The Port of Rotterdam Authority sys it is entering into a partnership with four start-ups for the development of as many innovative projects. Along with six other starters, these companies took part in the port-related accelerator programme PortXL and presented their results during yesterday’s ‘Shakedown’.
The ten selected start-ups made amazing progress in the three month long PortXL programme. In fact, nine of them saw their efforts rewarded with a contract with organisations such as Van Oord, Vopak, Boskalis, Alliander and Stena Line.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority backed four further developments. Pilot contracts were signed with virtual-reality training programme Parable and maritime-augmented-reality provider FEO AR. Declarations of intent were signed with chartering app for inland shipping 4Shipping and sanitary-waste recycler Liquid Gold.
During the Shakedown meeting, it was also announced that Rotterdam The Hague Airport, the Municipality of Rotterdam and Thales had joined the PortXL network as new partners.
Thanks to the virtual-reality solution developed by Parable, the Industrial Firefighting Pool (IBP) in the Port of Rotterdam can train more often and more efficiently, thus further improving their level of operational readiness.
Using FEO AR’s augmented-reality glasses, experts can remotely observe situations when faults occur on board survey vessels operated by the Port of Rotterdam Authority. These ‘smart glasses’ improve the deployability of the vessels.
4Shipping is a digital market-place that makes supply and demand of inland shipping containers more transparent and thus more efficient. This ultimately boosts the competitive position of inland shipping.
Liquid Gold develops technology with which valuable phosphorous and nitrogen can be extracted from urine in sanitary discharge systems on board ships. The revenue generated from this could help reduce costs for ships visiting Rotterdam, improving the competitive position of the Port of Rotterdam as a whole.
Together with partners Van Oord, Vopak, Boskalis EY, Uniper, Rabobank, Rotterdam Port Fund, InnovationQuarter and Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship, the Port of Rotterdam Authority founded PortXL in 2015. This is the only port-related start-up programme in the world. PortXL scouts worldwide for start-ups in the Transport & Logistics, Energy, Petrochemical & Refining, and Maritime sectors.
After the ‘Selection Days’ held in February, ten selected start-ups spent the past three months working hard to raise their innovations to the next level. In the process they received intensive coaching from mentors, partners and experts from the PortXL network. During Shakedown, the start-ups presented their progress.