Project Guardian

What Project Guardian does

Project Guardian is an unincorporated mission operated by Deeptrek that delivers an intelligence-led platform for assessing and prioritising the environmental risks posed by potentially polluting WWII shipwrecks. Its core product is the WERP (Wreck Environmental Risk Prioritisation) protocol — a proprietary methodology that combines Phase 1 historical and geospatial analysis with Phase 2 in-water validation using sonar, photogrammetry, and ROV inspection — together with the Guardian Sentry continuous monitoring capability, which integrates a satellite slick detection pipeline (running every six hours) with seismic and tropical storm tracking and a formal notification system (sealed PDF audit hashes, PG-SENTRY-YYYY-NNNN alert IDs). The platform also generates AI-assisted What/How/So-What narratives for each wreck assessment via a local Ollama worker with OpenAI-compatible and Gemini fallback backends.

The company serves four primary customer segments: coastal states and port authorities seeking environmental compliance under the Nairobi International Convention and ESIA requirements for port redevelopment; development banks (JICA, EU/AFD/EIB) financing remediation programmes where shipwreck pollution risk is a material factor; P&I clubs, maritime authorities, and flag states managing long-term wreck liability; and ESG-focused corporate sponsors and foundations. Revenue is generated through tiered corporate sponsorships (Supporting/Strategic/Flagship), professional services contracts for risk-ranked assessments and in-water surveys, ESIA support for development bank-funded projects, and liability assessment work for insurers.

The Rabaul Mission in Papua New Guinea — addressing 70+ sunken WWII vessels and aircraft in partnership with PNG Ports Corporation, the EU Delegation, and JICA — is the company's active proof-of-concept deployment and currently anchors the bulk of disclosed institutional engagement. Operational capability is delivered through Deeptrek (founded 1986, currently re-established in the UAE), whose 40+ year operational lineage and senior team of specialists with credentials including U.S. Navy and NASA pilot training provide the in-water execution layer for the intelligence platform.

Name

Project Guardian

Legal name

Project Guardian

Website

https://project-guardian.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Project Guardian operates an intelligence-led platform that assesses and prioritises environmental risks from potentially polluting WWII shipwrecks, serving coastal states, port authorities, development banks, and ESG-focused sponsors through its WERP protocol and Guardian Sentry continuous monitoring capability.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Environmental Intelligence / Wreck Risk Management Software

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Underwater/Port Infrastructure Security (Dive Teams, Hull & Pier Inspections) (BPAKALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Maritime Security Technology & Systems (CCTV, Radar, AIS, Perimeter Sensors) (BPAKALAI), Nautical Safety, Navigation Aids & Hydrographic Services (TLAHAFAE)

Keywords

• Shipwreck risk assessment
• Marine environmental intelligence
• Wreck monitoring platform
• Oil spill prevention
• Hazard characterisation protocol

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship Programs: Tiered sponsorship engagement (Supporting, Strategic, Flagship) providing baseline infrastructure access, custom analytics, early feature access, co-design workshops, co-branded initiatives, advisory participation, and joint impact reporting. Phase-based funding allocation across Technology & Mobilisation, On-Site Operations, and Monitoring/Remediation/Advocacy.
2. Institutional Service Contracts: Formal agreements with coastal states and flag states for risk-ranked assessment of wreck portfolios, in-water surveys of priority assets, and ongoing monitoring. Revenue supports sovereign engagement and ESIA certification for port redevelopment projects.
3. ESIA Support Services: WERP methodology produces certified hazard characterisation for environmental impact assessment on port redevelopment, coastal infrastructure, and remediation programmes. Works with development banks and institutional funders during ESIA and remediation phases.
4. Liability Assessment Services: Data infrastructure and methodology support for P&I clubs, maritime authorities, and flag states to manage long-term wreck-related liability under the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Project Guardian operates a web-based intelligence platform that assesses and mitigates environmental risks posed by WWII shipwrecks, using its proprietary WERP protocol to deliver risk-ranked hazard characterisation and continuous monitoring via Guardian Sentry. Services are delivered in conjunction with Deeptrek, which provides the specialist marine field operations needed to action the intelligence.

Product overview

Project Guardian operates as a unified intelligence platform for managing the environmental risk of WWII shipwrecks. The core product combines the WERP (Wreck Environmental Risk Prioritisation) protocol—a proprietary risk scoring and assessment methodology—with a web-based platform providing real-time monitoring of threats including seismic events, tropical storms, and satellite-detected oil slicks. Guardian Sentry delivers continuous automated surveillance with a formal notification system for issuing pollution-source alerts to maritime authorities. The platform supports operational deployments like the Rabaul Mission, which demonstrates end-to-end capability from strategic prioritisation through in-water validation to digital twin modeling. Admin tools include the Bulk Analyzer for batch vessel assessments and the WERP Assessment framework for individual wreck scoring.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Project Guardian Intelligence Platform Web-based intelligence platform delivering risk-ranked WERP assessments, continuous Guardian Sentry monitoring outputs, slick detection analytics, and formal notifications of newly identified polluting WWII wrecks to subscribed coastal states, port authorities, development banks, insurers, and flag-state regulators.
• WERP Protocol Assessment Services Bespoke WERP (Wreck Environmental Risk Protocol) assessments that produce certified, defensible hazard characterisation of WWII wreck sites for use in regulatory, ESIA, and liability contexts. Sold as a service to coastal states, development banks, insurers, and flag-state administrations.
• Guardian Sentry Continuous Monitoring Subscription-based continuous monitoring service that uses slick detection pipelines and digital-twin modelling to track assigned WWII wreck sites between surveys and to identify newly emerging polluting wrecks, delivered through the Project Guardian platform and supported by Deeptrek marine operations.
• ESIA & Liability Support Services Specialist ESIA (Environmental and Social Impact Assessment) support and liability assessment services for development banks, insurers, and coastal states engaged in wreck-related remediation, financing, or litigation, built on the WERP methodology and platform outputs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200,000 tons of crude oil prevented from entering marine ecosystem
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, charitable and flagship.

• DeeptrekcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeeptrek is the marine specialist operation that delivers Project Guardian's in-water capability. Founded in 1986, Deeptrek combines deep-water environmental intervention, wreck and salvage leadership, and Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) command-and-control technology. Jay Usher serves as COO of Deeptrek and Co-Principal of Project Guardian.
• Marinas GuardiancharitableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable partner of Project Guardian focused on community-driven conservation. Led by Alexandra Dempsey (CEO-designate) with 15+ years marine science experience and Mark Prendergast (Strategic Advisor) with 25+ years in business transformation. Marinas Guardian provides leadership and advisors while operational mission is delivered by Project Guardian and Deeptrek.
• EFI (Environment Foundation)charitableOthersCharitable partner of Project Guardian listed alongside Marinas Guardian. Specific partnership details not fully disclosed on available pages.
• PNG Ports CorporationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPapua New Guinea Ports Corporation is the primary sovereign partner for the Rabaul Mission. Project Guardian works under formal agreement with PNG authorities for consent and operational deployment. The partnership addresses 70+ sunken vessels in Rabaul Harbour as part of port redevelopment ESIA requirements.
• EU Delegation in Port MoresbyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU Delegation is engaged as part of the blended EU/AFD/EIB financing package supporting Rabaul port rehabilitation. Wrecks and unexploded ordnance are directly relevant to environmental impact assessment requirements for the development bank financing.
• JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJapanese development agency engaged in Rabaul port redevelopment financing. Partnership includes Japanese Embassy engagement for sovereign and flag state coordination.
• Regional Marine Salvage and Project SpecialistscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRegional marine salvage and project specialist partner who may be brought in for follow-on remediation work where required and appropriate under consent and contractual arrangements. Part of the phased Rabaul Mission approach following survey and characterisation.
• Subsea Laser and Photogrammetric Imaging Technology ProviderscoreTechnology or IntegrationIndustry-leading providers of subsea laser and photogrammetric imaging systems. Deeptrek works with established technology partnerships for high-resolution imaging required for digital twin models and WERP Phase 2 in-water validation.
• ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) ProviderscoreTechnology or IntegrationProfessional-grade remotely operated vehicles deployed through Deeptrek's operational capability for deep-water inspection and environmental assessment of WWII wrecks.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• XOCEAN: Ireland-based USV operator providing ocean data collection for survey and environmental monitoring. Comparable uncrewed surface vessel platform and ocean-monitoring capability, though focused on survey work for energy and government clients rather than wreck risk.
• Saildrone: US-based unmanned surface vehicle (USV) company providing ocean data collection using wind- and solar-powered USVs. Directly comparable USV technology overlap with Deeptrek's USV command-and-control capability, though Saildrone is focused on meteorological and oceanographic data rather than wreck monitoring.

Direct peers

• Odyssey Marine Exploration: Publicly traded marine exploration and shipwreck recovery company historically focused on cargo recovery from historic wrecks. Most comparable on the wreck-domain side, though Odyssey has historically been reactive and salvage-led rather than preventative and environmental risk-led.
• Deep Ocean Search: UK-based marine survey company specializing in deep-water wreck investigation, search, and documentation. Operates in the same wreck survey space with comparable ROV and sonar capability, though typically contracted for historical/heritage projects rather than environmental risk.
• Endurance Exploration Group: Shipwreck exploration and recovery company focused on deep-ocean historic wrecks. Comparable on the wreck recovery and survey domain but oriented around cargo and artefact recovery rather than environmental risk prioritisation.

Broad incumbents

• Boskalis: Dutch marine services and salvage major with deep historical expertise in wreck removal and emergency response (e.g., Costa Concordia). Comparable in marine salvage and wreck intervention capability, though much larger and more reactive/incident-led rather than preventative.
• Subsea 7: Global subsea engineering, construction, and services contractor with strong ROV and offshore project delivery capability. Comparable in deep-water intervention and project delivery but oriented around energy infrastructure rather than wreck environmental risk.
• DeepOcean Group: Norwegian subsea services provider offering survey, ROV, and intervention services across offshore and renewables. Comparable in survey and underwater intervention capability but operating at much larger scale and across broader end markets.
• Fugro: Global subsea services and geophysical survey giant operating across offshore energy, renewables, and infrastructure. Provides comparable geophysical, ROV, and hydrographic survey capability as part of a much broader portfolio, including relevant experience with USV command-and-control that overlaps with Deeptrek's capability.
• Helix Energy Solutions Group: US offshore energy services company with well intervention and subsea decommissioning capability. Comparable in subsea intervention and offshore operational delivery, with overlapping expertise in managing oil-related liabilities in marine environments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/project-guardian-1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Project Guardian