UK-based tech firm Zelim has secured a milestone in maritime safety after its AI-powered ZOE system became the first fully certified man-overboard detection solution under ISO 21195:2020.
The certification came from Lloyd’s Register following extensive real-world testing. Engineers tested the system for 90 days onboard the cruise ship Ambition, operated by Ambassador Cruise Line – marking the first time ISO 21195 trials took place on an active cruise vessel.
During the trials, ZOE achieved a 97% detection rate in simulated man-overboard scenarios, outperforming the minimum requirements set by the standard. The system also demonstrated a low false alarm rate, averaging fewer than one false alert per day.
ISO 21195 sets the global benchmark for automatic man-overboard detection systems on passenger ships. It was developed jointly by industry stakeholders, including regulators and the United States Coast Guard. Notably, ZOE became the first certified system capable of detecting both adults and children – even though child detection is not required under the standard.
Zelim’s system uses computer vision and advanced video analytics to monitor vessel perimeters in real time, providing 360-degree coverage. The AI model has been trained on a dataset of more than 9.5 million maritime objects, enabling near-instant detection of incidents.
The certification is expected to accelerate adoption across the cruise sector, where operators have long sought reliable solutions to meet safety requirements under the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010.
Company representatives say the next step is scaling deployment globally, including beyond cruise shipping into sectors such as defence.
