Exploring the Hidden Crisis: Advanced Navigation Reveals Decline of Hall Bank Reef

Advanced Navigation, a pioneering company in navigation and autonomous systems, has joined forces with marine consultancy O2 Marine to uncover the stark reality of Hall Bank, a small reef near Fremantle in south-west Australia. Located at an unusual latitude for coral reefs, this site has been the focus of a recent survey that has revealed alarming findings.

Using their cutting-edge technology, including the Hydrus micro hovering autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), the teams conducted a thorough examination of Hall Bank. Through geo-referenced high-resolution imagery and 4K video, the survey showcased severe coral bleaching and fragmentation, shedding light on a growing crisis at one of the southernmost reefs in the world.

Mapping the Reef’s Condition

The mission involved the deployment of three Hydrus units, each conducting coordinated transects and survey patterns across different sections of the reef. This approach allowed for comprehensive spatial coverage, ensuring detailed data capture across the site. By meticulously mapping the reef’s structure and condition, Hydrus was able to capture fine-scale changes in coral health that are often overlooked by traditional survey methods.

The data gathered from Hydrus was used to create a 3D digital twin of the Hall Bank seabed, revealing a barren landscape filled with pale, lifeless corals, highlighting the decline of the coral formations.

Climate Impact on Coral Reefs

With Australia’s world heritage-listed reefs, Ningaloo and the Great Barrier Reef, experiencing simultaneous coral bleaching events in March 2025 due to rising sea temperatures, the findings at Hall Bank underscore the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect these fragile ecosystems.

The Hall Bank reef, known for its resilience in high-latitude environments, serves as a crucial research site for studying climate adaptation. Its diverse mix of coral species offers valuable insights into how reefs respond to changing ocean conditions and species range shifts.

Advancing Ocean Exploration

As ocean temperatures continue to rise and coral bleaching events become more frequent, there is an increasing need to explore and understand the ocean floor. With only a fraction of the seabed explored, initiatives like Seabed 2030 and the United Nations “Ocean Decade” plan play a vital role in mapping the ocean floor to facilitate further scientific discovery.

Advanced Navigation’s collaboration with partners to map the ocean floor aligns with the goals of these initiatives, aiming to unlock the mysteries of the ocean and pave the way for new scientific breakthroughs.