Sajjad Ahmad, Gulf Today

Four tech start-ups from three countries are leading breakthrough work to transform the ports and logistics sector by piloting projects with Gulftainer.

eYard, Morpheus Networks, Throughput, and Zainar, have emerged as winners of Gulftainer’s Future of Ports 2021, which saw more than 2,000 applicants from over 200 cities vie to create disruptive technology that will reshape the sector.

Gulftainer, a leading privately held global port operator, has recently concluded its Future of Ports 2021, a global pitch event offering tech start-ups a platform to showcase how their solutions can create a disruptive impact and address current challenges in the industry. The winning teams were selected through a rigorous screening process across various categories comprising the Internet of Things and Robo-Doctors, Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Drones, Big Data and Advanced Analytics, and Blockchain.

ZaiNar is an innovative application that enables real-time 3D location with sub-meter precision designed to transform how ports manage operations and assets. The company is developing next generation wireless radio location tracking technologies for mobile and IoT applications that provide enterprises with data needed to remain competitive.

Commenting on the win, Daniel Jacker, CEO of ZaiNar said: “Port operations and supply chain logistics everywhere depend on accurate location tracking, and ZaiNar is thrilled to work with Gulftainer to enable reliable 3D positioning for the ports and supply chains of the future.”

eYard has won the AI category for leveraging the technology to analyze thousands of potential operational scenarios that can create unprecedented levels of efficiency for container terminals. It envisions making ports more competitive and innovative and contributing to shaping a smarter and sustainable global trade following the European Commission Green Deal TCFD / SDG towards a climate-neutral economy. They aim to achieve this by getting rid of unproductive container moves and optimize delivery time and storage space.

Pablo Fernandez-Pena, Co-Founder & CEO of e-Yard, commented: “We are delighted with the opportunity of working with one of the world’s leading terminal operators around the world. We are convinced that AI will transform the industry in the coming years, and having the right partners is crucial.”

Throughput, the winner for Big Data solutions, uses existing data to rapidly optimize supply chains and address operational bottlenecks. It seeks to improve business outcomes for port operators and their customers using this powerful new tool.

“The future of ports requires the scaling of centuries of operational expertise with the latest and greatest technology enablers, such as AI, that allows operations to sense demand changes in real-time and automate proactiveness using existing Data Systems. We look forward to collaborating with Gulftainer to help improve container flow not only at the ports, but across the entire end-to-end global supply chain,” stated Seth Page, COO of ThroughPut Inc. Morpheus Networks, the winner of the blockchain category, offers a SaaS middleware platform that enables trusted and compliant data-sharing across the supply chain, unlocking broad opportunities to improve operational efficiency and customer experience. The platform also provides supply chain managers with a Digital Footprint, making shipment and items visible in an automated, safe, and secure supply chain system, thereby saving time and money.

Karl McDermott, Global Head of Business Development, Morpheus, commented: “We are honoured to begin working with Gulftainer, one of the world’s leading port operators. I am confident that our shared vision of digital port operations as part of an end-to-end logistics ecosystem will result in mutual growth and success.” Commenting on the importance of the competition, Charles Menkhorst, CEO of Gulftainer, said: Technology plays a big role in addressing the key challenges in the industry such as lack of tech standards and high cost of legacy systems, while real-time data access and sharing remains a challenge. Companies that seek to expand their offerings towards end-to-end services using new technologies will gain a competitive edge over the long term.”

Nikhil Sinha, CEO of OneValley, and Gulftainer’s partner in the global pitch remarked: “As part of OneValley’s mission to support entrepreneurs and accelerate and empower innovative start-ups globally, the Future of Ports is a great example of the exceptional talent, innovation, and entrepreneurship that thrives from all corners of the world. Our partnership with Gulftainer provided us the opportunity to identify and surface the most exciting forward-thinking start-ups transforming the future of ports, supply chain and logistics. We believe initiatives such as this are powerful catalysts to spur innovation. We are honored to be their partner in this endeavour.”