A Central Otago company has won big at the New Zealand Biosecurity Awards.

Xerra's Starboard a maritime intelligence project won the event's supreme award, along with industry and innovation awards. 

Starboard uses data and analytics to assess the biosecurity risk of every vessel entering New Zealand waters.

An image of Starboard showing vessel tracking for hitchhiker pests. PHOTO: Supplied

Oceanographer, marine biologist and Xerra’s senior scientist Moritz Lehmann said the idea for starboard grew out of a desire to use satellites to find ships or "dark vessels" in the ocean, which were not transmitting their position.

Moritz Lehmann lives in Raglan and is a senior scientist working on Starboard. PHOTO: Supplied

“Entities can disable electronic monitoring easily.

"Illegal fishing is a big problem, or fishing in an area without a license, or where fishing is prohibited because it is a marine reserve.

“MPI were interested for their fishing operations, they wanted to monitor southern bluefin tuna in the Tasman in 2020.”

Raglan-based Moritz said Starboard was a software system that worked like Google Earth, but it had advantages such as its ability to see all ships in the ocean, across the entire globe and could go back in time over a two year period.

It works on a web platform, that processes automated information system (AIS) signals, satellite data, scientific models to display tracks and vessels, which is simple for clients to use.

Since its creation, uses for Starboard have grown.

It is now used by Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to help detect hitchhiker pests such as the Asian gypsy moth and brown marmorated stink bug.

Starboard can flag the vessels that have been at certain ports, at certain times and efficiently get this information to MPI, minimising human involvement.

They used to have to ask vessel captains for this information, which would take time and could be inaccurate.

“When you open our system you’ll see a display of all vessels and they light up with a chance of having bugs on board . . . it’s easy to see and use without getting confused.”

He puts the success of the idea down to the people involved.

“The team is really the heart and soul of the whole operation.

“Xerra’s early ideaology was [to] gather as a bunch of people together who deeply care about environmental issues . . . and then to use technology to improve things for the better.”

The Brandon Street headquarters for Xerra is the base for interim chief executive Emma Scarlet and a Central Otago based software engineer.

Emma Scarlet, currently leading the team at Xerra, said she loves exploring all the ruggedness and vastness of Central when she can on foot, or by bike. PHOTO: Supplied

She said Xerra, owned by a charitable trust, The Space Science Technology Trust, has evolved into more than initially thought it could ever be.

“It was initiated from MBIE to be established as a regional research institute. We started in Alexandra and it’s evolved from [there]." 

Emma originally worked for Allied Health as an occupational therapist, but moved to Central in 2011.

She started at Xerra in 2017 working alongside the chief executive officer.

“At first I was supporting things, then doing things and now leading things.”

She said she enjoys working with a diverse range of people with many different skills all over New Zealand, from software engineers, to scientists, product developers and designers.

“I love Central Otago, I’m the unofficial ambassador for Alexandra but . . . early on we made the decision to find the best people we could regardless of where they live in New Zealand. 

“It’s such a different world, the way people consider the world and identify a problem and how to approach a task. Seeing the strengths of all of this coming together is great.”

Emma said they put the award application in last July and were already working on their next thing.

“The nature of the product is that it’s never going to be done . . . we will continue to grow our customer base and develop product according to customer needs.

“Someone on our team recently said, we’re just starting into the interesting stuff!”

The Xerra team of 25 will get together in Martinbourough, just prior to Easter to recognise and celebrate their success at the awards.

Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor announced this year’s New Zealand Biosecurity Awards winners on March 21.

He said their skills, dedication and knowledge underpin Aotearoa’s world-leading biosecurity system – a fundamental aspect to New Zealand’s economic strength.

“These are people and organisations who help to ensure our unique way of life is protected and enhanced for future generations," he said.

Biosecurity New Zealand deputy director general Stuart Anderson said entrants were everyday New Zealanders who had stepped up to do something to protect and preserve the environment, primary industries and way of life.

"They have a strong vision and are the backbone of our world-leading biosecurity system.

“These awards give us a chance to take a moment and honour their important achievements. 

“Without them many of our local areas would be inundated with unwanted animals and plants, like possums or wilding pines, or hitchhiking marine pests.

"We’re proud to celebrate the organisations, iwi, and tamariki around the country playing a crucial part to protect our bush, our oceans and waterways, and our backyards.”

For more on the Biosecurity Awards click here.