July 8, 2026 was an historic occasion at Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse. From StationKeeper and the North Atlantic right whale to Maine’s lighthouses and the Maine Maritime Academy’s new ship – the T/S STATE OF MAINE, new history was being forged!
(Program designed by Ann-Marie Trapani)
Summer Update from July 8, 2026…
A diverse group of stakeholders gathered at Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse on July 8, 2026, to commemorate an historic AIS StationKeeper moment, and touch on how this technology is playing an important role in helping to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale.
The event was hosted by the American Lighthouse Foundation and included representatives from the offices of U.S. Senator Susan Collins and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, as well as US Coast Guard Sector Northern New England, Pegasus Foundation, International Fund for Animal Welfare, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, Maine Maritime Academy and MotionInfo – the cutting-edge company behind StationKeeper.
As for the historic moment at Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse, according to MotionInfo, “With the dedication of this AIS Messaging Station at Cape Elizabeth, Maine becomes the first lighthouse site in America to transmit a directed AIS message to a training ship underway. This historic message will be received aboard the Training Ship STATE OF MAINE as Academy cadets (Maine Maritime Academy) complete the vessel’s maiden voyage along the coast.”
American Lighthouse Foundation Executive Director Bob Trapani, Jr. served as the event’s master of ceremonies and shared how lighthouses have a long tradition of being connected to marine conservation, the protection of endangered seabirds and marine weather monitoring.
(Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani)
As we all know, light saves lives. However, when it comes to lighthouses in 2026, a sentinel’s protective power is not always limited to the realm of luminance.
Today, thanks to Automatic Identification System (AIS) StationKeeper technology, a beacon’s “light” can also assume the form of vital safety information transmitted digitally from a lighthouse to a vessel in the vicinity.
And one of the cool facets about this technology is that the lighthouse does not have to be seen to be a lifesaver. MotionInfo’s AIS-based StationKeeper utilizes text safety messages sent directly to vessels that alert mariners when endangered North Atlantic right whales are in the area. StationKeeper is helping lighthouses protect human life upon the water, and the right whale below the water.
The stakeholders talked about how collaboration is a key to helping raise public awareness for the plight facing the North Atlantic right whale, and how lighthouses are playing an important role in this national effort as both host sites and educational assets.
Talk about enlightening – and hopeful!
Coming together on behalf of the endangered North Atlantic right whale! Stakeholders included: Reps from the offices of U.S. Senator Susan Collins and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, as well as U.S. Coast Guard Sector Northern New England, Pegasus Foundation, ifaw, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, Maine Maritime Academy, MotionInfo – the cutting-edge company behind StationKeeper, and the American Lighthouse Foundation, hosts of the dedication ceremony.
(Gary Point Photography)
(L to R) Kathleen Collins, Senior Marine Campaign Manager for the International Fund for Animal Welfare and Moses Calouro, CEO of MotionInfo.
Kathleen Collins of ifaw’s Washington, DC office explained to those in attendance the plight of the North Atlantic right whale and how technology like StationKeeper can be utilized to protect the endangered marine mammals.
(Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani)
(L to R) Jeanne Christie, District Representative, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01) at U.S. House of Representatives and Bob Trapani, Jr., Executive Director, American Lighthouse Foundation.
Jeanne Christie spoke on the importance of identifying solutions to help protect the North Atlantic right whale and the vocation of Maine’s fishing industry. She noted how AIS-based technologies like StationKeeper may prove beneficial to all involved.
(Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani)
(L to R) Kathleen Collins, Senior Marine Campaign Manager for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (ifaw), Moses Calouro, CEO of MotionInfo, and Bob Trapani, Jr., Executive Director of the American Lighthouse Foundation.
Moses Calouro shared with those in attendance the latest involving the AIS-based StationKeeper system and how a test text message was being sent to the Maine Maritime Academy’s new T/S STATE OF MAINE.
(Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani)
(Right) Greg Wells, Gear Innovations Manager for the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, noted how he supports fisheries management and conservation initiatives, working with diverse stakeholders including fishermen, state and federal managers, non-government organizations, scientists and the concerned public.
(Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani)
Sean Walsh, Assistant Professor at the Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, touched on the importance of innovative technology like StationKeeper for professional mariners.
(Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani)
Dedication ceremony attendees look on as Weston Granholm, Constituent Services Intern (Portland office) to U.S. Senator Susan Collins (back row…second from the right) shares how he was looking forward to learning more about the AIS-based StationKeeper technology and its diverse uses.
(Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani)
(L to R) Senior Chief Kevin Moynahan, Officer-in-Charge of USCG Aids to Navigation Team South Portland, Sean Dolan of U.S. Coast Guard Northeast District, Boston, Commander Erik Heithaus, senior U.S. Coast Guard officer serving as the Prevention Department Head at Coast Guard Sector Northern New England and Sean Walsh, Assistant Professor at the Maine Maritime Academy, look on during the dedication ceremony at Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse.
(Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani)
(L to R) Moses Calouro, CEO of MotionInfo, Greg Wells, Gear Innovations Manager for the National Marine Sanctuary and Barbara Birdsey, IFAW Trustee (Vice-Chair) and Founder of the Pegasus Foundation. Barbara is a widely recognized leader and national voice for animal protection, environmental preservation and wildlife and habitat protection in the United States and globally.
(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
(L to R) Commander Erik Heithaus, Prevention Department Head at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Northern New England and Charles “Dave” Birdsey who served in the Coast Guard and tended to the light at Cape Elizabeth during the 1960s.
(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
(L to R) Ann-Marie Trapani, Associate Director for the American Lighthouse Foundation and Portia Calouro of MotionInfo.
(Gary Point Photography)
American Lighthouse Foundation representatives in attendance at the AIS StationKeeper Dedication Ceremony at Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse, Maine, on July 8, 2026. (L to R) Jared Fulcher, ALF Board Member, Judianne Point, ALF 1st Vice-President, Ann-Marie Trapani, ALF Associate Director, and Bob Trapani, Jr., ALF Executive Director.
(Gary Point Photography)
(L to R) Nyssa Kourakos speaks with Weston Granholm, Constituent Services Intern (Portland office) for U.S. Senator Susan Collins at the conclusion of the AIS StationKeeper Dedication Ceremony held at Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse on July 8, 2026.
(Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani)
(L to R) Commander Erik Heithaus, Prevention Department Head at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Northern New England, William Kourakos, owner of the former keeper’s house at Cape Elizabeth Light, Senior Chief Kevin Moynahan, Officer-in-Charge of USCG Aids to Navigation Team South Portland and Sean Dolan of U.S. Coast Guard Northeast District, Boston. MA.
(Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani)
(L to R) Jeanne Christie, District Representative for Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, U.S. House of Representatives, Anna Siletti, Constituent Services Intern (Portland office) for U.S. Senator Susan Collins and Bob Trapani, Jr., Executive Director for the American Lighthouse Foundation.
(Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani)
(L to R) Bob Trapani, Jr., Executive Director for the American Lighthouse Foundation, Kathleen Collins, Senior Marine Campaign Manager for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and Moses Calouro, CEO of MotionInfo – the cutting-edge company behind StationKeeper.
(Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani)
A special thanks to William Kourakos for graciously allowing the AIS Station Dedication at Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse to be hosted upon his property.
(Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani)
In the lantern of Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse…
(L to R) Portia Calouro, MotionInfo, Jared Fulcher, ALF Board Member, Ann-Marie Trapani, ALF Associate Director, Judianne Point, ALF 1st Vice-President, Bob Trapani, Jr., ALF Executive Director, Moses Calouro, CEO, MotionInfo and Jessica Connors, MotionInfo.
(Gary Point Photography)
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