability with radars, AIS, and ECDIS systems through open API integration.
• Automatic target tracking (manual or AI-driven).
• Designed for sustainable fishing (bird detection and tuna school location), among other possible uses.