Periodic Reporting for period 2 - DocksTheFuture (Developing the methodology for a coordinated approach to the clustering, monitoring and evaluation of results of actions under the Ports of the Future topic)
Reporting period: 2019-07-01 to 2020-11-30
According to the European Commission (2019), Europe's ports are vital gateways, linking its transport corridors to the rest of the world. 74% of goods entering or leaving Europe go by sea, and Europe boasts some of the finest port facilities in the world. Ports play an equally important role to support the exchange of goods within the internal market and in linking peripheral and island areas with the mainland of Europe. Ports are not only great for moving goods around, they also constitute energy hubs for conventional and renewable energies. 400 million passengers embark and disembark in European ports every year. Ports generate employment; 1.5 million workers are employed in European ports, with the same amount again employed indirectly across the 22 EU maritime Member States.
However, European port cities are also places of conflict between economy and ecology. Ports city relationships have weakened recently as the port and city disintegrated with less direct economic benefits for cities while lots of environmental impacts due to air, water and land pollution still remain for local communities. So, the common challenge of many port cities is labelled the local-global mismatch.
The DocksTheFuture Project aims at defining the vision for the ports of the future in 2030, covering all specific issues that could define this concept including among others, dredging, emission reduction, energy transition, electrification, smart grids, port-city interface and the use of renewable energy management.
The project is a H2020 CSA, with the aim to definying accompanying measures such as standardization, dissemination, awareness-raising and communication, networking, coordination, policy dialogues and mutual learning exercises and may develop complementary activities of strategic planning, networking and coordination between programs in different countries.
As final results the project delivers the following exploitation tools:
• Decision Support tool, to assess socio economic impacts of Port of the Future solutions
• Transferability Analysis of the Port of the Future solutions: a methodology to facilitate the ‘transfer’-process and to guide project owners to adapt to a proven methodology.
• R&D and policy recommendations, reflecting the results of the analysis, addresses the problem of how the Port of the Future concepts should be covered by specific support from the European Commission in the years to come.
• Training packages: the topics chosen are the Transferability Analysis, the Project Common Index and the Decision Support System.
•The creation of a Port of the Future Network of Excellence: the DTF Network of Excellence was set up as a free voluntary cooperative Network gathering the most innovative ports willing to team up and take actions to support the maritime community achieving the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and EU Green Deal.
• Realisation of a Port of the Future Road Map for 2030, that includes the 'smartest port' embracing energy transition, digitisation and innovation as an opportunity.
A final comprehensive Dissemination and Communication approach was developed targeting all ports in Europe and other relevant stakeholders, including Mediterranean, Neighbouring Partner Countries
However, European port cities are also places of conflict between economy and ecology. Ports city relationships have weakened recently as the port and city disintegrated with less direct economic benefits for cities while lots of environmental impacts due to air, water and land pollution still remain for local communities. So, the common challenge of many port cities is labelled the local-global mismatch.
The DocksTheFuture Project aims at defining the vision for the ports of the future in 2030, covering all specific issues that could define this concept including among others, dredging, emission reduction, energy transition, electrification, smart grids, port-city interface and the use of renewable energy management.
The project is a H2020 CSA, with the aim to definying accompanying measures such as standardization, dissemination, awareness-raising and communication, networking, coordination, policy dialogues and mutual learning exercises and may develop complementary activities of strategic planning, networking and coordination between programs in different countries.
As final results the project delivers the following exploitation tools:
• Decision Support tool, to assess socio economic impacts of Port of the Future solutions
• Transferability Analysis of the Port of the Future solutions: a methodology to facilitate the ‘transfer’-process and to guide project owners to adapt to a proven methodology.
• R&D and policy recommendations, reflecting the results of the analysis, addresses the problem of how the Port of the Future concepts should be covered by specific support from the European Commission in the years to come.
• Training packages: the topics chosen are the Transferability Analysis, the Project Common Index and the Decision Support System.
•The creation of a Port of the Future Network of Excellence: the DTF Network of Excellence was set up as a free voluntary cooperative Network gathering the most innovative ports willing to team up and take actions to support the maritime community achieving the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and EU Green Deal.
• Realisation of a Port of the Future Road Map for 2030, that includes the 'smartest port' embracing energy transition, digitisation and innovation as an opportunity.
A final comprehensive Dissemination and Communication approach was developed targeting all ports in Europe and other relevant stakeholders, including Mediterranean, Neighbouring Partner Countries
During the reference period, in order to arrive in a definition of the port of the future, the Consortium operated within the project’s framework as defined in the grant agreement.
The work started by making an initial inventory of inputs to be assessed. This activity was carried out by Port Expertise with the support of all the partners. In total approximately 350 inputs were proposed to be assessed by the DTF partners and their subcontractors. These inputs were then grouped together in “assessment rounds” and assigned to a DtF partner.To support the desktop study, a DTF database has been developed.
During the reference period, the following other main activities were carried out:
•Stakeholders consultation: The main goal of this task was to get feedback and opinions about the Port of the Future from the main port stakeholders that have an impact on or are impacted by the DTF project.
•Maritime traffic analysis and forecast review
•Analysis of macro trends and perspectives in the maritime sector
• Selection and Clustering of Projects and Initiatives of interest
•Evaluation: analysis of the clustered Projects and activities of interest
•Plan for the Exploitation of the action Results (PER)
•Continuos Project Management and dissemination activities
The final results:
•A Decision Support System to assess socio economic impacts of Port of the Future solutions
•A Transferability approach to assess how specific solution can be applied in different ports
•A “Port of the Future” training package that could be used to support the Port of the Future concepts
•R&D and policy recommendations
•The set up of the Port of the Future Network of Excellence
The work started by making an initial inventory of inputs to be assessed. This activity was carried out by Port Expertise with the support of all the partners. In total approximately 350 inputs were proposed to be assessed by the DTF partners and their subcontractors. These inputs were then grouped together in “assessment rounds” and assigned to a DtF partner.To support the desktop study, a DTF database has been developed.
During the reference period, the following other main activities were carried out:
•Stakeholders consultation: The main goal of this task was to get feedback and opinions about the Port of the Future from the main port stakeholders that have an impact on or are impacted by the DTF project.
•Maritime traffic analysis and forecast review
•Analysis of macro trends and perspectives in the maritime sector
• Selection and Clustering of Projects and Initiatives of interest
•Evaluation: analysis of the clustered Projects and activities of interest
•Plan for the Exploitation of the action Results (PER)
•Continuos Project Management and dissemination activities
The final results:
•A Decision Support System to assess socio economic impacts of Port of the Future solutions
•A Transferability approach to assess how specific solution can be applied in different ports
•A “Port of the Future” training package that could be used to support the Port of the Future concepts
•R&D and policy recommendations
•The set up of the Port of the Future Network of Excellence
Maritime ports increasingly shift to a commercialised entity under the form of a public limited company, or an independent public body. The consequence is that the more ‘classical’ business topics are now better attended. With increasing public and political pressure maritime ports have to justify their use of the public funds allocated to them. This is reflected through various aspects in reporting obligations, permission procedures (such as CBA for infrastructure), revenue generating aspect of investments, and the aforementioned reporting on environmental impact.
Business models of ports also adapt to the changing market conditions, and gradually shift from the classic landlord model to the more entrepreneurial business model, in which the port authority undertakes an active role in attracting companies to fit in the existing clusters policy, invest in fore-and hinterland economic actors (other ports, hinterland terminals, railway companies), and recently also in digitization (appointment of Chief Digital Innovation Officer Officers, IT companies, applications).
A persistant contradiction that remains stubbornly alive is the issue of project financing. All stakeholders confirm the need for more funds. Never in history this much money was available for projects (including transport). Yet, especially the transport sector compared to other sectors is not making use of these financial resources. When combining both public and private financing, the project has to meet certain financial and technical goals, which may pose a problem to some initiatives. Should these remain getting financed if they fail for example the test of a Cost Benefit Analysis.
In the final period,the exploitation plan was completed and includes:
-DSS Decision Support System (DSS) that allows users to interrogate a software in order to understand potential initiatives aiming at achieving specific users’ goals.
-The Transferability Analysis, developed for assessing the ease of transferability of Port of the Future innovative concepts
-The Training Package has been developed as a three-part online module in which PCI, TA, and DSS.
-R&D Policy Recommendations that aims to translate political visions into initiatives and actions to deliver ‘outcomes”
-Set up a new Network of Excellence, to support the maritime community achieving the UN 2030 SDGs, using the opportunities given by International and funding programmes.
Business models of ports also adapt to the changing market conditions, and gradually shift from the classic landlord model to the more entrepreneurial business model, in which the port authority undertakes an active role in attracting companies to fit in the existing clusters policy, invest in fore-and hinterland economic actors (other ports, hinterland terminals, railway companies), and recently also in digitization (appointment of Chief Digital Innovation Officer Officers, IT companies, applications).
A persistant contradiction that remains stubbornly alive is the issue of project financing. All stakeholders confirm the need for more funds. Never in history this much money was available for projects (including transport). Yet, especially the transport sector compared to other sectors is not making use of these financial resources. When combining both public and private financing, the project has to meet certain financial and technical goals, which may pose a problem to some initiatives. Should these remain getting financed if they fail for example the test of a Cost Benefit Analysis.
In the final period,the exploitation plan was completed and includes:
-DSS Decision Support System (DSS) that allows users to interrogate a software in order to understand potential initiatives aiming at achieving specific users’ goals.
-The Transferability Analysis, developed for assessing the ease of transferability of Port of the Future innovative concepts
-The Training Package has been developed as a three-part online module in which PCI, TA, and DSS.
-R&D Policy Recommendations that aims to translate political visions into initiatives and actions to deliver ‘outcomes”
-Set up a new Network of Excellence, to support the maritime community achieving the UN 2030 SDGs, using the opportunities given by International and funding programmes.