XZent Solution's co-founder Saurav L. Chaudhari pitching at Vizag Skill Sail 2025 at Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach
Ship delays and idle emissions at Indian ports may soon be a thing of the past. At the Vizag Skill Sail 2025 – Green Port Startup Innovation Challenge, hosted by the Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA), a Nagpur-based deep-tech startup has shown how artificial intelligence could solve a century-old maritime bottleneck.
A Nagpur-based deep-tech startup, XZent Solutions, has taken top honors at the Vizag Skill Sail 2025 – Green Port Startup Innovation Challenge, hosted by the Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA). The company’s AI-driven solution, BerthSmart AI, won the jury’s approval for its ability to optimize vessel berth allocation, cutting both waiting times and carbon emissions at Indian ports.
The final pitches were held on August 22 at Novotel Visakhapatnam Varun Beach, with jury members from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, academia, and the maritime industry.
The challenge, aligned with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways’ Harit Sagar Green Port Guidelines, was designed to showcase innovative, deployable solutions that advance sustainability in India’s maritime sector.
From Central India to Coastal Innovation
Founded in Nagpur, XZent Solutions specializes in AI systems that combine computer vision and deep learning to power decision-making and automate complex processes. The company’s hallmark lies in building modular, plug-and-play AI tools that can be quickly integrated into existing workflows, enhancing human capabilities across industries.
With BerthSmart AI, XZent carried this ethos into maritime logistics, targeting one of the most overlooked yet critical bottlenecks in port operations: berth allocation.
BerthSmart AI: Intelligent Berthing for a Greener Future
Every day, vessels arriving at ports spend hours, sometimes days, idling offshore while awaiting berthing clearance. This inefficiency not only costs shipping companies millions but also contributes significantly to fuel consumption and emissions.
BerthSmart AI screenshot
BerthSmart AI offers a smarter approach.
The system combines automation, real-time intelligence, and optimization in ways that simplify a traditionally manual task.
– Automated Data Extraction: It parses vessel schedules from structured and unstructured sources, including PDFs.
– Real-Time Context: Integrates tide and weather forecasts to generate dynamic berth plans.
– Optimization Engine: Uses a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model to deliver the most efficient berth assignments.
– Actionable Dashboards: Provides port operators with interactive visualizations, including estimated carbon savings.
BerthSmart AI dashboard screenshot
By reducing idle time and congestion, the system directly supports decarbonization while improving port efficiency.
Standing Out at Vizag Skill Sail 2025
The Vizag Skill Sail 2025 Green Port Challenge drew startups and MSMEs from across India, each presenting technologies under themes like greener ships, smart logistics, and renewable integration.
Against this backdrop, XZent Solutions stood out for three key reasons:
1. Immediate Impact: Unlike futuristic concepts, BerthSmart AI is deployable with existing port infrastructure.
2. Sustainability Benefits: Reduces carbon emissions by cutting vessel idle times.
3. Scalability: The modular design means it can be replicated across ports worldwide.
It was this mix of technical depth and real-world practicality that convinced the jury of its value.
A jury member summarized the decision: “BerthSmart AI solves an old problem with new intelligence. Its potential to reduce emissions at scale made it a clear winner.”
A Portfolio of Deep-Tech Innovation
For XZent Solutions, this win is part of a broader journey in building AI-driven tools that solve high-impact challenges. Alongside BerthSmart AI, its WeaveGuard AI solution is redefining manufacturing quality control with precision automation.
“Whether in factories or ports, our goal is the same — build AI systems that make decisions smarter, faster, and greener,” said a startup teammember. “Winning Vizag Skill Sail 2025 validates that our approach works for critical industries.”
Experts believe this dual focus on automation and sustainability gives XZent a competitive edge, particularly at a time when industries are under pressure to balance efficiency with environmental responsibility.
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Looking Beyond the Hackathon
Meanwhile, XZent continues to expand its footprint in other industries, proving that tier-2 cities like Nagpur can produce innovations with global relevance.
As one jury member remarked during the final pitches, “Berth allocation may not sound glamorous, but it’s the heartbeat of port operations. Getting it right creates ripple effects across trade, environment, and economics.”
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