After a year of partnership with DockTech, Wilson Sons is expanding the coverage of the seabed monitoring technology developed by the start-up to the main national ports. A pioneering solution in the Brazilian market, which makes it possible to understand the occurrence and pattern of siltation in ports from data collected by echo sounders on the company’s tugboats.
“In March, we concluded the integration of all our tugboats to the system, collecting the depth data in the 25 Brazilian ports in which we operate,” says Eduardo Valença, commercial and digital solutions manager of the Wilson Sons’ Tugboat Division. Eduardo explains also that the goal is to create new features to meet the demands of each customer and encourage the local development of the solution.
In this sense, in December last year, Wilson Sons and DockTech signed an important technical cooperation agreement with the Santos Port Authority (SPA) for the improvement and use of technology in this port. “Having the largest port complex in Latin America as a strategic partner in the improvement of the tool is very significant for us,” says Eduardo.
DockTech’s digital twin technology uses the depth readings from Wilson Sons’ tugboats to create a dynamic virtual representation of the seabed. By analysing this data with algorithms based on artificial intelligence, it is possible to identify the occurrence of silting, anticipate dredging needs and ensure greater navigational safety.
“The world’s port infrastructure still does not have instruments capable of monitoring the depth of navigation channels in real time. DockTech’s solution makes it possible to make this measurement dynamically and thus avoid restrictions on operational draft, in addition to increasing navigational safety and optimising the resources invested in dredging,” explains Uri Yoselevich, co-founder and CEO of DockTech.
Wilson Sons has a minority stake in DockTech and an exclusive commercial agreement with the company for implementation in Brazilian ports. The investment is part of the company’s strategy to foster innovation and the development of port and maritime infrastructure.
Source: Wilson Sons