Founded by entrepreneur and former Israeli Navy officer Uri Yoselevich, the startup DockTech, through digital twin technology and massive data analysis, devised a solution that uses bathymetric (depth measurement) data collected by tugs and other harbour vessels to create a virtual representation of the seabed of ports and waterways. The solution consists of real-time tracking of waterway depth and understanding how the silting pattern of ports can affect shipping and cargo transport safety.
The startup currently has operations in five countries, with 95 vessels monitored in 35 locations. In addition to monitoring the ports of Brazil using Wilson Sons’ 80 tugs, the startup operates in the United States (Tampa Bay), Colombia (Barranquilla), Romania (Danube) and Israel (Ashdod and Danchor).
“Over the last few months, DockTech has received positive feedback and a lot of input to bring its product to the current stage. The latest tests in Brazil, our biggest market today, and in other parts of the world, show us that the insights generated by our technology help ports in the daily management of operations. If we can, with this technology, avoid unnecessary costs through more assertive dredging planning, and allow greater volumes of cargo loading onto ships, for example, we will be fulfilling our purpose,” said DockTech CEO and co-founder Uri Yoselevich.
Wilson Sons Director of Digital Transformation, Eduardo Valença, and CEO of DockTech, Uri Yoselevich
Wilson Sons, the largest integrated operator of port and maritime logistics in Brazil, has been reaffirming its commitment towards innovation and sustainability in the Brazilian industry. With new capital injections, the company increased its minority interest in DockTech and, with other foreign investors, it helped the startup to raise about US$ 2.5 million. The new investment round also included the participation of venture capital funds theDOCK (Israel) and Cultivation Capital (USA), as well as some retail investors. The funds raised will support the startup in the development of new applications, commercial prospecting and will help scale up the product.
“The global port infrastructure does not yet have any instruments capable of monitoring in real time the depth of shipping lanes and access to berths. Our solution makes it possible to perform this measurement dynamically while avoiding operating draft restrictions, one of the biggest pains in the port industry”, Yoselevich says.
In December last year, Wilson Sons and DockTech took an important step in the development of the technology. A technical cooperation agreement was signed with the Santos Port Authority (SPA), a relevant milestone for the improvement and use of the technology in the Port of Santos, the largest port complex in Latin America. Upon signing this agreement, the startup has been confirming the value of its solution, with letters of intent signed in several other Brazilian ports, such as with CODESA, Praticagem do Rio de Janeiro, Porto do Açu and Portos RS.
“With the technology developed by DockTech, we scan the seabed for variations and collect data in real time, 24 hours a day. This is to avoid ship draft restrictions and increase shipping safety, also allowing the optimization of dredging investments in Brazilian ports,” said Eduardo Valença, digital transformation director at Wilson Sons.
Source: Wilson Sons