Ambassador Cruise Lines announced in a press release that Zelim’s detection system, ZOE, will be installed aboard the Ambition, marking the first operational reference for the technology in the cruise industry.

The ZOE installation will provide detection and tracking of persons in the water following man overboard (MOB) incidents.

The press release said that the installation includes multiple infrared and daylight cameras, sensors and software to provide crews with 360° visibility, increasing the likelihood of spotting and recovering a MOB.

Ambassador’s COO Nick Hughes said: “With the safety of our passengers and crews our foremost concern, we were keen to put ZOE onboard. It allows us to direct an immediate and rapid rescue response. What we also like about the system is that it can be used to alert our watchkeepers to hard-to-see navigational hazards.”

Stewart Gregory, Zelim’s chief operating officer, said: “The decision by Ambassador to install ZOE is an important milestone in maritime safety.”

“Man overboard detection is an emergent technology, but most existing solutions focus solely on detecting the fall, not on tracking the person in the water. Without continuous tracking, a drifting casualty can be quickly lost from view as the vessel moves, making a successful rescue far more challenging,” said Doug Lothian, Zelim’s CTO.

“One of the biggest challenges following an incident is determining exactly when and where a person entered the water. ZOE’s AI-powered detection models identify and classify a person as they fall, automatically alerting the bridge and continuously tracking them as they drift. It provides precise geo-location data, enabling bridge teams to coordinate and accelerate the rescue effort with greater accuracy,” added Lothian.

According to the press release, ZOE has been undergoing independent testing aboard the Ambition to meet the ISO 21195 standard for detecting persons falling overboard, and it passed Lloyd’s Register Phase I and II type approval tests with a 98 percent MOB detection rate.

While MOB detection and tracking are ZOE’s primary focus, the press release added that Ambassador’s decision to install additional forward-facing cameras points to the technology’s broader multi-functional capabilities.