The Halifax Port Authority (HPA) strives to operate a safe, secure sustainable port for all in the port community. Deconflicting pedestrian, vehicular and rail traffic at the Port of Halifax lowers the risk of safety-related incidents stemming from unsafe behaviours.
The HPA, through its innovation lab The PIER, is currently piloting new artificial intelligence (AI) & machine learning technology on existing security cameras at various locations around terminal operations. Delivered by Protex AI, the technology is a computer vision tool for proactive workplace safety.
This project aims to enhance visibility and actionable insights via data to proactively mitigate associated risks. The locations feature two high traffic pedestrian public areas intersecting with port operations and a high traffic vehicle zone within terminal operations. Important outcomes of this project are to:
• Improve overall safety culture in port operations, rather than single out individual infractions.
• Educate employees with a greater understanding of how their privacy will be protected (machine learning de-identification and edge computing to protect data).
• Increase the Port Authority’s organizational capacity to adopt new innovation by exposing staff to emerging solutions.
To date, the HPA has gathered thousands of data sets from the project that identify trends in safety performance and highlight areas needing improvement, supporting informed decision-making and strategic planning for port operations.
Using The PIER to perform a rapid pilot empowers the Port Authority to quickly mobilize lessons learned across other stakeholders, accelerating the adoption of new technologies. Furthermore, by using emerging AI technologies, the HPA can tap data-driven solutions to improve the safety and wellbeing of employees, the public, partners, and contractors at port locations during operations.