Ashdod Port Company has signed a new cooperation deal with the Port of Barcelona in a bid to promote Israeli innovation across Europe.
Both ports will provide guidance and host trial programmes to develop sustainable energy schemes, security trials, and passenger shipping related projects.
READ: Port of Barcelona outlines its Innovation Plan
Delegates from the company visited the European port earlier this month. Orna Hozman Bedchor, Chairlady of the Board of Directors, was joined by Roy Chief Innovation Officer Roy Avrahami, in addition to 12 start-ups from the port company’s innovation accelerator programme.
The move will open up another embassy for innovation in Barcelona opening doors for Israeli start-ups and businesses.
Ashdod Port will invest NIS 4.5 million ($1.3 million) in four start-ups to assist with purchasing technology and sign-offs of royalty agreements. Two of the start-up firms operate within the cyber security sector.
“Ashdod Port continues to act vigorously to expand collaborations on innovation with the world’s leading ports,” said Bechor.
“The Israeli innovation that we foster in our technology incubators has a great deal to offer in a variety of fields that will make the world of shipping and ports more efficient, commencing with the field of logistics and transportation and up to and including control systems and green energy.”
Ashdod Port also signed a first-of-its-kind commercial agreement in Europe with the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, improving connections between Israeli firms and the business sector in Spain and Europe.
“Innovation and digital transformation are creating a new paradigm in all sectors of the economy, and this does not skip over ports,” said Damia Calvet, President at the Port of Barcelona.
“At the Port of Barcelona we are convinced that we must welcome the arrival of innovation and new technologies.”
