The Port of Barcelona presents PierNext, a digital knowledge hub on logistics and ports

It is a digital hub providing information on the technological & digital transformation of the port sector

The Port of Barcelona has unveiled PierNext, a digital knowledge hub set up to provide information on the innovative initiatives that are transforming the world of logistics, transport and ports internationally. Published in three languages (Catalan, Spanish and English), PierNext (piernext.portdebarcelona.cat) aims to position itself as a platform for analysis and reflection on innovation, with a special focus on the port and maritime sector.

Port of Barcelona President Mercè Conesa and the Port’s Strategic Projects and Innovation chief Carles Rúa unveiled the platform, which aims to stimulate global debate on the future of international trade, logistics and ports. Furthermore, PierNext aims to energise the innovative ecosystem that has been generated in the Port of Barcelona in recent years through initiatives driven by the port itself and by operators and private companies.

“Innovation & the digital revolution that is transforming our sector will be one of the axes defining the strategy of the Port of Barcelona in the years to come,” said President Mercè Conesa. Through PierNext, the Port of Barcelona aims to enrich Barcelona’s innovation cluster with its specialised view of the port and logistics sector, “which we consider to be full of opportunities and potentialities, mainly for start- ups and SMEs”, added Ms Conesa.

Barcelona is the fourth European city in terms of capital investment in start-ups (58% of all money invested in Spain) and ranks third among entrepreneurs looking to found a start-up. “From the Port of Barcelona we want to add and to contribute to this. We aim to explain how the great digital revolution in our sector is happening, but we also want to show all the possibilities that this transformation can offer, both in terms of attracting investment and talent,” said the president of the Catalan port.

An open and collaborative innovation model

The PierNext platform takes advantage of the resources offered by digital communication to present the most disruptive tendencies and experiences that are developing in the field of logistics, international trade and ports in an attractive and well-organised way. This digital knowledge hub will be updated with weekly content presented in the form of reports, accompanied by videos, infographics and other graphical resources. It will also include contributions from international experts.

During the press conference, Carles Rúa, head of Strategic Projects and Innovation at the Port of Barcelona, walked the audience through PierNext to present its main features and sections. “PierNext contains seven sections, which correspond to the six main elements of the smart port model (logistics, mobility, economy, environment, people and governance) and one more (technology), which we have added because of its cross-cutting nature and to highlight innovations with a significant technological or digital component” he said.

The platform presents the contents in an informative and accessible way, but which is also rigorous and precise. “At the Port of Barcelona we have always defended an open and collaborative innovation model. This is shown by the initiatives we have undertaken to boost entrepreneurship and find innovative solutions to the challenges facing the sector; initiatives such as Port Innova – Barcelona Port Hackathon or the Port Challenge Barcelona. In the same vein, we want to make PierNext an open platform for all people and organisations interested in contributing and sharing ideas,” explained Rúa.

Digital Port, boosting digitisation at the Port of Barcelona

PierNext is part of the Digital Port project, launched last year to promote the digitisation of the port environment and which has defined 54 priority initiatives currently in varying phases of execution. “Within this process, we are creating applications, products and services to make us more efficient and competitive, both at the Port of Barcelona – as an organisation – and for the operators and customers of the Port Community,” declared Mercè Conesa.