ZIM Integrated Shipping Services (ZIM) and Data Science Group (DSG) will establish a ‘Center of Excellence’ to develop artificial intelligence (AI) solutions from design stage to implementation.
In a statement, ZIM said the Center will provide it with a “decisive competitive edge” in the global arena of AI; it will focus on logistics, operations, trade and finance.
The Center will employ teams from both ZIM and DSG, including AI experts and engineers, who will work on the evaluation, validation, and development of the AI projects and their implementation into ZIM’s operational environment.
The team will develop advanced models to forecast demand, plan shipping routes, automate logistical processes, and more.
They will do this while analysing the data accumulated from the shipping fleet, which carries tens of thousands of cargo containers to various seaports, considering the different regulations to which the company is subject.
DSG provides ZIM with knowledge in data science and machine learning, along with its methodology and the experience it has gained over years of operating in various vertical markets.
This will allow ZIM the rapid, efficient, and creative development of advanced AI solutions. ZIM will provide the business insights necessary to establish the solutions and the technological infrastructure required for day-to-day operations.
Eli Glickman, President and CEO of ZIM, said: “Integrating smart solutions into ZIM’s technological apparatus is a central aspect of our vision to lead the field of maritime transportation by using a variety of advanced technologies.
“We chose DSG, a leader in the world of artificial intelligence with experience working on large-scale, international projects in the field, and we are convinced that this collaboration will lead to the realization of this vision while promoting innovation and ground-breaking developments.”
Eyal Ben-Amram, EVP and CIO of ZIM, also commented, “ZIM is advancing into the digital age and is leveraging the data it has accumulated over the years to gain new insights that will give it a significant advantage in the world of shipping, which in recent years has become more competitive than ever.
“The partnership with DSG in the Center of Excellence will allow us to lead the world of international shipping by expediting delivery times, streamlining logistics, forecasting demand, and automating processes.”
Elan Sasson, CEO and co-founder of Data Science Group (DSG), was quoted, “The COVID-19 crisis has led to a massive upsurge in shipping throughout the globe.
“This field, which was already competitive in the past, has become even more so, and this trend is expected to continue to strengthen. Shipping companies must be adequately prepared to meet this growing demand while constantly optimizing their decision-making mechanisms.
“The only way to do this is by using AI-based forecasting models. We see our partnership with ZIM as particularly strategic considering the unique processes characteristic of the shipping industry and in light of ZIM’s incredibly advanced technological infrastructure, which we have not seen in similar customers.”
