I-Corps: Intelligent System for Dredging Projects operation and Management

University Of Maryland, College Park, College Park MD

Investigators

Abstract

The operation and management of a dredging project requires high-performance, expensive equipment and specialized resources. A typical dredging project represents approximately $1.2 million in value of production per day. Lack of optimal information flow between owners and contractors during dredging operations exacerbates the risk of diminished performance, errors, project delays, and contractor claims. As a solution to these problems, the concept of a Web-based Project Management System (WPMS) for dredging operations has been developed. Subsequently, a prototype of the system was created and it is currently undergoing evaluation by select potential customers. Government departments, port authorities, harbor operators, and dredging contractors have shown interest in the system. The Panama Canal Authority (PCA) dredging operations have become a testbed for further development of system specifications. The subsequent efforts will focus on developing the commercial grade when it can undergo full-scale testing and commercial evaluation. The Web-based Project Management System (WPMS) combines information system architecture with communication infrastructure technology to create an intelligent system for comprehensive information processing. The dredging industry has a major influence on the performance of water-borne trade, and thus on the world's economic wealth. Additionally, it impacts marine and coastal ecosystems, thus affecting marine life and the natural environment in general. It is expected that after the deployment of the proposed sensor-based hardware on serviced dredging equipment, the proposed WPMS solution will be delivered to dredging industry customers on a software-as-a-service basis. Based on the team's prior investigations, it is further anticipated that the cost of performance of dredging operations may be reduced by approx. 20-30% or more after full implementation of the proposed WPMS. The team estimates that a minimum viable product ready to be tested on a dredge and with the specifications derived from the customer discovery can be achieved in 6 months from the date the I-Corps program starts. The funding, what the team will learn from the 100 interviews, and refining the prototype, are vital to the success and commercialization of the Intelligent Decision Support and Management System for Dredging.