Virtual Meeting of the World’s Leading Ports – Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) and Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) Host Seventh chainPORT Annual Meeting

Presidents, CIOs, and head strategists of 15 of the world’s leading ports convene digitally to continue close collaboration of recent years

At this year's chainPORT annual conference, the participants not only exchanged professional insights, but also hands-on knowledge: this included intellectual insights and practical knowledge on new technologies that drive efficiency in daily port operations (i.e. OptiX, quantum computing), solutions from the maritime sector on how to strengthen supply chain resilience, and circular economy related approaches to sustainability in ports.

The Managing Director of Nezha Shipping - Port Technology, Mr. Huang Heng introduced the audience to a pioneering project about optical networking technology for centralised remote control in ports. This unique endeavour in the operation of next-generation smart ports has been implemented in partnership with SIPG and Huawei. Kilometres away from the heart of the port, remote operators can control a variety of heavy port equipment at multiple locations from a single point. This has numerous advantages, such as increased efficiency in terminal operations, reduced commute times for staff, better predictability of personnel availability, and increased attractiveness of the workplace. The introduction of this technology goes hand in hand with a change in the profile of the future port workforce and the skills that will be needed in ports.

Against the background of this breakthrough project, Mr. Alex Yan, President of SIPG, emphasised that “SIPG is continuously committed to the development of a smart, green, efficient and sci-tech-driven port by means of lean management, technology innovation, and digitalisation. The chainPORT Annual Meeting is a good opportunity for us to meet and is also a good platform to exchange our views and the latest developments over the past year.”

In line with new trends and technologies used to efficiently operate the port, the Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Fujitsu Ltd. presented their advanced path to quantum computing and its application in different industries. Dr. Joseph Reger (CTO, Fujitsu Ltd) and Jens Meier (CEO, Hamburg Port Authority), shared first-hand insights on “MOZART” (Mobility OptimiZation and Analysis in Real Time), a joint project for traffic management. The MOZART system not only provides an overall view of the port transport network, but also enables network-wide traffic light coordination in order to stabilise traffic flow.

Jens Meier said: “Quantum computing is not yet fully mature; however, quantum-inspired technology already offers viable solutions for ports - in Hamburg we have already been able to prove that it is of great value to our daily business. It is a pleasure to keep track of how the members of the chainPORT network are evolving and developing smart solutions to manage ports efficiently and lead the way in a variety of fields.”

The discussions of this year’s chainPORT Annual Meeting addressed the role of ports as ideal locations for the fostering of circular economy projects. According to keynote speaker, Dr Nick Vyas from the USC Marshall School of Business, the proximity to large urban centres makes ports important enablers, with the ability to impact the business strategy of many companies located in the port area or associated with port activities. With reference to this, Volkswagen’s Chinese technology partner, Gotion High-Tech, showed an example of its battery recycling projects and its journey to offer zero-emission solutions to ports and a wide range of industries.

Gene Seroka (Executive Director Port of Los Angeles) stated: “Port ecosystems can be instrumental in expanding the circular economy and helping society break away from the ‘take-make-waste’ product cycle. Our ports are front and center in a pandemic-induced consumer buying spree of historic proportions. The circular economy is about maximising the recycling or regeneration of the waste from those discarded goods and materials, and ports can be change agents in helping to achieve that objective.”

Finally, the discussions of the Annual Meeting were rounded off by keynote speakers from Jungheinrich AG, and Orient International (Holding) Co. Ltd., who presented their strategies for ensuring a secure and resilient supply chain. Intermodal ports, quality data and transparency were among the main topics addressed during these discussions.
The chainPORT member ports agreed to continue and intensify their close collaboration and exchange of knowledge in the future.

About chainPORT
chainPORT is a multilateral partnership of the world’s leading ports that aims to leverage the latest developments in technology and realise the vision of a smart, interconnected and digital port-ecosystem. Members are committed to the exchange of knowledge, innovation, and the promotion of strategic topics. chainPORT was initiated in April 2016 by the Port Authorities of Hamburg and Los Angeles in collaboration with the Global Institute of Logistics. The initiative is supported by the ports of Antwerp, Barcelona, Busan, Felixstowe, Gothenburg, Indonesia, Montreal, Panama, Rotterdam, Singapore, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Tanger Med.

https://www.hamburg-port-authority.de/en/chainport