Ports are essential for the European economy; 74% of goods exported or imported to the EU are transported via its seaports. At the same time, the challenges they face are only getting greater: Volumes of cargo increase while they also arrive in a shrinking
number of vessels: Post-Panamax vessels have a capacity of more than 18k containers. Port operators need to comply with increasingly stricter environmental regulations and societal views for sustainability. A sustainable land-use strategy in and around
the port and a strategic transition to new, service-based, management models that improve capacity and efficiency are paramount. They are key enablers for ports that want to keep pace with the ocean carriers needs and establish themselves as trans-shipment hubs with a ‘societal license to operate’; for ports whose land strategy, hinterland accessibility and operations are underpinned by circular economy principles.
COREALIS proposes a strategic, innovative framework, supported by disruptive technologies, including Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, next generation traffic management and emerging 5G networks, for cargo ports to handle upcoming and future capacity, traffic, efficiency and environmental challenges. It respects their limitations regarding the port land, intermodal infrastructure and terminal operation.
It proposes beyond state of the art innovations to increase efficiency and optimize land-use, while being financially viable, respecting circular economy and being of service to the city.
Through COREALIS, the port will minimize its environmental footprint to the city, it will decrease disturbance to local population through a reduction in the congestion around the port. It will be a pillar of business innovation, promoting local startups in disruptive technologies of mutual interest. The proposed beyond state of the art innovations, target to increase efficiency and optimize land use, while being financially viable, respecting circular economy principles and being of service to the urban environment. COREALIS innovations are key both for the major deep sea European ports in view of the new mega-vessel era, but also relevant for medium sized ports with limited investment funds for infrastructure and automation.
COREALIS innovations were implemented and tested in real operating conditions in 5 Living Labs, namely Piraeus port, Valencia port, Antwerp port, Livorno port and Haminakotka port.
These port-driven technological and societal innovations are tailored to realise COREALIS high level objectives, which are focused on:
O1. Embracing circular economy models in its port strategy and operations.
O2. Reducing the port’s total environmental footprint associated with intermodal connections and the surrounding urban environment for three major transport modes, road/truck, rail and inland waterways.
O4. Enabling the port to take informed medium-term and long-term strategic decisions and become an innovation hub of the local urban space.
The aforementioned objectives will be fulfilled through the implementation of a 3-step ‘Stakeholder driven approach’ methodology, which starts with the identification of port requirements (technical, operational, societal, environmental, legal, security etc.) (Phase 1), it continues with the technical design and development of COREALIS innovations (Phase 2), and it ends up with COREALIS Innovations Impact Assessment and Living Labs (LLs) full-scale implementation (Phase 3).
The ultimate ambition of COREALIS is to achieve a significant step forward for future ports to maximize their capacity and efficiency with minimum infrastructure upgrades, while at the same time ameliorating the port-city relation. To this end, COREALIS project is expecting to have a multi-dimensional impact and a high innovation potential:
A great challenge for European ports is the reduction of their negative environmental effect on local communities caused by the handling of the goods in the ports and the hinterland distribution activities.
COREALIS innovations aim for a lower environmental impact of port operations, to achieve significant reduction of the CO2 port emissions and noise.
European ports are currently facing the challenge of adapting to the current trends in global trade and efficiently handling the increasing volumes placed on them.
COREALIS palette of ICT components are focused on meeting the capacity and efficiency targets. The proposed framework aims to improve the terminal operations efficiency, maximise the use of the infrastructure and equipment and decrease operational costs as well as external costs such as congestion, waiting and idle times.
The establishment of a bidirectional relation with the urban space surrounding, is of utmost importance for COREALIS, which targets in the citizens and stakeholders’ satisfaction through the betterment of life quality and the improvement of the hinterland connection.
COREALIS aims to establish efficient connections with hinterland transport network and promote the use of the most energy-efficient transport modes (e.g. railway and inland waterways). It will foster the smart urban development of port-cities, enabling port managers to take informed decisions towards sustainable policies with city stakeholders.
