Smart ports share innovation

‘Smart Ports: Piers of the Future’ was held to discuss the importance of port-city relations, digital transformation and the use of new technologies to discern the future horizon of the port and maritime sector.

Allard Castelein, CEO, Port of Rotterdam said: “A port’s success isn’t measured by the volume of cargo that is put through the port area, but by the impact that is created. The port of the future is the port that is best able to adapt to our changed world: a port that is digital and climate-neutral.”

Showcasing innovation

Digitalisation of course has come even more into the forefront this year during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Many ports have been able to leverage their digital maturity to implement creative smart solutions in their fight against the coronavirus.

The Port of Montreal, for instance, turned to artificial intelligence to serve a humanitarian cause and expedite critical medical cargo to market through its CargO2ai project.

“The uncertainty that we are experiencing during 2020 reaffirms the importance of moving towards a Smart model, which offers innovative solutions to future challenges and helps to achieve the objectives set for an adequate development of ports,” said Mercè Conesa, President, Port of Barcelona.

Last year, ‘Smart Ports: Piers of the Future’ held its first congress as part of the prestigious Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC).

Because of the global Covid-19 pandemic, SCEWC held its 2020 edition in a virtual format under the name “Smart City Live”.