One of three Accelerated Ocean Solutions Program Projects Announced Mar. 24
On March 24, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster announced three new projects with a total value of almost $10 million from its Accelerated Ocean Solutions Program (AOSP) including the Port Integration and Enhancement of Data Project. This Nova Scotia-led project brings together large companies, SMEs, port authorities, and other partners in ocean innovation to develop technology to enhance the ability to collect ocean data and facilitate more effective and efficient ocean operations.
With a total project value of $3.2 million, the Ocean Supercluster will provide close to $1.1 million in funding for the project with the balance coming from industry partners. Led by BlueNode and together with project partners Saab Technologies, National Research Council, and the Halifax Port Authority, the project team will develop new software products which will enhance service to existing customers and enrich the sales offering for new customers.
The artificial intelligence solution in the Bluenode’s suite of applications integrated with Saab Technology’s leading enterprise software will:
● Enhance specific supply chain data quality through machine learning applications;
● Improve the interoperability of data between different actors in the supply chain; and
● Enhance business intelligence to develop competitive position of customers.
The Port Integration and Enhancement of Data Project will support economic growth both as an ocean transport hub and as a software hub. Through the more effective and efficient ocean operations, the project will also create more resilience to the Canadian supply chain. The project is expected to create 10 jobs through the course of the project and 50 indirect jobs in total.
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is an industry-led transformative cluster focused on tackling the shared challenges across ocean sectors through a collaborative program designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of globally relevant solutions, while also building a highly-capable, inclusive workforce. To encourage innovation and trigger new industry investment during these challenging times, the Ocean Supercluster supplemented its core programs with an additional project stream called Accelerated Ocean Solutions Program (AOSP). This enables the development of smaller projects on a shorter timeline that deliver tangible outcomes, while continuing to build resiliency in our ocean sectors.
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Quotes:
“The superclusters are fostering innovation ecosystems across the country in areas where Canada has a significant competitive advantage, including the ocean economy. I am pleased to see that such an innovative project is being led by a Canadian SME. Through projects like this one, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is creating new opportunities for SMEs by connecting them to new customers and supply chains, helping them build strong networks, and providing timely funding to help them turn bold ideas into tangible solutions.” – The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
“Quality data collection is a critical to facilitating effective and efficient ocean operations. We are excited to announce the Port Integration and Enhancement of Data Project today which brings together SMEs, transportation authorities, and researchers who will collaborate on this important project.” – Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
“The future of international trade is as much about data as it is about getting a product from one place to another; BlueNode plays the crucial role of making trade systems better through better data.” – Louis Beaubien, Co-Founder & CEO, Bluenode
“We are excited to work with the Ocean Supercluster and our partners BlueNode and the Port of Halifax. This project will use Machine Learning to clean cargo manifest data and then present processed data in a new user interface to highlight the areas that require human attention. As a result, we can improve the interoperability between actors in the supply chain and bring efficiency and resilience to the Canadian economy. We are doing this to help our port customers in Canada and around the world.” – Pavel Skournik, Managing Director of Saab Technologies Ltd.
“Manifest information is notoriously poor in our industry. This project leverages newer technologies to address a significant and persistent industry problem. Better data enables better decisions and is core to creating a port resilience and agility. We look forward to advancing this exciting initiative with Bluenode and Saab in ‘The PIER.” – Andrew Black, Executive Director, ‘The PIER’ at the Seaport