The Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport (BMDV) has granted the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) and DAKOSY Datenkommunikationssystem AG €15 million ($17 million) to construct a digital test bed at the Port of Hamburg.
The investment seeks to fund the Services and Data Network Port of Hamburg (SANTANA), a 30-month-long project which aims to develop infrastructure intended to link privately organised logistics, public infrastructure, and traffic management closer.
The core objective of this project is to create a joint network of networks. This will be made easily accessible via a common marketplace for all stakeholders in port and hinterland transport processes.
“By integrating logistical data into the infrastructure sector, we will achieve a quantum leap in digital transparency. This will further accelerate processes in the port and hinterland,” said Dieter Spark, CEO of DAKOSY.
Alongside partners HHLA, EUROGATE, and the Hamburg Vessel Coordination Center (HVCC), the HPA and DAKOSY will implement six measures in this project to optimise flow control on water, road and rail.
Traffic optimisation on the road network within the Port of Hamburg is planned using quantum-inspired technology for real-time control of the traffic light network.
Jens Meier, CEO of the HPA, added “The open design of the test bed will offer an environment with easy access for future innovations from business and science. SANTANA thus forms the basis for the development of digital service and product innovations, for testing under realistic conditions and for integration into port operations.”
The HPA has also recently founded a technology partnership with Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) Sky with a focus on using automated drones at the Port of Hamburg.
“In the event of storm surges, accidents, or other unforeseeable disruptions, flying, floating or self-driving robots can be on-site considerably faster and provide high-resolution videos and pictures for an exact overview of the situation. The time saved can be decisive in an emergency,” Meier said..
