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Norbert Klettner, Vice President, TIC 4.0
I am the Vice-President of Terminal Industry Committee 4.0 (TIC4.0), Managing Director at RBS EMEA and akquinet port consulting GmbH.
I have been a founding member of TIC4.0 since 2018 and currently serve as its Vice-President. I’m also a member of the Executive and Operation Councils of TIC4.0. My experience in combining process and IT roles, along with my involvement in the Terminal Industry Committee 4.0, provides me with a more holistic and data-driven perspective on operations, something increasingly essential in today’s industry.
There are some key elements that can benefit ports with more digitalisation:
- More transparency on processes and performance that is automated data-driven and therefore more unbiased. Digital solutions can highlight processes and bottlenecks faster – if not in real time.
- Better possibilities to integrate with other players in logistics and supply chain. In the future, it will become increasingly important to have a digital understanding, and this shouldn’t mean having a standard to manage all and lock all into one framework, but standards that make data understandable by the involved parties and allow people to flexibly gain from the data. Essentially, a data language.
- The ability to think processes differently when moving forward into a digital age. This might help to unlock ways of doing things that have not been possible before. So it is less about making a current process digital and more about making the business digital and rethinking processes in new ways.
SDP is always a good way to understand the direction of the industry, how ports influence operations, and the crucial role of terminals.
Dr. Jérôme Besancenot, Head of Digital Transformation, Haropa Port
I am the Project Director for Digital Transition at HAROPA PORT and also the Managing Director of easyport, a digital startup jointly created by HAROPA PORT and SOGET.
Ports are facing major challenges, such as the decarbonisation of their activities, the reduction of their environmental footprint, the energy transition, and the strengthening of global supply chain resilience. New technologies and digital tools are essential assets for accelerating the consideration of these issues and facilitating the transformation of ports in an uncertain international trade context.
It is crucial to innovate to meet customer needs and anticipate future practices by adopting a methodological approach and a mindset suitable to enhance the agility of the port sector. This will contribute to making the transportation of goods and passengers more efficient and safer Artificial Intelligence and Data, in particular, will play a key role in reshaping port digital processes by integrating predictive capabilities to better manage logistical uncertainties. Additionally, generative AI will enable the development of increasingly advanced digital twins of ports, capable of providing prescriptive functions to support ports in their future strategic decisions
I have had the opportunity to participate in SDP since its inception in 2019, and each year, this conference proves to be a truly inspiring event. It is a unique chance to meet a wide range of institutional players, researchers, and industry professionals involved in the port and digital sectors. It allows for reflection, the acquisition of extensive knowledge, and the generation of new ideas.
I would also say that it is an opportunity to gain insights into innovative and digital initiatives within the port sector, through presentations of concrete solutions that can help ports develop their innovation strategies more effectively and relevantly.
Matthias Hinz, Smart Port Coordinator, Bremenports GmbH & Co, KG
I am the Smartport Coordinator for the ports of Bremen and Bremerhaven, and although the topic is digitalisation, my job is really about connecting the right people and developing our port community.
My employer is the port management company bremenports GmbH & Co. KG, and we look after the infrastructure of our ports. However, it is also our job to provide the overall framework for digital transformation, and that is where I come in, coordinating the digitalisation initiatives in our port community towards a common goal.
In my experience, the world of ports is rather traditional and based on the many years of experience and expertise of specialised professionals who take great pride in their jobs. I would say that digitalisation in ports can and must not only benefit the people who do the actual work. It must also provide solutions to the shortage of skilled labour so that the productivity of supply chains can be maintained and increased through automation.
That is why we sat down with our port community and jointly developed our Smartport strategy and digitalisation roadmap in a bottom-up approach. But also we as the port management company are digitalising, connecting and bringing more and more assets online to make our ports smarter, safer and greener.
After attending the CTAC in Valencia earlier this year, I knew that events like this were ideal for me to network with industry experts and further develop my personal network. My background is in IT consulting and I have also worked in logistics, but I am relatively new to the world of ports.
In addition to networking, the SDP in Rotterdam will be ideal for me to learn more about digitalisation projects in other ports and to get inspiration for our Smartport initiative in the ports of Bremen and Bremerhaven.
Kevin Martin, Chief Executive Officer, One Digital Nation
I am the CEO of One Digital Nation. From my humble origins as an interim contractor, I’m now the architect of a boutique Business Transformation consultancy – a strategic digital partner dedicated to technology adoption in ports, terminals, supply chain and logistics.
Starting with my own business, I’m leveraging everything I have learned in three decades of business and technology leadership experience to provide innovative thinking and practical digital solutions to solve the real business problems of today and lay the foundations for the technologies of tomorrow.
Digitalisation is far more profound than just operational efficiency, cost reductions, sustainability, and so on. It redefines leadership. Those who champion digitalisation in the port industry are positioning their organisations at the forefront of innovation, setting new standards and securing their legacy.
Digitalisation promotes agility and proactive responses to global challenges. It requires and enables new ways of thinking that are currently under-represented, especially around cultural changes, business accountability, and potential prospects. It’s a strategic opportunity to shape the future of global trade.
Those courageous enough to lead the charge will be remembered as pioneers who persevered in the face of doubt – leaders who not only adapted but thrived, turning technological innovation into a competitive advantage. They will cement their legacy as visionaries who predicted the future and secured the long-term success of their organisation in the next chapter of global trade.
SDP is a unique platform to engage with industry leaders and innovators who are shaping the future of port operations. It represents an opportunity to share insights, keep up with the latest trends and explore collaborative opportunities with like-minded vendors.
Staying connected with peers and thought leaders at events like this is crucial for ensuring that One Digital Nation is positioned at the forefront of innovation in the port, supply chain and logistics sectors.
