The ChainPORT Academy underlines the importance of ports working together in innovation

21 Nov 2017 12:02 Economy

Professionals from some of the world's most important ports debated the Environment, Smart Port and Cruises in Barcelona
 
The second edition of the ChainPORT Academy, titled 'Innovation for the ports of the future. Cruise, sustainability and IT’, came to a close today at the Port of Barcelona. This meeting, held between 15 and 17 November, brought together representatives from the ports of Antwerp (Belgium), Felixstowe (United Kingdom), Gdynia (Poland), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Los Angeles (USA), Montreal (Canada), Busan (Korea), Persero (Indonesia), Hamburg (Germany) and Barcelona.
 
The ChainPORT Academy is a seminar organised by the international network of smart ports, called ChainPORT, led by the Port of Hamburg and comprising some of the world's most important ports, and aims to offer the managers of the participating ports a framework for exchanging knowledge and advanced training, as well as access to an international and multidisciplinary network of professionals.
 
This second ChainPORT Academy, officially opened by ​Sixte Cambra, Port of Barcelona President, and Santiago Garcia-Milà, Deputy General Manager of Strategy and Commercial, was structured into three thematic days: Innovation & Environment, Smart Port and Cruises. The format of this event, which combines presentations by the participants with talks from international experts, colloquies, practical sessions and visits to port facilities, facilitates open and direct debate among the participants. One of the main values of the conference is the opportunity it provides for technical experts and managers of the various ports of the world to provide their respective solutions to the similar challenges and problems raised.
 
Adapting ports to economic and social change
 
The first day revolved around Innovation and the Environment, which included a keynote speech by Peter de Langen, a specialist in transport and international logistics, as well as the participation of Carles Rua, head of Strategic Projects and Innovation at the Port of Barcelona; Jordi Vila, head of Environment; and Sergi Sauri, consultant in transport and logistics. This first day involved debates on the role of ports in an increasingly globalised economy as well as that of port authorities as catalysts of innovation, especially among the companies of their port communities.
 
The second debate of this day focused on Sustainability, and involved the presentation of various environmental policies being rolled out by the ports of Los Angeles, Montreal, Felixstowe and Barcelona and also included a visit to the Enagas facilities at the Port of Barcelona.
 
The second day of the ChainPORT Academy, dedicated to the Smart Port, included presentations and practical sessions on the latest developments in smart ports, with a presentation on the experience of the ports of Hamburg, Rotterdam, Antwerp and Barcelona in this area. This day, which was attended by Joel Curado, head of Strategy and Innovation at CISCO; Javier Gallardo, General Manager at PortIC; Catalina Grimalt, deputy Manager of Organisation and Internal Resources at the Port of Barcelona; and Enric Rodellas, Port Plan manager, included a visit to the BEST container terminal.
 
During the third day, which took place today with the participation of Mar Pérez, Head of Cruises at the Port of Barcelona, the representatives of the ports of Busan, Gdynia and Persero presented their respective development projects. The programme, which included a visit to a cruise terminal on Adossat Wharf, concluded with a debate on the main challenges in innovation and smart port facing ports over the coming years.
 
Finally, it was announced that the next ChainPORT Academy will be held in Montreal on 5 and 6 September 2018.
 
ChainPORT
 
The ChainPORT international network aims to connect the associated ports and to create a basis for jointly developing innovative and future-oriented solutions. The goal is to establish a global chain of smart ports, known as ChainPORTS, to share points of view and to develop strategies to achieve common goals.
 
The Academy initiative emerged from the conviction among its members that participating in the digital revolution requires ongoing education. The first edition took place in Hamburg last year with the participation of five representatives of the ports of Los Angeles, Busan, Shenzhen, Yokohama and Barcelona, and this edition already has 14 confirmed attendees, almost three times the number attending the previous event.
 
In this regard, it should be noted that the ChainPORT Academy is also digital and has established the hashtag #ChainPORTBarcelona to group all tweets around this event. 
 

The ChainPORT Academy underlines the importance of ports working together in innovation

Press contact

HPA Hamburg Port Authority AöR
Andreia Tolciu
Leiterin Unternehemsstretegie und Wissensmanagement
Tel.: 040 / 42847 - 2138
E-Mail: Andreia.Tolciu@hpa.hamburg.de