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The growth of the Internet of Things

The Tetrahedron: Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Training and Employment in the Digital Age

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Eduard Rodés - Director of the Escola Europea Intermodal Transport

Written by: Eduard Rodés, director of the Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport

In Barcelona, on 18 April 2023, next to the Mediterranean Republic, it is springtime.

The Social Tetrahedron

Today, we find ourselves in a period of rapid technological progress, with digitalisation and innovation at the forefront. This process of constant innovation creates new training needs for emerging professional profiles, which in turn drives training to facilitate employment and the creation or maintenance of jobs. Innovation not only affects existing companies, but also gives rise to the birth of new companies, such as spin-offs, which are better adapted to the characteristics and demands of the market.

In this context, it is essential that innovation, entrepreneurship, training and employment develop in harmony, avoiding mismatches between the needs and capabilities of each stage.  What we started out visualising as training and occupation and which we represented as the two sides of a coin has now become a four-sided tetrahedron in which innovation and entrepreneurship become an indissoluble part of the equation.

In this article, we will explore each of these four aspects from the perspective of what society can offer today and how it might evolve in the future.

Training

Training is the basis for developing the skills needed in the new employment landscape. Traditional education is evolving towards more practical and problem-oriented approaches. E-learning, vocational training and certification programmes play a crucial role in preparing workers for the labour market.

The use of simulators, as the Port Virtual Lab developed by the Escola, can be incorporated as a new tool for better and faster understanding and internalization of new skills in environments that would be difficult or impossible to reproduce in the real world. Simulators allow learners to practice and hone their skills in a safe and controlled environment. By immersing learners in realistic and interactive environments, these technologies enable the development of practical skills and problem-solving abilities that are directly transferable to real-world situations. As part of a comprehensive training strategy, simulators can help bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience, ensuring that individuals are better prepared for the challenges they will face in their professional lives. Embracing these innovative tools can contribute to a more adaptable and skilled workforce, capable of keeping pace with the rapidly changing demands of the digital age.

Society must continue to adapt to this new reality, promoting lifelong learning and life-wide learning, with special emphasis on technical and digital skills. In addition, collaboration between educational institutions, businesses and governments needs to be fostered to ensure that training is aligned with the needs of the labour market.

Innovation

Innovation is the driving force behind the creation of new products, services and processes. To remain competitive in this constantly changing environment, both companies and individuals must be willing to adopt new technologies and adapt to new approaches to work.

The use and development of “living labs” can be incorporated as a new tool for better, faster, and more effective collaboration among participants. Living labs provide environments where the configuration of work teams can be more agile and dynamic, and where innovations and advances from all participants can be effectively shared.

Living labs are real-life settings where users, researchers, and companies collaborate to develop, test, and refine innovative solutions in real-world contexts. These collaborative spaces foster co-creation and user-driven innovation, ensuring that the resulting products and services are better aligned with the needs and expectations of their target audience.

Government policies can encourage innovation through investment in research and development, and the creation of fiscal and financial incentives for innovative companies. In addition, cooperation between the public and private sectors can create a favourable ecosystem for innovation, where universities, companies and research centres work together to create new solutions.

A foundation that unites public and private organizations, such as the one promoted by the Port of Barcelona,  can foster innovation, entrepreneurship, training, and job creation in the digital age. By facilitating collaboration, resource sharing, and knowledge exchange, the foundation can better align initiatives with market needs and skill gaps. Providing financial support, mentorship, and networking opportunities, the foundation helps develop a skilled and adaptable workforce. Additionally, the foundation advocates for policy changes and regulatory frameworks that support its objectives, ultimately contributing to sustainable economic growth and social progress.

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is essential for job creation and economic growth. New companies and start-ups are often responsible for bringing the most disruptive and transformative innovations to the market. It is therefore essential that society provides an enabling environment for new entrepreneurs to emerge.

To foster entrepreneurship, training and mentoring programmes can be established, access to finance can be facilitated, and the creation of support networks among entrepreneurs can be promoted. Governments can also implement policies that reduce bureaucratic barriers and simplify the process of creating and developing new businesses.

Public administrations play a crucial role in fostering entrepreneurship by facilitating environments such as “sandbox” settings, where businesses can test and develop new ideas without regulatory restrictions. These controlled environments enable organizations to experiment, learn, and iterate quickly while minimizing risks. Additionally, public administrations can act as a driving force by becoming the “first customer” for startups and businesses launching new products or services. As early adopters, they help validate market potential, provide valuable feedback, and attract further customers and investors. Doing this, public administrations demonstrate their commitment to economic growth and social progress. Through collaboration with private organizations and a focus on fostering entrepreneurship, public administrations can effectively navigate the challenges of the digital age and promote sustainable development for the benefit of all stakeholders.

Occupation

Rapid technological progress and the emergence of new businesses create new jobs and transform the demands of the labour market. Society must be able to adapt to these changes, ensuring that workers have the necessary skills to perform the jobs of the future. This involves not only the development of technical skills, but also soft skills such as critical thinking, creativity and adaptability.

Greater collaboration between business, education institutions and governments is key to anticipating labour market needs and ensuring a smoother transition for workers. These three main actors, which we call the triple helix because of their capacity to push and advance, must be obliged to create the spaces of collaboration and understanding that facilitate the smooth development of all the aforementioned vectors of advancement. It is important to emphasize the creation of joint working groups where representatives from different stakeholders can establish task forces focused on addressing specific issues and advancing new directions. These groups also play a vital role in coordinating and synchronizing efforts to ensure a balanced labour market, with well-prepared individuals possessing the necessary competencies. Sectoral agreements and collective work are fundamental to achieving positive outcomes.

Collaborative working groups enable stakeholders from various sectors, including businesses, educational institutions, government agencies, and labor organizations, to identify skill gaps and workforce needs, develop targeted training and education programmes, and create policies and initiatives that promote job creation and economic growth. By working together, these groups can more effectively address the challenges and opportunities presented by the rapidly changing labor market and ensure that individuals are equipped with the skills and knowledge required to succeed in the digital age. In addition, special attention must be paid to inclusion and equal opportunities, ensuring that all members of society have access to the training and job opportunities that will enable them to thrive in the digital age.

Epilogue

The tetrahedron of education, innovation, entrepreneurship and employment is essential for society’s success in the digital and artificial intelligence era. Collaboration between the different actors and constant adaptation to new technologies and approaches to work will enable people and companies to make the most of the opportunities offered by digitalisation. It is essential that these four aspects develop in harmony, to avoid imbalances and ensure sustainable and equitable growth in an ever-changing world.

But in order to have a broader view of the reality in which we live, we can make a creative association between training, innovation, entrepreneurship and occupation with the four elements of nature: water, fire, air and earth could be represented as follows:

Water – Training

Water is fluid and adaptable, taking the shape of the container that holds it. Similarly, training must be flexible and adaptable to the changing needs of the labour market. Just as water is essential for life, training is the basis for the development of skills and knowledge that enable people to thrive in the workplace.

Fire – Innovation

Fire is synonymous with energy and transformation, capable of rapidly changing the state of the elements with which it comes into contact. Innovation, like fire, has the power to radically transform industries and societies, driving significant changes in the way we live and work. Innovation can also be contagious, spreading rapidly through communities and sectors like the flames of a fire.

Air – Entrepreneurship

Air represents freedom, movement and expansion. Entrepreneurs, like air, are agents of change that drive economic growth and job creation. Entrepreneurship is characterised by the ability to adapt to different situations and find new opportunities, just as air moves and flows through different spaces.

Land – Jobs

Land symbolises stability and solidity, providing a firm foundation on which to build. Jobs are the foundation that supports the economy and society, providing people with the means to sustain their lives and contribute to collective well-being. Land is also the place where natural and human resources converge, just as jobs represent the meeting point between people’s skills and knowledge and the demands of the labour market.

By linking these four aspects to the elements of nature, we can gain a richer and more symbolic perspective on how each of them contributes to balance and harmony in economic and social development.

Conclusion

With the YEP MED project, progress is being made in the direction that will enable the objectives of training and employment to be achieved. With the TECHLOG project, progress is being made in achieving the objectives of innovation and entrepreneurship. Together we are making progress in the construction of the tetrahedron that will enable the ports and logistics communities to work together to achieve leadership in innovation, entrepreneurship, training and employment; with the heart set on the preservation of the environment represented by water, fire, land and air. Leading means being a role model for the rest of society, setting an example and facilitating change. Ports have the resources to do so and must take on the commitment made by the United Nations with the SDGs: no one should be left behind.

Back to Basics: Blue vs. Green Hydrogen

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Anyone who follows current events knows that we are currently in a race against time when it comes to offsetting the effects of global warming. Transport emissions are a key part of this race as, in today’s globalised society, they contribute significantly to the rises in temperatures throughout the globe. According to the International Energy Agency tracking report from 2022, transport emissions are responsible for roughly 7.7 Gt CO2 annually – a number that needs to drop to less than 6 Gt before the end of the current decade if we want to reach the Net Zero goal set by the UN.

From biofuels, to liquified natural gas, to electric batteries – the transport sector is currently exploring a variety of solutions that can be put in place to make transport cleaner whilst maintaining its efficiency. One such alternative fuel source is hydrogen – a lot of hype has been given to this fuel source in the industry – and this is why we chose it as the focus of our #BacktoBasics article this month.

What is hydrogen?

Most of us know the formula for the element – H2. We know it is colourless, has no taste or smell, and is highly combustible –we learned this in school. In recent years, research has helped us develop systems that can transform the heat generated by this element into energy.

Today, in many sectors of our society, hydrogen is already being used as a “clean” source of energy. Some such examples are:

  1. Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs): FCEVs use hydrogen fuel cells to generate electricity, which then powers the vehicle’s electric motor. FCEVs have a longer range than battery electric vehicles and can be refuelled in a matter of minutes.
  2. Hydrogen internal combustion engines (HICEs): HICEs are like traditional gasoline or diesel engines but use hydrogen as the fuel source. HICEs produce lower emissions than traditional engines, but not as low as fuel cell electric vehicles.
  3. Hydrogen-powered buses: Several cities around the world have implemented hydrogen-powered buses in their public transit systems (including London (England), Aberdeen (Scotland), Cologne (Germany) and Tokyo (Japan). These buses emit only water vapor and have similar range and refuelling times as FCEVs.
  4. Hydrogen-powered trains: Hydrogen fuel cells are being used to power trains in some areas, such as Germany and the UK. These trains emit only water vapor and have lower noise levels compared to diesel trains.

When thinking about the freight transport sector, we can see that we already have:

  1. Hydrogen fuel cell trucks: Several companies are developing fuel cell-powered trucks for cargo transport (including Toyota and Kenworth). These trucks have a range of several hundred miles and emit only water vapor.
  2. Hydrogen-powered forklifts: Hydrogen fuel cells are being used to power forklifts in warehouses and distribution centres. These forklifts have the advantage of emitting only water vapour and refuelling quickly, reducing downtime compared to battery-powered forklifts.
  3. Hydrogen-powered trains: hydrogen fuel cells are being used to power trains in some areas. These trains could potentially be used for cargo transport as well, with the added benefit of emitting only water vapour and having lower noise levels compared to diesel trains.
  4. Maritime transport: There are several projects underway to develop hydrogen-powered ships for cargo transport. For example, the Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain project in Japan is developing a hydrogen-powered supply chain for liquefied natural gas transport.
  5. Air cargo transport: While hydrogen is not yet being used for commercial air transport, there are several projects underway to develop hydrogen-powered aircraft. For example, Airbus is developing a concept for a zero-emissions aircraft powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

Green or Blue (or both?)

Hydrogen is a clean-burning fuel that can be produced from a variety of sources, including natural gas, biomass, and renewable energy. Blue and green hydrogen are two different types of hydrogen production methods that have distinct differences in terms of their environmental impact and production processes;

  1. Green hydrogen

It is produced through the process of electrolysis, which uses electricity to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. The electricity can be generated from renewable sources such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power. Since green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy, it is generally considered a clean fuel that has a low carbon footprint. It can be used in fuel cell vehicles, which are powered by hydrogen and emit only water vapor as a by-product. The use of green hydrogen in transport can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to a more sustainable future.

  1. Blue hydrogen

It is produced from natural gas using a process called steam methane reforming (SMR). During SMR, natural gas is heated with steam to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide is then converted into carbon dioxide, which is captured and stored underground. This process is known as carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS), which helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by storing carbon dioxide instead of releasing it into the atmosphere. While blue hydrogen is considered to have a lower carbon footprint than conventional natural gas, it still relies on fossil fuels, making it less environmentally friendly than green hydrogen.

Both green and blue hydrogen can (and are) be used in fuel cell vehicles. However, since green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy, it is considered the most sustainable and environmentally friendly option for transport today. Blue hydrogen, on the other hand, is considered a transitional fuel that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions while the world transitions to a fully renewable energy system.

According to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the use of blue hydrogen in transport can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30% compared to conventional gasoline or diesel vehicles. However, the report also notes that blue hydrogen should be used as a stepping stone to green hydrogen, which is the ultimate goal for a sustainable hydrogen economy.

Final thoughts

At the moment it is still unclear which hydrogen option the markets will favour. Blue and green hydrogen are essentially depictions of two different types of hydrogen production methods that have differences in terms of their environmental impact and production processes. Most experts agree that “green” is the better option as it appears to be a net-zero fuel. It is unfortunately also true that green hydrogen is the most expensive one to make (Forbes estimated the production of green hydrogen at $6/kilogram – 2-3 times more expensive than blue hydrogen). Thus, it can be said that most industry members would opt for the blue option – at least in the short term. While blue hydrogen can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, green hydrogen remains the more sustainable and environmentally friendly option for transport. So, while we work on making green hydrogen more accessible to the markets, we can remain satisfied with the knowledge that even with blue H we are keeping pace with the global warming race. After all, the use of hydrogen (any hydrogen) as a fuel in transport can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Sources:

Welcome to the Port – Learning Together

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Last month we introduced the new initiative that was born out of the need to bring the port professions closer to the realities of our communities and our sector – Barcelona Ports Training and Employment Group.

This month, we wanted to check it on how this Group doing, with a specific focus on step 2 – Learning Together (or Aprenem Junts).

Learning Together

Business reality is constantly changing. Every day, new applications, tools and disruptive business models appear that make companies mutate continuously. In this changing context, it is very difficult for the information that is transmitted to students and future professionals to always be up to date, as unfortunately books and academic content do not have this liveliness and the ability to change so quickly.

One way to achieve that is for teachers, who are usually professionals dedicated entirely to teaching, to get to know directly the reality of companies. This can be achieved through short stages of teachers in companies of the sector.

In line with this need, the Training and Employment working group has developed a specific action called “Aprenem Junts” – Learning together, through which teachers from the local institutes are invited to complete short training or knowledge stints – lasting one or two weeks – in companies from the sector.

This activity is open for all professional fields existing in companies in the Port Community: nautical, logistics, mechanical, chemical, international trade, IT, administration…

This action has two main objectives:

  • For the teachers to see the day-to-day realities of the companies first-hand.
  • To build relationships between teachers and professionals who manage these companies, therewith building up a rapport and opening up a channel of communication and knowledge exchanges to share needs, concerns, news and developments with each other.

This should serve to advance another similar objective: that schools and institutes begin to incorporate training sessions given by professionals from the sector within their courses. Ideally, these should not be seen as intrusions, but as enrichments of the students’ overall education. After all, it is beneficial for professionals to prepare classes as it requires them to put themselves in the other person’s shoes, which in turn forces them to systematise the work activities they carry out on a daily basis. Having to explain what you do to others is a highly recommendable exercise for everyone.

Aprenem Junts 2023

In 2022, for the first time, an initiative to promote this exercise of interaction between companies and teachers was organised, with successful results in terms of generation of contacts and collaborations, helping companies to incorporate more students in their staff.

This month, the Port of Barcelona and the Training and Employment Work Group is organising a new edition of the “Learning Together” event. It will take place on the 19th of April 2023 in the Aula dels Estels of the World Trade Centre (in Barcelona). The event will aim to:

  • Establish links between companies in the sector and training centres that teach content related to the port industry
  • Encourage teachers’ stints in companies with the aim of bringing teachers closer to business reality
  • Improve companies’ talent recruitment through the teachers’ knowledge of the companies’ cultures, missions and values

This event will take place in the shape of a “speed dating” environment, where individual conversations between professionals from different companies and the teachers or counsellors will be held on a rotational basis. If you are interested, you can register here (NOTE – the event will be held in Catalan).

After all, the Port of Barcelona has an attractive and powerful brand to uphold, and it needs to be communicated to the best talent to come and work in the port-logistics community.

Previous articles in this series:

 

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is here to stay – but at what cost?

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Eduard Rodés - Director of the Escola Europea Intermodal Transport

Written by: Eduard Rodés, director of the Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport

In January one evening I sat down to experiment with the new tools that have been receiving a lot of industry hype recently – the AI chatbots that seemed to revolutionise the field of automation and digital assistance. I went into Chat GPT and asked it to “write a 1000-word article on artificial intelligence and logistics”.

This was the result:

“Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize the field of logistics and supply chain management. By using machine learning algorithms and predictive analytics, AI can help logistics companies optimize their operations, reduce costs, and improve efficiency.

One of the main benefits of AI in logistics is the ability to automate and streamline processes. For example, AI can be used to optimize routes for delivery trucks, predict demand for certain products, and identify bottlenecks in the supply chain. This can help logistics companies reduce their operating costs and improve customer satisfaction by providing faster and more reliable delivery times.

Another area where AI can be useful in logistics is in the management of inventory. By analyzing sales data and customer demand, AI algorithms can help logistics companies forecast future demand and adjust their inventory levels accordingly. This can help reduce the risk of overstocking or running out of stock, which can have a significant impact on a company’s bottom line.

In addition to automating and optimizing processes, AI can also be used to improve the accuracy and speed of decision-making in logistics. For example, AI algorithms can be used to analyze large amounts of data and identify trends or patterns that might not be immediately obvious to human analysts. This can help logistics companies make more informed decisions about where to allocate resources, what products to stock, and how to respond to changes in the market.

AI can also be used to improve the efficiency of logistics operations by reducing the need for manual labor. For example, self-driving trucks and drones can be used to transport goods, freeing up human workers to focus on more complex tasks. This can help logistics companies reduce labor costs and improve productivity. Despite the many potential benefits of AI in logistics, there are also some challenges to consider. One concern is the potential for job displacement as more tasks are automated. Logistics companies will need to carefully consider how to retrain and reallocate their workforce to ensure that workers are not left behind as AI becomes more prevalent.

In conclusion, AI has the potential to revolutionize logistics and supply chain management by automating and streamlining processes, optimizing inventory levels, improving decision-making, and reducing the need for manual labor. However, there are some challenges that must be addressed in order to ensure that AI is used responsibly.”

 

I was left dumbstruck. I then wanted to test this further and accessed deepai.org/art. I asked the screen to create an image for me with the Word “logistics”, and low and behold – I was given a new image:

Technology has been advancing at an incremental rate since the late 80s, early 90s. Long gone are the days when you had to call an operator to connect you to another person. It also appears that the days of “assistants” will also soon be behind us. Artificial Intelligence is improving our productivity, changing the way we carry out daily tasks and work. But at what cost?

What is ChatCPT?

ChatGPT is a language model developed by OpenAI. In essense it’s an artificial intelligence chatbot, which launched in November 2022. It is built on top of OpenAI’s GPT-3 family of large language models and has been fine-tuned (an approach to transfer learning) using both supervised and reinforcement learning techniques.

The technology has the potential to revolutionize the way we communicate with machines and each other. Its implications on our future are vast, and its potential uses are only beginning to be explored. From business to education, healthcare to entertainment, ChatGPT has the potential to transform our world in profound ways.

One of the most significant implications of ChatGPT is its ability to enhance communication. With its advanced natural language processing capabilities, ChatGPT can interpret and respond to text in a way that is almost indistinguishable from human communication. This means that it has the potential to provide personalized customer service, support in education and training, and even therapy.

  • The system can also process vast amounts of data, which makes it a powerful tool for businesses. With its help, companies can analyze customer feedback, identify patterns in consumer behaviour, and improve their products and services accordingly. ChatGPT can also be used to streamline internal communication, automate repetitive tasks, and provide insights for decision-making.
  • In healthcare, ChatGPT can help patients receive more personalized care. By analysing patient data and medical history, ChatGPT can assist doctors and nurses in making more informed decisions about diagnosis and treatment. It can also be used to provide patients with support and education, helping them to manage their conditions and improve their overall health.
  • In education, ChatGPT has the potential to revolutionize the way we learn. It can provide personalized support and feedback to students, help teachers to create more engaging and effective lesson plans, and even automate grading and assessment. ChatGPT can also provide access to educational resources to people in remote or underprivileged areas, helping to bridge the digital divide.

Is it all good?

While ChatGPT has many potential benefits, there are also several risks and challenges that need to be addressed. Here are some of the most significant concerns:

  1. Bias: Like any artificial intelligence system, ChatGPT can be influenced by biases in the data it is trained on. This means that if the data reflects discriminatory or unfair practices, the system could perpetuate those biases. This is especially concerning when it comes to sensitive topics like healthcare or criminal justice, where biased decision-making could have serious consequences.
  2. Misinformation: ChatGPT can be used to create convincing fake news or propaganda, which can be spread quickly and widely through social media. This is a concern because misinformation can have serious real-world consequences, such as influencing political outcomes or causing panic during a public health crisis.
  3. Privacy: ChatGPT requires access to large amounts of data to work effectively, which can raise concerns about privacy. If sensitive personal information is stored and processed by ChatGPT, there is a risk that it could be accessed by hackers or other malicious actors.
  4. Dependence: As ChatGPT becomes more ubiquitous, there is a risk that people will become overly reliant on it for decision-making and problem-solving. This could lead to a loss of critical thinking skills and creativity, which are important for innovation and progress.
  5. Regulation: There are currently few regulations in place to govern the use of artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT. This means that there is a risk that these systems could be used in unethical or harmful ways without consequences.

To address these risks and challenges, it is essential to continue developing ethical guidelines and safeguards to ensure that ChatGPT is used in responsible and beneficial ways. This includes ensuring that the data used to train ChatGPT is diverse and free from bias, and that users are educated on the limitations and potential biases of the system. Additionally, regulations should be put in place to ensure that ChatGPT is used ethically and transparently, and that privacy concerns are addressed. By doing so, we can maximize the potential benefits of ChatGPT while minimizing the risks.

Final thoughts

There is no doubt that ChatGPT has the potential to transform many aspects of our lives, from communication and business to healthcare and education. Its implications for our future are vast, and its potential uses are only beginning to be explored. As with any technology, it is important to continue to develop ethical guidelines and safeguards to ensure that ChatGPT is used in responsible and beneficial ways. The future is exciting, and ChatGPT looks to be a part of it.

Barcelona Port’s Training and Employment Group

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Striving for excellence in the War for Talent

Barcelona: a city that needs no introduction.

All around the world, when you say the name Barcelona, you can be certain that the name will be recognised thanks to the tourists it attracts and the economic growth that the city experienced over the past three decades. The port of Barcelona, therefore,  is a historical place as well as a nodal point where business development and connection between ports and companies take place.

Within this node and as a response to the problematic lack of qualified talent in the sector, a unique initiative was born. This initiative – called the Training and Employment Group of the Port of Barcelona – exists today to ensure that the Barcelona Port Community (which helps fuel the city’s growth) can access the skills and training opportunities needed to meet the ever-changing demands of our modern-day industry. It is also the first step in our journey to “Discover the Port.”

The Training and Employment Group

The Training and Employment Group of the Port of Barcelona is an initiative aimed at promoting job creation, training, and professional development in the port community of Barcelona. The group is comprised of various organizations and institutions, including the Barcelona Port Authority, the Generalitat of Catalonia, the City Council of Barcelona, and various industry associations and trade unions.

The main objective of the Training and Employment Group is to ensure that the port community has access to the necessary skills and training required to meet the demands of the industry and to promote job creation and professional development.  The group works to identify the needs of the port community and to develop training programs and initiatives that are tailored to these needs.

Some of the key activities of the Training and Employment Group include organizing training courses, seminars, and workshops on topics such as logistics, customs, and port operations. The group also works to promote apprenticeships and internships within the port community, providing opportunities for individuals to gain practical experience and to develop their skills.

In addition to its training and employment initiatives, the group also works to promote social responsibility and sustainable development within the port community. This includes initiatives aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion within the industry, as well as promoting environmental sustainability and energy efficiency.

Whom does the Group serve?

The Training and Employment Group exists to support the development and growth of the Port Community of Barcelona. The port community comprises a diverse range of companies and organizations, all working together to ensure the smooth functioning of the port and to support the broader needs of the city.

This Port Community is made up of various stakeholders who form a tightly-knit network of companies and organisations, including the port authority, shipping companies, logistics operators, freight forwarders, and customs agents, among others. Together, they form a collaborative network that works towards the efficient and sustainable operation of the port.

The port community of Barcelona also contributes significantly to the city’s economy, providing employment opportunities for thousands of people and generating significant revenue. According to a report by the Barcelona Port Authority, the port community contributes around €2.5 billion annually to the local economy, with the port itself handling over 67 million tons of cargo each year. It is therefore evident that the human capital operating within this community is indispensable towards the continued success of the Catalan capital.

Who’s who in the Group?

The Training and Employment Group (Grupo de Trabajo de Formación y Empleo) of the Port of Barcelona is made up of various organizations and institutions, including:

  • Barcelona Port Authority: The port authority is responsible for managing and promoting the port of Barcelona, and is one of the key members of the Training and Employment Group;
  • Generalitat of Catalonia: The Generalitat is the government of Catalonia, the autonomous region of Spain where Barcelona is located. It plays a key role in promoting economic development and job creation in the region;
  • City Council of Barcelona: The City Council is responsible for the administration of the city of Barcelona, and plays a key role in promoting economic and social development in the city;
  • Industry associations: Various industry associations are also members of the Training and Employment Group, including the Barcelona Port Community, the Catalan Association of Freight Forwarders, and the Catalan Association of Customs Agents;
  • Trade unions: Trade unions also play a role in the Training and Employment Group, representing the interests of workers in the port community and working to promote job creation and professional development;
  • Educational institutions: Finally, educational institutions such as universities and vocational training centers are also members of the group, providing training and educational programmes to support the professional development of individuals in the port community.

Who are the Stakeholders? The players and the roles they play

There are several kinds of companies that exist within the port community of Barcelona, each playing a critical role in its overall functioning. These include shipping lines, freight forwarders, terminal operators, customs agents, and logistics companies:

  • Shipping lines are responsible for transporting goods from one place to another;
  • Freight forwarders handle the transportation of goods from one point to another;
  • Terminal operators provide the infrastructure necessary for the handling of cargo at the port, such as cranes, storage facilities, and other equipment;
  • Customs agents are responsible for ensuring that goods entering or leaving the port are compliant with relevant regulations and requirements;
  • Logistics companies manage the movement of goods from the port to their final destination.

All these companies work together to ensure that the port operates efficiently and effectively, handling a large volume of cargo and facilitating international trade. Through the training initiatives and employment opportunities offered by the Group, these actors can ensure that their employees are continuously nourished and supported in their professional development and have the necessary skills and tools to stay on top of the rapidly-changing trends in the modern industry.

Final thoughts

Overall, the Training and Employment Group of the Port of Barcelona is a key player in promoting job creation and professional development within the port community of Barcelona. By providing access to training and skills development opportunities, the group is helping to ensure that the port community remains competitive and able to meet the demands of the industry, while also promoting social responsibility and sustainable development.

There is no doubt that the port community of Barcelona is a critical component of the city’s economy and society, comprising a diverse range of companies and organizations working together to ensure the efficient functioning of the port and the broader needs of the city. By collaborating closely and leveraging their expertise and resources, the Training and Employment Group is playing a key role in supporting the port’s (and by extension the city’s) growth and development and will continue to do so in the years to come.

More reading:

Back to Basics: Port Terminals

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Normally, it is easy to think about a particular port as one, indivisible entity. However ports themselves have a number of actors that comprise the overall port community. Just like pieces of a puzzle, port terminals are the different parts that make up a port. In this article we take a closer look at port terminals, looking at the kinds of port terminals that exist and at their corresponding characteristics.

What are Port Terminals?

“Ports are harbour areas in which marine terminal facilities are transferring cargo and passengers between ships and land transportation” by Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue and Dr. Theo Notteboom

Essentially, ports are areas where land and sea merge and where cargo ships and vessels dock to load and unload cargo, fuel and passengers. To facilitate this, ports are hosts to terminals. Depending on the size, they can have one terminal or several. These terminals, in turn, are specialised in the handling of the different types of cargo.

Terminals can be divided into three major categories:

  1. General Cargo (unitized cargo)
  2. Bulk Cargo (loose cargo)
  3. Passengers (passengers and vehicles)

Furthermore, within this division of categories of port terminals, more divisions can be identified, each serving a different purpose and classified by the type of traffic or cargo that is processed.

Divided by types of cargo these are:

Diving deeper, we can take a closer look at how these types of terminals operate.  Let’s take a closer look at these terminal types.

  1. Container terminals

Perhaps the most easily recognised terminals in (cargo) ports are ones that can process containers. These terminals are designed to handle the large containers that are used to transport goods across the world. They have cranes and other handling equipment to move containers from ships to trucks or trains for further transportation.

  1. Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) terminals

As its name indicates, these terminals are used for vehicles -to roll on and off- like a cars, trucks, and buses that are driven onto ships for transportation. They have ramps or elevators to load and unload vehicles. A modern Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) terminal is a facility designed to handle the loading and unloading of vehicles from ships quickly, efficiently and safely.

  1. Liquid terminals

When talking about liquid terminals we intend those handling liquids such as petroleum, chemicals and liquefied natural gas. For this, they have pipelines and storage tanks for the transfer of liquids from ships to land-based storage facilities.

  1. Dry bulk terminals

For handling dry cargo such as grain, coal, and minerals exist Dry Bulk Terminals. They have storage silos and conveyor systems to move the cargo from ships to storage or onto trucks and trains. These terminals are designed to ensure the safe and efficient handling of these goods, while minimizing the risk of damage or spoilage.

  1. Breakbulk terminals

These terminals exist for the handling of cargo that is too large or too heavy to be shipped in standard shipping containers. This type of cargo includes heavy machinery, steel, and lumber that is not packaged in containers, oversized equipment, etc. They have cranes and other handling equipment to move the cargo from ships to trucks or trains. Modern breakbulk terminals use technology to streamline the handling of cargo and minimize the risk of damage or loss, while also incorporating environmentally sustainable practices

  1. Passenger terminals

 Designed to handle the boarding and disembarking of passengers on cruise ships and ferries, they tend to  include amenities such as baggage storage, restaurants, and shopping areas for tourists. Modern passenger terminals are designed to provide a comfortable and efficient experience for passengers, while also ensuring the safety and security of people on board and their belongings, while also incorporating environmentally sustainable practices.

Conclusion

To summarise then it can be said that the type of terminal found in a port depends on the types of cargo and vessels that frequent the port. Some terminals specialize in handling specific goods, such as containers or liquids, while others are equipped to handle dangerous goods. Each terminal has its own unique features and facilities to handle specific types of cargo efficiently and safely. What determines the number of terminals in a port is the size of the traffic that frequents it – busier ports with better connections tend to be hosts to more terminals than smaller enclaves. Nevertheless all of them depend on the efficient management of said terminals and their successful operation is connected to the successful network within the existing port community.

If you are interested to know more, or if you’d like to witness port operations to a vessel or to goods, get in touch and check out our upcoming annual summer school on port operations.

Sources:

Smart logistics concept

Back to basics: What is a Smart Port?

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This year at the Escola we thought that we would go back to some basic (but modern) concepts connected to intermodal transport. With the series that we are calling #BackToBasics, we will begin explaining some concepts that are central to the transport sector today, but which can be confusing to some. We will kick-start our series with the concept of a “Smart Port.”

Daily Logistik: Asian Development Bank describes a smart port as a port that ensures “no waste of space, time, money and natural resources.”

What is a Smart Port?

 The inclusion of the word “smart” in the name implies the capabilities of the port and the integrated workflow (Marine Insight).  So what is it exactly? A smart port is a modern port that uses advanced technology and digital systems to improve the efficiency, sustainability, and competitiveness of its operations. Smart ports often use digital tools such as sensors, data analytics, augmented reality, big data, digital twins and automation to optimize the movement of cargo, reduce waste and emissions, and provide better services to stakeholders (which include shipping companies, customs authorities, and local communities). Smart ports may also include features such as renewable energy sources, electric charging stations (Onshore Power Supply), and smart infrastructure for logistics and transportation

“The goal of a smart port is to enable a more efficient, sustainable, and profitable port ecosystem that can support economic growth and regional development.”

What are Smart Port’s Digital Tools ?

Smart ports are classified as “smart” because they use a variety of digital tools to optimise their operations. These include:

  1. Sensors: Smart ports often use sensors to monitor various aspects of their operations, such as cargo movement, traffic flow, environmental conditions, and security. These sensors can provide real-time data that can be used to optimize operations and improve decision-making.
  2. Data analytics: Smart ports use data analytics to process and analyse the data collected from sensors and other sources, such as shipping manifests and customs declarations. This data can be used to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities for improvement.
  3. Automation: Smart ports may use automation technologies such as robots, drones, and self-driving vehicles to improve the efficiency and accuracy of certain tasks, such as cargo handling and inspection.
  4. Digital platforms: Smart ports may use digital platforms, such as cloud computing, blockchain, digital twins and internet of things (IoT) technologies, to connect various stakeholders and enable more efficient and transparent communication and collaboration.
  5. Clean technologies: Smart ports can incentivize the use of cleaner technologies, such as electric vehicles and renewable energy sources, to reduce the environmental impact of port operations.
  6. Energy efficiency measures: Smart ports can implement energy efficiency measures, such as LED lighting and energy-efficient systems, to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Why? For cleaner, greener ports

The use of digital tools helps smart ports reduce costs, improve service quality, and increase agility and responsiveness to market demands. There is no doubt about it. However, another characteristic of a smart port is its emphasis on sustainable operations and the creation of a greener port.

Below you can find some elements that help characterise a smart port that as “green”:

  1. Promoting recycling and waste reduction: Smart ports can implement recycling programs and encourage the use of reusable containers and packaging materials to reduce waste and improve resource efficiency.
  2. The use of renewable energy: Smart ports can use a variety of renewable energy sources to power their operations, including
    1. Solar power: Smart ports can install solar panels on rooftops, car parks, and other suitable areas to generate electricity from the sun.
    2. Wind power: Smart ports can install wind turbines on land or offshore to generate electricity from wind.
    3. Hydroelectric power: Smart ports located near rivers or oceans can use the flow of water to generate electricity through hydroelectric power plants.
    4. Geothermal power: Smart ports can use geothermal energy, which is generated from the Earth’s internal heat, to generate electricity and heat buildings.
    5. Biomass: Smart ports can use biomass, such as wood chips or agricultural waste, to generate electricity through combustion or anaerobic digestion.
  3. The use of electric vehicles: Many ports have begun to use electric vehicles, cranes and container stackers within their terminals to minimise emissions and ensure cleaner air around the port community area. By providing multiple charging points, smart ports make it easier for the port community companies to operate these clean energy vehicles.

Overall, reducing waste and emissions is an important aspect of sustainable port operations and helps smart ports contribute to global efforts to combat climate change and protect the environment.

Sources:

“Partnership is the new leadership”

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Written by Lidia Slawinska

Written by Lidia Slawinska, Digital Communication Manager – Escola Europea Intermodal Transport

Recently, while I took a walk to wind down from a long workday, I came upon an episode of a podcast “The Bid”. Hosted by Mark Wiedman, this particular episode invited the CEO of the Volvo group Martin Lundstedt to talk about the future of transportation. As the conversation went on, a catchphrase voiced by Mr Lundstedt stuck out to me: “Partnership is the new leadership”. It sounded simple to me, and yet it resonated with a powerful message. The conversation focused on fully electric heavy-duty trucks of the Volvo group, but the sentiment can be extended to the larger transport sector when thinking about its future. And there is very little doubt that its future is green.

We need to make sure that we are working together to lower emissions, achieve better designs and ensure seamless transitions. This is what is expected of us to protect our beautiful green planet. This is what was in the mind of Martin Lundstedt in his conversation with Mark Wiedman, and what should be on all of our minds.

Partnering towards lower emissions

One of the main goals today of our industry is to combat greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 is an extremely ambitious goal, and without collaboration perhaps it is impossible. Companies need to set aside their competitive differences and work together to come up with common standards and solutions that target traditional polluters and uplift renewable and clean alternatives.

A great example of collaboration in this field is the Blue Visby solution. The main idea behind this innovation is the eradication of an old principle of “Sail Fast, then Wait.” Through a multilateral platform, companies can use a “queuing system” for ships with a common port of destination. By sailing slower, vessels emit less polluters into the atmosphere and have a fast and efficient turn-around time whilst in-port (as the algorithm sets the optimal arrival time). For companies that collaborate and ascribe to this solution, competitiveness is not at the forefront – rather it is environmental sustainability (as well as efficient supply chain management).

Partnering towards better vessels

Another great field of opportunity for partnerships is vessel design. There is a huge demand for greener next generation vessels that integrate both smart technologies and rely on green and renewable fuels.

The processes to create and troubleshoot such designs are long, complicated and time consuming. Working together with other companies involved in similar initiatives not only brings together more minds to create the most efficient designs possible, but also speeds up the processes. Naval engineers, ship owners, classification societies and other actors need to be able to collaborate effectively and communicate easily.

Using new technologies, 3D models and online simulators, data can be shared across the band of shareholders. By using protected web-based information sharing platforms, agents can rest assured that their intellectual property rights are not infringed upon, whilst nourishing a pool of new ideas. A great example of this is the virtual reality tool used by Knud E. Hausen – Ship Space – which allows up to 64 users to work on a similar design using VR instead of relying on the traditional CAD software.

These solutions don’t need to be limited to vessel design. Different port authorities can work together to compare and integrate different technological solutions in different environments, therewith building on new ideas and sharing the innovative alternatives – making transport journeys consistent and easy for shippers calling at different ports.

Partnering towards seamless transitions

No innovation will be effective if the industry does not accept it. Agents across the board need to embrace innovative solutions and let the traditional processes gradually fade away. The transition towards new technologies and new fuels needs to be seamless and, above all else, secure. Any new modifications to a vessel (new batteries, carbon capture, etc.) can affect its stability profile, and therefore constant monitoring is needed to ensure the success of the change.

Innovative partnerships between vessel operators and onshore agents make this possible through the use of digital platforms. The Cloud can provide vast amounts of storage and up-to-date data to actors at sea and on land, ensuring that variables are regularly updated.

“Given the speed and breadth of the technology transition, this more proactive and collaborative approach is essential to maintain the trust of a key partner: seafarers” (Splash 247).

An example of such a partnership can be found in the Port of Barcelona, where 5G technology and a comprehensive 5G network will soon be tested for the first time in Spain. The platform will make it possible for agents within the port community and operators on land and at sea to communicate with each other and exchange information quickly and securely.

Final thoughts

We are taught as children that we need to share. We are told that teamwork is the path forward. At school we are frequently placed in small groups to work on presentations across all subject areas – underscoring the value that educators put on teamwork in a formative environment

As adults, we need to embrace that mindset as well. The climate emergency that we are facing today is very real – and to face it we need to reinforce whatever partnerships exist and create others, putting aside our competitive factors. We need to share ideas and solutions and work together to put them into action. We need to be partners with our direct and indirect competitors to make sure that our industry moves forward. With new technologies and ever-expanding research base, we have everything at our disposal to lead us through partnerships, and therewith help our companies, industries and even our planet thrive.

 Sources:

·     https://splash247.com/a-digital-framework-to-collaborate-on-decarbonisation/

·     https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bid/id1441032838?i=1000585054887

·     https://www.knudehansen.com/news/ship-design-review-collaboration-virtual-reality-tools/

·     https://piernext.portdebarcelona.cat/en/technology/this-is-how-the-port-of-barcelona-will-deploy-the-future-5g-network/

The War for Talent

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When I was younger, the search for employees was very different. Companies created preferred “job profiles,” which would remain unchanged for large periods of time. People would send in their job profiles and hope that they would be accepted for the advertised posts. Those with a university degree (any degree – as frequently the specialisation didn’t necessarily need to be directly linked to the job) were always held in higher esteem. The burden to fill the positions was carried by the unemployed.

We live in a different world now. Workers’ expectations for their professional careers and who they work for have changed. The pandemic has hastened a trend that was already gaining speed in the late ‘10s – of preferred workplace environments, possibilities for employee development and growth, and a work-life balance. On top of that, the rapidly changing nature of work fuelled by technological innovations and environmental ambitions has made job posts flexible, if not obsolete, flexible. This is true when we look at any industry, but when we look at the transport and logistics sector in particular.

The fight for talent

Attracting, identifying, and retaining talent is becoming one of the strategic issues for organisations in the post-Covid world. This is one of the exciting topics currently surrounding Port Logistics Communities (PLCs). Many of the members of these communities depend on each other, and thus the search for solutions and the effectiveness of any joint actions in this field is achieved through common work between different operators. Such inter-cooperation creates a working chain in which the weakest link represents the strength of the entire system. In practice this means that every person should do things to the best of their abilities to ensure overall success.

Until recently, a significant part of operator selection has been done traditionally through general testing and assessment of services. This approach is not ideal to effectively assess increasingly unpredictable or less repetitive operations, which require very short preparation and execution times, and where the margin for failure is small. Moreover, in today’s ever-connected world, it is necessary to rely on the quality of services provided by other participants in the operational chain, which makes individual evaluations complex. Increasingly, relationships must be based on a thorough knowledge of the way our suppliers operate, who then become collaborators and managers of different parts of the operations. Therefore, all of us must be concerned about the entire human element that makes up this team.

The quality of the Port Logistics Community is fundamental for its proper development.

The Port of Barcelona and the Training and Employment Group: a three-sided coin

The Training and Employment group of the Port of Barcelona’s Governing Council tries to help companies in the sector find and maintain the resources they need to adequately fill current and future vacancies. The companies in the port logistics sector are facing a new reality on a day-to-day basis: innovation has become the new fuel for companies, both due to the number of start-ups that pop up and because of the need for large companies to continuously reinvent themselves. This means that what until now was seen as a two-sided coin represented by training on one side and employment on the other, has now morphed into something new; with an third characteristic: innovation. This poses new educational challenges and calls for new training needs – for teachers and students – and new jobs.

To help respond to this situation, a programme made up of several sub-programmes was set up in Barcelona. Incorporating a 360º programme, the idea was to cover all levels of the ecosystem. This system has been called “Vine al Port” in Catalan (or “Come to the Port” in English). It encapsulates various sub-programmes that are aimed at specific audiences: “Descubreix el Port” (Discover the Port), “Aprenem Junts” (Learning together), “Format al Port” (Training in the Port), “Port Talent” (Port Talent) and “Benvingut al Port” (Welcome to the Port).

The goal of this innovative system is to help the Barcelona port community come out strong in the war for Talent by tackling the issues at the fore – identifying what are the training needs that the companies lack, creating training programmes that fill the educational gaps that may exist, helping young students understand the professions of the port community (and what the jobs themselves look like through experiential courses and internships), and then finally filling any existing (or new) positions with the best prepared new workers.

Conclusion

The Escola and the Port of Barcelona have now embarked on this journey to continuously improve the Port Logitics Community. The port must reflect and represent the entire port-logistics community, publicising how its companies treat their staff and how they embody their fundamental values and responsibilities. Doing so will facilitate the community’s public image and therewith help with the war for Talent.

Companies must focus on tangible benefits in the form of good remuneration, mutual health insurance, pension funds, training, promotion, location, etc. It is also important to establish an emotional connection based on initiatives linked to environmental issues, social work or volunteering. In this respect, the PLC can carry out actions that complement what individual companies do with activities such as the food bank or the “Solidarity Container”.

 And finally, a sense of belonging must be fostered so that the people who work in the PLC feel that they are working on a common project with a scope that goes beyond what each one of them could achieve. It is important that this is known, understood and shared. The Port Community should be built together, with the collaboration of all partners involved.

In the new year we will be focusing more on our involvement in this Talent War. Keep an eye out for more news from us which will explain, with great detail, what “Coming to the Port” means and how you, or your colleagues or friends, can get involved to help our Barcelona port thrive.

I wish all of you a fantastic holiday season! 2022 has been, for lack of a more elaborate word, fascinating! The Escola has grown – through our port community, our projects and our initiatives. I am very exited to continue sharing with you our work in the new year.

Bon Nadal I Pròsper Any Nou

 

Written by Eduard Rodés, Director of the Escola EuropeaEduard Rodés

President of the Training and Employment Working Group
Of the Governing Council of the Port Community of Barcelona
Director of the Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport
Barcelona 12 December 2022

Rail as key strategic freight transport

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Railway is key part of the Spanish and European commitment to decarbonise the freight transport sector. Initiatives such as ‘ecoincentivos’, digitalisation, and automation, or “usage per load volume” are some of the challenges and characteristics that have been identified to help include rail as strategic freight transport.

Spain has the most kilometres of high-speed rail (3,402) in the European Union, and is the second country in the world (only surpassed by China). Nevertheless, despite these impressive numbers, beyond the road infrastructure equipment there are still several services linked to this transport that need to be developed, including the developments of digitalisation and the lack of equipment for its use. 

Within the area of freight transport (discounting passenger traffic), the commitment to multimodal supply chains could be the key to achieving the ambitious objectives of the European Union toward environmental goals; especially by making use of an existing and easily applicable means of transport such as rail. 

 

SURCO Operations II, que será en Madrid del 23 al 31 de enero 2023.

SURCO Operations II, que será en Madrid del 23 al 31 de enero 2023.

 

According to the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER), transport accounts for 31% of energy consumption of land transport in the European Union. Rail, for its part, is seven times more efficient than road transport. In terms of emissions, rail accounts for 0.4% of all transport. If only freight transport were to be taken into account, the railway would play a fundamental role to reach a sustainable system and meet the global objectives set, since the train emits 80% less CO2 than its equivalent by road, according to sources from El Economista. In addition to reducing emissions, it reduces external costs by up to 50%: a train replaces 40 lorries and thus helps decongest roads, reduce accidents and lowers noise. It also consumes six times less energy and is eight times better in terms of air pollution.

 

Within freight transport, commitment to using multimodal supply chains could be the key to achieving global objectives, especially by making use of an existing and easily applicable means of transport such as rail.

According to Xavier Flores, the General Secretary of Infrastructures of the Spanish Government, one of the challenges towards achieving the expansion of this system is the fact that only between 4% and 5% of the total freight is moved by rail in Spain. 

 

The most efficient freight transport 

The following factors can be attributed to the efficiency of rail transport:  

  1. Low resistance: thanks to the wheel tread, the elastic deformation of the wheel-rail contact is comparatively low, as both elements are made of steel.  
  1. Optimal aerodynamic drag: In long trains, the friction depends mainly on the cross-section of the vehicle, not the length. This results in minimal energy consumption. 
  1. High-capacity transport: especially when the train reaches European standards of 740 m in length, and by boosting the electrification of railway lines, rail transport becomes a much more sustainable and competitive mode of transport than road for medium and long distances.  

Key for decarbonizing the transport sector 

There are several agreements that have created a roadmap for transport to reduce emissions: the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement and the Green Deal in Europe are just some of them.  

In 2011, the European Commission’s White Paper set a target of shifting 30% of road freight transport over 300 km to rail or inland waterways by 2030. Since then, European governments, institutions and companies have been working to reach agreements to tackle climate change. Combined or multimodal transport has been presented as the most economically and environmentally sustainable option solution for achieving this goal.  

‘Ecoincentivos’: a commitment to the environment 

To get on board the decarbonisation train and encourage the use of rail for freight transport, the Spanish Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (Mitma) promoted the ‘eco-incentives’ programme. This was designed to last for the upcoming three years within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. 

This initiative has encountered some setbacks, as it is only applicable for those companies that have or will see a minimum growth of 8% in the volume of cargo transported. During the first half of the year this figure was being reached by almost all rail companies in the sector. Nevertheless, starting from June 2022, there was a radical turn downwards experienced by the dependence on such sectors as: chemical, aluminium, metallurgical or automotive, industries which in turn have also seen a fall in their activities, according to sources from the newspaper Transporte XXI. 

Because of this, the Ministry of Transport is considering reformulating its aid plan in view of the decrease in activity suffered by railway companies in the second half of the year. However, the unused part of the total allocated budget for the current year (20 million) will not be lost, but will be rolled over to 2023. 

Furthermore, in accordance with the proposals set out in the “Safe, Sustainable and Connected Mobility Strategy” 2030 of the Mitma (Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda of Spain), called “Intermodal and Smart Logistics Chains”, the Mercancías 30 initiative was announced and will be launched, aiming to promote rail freight transport as the backbone of multimodal logistics chains. From the dual perspective of the post-COVID19 economic recovery and the achievement of the objectives of decarbonisation and sustainability of transport. This programme will allocate around 8.8 billion euros for the development of rail freight, both for infrastructure (6.8 billion euros) and equipment (2 billion euros). All actions are to be carried out before 2030.  

The long road towards digitisation  

The road to rail digitisation is a long one, with outdated systems and obsolete technology being among the main challenges to optimisation. According to McKinsey’s report titled ‘Digitizing Europe’s railways: A call to action‘ (2020), despite its robustness, Europe’s railways have outdated systems that are increasingly difficult to maintain. Some major European railways have several types of interlockings, some of which are more than a century old and use very obsolete technology. 

According to a PierNext article – an initiative of the Port Authority of Barcelona – to become the transport mode of the decarbonised Europe, railway must meet five digital axes: 

  1. Digitalising and interconnecting infrastructures 

  1. Automation as the basis for its operations and infrastructures 

  1. Processing and exploiting data 

  1. Run everything in the Cloud 

  1. Safety and security as top priorities  

The European rail sector can continue to promote technology systems. Digitalisation is key to this, especially when looking to become the central freight transport system in Europe and Spain.  The challenge is significant, as the window of opportunity is narrow, and regardless of their interests or wills, the whole industry must be willing to collaborate to drive change. 

The potential gains in cost and capacity efficiency, as well as the benefits of reduced CO2 emissions, are considerable, both within and outside Spain and Europe. To achieve this, operators, governments and companies must cooperate and act to promote the use of rail and co-modality as the most economically and environmentally sustainable response to today’s global challenges. 

 

Look out for our upcoming courses: SURCO Madrid 2023 – Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport