PRESS RELEASE
Rotterdam, 18 April 2018 – SmartPort, the knowledge institute of the port of Rotterdam, celebrated its 3-year anniversary in ‘Lantaren Venster’ – with guests from the Rotterdam port business community, science, local and national government. Check out the 3 year anniversary aftermovie here.
SmartPort develops knowledge needed for the complex transitions in energy and digitization in the Rotterdam port area. SmartPort has developed 70 projects over the past 3 years, with a budget of 35 million euros in collaboration with more than 100 companies in and around the Rotterdam port. Check out the official SmartPort movie here.
The meeting in Lantaren Venster was devoted to Innovative Cooperation in Transitions and in particular the importance of social and legal innovations in combination with business model innovation.
After the substantive part, the new phase of SmartPort was ushered in by Paul Smits (CFO Port of Rotterdam and Chairman of the Board of SmartPort) and former Managing Director of SmartPort Michiel Jak. The new cooperation agreement, now extended by 3 years until 2023, was co-signed by the national applied research organizations TNO / ECN and Deltares.
Finally, the new director of SmartPort, Elisabeth van Opstall, was introduced to the community. Michiel Jak: “after three years of setting up and developing SmartPort, I am very proud of the result we have achieved as a community. In the new phase a new director is to be found and I am confident that Elisabeth is the right person for that “.
The addition of the new partners TNO & Deltares leads to a further strengthening and expansion of the necessary innovation knowledge that should make the Smartest Port of the port of Rotterdam.
Paul de Krom, CEO of TNO: “We are proud to announce our strategic partnership with SmartPort. Within the Roadmaps Smart Energy & Industry, Smart Logistics and Future proof Port infrastructure, this collaboration will help us to further strategically connect with the Port Company and thus realize more impact of our innovations. Important subjects include, Voltachem, Hydrogen development, Smart Data for Logistics & platooning and Digital port infrastructure. With these projects we work on the smartest port in the world that is sustainable, safe and accessible. This strengthens the Netherlands’ international position.
Johan Boon, manager of River Dynamics at Deltares, is pleased with joining the knowledge institute: “With the energy transition and the possibilities of new technologies, there are new knowledge questions for the port and the hinterland. The influence of climate change, sea level rise and subsidence makes the ambition to be the smartest and best port more complex. Our knowledge of water and subsoil combined with logistic and economic processes is a logical step to make Rotterdam a sustainable port. ”
More information;
Joan van Winsen – SmartPort – tel. 010-4020338 – joan.van.winsen@smartport.nll
Caroline Ubachs – TNO – tel. 088 866 08 88 – caroline.ubachs@tno.nl
Mariska van Gelderen – Deltares – tel. 088 335 8304 – Mariska.vanGelderen@deltares.nl
