The Port's Innovation Plan defines it as the conversion of new ideas into value for the port community, its customers and society. (GettyImages/PierNext)
Managing port innovation: the experience of the Port of Barcelona
Innovation is part of the sector's DNA. Ports are the cornerstone of an ecosystem of companies and port communities used to network and share information in a digitalised way. To speak of port innovation is to speak of open and collaborative innovation.
Posted on
07.21.2022
Carles Rúa is the Chief Innovation Officer at the Port de Barcelona and Director of the Master’s degree in Executive in Supply Chain Management at the UPC.
Estefania Sanles is Project Innovation Leader at the Port of Barcelona.
The Port's Innovation Plan defines it as the conversion of new ideas into value for the port community, its customers and society. (GettyImages/PierNext)
Innovative partners
With the creation of this foundation, the Port aims to accelerate digitalisation, environmental and energy transition projects that will enable the transformation not only of the Port itself, but also of the entire city of Barcelona. Initially, the foundation will have the participation of the companies Ackcent and Aggity as founding trustees and will be open to the entry of new partners.
Agreements and partnerships with innovative agents
As highlighted at the beginning, ports have the initial advantage of having an ecosystem formed by a consolidated port community. The Port of Barcelona, moreover, is located in a city that is a reference in many respects, but particularly as a technological capital at European level and a centre for the creation of start-ups.
This is a competitive attribute that must be exploited to the maximum through the search for strategic alliances with close agents, many of whom have already been working on innovation for years.
Acció, Barcelona City Council, Barcelona Activa, Tech Barcelona, Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona, Mobile World Capital and Fira de Barcelona are some of the examples of agents with whom we are already working to achieve open and sustainable innovation through winning synergies.
And one cannot speak of open innovation without seeking the collaboration of universities, research centres and business schools; an area in which the Catalan capital also enjoys great prestige with, among others, 2 of the world's leading business schools (IESE and ESADE), renowned universities (UPC, UPF, UB, UAB, UOC,...) and leading research centres linked to logistics and the marine environment (CENIT-CIMNE, ICM,...).
Talent, a driver of innovation
The creation of talent is key to the innovation strategy. In the port area, it is necessary to adapt the existing training offer to respond to the real needs of the sector and even to promote new qualifications and specific top-level training programmes.
The existing training centres in the port area (Facultat de Náutica de Barcelona, Escola Europea-Intermodal Transport, Instituto de Náutica de Barcelona) have recently been joined by the Instituto de Logística de Barcelona and ICIL, and the , World Ocean Council, the global blue economy investment and business organisation, will attract congresses and activities in the sector to Barcelona.
Without collaboration, there is no innovation
But in addition to innovation agents and training centres, collaboration with other ports is also key to the development of open innovation, through initiatives such as c chainPort, Smart Ports, MEDports or WPCAP, in which the Port of Barcelona plays an essential role.
Stimulating sectoral innovation: generating the ecosystem
The Port of Barcelona, in its Innovation Plan, has taken on the role of bringing together the entire surrounding ecosystem, promoting innovation focused on the blue economy. In addition to working on the agreements and alliances described above, the Port is immersed in the creation of an innovation district linked to the blue economy.
This technological district includes the development of a network of innovation centres, including Pier01 and the future BlueTechPort. Thus, the Port of Barcelona is positioning itself as a testing area for prototypes and new developments and is consolidating its position as a space for training and talent creation.
Blue Tech Port will be a unique space that will be located in the current Sant Bertrán ‘tinglados’ or warehouses. It will host innovation companies, research centres, corporations from the logistics-port community that want to set up in an innovative and highly technological environment, and an accelerator. It will also have common spaces for the exchange of experiences and knowledge will be the headquarters of the new BCN Port Innovation Foundation and the Barcelona Logistics Institute.
