A Big Change in Rotterdam Port

The process of using smart technologies in ports has received a lot of attention in the recent years. In this light, Europe’s largest container shipping hub teams up with tech giant for digitalisation initiative to create a ‘connected, smart’ port prepared for autonomous shipping.

News ID: 78802

Date: 22 April 2018 - 14:12

In order to collect more on this issue and discuss about other aspects of smart port, MANA correspondent has conducted an exclusive interview with Vincent Campfens, the manager of this project. Mr. Campfens works as a Business Consultant within the Port of Rotterdam. His main focus is all Internet of Things related projects in the port area. As Business Consultant, he focuses on the translation of technology-driven opportunities and business requirements into defined IT projects, mainly in the fields of Smart Sensoring and data connectivity.

Could you please give me a brief explanation on your project? What is the advantage of your project over other projects? And how are you going to cooperate with IBM?

We have had the idea for a central dynamic data gathering platform for many years. Only two years ago, we saw the market of IoT platforms becoming more mature. The Port of Rotterdam started a tender for a general IoT platform to be used for our processes around water and weather (HydroMeteo) data. We were looking for a secure, trustworthy, flexible and innovative solution. IBM has won the tender with their IBM IoT Cloud offering which also gives us access to all new cognitive and weather services. It is a partnership for at least the coming 7 years in which we collaborate with IBM in developing new services on the IoT platform. We are starting to use IoT sensors, Augmented Intelligence (AI) and smart weather data to measure things like the availability of berths and other vital statistics. For example, accurate water (hydro) and weather (meteo) data will allow shipping companies to predict the best time to enter the port of Rotterdam by identifying the most favourable conditions. Having access to data about air temperature, wind speed, (relative) humidity, turbidity and salinity of the water plus water flow and levels, tides and currents, enables us to better predict visibility on a given day, helping us calculate clearance heights for ships. In addition, by predicting water conditions, wind direction and speed, we will be able to determine how smooth a ship’s entry into port is likely to be. This data will also have a significant positive economic impact on shipping costs. Calm water and weather conditions allow for lower fuel consumption rates, facilitate cost-effective pership payloads and help ensure the safe arrival of cargo.

From your perspective, as project manager of creating a ‘connected, smart’ port in Europe’s largest container shipping hub, which elements are necessary for having a smart port? Moreover, which title is more appropriate, Smart port or Digital port?

In my role I focus mostly on the technology aspect. I think I can say for ourselves and clients that a safe, reliable and fast network is a necessity for today’s digital port. Being able to communicate and transfer data between systems and actually depend on it, is the cornerstone of digitization. It’s not all about technology in a Smart Port. Technology goes in hand in hand with processes and people. Being smart is about the choices you make as a port. We want to grow and sustain our great social-economic value in the Netherlands, but are limited to the boundaries of land, water and environment. Also, we signed the Paris climate agreement in which we have to reduce the CO2 emission by 95% in the year 2050 which impacts a big part of our and our client’s operations. In a Smart Port, we offer the best service to our customers while respecting all of that. And being a digital port surely helps in that challenge. And let’s say that if we have a fully digitalized port: if we don’t share data or cooperate with our ecosystem, we aren’t smart in my opinion. To give you a small peak into the near future, here are some examples of a Smart Port (which are all about having the right data, in the right context at the right moment): • vessels themselves calculate the optimal shipping routes and flag unsafe situations. • quay walls, mooring buoys and bollards indicate that they require maintenance themselves, and when they have become available. • cargo shipments report when they will be reaching a specific location. • port basins and navigation channels communicate local water depths and currents.

To what extent, smart port will influence different sectors of shipping industry, including bulk, container and tanker?

The Smart or Connected port will change the way that ports and the shipping industry operate. The data that is being collected around ports right now , already enables new business models for companies to be the Uber, Airbnb or booking.com for the shipping industry. I can only imagine the possibilities when we reach a new level of digitization. Just look at a recent innovation of ours where we use available data to optimize the port call of oceangoing ships. With a new digital dashboard, we are able to view the operations of all parties at the same time and increase volume and efficiency of shipped goods that pass through the port. In fact, shipping companies and the port stand to save up to one hour in berthing time, which can amount to about $80,000 US dollars in savings for ship operators and enables the port to dock more ships each day. This innovation directly affects all the sectors bulk, container, tanker, etc. Further, we see that most of the innovation at the moment is going on in the container sector, which is understandable because it is the most dynamic from a process point of value. But in the future where ships and ports will interact differently, the smart port influences all sectors of shipping industry.

Have ships been provided with equipment which will enable them to establish a better relationship with smart port? Or what requirements have been introduced for ships?

All inland and sea going vessels that visit the Port of Rotterdam are required to have an active AIS device for localization, but this is mostly a safety and enforcement measure. A newer example of interaction between ships and our smart port is the initiative called Covadem (https://www.covadem.org/hoehet-werkt?locale=en). Here we try to extract value out of the data that modern inland barges collect anyway, while sailing through the rivers and our port, like water depths and turbidity. But as it comes to ‘smart’ requirements for ships in relation to our port: those are not there yet. We do however actively sound the shipping industry for port requirements when it comes to autonomous ships. When they come, it will be a game changer for the industry and we want our infrastructure services ready to accommodate those ships.

Do you think that Smart Port will reduce the risk of Cyber Attack in the shipping industry?

What we see, for example recently with one of our respected clients in the port, is that the probability of cyber-attacks is increasing with the level of digitization. As a port authority we are working together with the police, municipality and our clients to increase the awareness and reduce the probability and impact of such events. Since last year, we have a dedicated Port Cyber Resilience Officer that bears this responsibility for the whole port area. When it comes to our own IoT platform, security of the hardware and software is the top priority. By teaming up with Cisco (next to IBM) for the network technology, we have the skills and knowledge on board to have it secure by design. In your opinion, do Persian Gulf ports enjoy enough potential for turning into smart ports? I do not know enough about ports in the Persian Gulf to fully answer this question. Every port has potential for turning into smart ports and every port will be a smart port in the end. Being a bigger port only makes it more complex. And while it may bring a competitive advantage in safety and efficiency on short and middle term, it will be the new normal on long term when the required technology is more mature, packaged and accessible.

What do you mean by autonomous shipping? What steps have you been taken so far in this regard?

Vessels that sail by themselves, ultimately without human interference. Innovations in route assist, condition restricted auto pilot and dynamic risk warnings are all valuable little steps towards full autonomy. As a port we are making data available for ships so they can better predict their routes (far in advance) based on many different factors: tidal streams, height of tide, water depth, wind speed and direction, berth restrictions, etc. In a later stadium, I believe we have to adjust our physical infrastructure to autonomous ships.

In order to absorb customers, shipping companies have been endeavoring to reduce the costs in the recent years. Now, given the smart port and offering new services, will we be witnessing higher costs in the shipping industry? If yes, do you think that customers will accept to pay higher rate?

I don’t believe we will see higher costs in the shipping industry. There is still enough competition and potential for process optimisation in the supply chain. I do however think that new services will give clients more choice in - and control over how data-x-items are shipped with parameters like time, money, safety and environmental impact. The choice to pay more for extra service is up to the customer. Digitization of our port does not necessarily mean higher costs for our clients. We always have competitive pricing and that is not influenced by the level of digitization. Innovations like predictive maintenance and smart dredging could actually lower our internal costs by a lot. We do however see scenario’s in the future where sharing ship or terminal data with us could give a pricing advantage.

Owners image one day that they sit at home and book their vessels by their mobile, do you think that this dream will come true ( particularly in the near future)?

I am a technology enthusiast, of course I think this will come true! On a smaller scale this is already happening in Rotterdam with initiatives like TEU Booker and 4 Shipping. They give a much needed transparency in the supply chain and by using these applications, owners are in control of their goods and how they are shipped. Are you interested to cooperate with Iranian ports? If yes, in what ways are you going to collaborate with them? Of course we are interested in that. We have an International department within our organisation that focuses on such international cooperation’s. Running one of the largest and busiest logistics centres in the world for many years has given the Port of Rotterdam a wealth of expertise and experience in developing and managing ports and industrial areas, including IT services. The Port of Rotterdam International department uses this knowledge and experience to help ports worldwide achieve their maximum potential with consultancy, advisory and participation.