iTerminals 4.0, a project focused on the digitization of port operations and adoption of new technologies, has commenced at the Port of Valencia.
Funded by the European Commission’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme, and coordinated by Fundación Valenciaport, the project will explore ways of applying industry 4.0 technologies in the container handling sector.
According to a statement, this initiative comprises a study and pilot deployment of digital solutions within the real operations of container terminals across Europe.
Matt Miller, OSIsoft, discusses the importance of modernizing port operations for the digital age in a recent Port Technology technical paper
The aim of the project is to enable the entire port industry to take advantage of benefits offered by the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”, with new innovations such as the Internet of Things (IoT), AI and cloud computing all capable of transforming operations.
It is said that a “wide range of transversal benefits” – such as an increase in operational efficiency and enhanced levels of cyber security – can be accessed through the digital evolution of ports.
Credit: Fundación Valenciaport
As part of the project, new IoT solutions and operational pilots will be developed and performed at eight strategic container terminals: Antwerp, Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Wilhelmshaven, Rouen, Malta, Sines and Genoa.
These activities are anticipated to improve, adapt and demonstrate the proposed solutions, testing their feasibility and sustainability before they are deployed on a larger scale.
A further statement read: “The project will test and evaluate advanced Industry 4.0 pilots applied to the operational environment of port-container terminals including the upgrade of port equipment’s sensor networks, the design of advanced big data and predictive analytics, the application of artificial intelligence as well as the provision of business intelligence models and real-time dynamic KPIs reporting.”
