The UK Major Ports Group (UKMPG), the body representing the global gateway ports for 75% of the UK’s seaborne trade, today launched a ‘Digital Dragons Den’ contest.
This open source call for ideas will connect leading innovators in the digital space with the major investors and operators in the UK ports sector.
The contest will also help inform the UK Government’s Maritime 2050 vision, a digital revolution that will shape and transform the nation's ports.
The originators of the best three submissions will have the opportunity to present to the CEOs of nine of the largest port operators in the UK — operators that invest more than half a billion pounds in the UK's ports and infrastructure each year — at the UKMPG’s Board meeting in November.
UKMPG has assembled a review panel to consider the submissions and shortlist the best three.
To give a wide range of perspectives, panel members will come not just from the ports sector, but also from Government, academia and technologists.
The deadline for initial submissions is 12 noon on August 3, 2018.
Submissions should be restricted to 5,000 words.
Read a Port Technology technical paper by QLess, 'Virtual Queuing: A Game-Changer for DP World Antwerp', to learn how its system improved truck congestion at the port
The review panel will consider submissions over the summer, potentially with interactions with ideas originators during September before shortlisting submissions on October 5.
Submissions from consortia, possibly combining different specialisms, are welcome as well as from individual organizations.
Applicants can send submissions and enquiries to Tim Morris, Chief Executive of the UKMPG, at tim.morris@ukmajorports.org.uk.
After launching the contest at Monday’s All Party Parliamentary Group for Maritime and Ports, Morris commented: “The UK’s major ports will be as important to the 4th industrial revolution as they have been to its predecessors.
“The UK Major Ports Group is today making an open call for ground-breaking perspectives and ideas on what are the top five ways digitisation could transform the major port of tomorrow.
“We’re running this process with the participation of Government so we’re also asking what the right role for Government is, as well as industry, in making this future vision a reality in the UK.
“The competition is open to all those with the best ideas. Our ambition is to connect leading innovators in the digital space with the major investors and operators in the UK ports sector – UK Major Ports Group members.”
