The realization and social impact of the DigiPort project can be assessed through four themes, the second of which is presented here.
Theme 2: Research data for the digital development of ports
Exploiting the potential of digitalization and developing new solutions in ports requires research knowledge. The project produced new information on two different themes. In the first half of the project, a report on current state of digitalization of ports in Finland was prepared. It mapped out how data and digital technologies are utilized in Finnish ports and what possibilities digitalization raises for port authorities. The material was collected through a literature review, expert interviews, a questionnaire for port authorities, an overview of the systems used by the ports, and expert workshops in Kotka and Turku.
The second theme is the future of digitalization of ports. Future scenarios were developed in the second half of the project to outline how the digitalization of transport, logistics and society will affect ports over the next ten years. The study identified extensive data on the forces of change in the operating environment, various programs and roadmaps related to digitalization that touch ports. In addition, experts were interviewed for additional information. Future tables and scenarios were compiled on the basis of the data. Reports on “Current state of digitalization of ports in Finland” and “Future scenarios of digitalization of ports” have been published in the publication series of the Centre for Maritime Studies of University of Turku. The societal impact of the theme is to improve the preconditions for port development work through new knowledge.
