Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada – June 6, 2023 – The Ocean of Data Challenge: Future Green Ports, held from May 24 to June 5, has concluded and the top submissions have been determined.

The goal was to foster sustainable practices in port cities, such as Halifax, by leveraging ocean data and encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration among students from Atlantic Canadian post-secondary institutions. The challenge provided a platform for students from diverse academic backgrounds, including Computer Science, Engineering, Biology, Sustainability, and Business, to propose innovative solutions for creating greener and more efficient ports. By utilizing ocean data, participants developed diagrams, technological solutions, data analyses, and other innovative approaches to address the challenge.

Speakers from the Halifax Port Authority and the Port of Virginia shared insights on current green initiatives in ports, while speakers from Datifex and Acuicy spoke about the importance of data in achieving net-zero targets and creating a sustainable supply chain.

The participants submitted short video presentations, which were evaluated by a panel of expert judges. The judging criteria included design, business potential, technical difficulty, completeness, presentation, and innovation.

 

The winners of the Ocean of Data Challenge: Future Green Ports are as follows:

First Place: Tolga Gokturk Cohce, completing a Master of Computer Science from Mount Allison University, won for his concept called “SoundOff Sea Strategy.” This innovative approach focuses on underwater noise mitigation and modification of existing incentives, addressing the crucial issue of noise pollution in port areas.

Second Place: Joseph Barss, a recent graduate specializing in Mathematics and Economics from Mount Saint Vincent University, proposed “Opportunities for shore power expansion in the Port of Halifax,” exploring the expansion of shore power infrastructure to reduce emissions and enhance sustainability.

Best Practical Application Award: Jack Ryan, pursuing a Master of Finance at Saint Mary’s University, received recognition for his actionable solution assisting container terminal managers in making profitable and environmentally friendly resource allocation decisions.

Best Data-Driven Innovation: The team of Dalhousie Students in Computer Science, Mootez Saad, Saurabhsingh Rajput, and Indranil Palit, received this award for their concept called “Winds of Change,” which proposes optimal placement for windmills to maximize energy production.

 

The Ocean of Data Challenge: Future Green Ports highlights the importance of ocean data and encourages interdisciplinary thinking within the ocean sector. For more information about the challenge and future initiatives, please click here.

 

About DeepSense

DeepSense is a research platform headquartered in the Faculty of Computer Science at Dalhousie University. Its innovation priorities unite industry, academia and government in an effort to boost the ocean economy in the Atlantic region through the application of big data analytics. DeepSense enables ocean-related companies to connect with ocean scientists and critical data sets to leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning opportunities in the development of commercially useful predictive models, analytical prototypes and applications for use in the ocean economy.

 

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