July 13, 2021
OCIANA™ Consortium to lead Port Innovation, Efficiency and Environmental Protection
HALIFAX, NS, July 13, 2021 – Global Spatial Technology Solutions (“GSTS” or “the Company”) an Artificial Intelligence and Maritime Analytics company announced today that the Ports of Halifax and New York & New Jersey as well as the Laurentian Pilotage Authority have joined the OCIANA™ Consortium, expanding the consortium to eight members. The consortium was established under the Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) program. The objectives of SDTC are to support the development and demonstration of new environmental technologies that address climate change, clean air, clean water, and clean soil.
OCIANA™ is an artificial intelligence (AI) based system developed by GSTS that rapidly processes satellite data with other data sets harvested from ocean, weather, and port activity to provide dynamic decision-making information in near real-time. The capabilities include improved port and vessel efficiency, emission reduction, enhanced environmental protection and endangered marine species protection. OCIANA™ directly supports the objectives of Canada’s Ocean Protection Plan and Climate Initiatives while extending the same benefits to the global maritime community.
OCIANA™ is a modular platform that is configured to the specific operational, geographic, and regulatory conditions of each port, providing unparalleled performance in accuracy and optimization. The system continuously trains over time enabling it to adjust to changes in conditions such as alterations in trade flow, environmental or climate events and resource availability.
Quotes:
GSTS
“The engagement with the new Consortium members will enable GSTS to demonstrate the flexibility of OCIANA™ to adjust and adapt to the operational and geographic conditions of any port in the world. GSTS is proud to be working with ports committed to innovation, efficiency and environmental sustainability as well as supporting global ocean protection and climate change initiatives.” Richard Kolacz, CEO of GSTS
SDTC
“Canadian climate tech entrepreneurs are developing innovative solutions we need to reach our 2050 net zero targets. GSTS’ AI technology has the potential to significantly reduce global CO2 emissions to help achieve the ambitious net zero targets. We are proud to invest in trailblazers like GSTS who are jumpstarting the green economy.”
“The addition of the Ports of Halifax and New York and New Jersey along with the Laurentian Pilotage Authority will enable GSTS to demonstrate the highly adaptive and dynamic features of OCIANA to support environmental sustainability and address climate change issues on a global scale.” Leah Lawrence, President and CEO, Sustainable Development Technology Canada
Laurentian Pilotage Authority
“The Laurentian Pilotage Authority is pleased to join GSTS and the OCIANATM Consortium and thus contribute to the protection of the environment on the waters under its jurisdiction. This initiative is directly in line with the Authority’s mission to provide a safe, effective and efficient pilotage service and contribute to protecting human health, property and the environment, by innovating and using state-of-the-art technology on the St. Lawrence and Saguenay River.” Fulvio Fracassi, Chief Executive Officer
Port of Halifax
“Supply chain resilience and sustainability are critical, and ports are key players in ensuring these. By working with GSTS and the OCIANA platform, we are able to better understand risk in the maritime context, and through their simulation tools, we will be able to recover quickly after disruptions.” Andrew Black, Executive Director, “The PIER” at the Seaport
Port of New York and New Jersey
“The Port of New York and New Jersey looks forward to working with GSTS and the OCIANA consortium to examine how artificial intelligence and data can help improve operations, support our sustainability goals, and become better neighbors with the communities surrounding our six marine terminals in New York and New Jersey. We are proud of our critical role supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs and ensuring the flow of commerce throughout the U.S. Northeast and bistate region and are always looking for new opportunities and innovative ways to do that more quickly, more efficiently and with a smaller carbon footprint.” Sam Ruda, Director of the Port Department at The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
About GSTS
GSTS is a leader in Artificial Intelligence solutions for the maritime domain. Our solutions are designed to save lives, energy, and the environment on a global scale through the use of innovative applications based on emerging data sets and analytics. Our solutions enable enhanced decision-based operations for civil, commercial and security agencies and industries. For more information, visit www.gsts.ca.
About Sustainable Development Technology Canada
Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) helps Canadian companies develop and deploy competitive, clean technology solutions, to help solve some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges: climate change, clean air, clean water and clean soil. By taking a cross-Canada approach, from seed to scale, and in partnership with the best peers and experts, SDTC is the global benchmark for sustainable development innovation programming. Learn more at www.sdtc.ca
About the LPA
The Laurentian Pilotage Authority, a federal Crown corporation created in 1972, is responsible for establishing, managing, and providing safe and efficient marine pilotage services as well as related services in the Laurentian region waters, notably in the St. Lawrence River and the Saguenay River. The LPA provides services for three pilotage districts that cover a distance of 265 nautical miles between Montreal and Les Escoumins and another 70 nautical miles on the Saguenay River.
About Port of Halifax
The Port of Halifax is Canada’s Ultra Atlantic Gateway, connecting to more than 150 countries. In 2020, the total impact of the Port of Halifax on the Province of Nova Scotia was over $3.6 billion in economic output with the direct portion being $2.3 billion. This level of activity generated over 18,775 jobs. Offering a natural, deep harbour and big ship infrastructure, Halifax can accommodate large volumes of containerized cargo, breakbulk cargo and project cargo of any size. Collaborating and working with strong partners and stakeholders, the Port community in Halifax continues to deliver excellence.
About Port of New York and New Jersey
The Port of New York and New Jersey is the gateway to one of the most concentrated consumer markets in North America as the third-largest port in the United States and the largest on the U.S. East Coast. The seaport’s ability to get goods quickly into the hands of consumers provides a competitive edge as the port is the first East Coast port of call for 72 percent of shipping lines to the area.
Media Contact: Stephen Martins, GSTS