Roundtable host: Eric Jackson

The world’s oceans and waterways are increasingly a domain of global competition. As trade routes shift, decarbonization targets intensify, and climate change reshapes the Arctic, a new era of maritime security and commercial resilience is no longer an option—it is a strategic imperative. The need for continuous situational awareness has never been more urgent.

This working session will define a blueprint for a Canadian maritime situational response network, leveraging Canada's world-leading expertise in marine autonomy. We will focus on establishing the supply chain partnerships required to deploy and maintain a persistent, multi-layered network of autonomous systems to secure our maritime domain. Our goal is to connect Canada's strengths—in advanced sonar, sensor fusion, long-endurance autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and advanced manufacturing and logistics—to the pressing needs of marine defense and infrastructure partners. By establishing the supply chain partnerships required to deploy and maintain the network, we can secure our maritime domain in both open water and in port environments.

This session's mandate is to produce a tangible strategy for a marine autonomy working group. By defining roles, establishing a technical architecture, and forging a cohesive network, we will secure Canada's leadership as a provider of autonomous, data-driven maritime defense and resilience solutions.

Agenda

• Global Imperatives & Canadian Opportunity (15 minutes): We will set the stage by discussing the global context and the urgent need for autonomous marine situational awareness and response solutions. This will highlight how a new era of pressures—from supply chain resilience and threats to undersea infrastructure, to climate monitoring and Artic sovereignty—is driving the demand for advanced autonomy and continuous presence, spanning applications in port and underwater infrastructure, maritime safety, aquaculture, offshore energy, and deep-sea exploration.
• Building the Response Network Collaborative Ecosystem Ideation (60 minutes): This session will define the components of a comprehensive network. We will brainstorm a wide range of concrete, technically feasible concepts for applications such as port automation & monitoring, advanced marine infrastructure & inspection systems, the capability to manufacture such systems at scale, and training a modern marine workforce. We will also discuss the core technical capabilities that are required to realize these goals, including onboard energy storage and recharging, low-bandwidth acoustic communications, and the need for intelligent and trustworthy autonomous vehicles, many of which must rely on embedded, on-board data processing rather than large-scale AI models that are impractical for underwater applications. We will then pinpoint the highest-impact dual-use scenarios where these innovations can be applied, including opportunities in search and rescue, environmental monitoring, and fisheries management.
• Action Plan & Partnership Development (15 minutes): This segment will identify key partners and define clear action items to establish a dedicated marine autonomy working group. The focus will be on creating a tangible blueprint for this collaborative network and identifying the supply chain partners necessary to move from concept to deployment.

Outcomes

• A Blueprint for a National Response Network: We will produce a clear, action-oriented plan for establishing a marine autonomy working group, including defined roles for defense and infrastructure partners. The blueprint will address the specific needs of securing both open-water and critical port environments.
   
• Prioritized List of Capabilities and Required Collaborations: An inventory of the highest-impact technologies needed for continuous situational awareness, with a focus on uncrewed and minimally crewed vessels, tethered and untethered systems, deployment and recovery, specific sonar and electromagnetic monitoring systems, and the capacity to scale their domestic manufacture.
   
• Direct Input for a National Marine Autonomy Strategy: Concrete insights for a strategic document on the technical and commercialization paths required to field this network, ensuring sovereignty and resilience of Canada's waterways and critical infrastructure.
   
• Direct Input for a National Strategy or Action Plan: Concrete insights for a strategic document on the technical and commercialization paths required to field this network,  to propel Canada to a global leadership position.

Reference materials:  

• Autonomous fleet ice management via reinforcement learning https://nrc.canada.ca/en/stories/autonomous-fleet-ice-management-reinforcement-learning 
• How Canada is advancing autonomous ships and smart ocean technologyhttps://nrc.canada.ca/en/stories/how-canada-advancing-autonomous-ships-smart-ocean-technology
• Canada's Ocean Supercluster 2022-2023 Annual Report: Offers insights into OSC projects, investments, and Canada's broader ocean economy goals. https://oceansupercluster.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/OSC_AnnualReport_2023_Eng-1.pdf
• COVE's 2024 Ocean Enterprise Report: A detailed look at Canada's marine technology sector, including growth, AI, and dual-use aspects. https://coveocean.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/The-Canadian-Ocean-Enterprise-2024.pdf

Transport Canada's "Transportation Sector Regulatory Review Roadmap" (Relevant Marine sections): Outlines regulatory efforts for autonomous vessels in Canada. https://tc.canada.ca/en/corporate-services/acts-regulations/international-standards-targeted-regulatory-review-regulatory-roadmap