{"id":1807,"date":"2023-04-11T11:40:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-11T10:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/portstrategy.nfdtesting.uk\/coastlink\/2023\/04\/11\/innovation-now-is-the-time\/"},"modified":"2026-08-27T15:17:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T14:17:43","slug":"innovation-now-is-the-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/2023\/04\/11\/innovation-now-is-the-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Innovation \u201cnow is the time\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Just imagine, for a moment, one port that is 100 per cent innovative and e\ufb03cient. Now, prepare to be disappointed. \u201cIt is not enough that one port will be innovative and e\ufb03cient because the supply chain is comprised of all the stakeholders, in the origin port and destination port. It will be e\ufb03cient only if all of us try to help each other, regardless of the competition,\u201d says Gadi Benmoshe. \u201cFor that reason, sharing between ports is very important.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Benmoshe chairs the IAPH Innovation Group which recently published a fact sheet guide entitled, <em>The Mindset<\/em><em> <\/em><em>Shift Towards<\/em><em> Innovation<\/em>. The result of brainstorming within the group, the 20-page publication is divided into six chapters, each with a practical port example at the end.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe decided to do a fact sheet which is direct and very easy to understand,\u201d says Benmoshe. \u201cIt was important to show it is not just talking \u2013 it is ports already doing something.\u201d Port managers don\u2019t have time to read huge publications, he says \u2013 hence the executive summary provides ten recommendations to port leadership teams on how to integrate innovation in practice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne important factor that came out was the importance of collaboration between ports \u2013 this is one of our targets,\u201d he says. \u201cToday, what happens is that a start-up wants to do a pilot or try a solution in the port. They will probably have to focus mainly on the ports in their own country. They do the pilot \u2013 but if they don\u2019t share the results of the pilot, they are wasting time and resources. If we can share this information and do collaborating pilots, exchanging information, we can be more e\ufb03cient.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Already, the Innovation Group\u2019s research and study has triggered innovation collaboration and exchange of experience between port members, says Benmoshe \u2013 for example, Fundaci\u00f3n Valenciaport and Morocco\u2019s National Ports Agency have been working together on the exchange of information.<\/p>\n<p>Of the ten recommendations, perhaps a key one is this: \u201cFor an innovation approach to be fully integrated into the port\u2019s organisation, the Chief Innovation O\ufb03cer should report directly to the top management with cross-functional access to all other departments.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Other industries have already learned this lesson, says the guide. \u201cThe innovation function should collaborate throughout all levels of the organisation. This includes top management and the board to assure that innovation is aligned with corporate strategy and obtains the right funding.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Benmoshe says there is a very di\ufb00erent mindset in today\u2019s workforce compared to the previous generation \u2013 \u201cbut you have to foster it\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you are building your innovations strategy in the port, you need someone dedicated to that. They should be at a high level in the hierarchy, to be heard and supported. Innovation is not only about technology \u2013 it can\u2019t be the CIO (in this instance the Chief Information O\ufb03cer) and it can\u2019t be in addition to a day-to-day job. Innovation O\ufb03cer is a full-time job.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He would like to see trained \u2018innovation agents\u2019 in each department \u2013 from operations and mechanics all the way through to HR \u2013 who can proactively think about what innovation is needed in their area of work. \u201cThey can collect all the pain points and the innovation department can try to look for solutions to them. We are in ports \u2013 not in a university talking about theoretical solutions. We need innovation that will bring value. The next generation needs to be trained to be innovation agents and support the innovation ecosystem inside the port.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Also, he insists, the management team must set aside time to focus on innovation specifically.<\/p>\n<p>And what of those tech innovators trying to break into the ports sector? Among the associate members of the IAPH group were representatives of start-up companies and they brought some sharp feedback on port hackathons, said Benmoshe.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes, start-ups want to win hackathons but they feel as if the ports doing hackathons treat them as students in a university who want to win a \u20ac5,000 prize. This is not what a start-up wants \u2013 they want a pilot and ultimately for the port to buy the product. A hackathon may be great PR, but we are looking for innovation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In other words, it is all very well having \u2018tools for innovation\u2019 like hackathons, pilots and proof-of-concept, but these need to be part of the bigger plan and ports should have a budget for purchasing a solution that works for them.<\/p>\n<p>Ports and port authorities have, of course, varying levels of money and resources to dedicate to innovation, \u201cbut still we think that innovation is worthwhile finding\u201d, he says. \u201cYou can do it on a di\ufb00erent scale \u2013 you don\u2019t need to open an innovation hub but you make plans and make a start. We believe now is the time \u2013 it is important for ports to start the journey of innovation. You can start with low-budget items but still you have to follow some rules and have someone to work on that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL<br \/><\/strong>Innovation can be digital, physical, or \u2013 as in the case of Lausanne-based Aeler \u2013 a combination of both. Two key examples follow of modern innovative initiatives.<\/p>\n<div class=\"inline_image inline_image_left image_size_med fullsize\" data-attachment=\"276020\" data-sequence=\"15\"><button class=\"show-fullscreen\" data-url=\"\/attachment?attype=P&amp;atcode=276020&amp;storycode=1482554\">Show Fullscreen<\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"picture\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/04\/01_276020_p27_867445.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"lazyloaded wp-image-1809\" width=\"684\" height=\"350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/04\/01_276020_p27_867445.webp 684w, https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/04\/01_276020_p27_867445-300x154.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 684px) 100vw, 684px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"inline_meta\">\n<p class=\"inline_caption\">Malta Freeport: innovating in smart equipment maintenance \u2013 tyre goals were set to prevent under or overinflation, detect and address leaks, and schedule checking and pumping<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Reinventing the Container<br \/><\/strong>Lausanne-based Aeler Technologies has focused on \u2018reinventing\u2019 the container. Co-Naik Londono, Co-founder, explains: \u201cEighty per cent of goods travel in containers and 4mTEU are produced every year. Containers have not changed for more than 60 years and this is one of the first discrepancies we saw in the market.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Aeler, which is based at the EPFL university Innovation Park, has developed UNIT ONE, a smart container made of composites.<\/p>\n<p>By switching away from steel, the company has created a container that is stronger and lighter, allowing for increased payload, says Londono. The composite provides passive insulation for the protection of cargo and an IoT system is embedded in the structure to provide real-time monitoring, linked to Aeler\u2019s FleetManager platform.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe platform is not meant to handle your logistics \u2013 it is just providing visibility so that customers can track what\u2019s happening real-time,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>Aeler o\ufb00ers \u2018CaaS\u2019 \u2013 Containers as a Service, in a leasing model that includes the smart tracking and insurance. Importantly, the UNIT ONE is compatible with standard containers with the same handling and stacking norms, says Londono.<\/p>\n<p><strong>iTERMINALS 4.0 \u2013 THREE PROJECTS<br \/><\/strong>The iTerminals 4.0 project was set up to develop and test a standard digital language that allows for two-way communication between port equipment and terminals\u2019 operations management systems.<\/p>\n<p>The project\u2019s final conference featured three innovative projects dependent on standardised data sharing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Advanced<\/strong><strong> <\/strong><strong>Equipment<\/strong><strong> <\/strong><strong>Maintenance<\/strong><strong> <\/strong>pilots focused on smart tyre pressure and oil monitoring at Malta Freeport: sensors, other hardware and even new wheels were installed on existing machines to enable the trials, notes Jan Willem Houwers, Senior System Engineer at Hyster-Yale.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe change to a preventive maintenance process is by using a data-based approach to go from overview to insights,\u201d he says. \u201cIt starts from getting the right data from the right sensor \u2013 can we monitor it real-time, and can we process it for insights?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the case of tyres, the goal is to prevent under or overinflation, detect and address leaks, and schedule checking and pumping. Inflation can be based on the temperature of the tyre, to achieve more precise pressure. In this way, the tech can optimise the lifetime of the tyres, he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith preventative tyre maintenance, you spend less time on pumping and have less scheduled operational downtime.\u201d The change to a preventive oil maintenance process is based on a fusion of sampling and sensing, so that oil is changed only when needed. This should prevent equipment being run with oil that needs replacing, by flagging the event before any damage is caused, and also stop the routine throwing away of oil that still has 50 per cent of its life left. \u201cWe have been able to stretch the oil drain interval by 50 per cent on an empty container handler,\u201d points out Houwers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Increasing<\/strong><strong> <\/strong><strong>Energy<\/strong><strong> <\/strong><strong>E\ufb03ciency<\/strong><strong> <\/strong>by applying dynamic container carbon footprint calculation: Ignacio Ben\u00edtez S\u00e1nchez, Innovation Technician in Energy Transition and Sustainability at Fundaci\u00f3n Valenciaport, notes the objective was \u201cto prove that we can monitor and visualise the carbon footprint and energy e\ufb03ciency signature of every container that is moved through the yard\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Taking into account the energy sources used, KPIs were defined at terminal level (KPI on global carbon footprint per weighted tonne and\/or TEU) and at service level; visualisation options included ranking machines by time of use, energy consumed, energy cost and\/or energy label, with trends displayed per machine.<\/p>\n<p>The pilot proved that if you have the data regarding energy, you can visualise energy e\ufb03ciency and carbon footprint indicators, zoom into particular containers, areas and vessels, and evaluate trends and forecasts regarding energy use and e\ufb03ciency.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Improving<\/strong><strong> <\/strong><strong>Operational<\/strong><strong> <\/strong><strong>Safety<\/strong><strong> <\/strong>at terminals by applying virtual geofencing: Pekka Yli-Paunu, Kalmar\u2019s Research Director, cited the case of a manual straddle carrier under the ship-to-shore crane. \u201cThere can be employees working there, checking containers, etc., so pedestrians can be next to the container when the straddle is approaching the area.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A virtual geofencing area set-up under the STS cane could give the straddle carrier driver the \u2018all clear\u2019 to approach at full speed, or detect a person in the area and sound an alarm that the driver should wait or slow down.<\/p>\n<p>The system used intelligent cameras on the crane and wheel sensors on the straddle carrier, alongside standard wifi and satellite navigation\/positioning information provided via RTK Gateway link.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Innovation in ports \u2013 a vague aspiration, an abstract idea, an isolated incident or a collective\u00a0move forward? Felicity Landon speaks to Gadi Benmoshe, Chair of the IAPH Innovation Group\u00a0and a member of its Data Collaboration Committee<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":1808,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,97],"tags":[144,145,142,58,134,143],"sponsor":[],"class_list":["post-1807","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-products-services","category-projects-initiatives","tag-aeler-technologies","tag-containers-as-a-service","tag-fundacion-valenciaport","tag-kalmar","tag-malta-freeport","tag-morocco-national-ports-agency"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1807","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1807"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1807\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1810,"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1807\/revisions\/1810"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1808"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1807"},{"taxonomy":"sponsor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portstrategy.com\/coastlink\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sponsor?post=1807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}