Port+ is delighted to be a partner of the Interreg 2 Seas project SPEED (Smart Ports Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development).
Project partners: Antwerp Management School (lead partner), BCP Council, Bournemouth University, WSX Enterprise, Poole Harbour Commissioners, Portland Port Limited, Portsmouth International Port, University of Antwerp, Lille University, Tilburg University, Nxtport, CITC-EuraRFID, and Port of Moerdijk,
Duration: January 01, 2019 – December 3, 2022
2 Seas ports need to become more efficient and innovative
Recent estimations (AMS OBOR study, January 2017) revealed that 20% of North-Western European maritime trade flows are under risk of substitution by a Northbound land route starting from a new European hub in Piraeus and nearby Mediterranean ports, following substantial infrastructure investments by Chinese shippers and trade investors (Cosco, China Merchants Bank, Sinotrans, AIIB, …). With upgrading smaller ports and road infrastructure in the Balkans, cost-effectiveness ratios shift, and pressure is on 2 Seas ports to become more efficient and innovative.
New possibilities for real-time information flows
Part of the answer is sought in new possibilities to predict and optimise logistics and information flows in real-time between ports and port stakeholders. In this sense, 2 approaches are pursued:
1. Major ports are initiating custom-built shared data platforms (e.g. Antwerp, Rotterdam, Calais), operating on different standards and governance approaches.
2. The ports seek to stimulate development of smart port applications based on new data science and IoT possibilities through incubation and acceleration programs.
3 axes approach
To address the challenges above, the project works on 3 axes:
1. Set up a cross-border network of digital experts and port stakeholders to detect logistic priorities.
2. Linking digital technology and port logistics
– by enabling digital experts to understand the market demands of port logistics;
– by guiding smart port solution development with a joint strategic roadmap;
– by building the preconditions for a world-leading smart ports ecosystem.
3. Help the smart port entrepreneurs adopt the smart port solutions through the creation of a toolkit.