Session #12: Kongsberg Discovery’s BerthWatch

Konrad Mech, CD, P.Eng., PMP, BEng, BA, MBA Sales Director, Coasts, Ports and Inland Waterways /Kongsberg Discovery

Kongsberg Discovery has developed BerthWatch^TM to provide real-time continuous soundings in vessel berths.  Current practice is to conduct periodic hydrographic surveys, then apply a factor of safety for under keel clearance. This provides no information about the rate of siltation or shoaling between surveys – which is economically sub-optimal.  BerthWatch provides all stakeholders real-time data of the actual depths in a berth.  Bulk cargo vessels can maximize loads while maintaining safe depth under keel. Terminal operators can contract dredgers based in true knowledge of rate of siltation / shoaling. Ports can verify presence of foreign objects in the berth pocket after storms, accelerating recovery and improving port resiliency. Pilots can obtain real time data on berth depths prior to approach. Green Shipping Corridor Partners can optimize loads and reduce lightering / reverse lightering operations by exchanging data at each end of a transit. Find out how your port operations can benefit from this solution.