PortX, Helm Ink Strategic Partnership Pact
PortX (Rotterdam, Netherlands) and Helm Operations (Victoria, BC, Canada) announced that they have signed a new strategic partnership agreement to combine PortX’s cutting-edge AI-based port dispatching system, OptiPort, with Helm CONNECT, a leading harbor dispatching and operations software.Already used in a number of ports around the globe, OptiPort dramatically improves the scheduling of harbour towage operations by using artificial intelligence to optimize vessel dispatch based on crew working hours, currents, tides, vessel characteristics, fuel consumption, and availability. Until now, it has been difficult for companies to manually calculate and account for these factors in a live environment.
Rewriting the Recycling Model
At just one year old, ReShore LLC said it is still in its infancy, but over the past 12 months, the fledging spinoff from Rubberform Recycled Products has gone through many changes and faced many challenges. The company’s original flagship product (an erosion control device) had to be tabled for budgetary and testing constraints. Early supply issues constantly tested the firms commitment to quality and consistency. These and other barriers strained ReShore’s resources and hammered on leadership’s enthusiasm. But they’ve weathered the worst of the storm.
Michigan Port Collaborative Reaches Beyond the Region
On October 18 - 20, 2010 Statewide leaders from the Michigan Port Collaborative traveled to Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, and Alpena, Michigan respectively to meet with regional representatives from area ports to enlist their participation in this newly formed statewide organization. All three meetings saw high attendance from approximately 80 regional port representatives. Don Gilmet, MPC Steering Committee member and host of the third and final meeting in the Alpena district summarized the event in this way, "I attended all three meetings and it was very clear that everyone was excited about the opportunity to solve a vast array of port issues and seize new entrepreneurial opportunities through networking…
Repowering a Hawaiian Tug: More Power, Better Air Quality
Photo of Kamaehu courtesy of Sause Bros. Inc. Sause Brothers, based in Coos Bay Ore. also operate tugs out of Long Beach, California and Honolulu, Hawaii. They have been providing ocean towing between the mainland and the Hawaiian Islands since 1966. In more recent years they have also maintained three docking tugs in the islands. As many harbor operators can attest, the high visibility of docking tugs provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to environmental protection.
