DHI was founded by solving a challenging harbour development project in Denmark 60 years ago. Since then, our impact has extended to over 600 harbours, ports and terminals across 100 countries. We help port authorities and operators accommodate increasingly large ships and work with shipping companies to reduce their fuel costs and minimise biofouling. DHI’s objective is to empower clients to make well-informed, environmentally conscious decisions related to water.
Our solutions include:
Port operations and management – Leveraging smart technology to support clients in achieving safer and more efficient port operations and reducing a port’s environmental impact. DHI’s port-specific solutions are recognised by PIANC, IMO, UN and IALA.
Ballast water testing – Biological performance evaluating of ballast water management systems according to international standards. Our test facilities provide opportunities for verification of biological performance in fresh, brackish and high saline waters.
Current data and biofouling predictions – Optimisation of route planning to reduce fuel consumption and operational costs, through hourly current data and biofouling predictions on vessel hulls
Centralised vessel scheduling system in Canada
In 2023, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority reached a key milestone as it launched its first centralised vessel scheduling system which DHI was contracted to design and implement. Simon Brandi Mortensen, DHI’s Vice President of Ports & Terminals says, ‘The port’s vessel scheduling system is backed by DHI’s physics-based NCOS ONLINE solution, which provides an accurate and extensively validated decision support platform to optimise vessel scheduling for safe port expansion and reduce transit delays.’ Moving forward, the port will use the system to plan and coordinate more than 1,000 ship transits every year in the busiest waterway of the Port of Vancouver, helping to gain efficiencies and increase sustainable vessel traffic scheduling as the port continues to expand in the future.
Ballast water management in China
For the Chinese manufacturer SunRui Marine Environment Engineering Co., Ltd., with DNV as classification society, DHI performed a full testing programme for type approval of SunRui’s ballast water management system in 2023. SunRui’s system treats ballast water by electrochlorination, and compared to previous products, the filtration unit has been omitted. The testing by DHI confirmed that the system can eliminate live organisms in ballast water to the levels required by IMO and U.S. Coast Guard. ‘Ballast water management systems without a filter represent a new development, and it is encouraging to witness that SunRui’s system can meet the requirements that are expected of discharged ballast water’, says Gitte Ingelise Petersen, Business Area Manager at DHI.