ChainPORT hackathon held for the first time simultaneously in the ports of Antwerp and Los Angeles

The chainPORT hackathon was held from 11 to 13 October for the first time simultaneously in the ports of Antwerp and Los Angeles. The Antwerp segment is an initiative of AlfaportVoka, Antwerp Port Authority and NxtPort. More than 400 participants, divided into teams, looked for creative solutions to the local and worldwide challenges of the port of tomorrow. The winning team, from the company Rombit, developed a solution for the optimalisation of the specified 'Expected Time of Arrival' (ETA).

Last Thursday, participants gathered for the first chainPORT hackathon which held simultaneously in Antwerp and Los Angeles. For 2 days and nights 35 teams and coaches from the businesslife and the academic world, tackled local and worldwide port-related challenges such as mobility, security, sustainability and data sharing between world ports, port of Antwerp said in its press release.

Composed of Hans Verbeeck (Nxtport), Erwin Verstraelen (Antwerp Port Authority), Sven Devocht (Alfaport-Voka) and Serge Auclair (Port of Montreal), the panel of judges chose a winner from among the 35 solutions created. The choice fell on the proposal of the team of Rombit, that developed a sollution for the optimization of the specified ETA . The winning team went home with €5000 in prize money and a fully-fledged B2B mentoring programme.

ChainPORT initiative
The chainPORT initiative is a unique cooperation between various port authorities throughout the world: Antwerp, Barcelona, Busan, Felixstowe, Hamburg, Los Angeles, Montreal, Rotterdam, Shenzhen and Singapore. ChainPORT aspires to develop advanced processes and technologies so as to shape the future of the port sector.