Six ports take smart steps

For the first time, the ports of Antwerp, Barcelona, Hamburg, Los Angeles, Montreal and Rotterdam worked together for the ‘Smart Ports. Piers of the Future’ event at the Smart City Expo World Congress this month in Barcelona.

Jens Meier, CEO of Hamburg Port Authority (HPA), said: “We believe that the event is an excellent networking and knowledge sharing platform to promote projects related to Smart Ports in an environment surrounded by the most innovative projects that through digitalisation enhance efficiency in ports and cities.”

Innovation presentation

Representatives of companies related to port activities presented their most innovative ideas that could compliment the digital and sustainable transformation strategies of the ports. 40 presentations were made and the key projects of each port were showcased.

Two side events also took place within the ‘Smart Ports’ framework: ‘Policy & Sustainability ahead: IMO 2020, Transparency, Digitisation’, a conference addressing the upcoming IMO 2020 regulation, which will force ships to reduce the sulphur content of their fuels, and the ‘Smart Ports Barcelona Summit’, a congress during which representatives from various ports took part in debates around innovation.

Smart City Expo World Congress is the world’s first smart cities expo and received 25,000 visitors and over 1,000 exhibitors from 150 countries.