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Final evaluation of the DigiPort project, part 2.

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.

Final evaluation of the DigiPort project, part 1.

The realization and social impact of the DigiPort project can be assessed through four themes, the first of which is presented here.

Theme 1: Open Data Awareness and Knowledge

Open data is a new phenomenon in ports. Because of this, the project organized training on open data and its opportunities for members of the port community. In March 2018, two open data training workshops were held, one in Kotka and one in Turku. Events went well and were fully-booked. The participants represented a variety of port-related organizations from several Finnish ports. In addition to the training, the program included a workshop section that gathered information on what operational problems participants encountered in port operations. At the same time, it was considered how they could be solved by digitalization and open data.

In addition, the project produced an open written guide, “ABC of Opening Data in Ports”, in support of data opening and use of open data in ports. The guide has been updated during the project and the latest version has been published on the project website, and publications and updates have been made available, for example Twitter and direct communications to stakeholders. The social impact of the theme is the increased awareness and knowledge of open data in the port community.

New article on Port Digitalization published

An article on Port Digitalization and Open Data was recently published in the Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity. Professor Tommi Inkinen from the Brahea Center of the Turku University, Centre for Maritime Studies (CMS), has acted as the main author. The research data and analysis are based on the work of researchers at the DigiPort project, Janne Saarikoski (Kotka Maritime research Centre) and Reima Helminen (CMS) in a report on the current state of Port Digitalization.

The article can be downloaded from this link:

Aalto hosts the ISSAV and ESWC 2019

 

International Seminar on Safety and Security of Autonomous Vessels (ISSAV) 2019 & European STAMP Workshop and Conference (ESWC) 2019

Date:                  17-20 September 2019

Place:                 Hanasaari Culture Center and Conference Hotel, Espoo, Finland. https://www.hanaholmen.fi/en/

Aalto University is proud to host the 2nd edition of the International Seminar on Safety and Security of Autonomous Vessels (ISSAV) together with the 7th edition of the European STAMP Workshop and Conference (ESWC).

You can find more information about the event(s) in the ISSAV and ESWC 2019 Information leaflet or in the ISSAV and ESWC 2019 website: https://www.aalto.fi/events/issaveswc-2019

You can register via the following Link.

 

INFUTURE visit Volgo-Balt Administration in St Petersburg

 

INFUTURE held its 2nd working group meeting at Admiral Makarov State University for Maritime and Inland Shipping in St Petersburg on April 10, 2019. The main issues were to have a discussion related to project ongoing works and to continuation of those works in the near future. The working group meeting was attended by representatives of all Finnish and Russian partners and experts on inland waterway traffic. The project started perfectly. The first report named “Prosperous Future of Inland Waterways” had been published and can be found on Merikotka website at https://merikotka.fi/projects/infuture/?lang=en

On the second day, the INFUTURE group had an opportunity to visit the Volgo-Balt Administration in St Petersburg. The Deputy Head of Volgo-Balt Administration Mr. Gennady Iosifovich Aizen personally welcomed the delegation of Finnish representatives and the Russian participants of the INFUTURE project. He spoke about the role and importance of Volgo-Balt Administration, and cited the main data characterizing its activities in the region.

The next speaker, the leading specialist of the Basin Communications Centre Mr. Alexandr Anatolyevich Zhegalin, spoke about providing communications to navigators, the development of differential correction services and the prospects for implementation of river information services. The Deputy Head of the Cartographic Service Mr. Gleb Borisovich Chistyakov reported on the main tasks facing the cartographic service, on the modern technologies for creating paper and electronic navigation charts, on the operational aspects of providing cartographic products and proofreading data to ship-owners and captains, as well as on the introduction of digital technologies on the Volga-Baltic waterway.

The Finnish part of the project was presented by Ms. Tarja Javanainen (Merikotka) and Mr. Pekka Koskinen (Finnish Waterway Association). Their presentations were devoted both to the introduction of the project “The Future Potential of Inland Waterways” itself, as well as to the condition and development of ports and inland waterways in Finland and Sweden, and their role in the Baltic Sea region.

The project participants visited the Basin Communications Centre and the Ship Traffic Control Service, where the capabilities of the Volgo-Balt Administration in the operational monitoring of the entrusted waterways and fleet traffic control were demonstrated to them. The parties expressed a unanimous opinion about the need to attract young professionals and scientists to the work and activities under the project. The completion of the second day of work marked the successful completion of the second working meeting on the INFUTURE project.

Hack the Port created new digital solution ideas for the port

DigiPort project organized the Hack the Port hackathon in Mussalo Port, Kotka, 9-11 April. Hackathon is a problem-solving event where teams of students try to develop new, innovative solutions to the challenges of everyday life. The theme of Hack the Port was to streamline port operations through digitalization and open data.

There were 20 participants and they were divided into five teams. Students represented different training programs. There were students from computer networks, cyber security, construction and service design as well as a sea captain student. Through multidisciplinarity, it is possible to combine different kinds of expertise, which can lead to “outside the box” solutions

The event was opened on Tuesday morning at 9.4. by mrs. Eija Rossi, Commercial Director of HaminaKotka Satama Oy, at the Merituuli office center of the port of Mussalo.


Eija Rossi introduced port company operations and role, and emphasized the need for new ideas and solutions in the port industry.

After the opening, there was an observation tour in the port area of ​​Mussalo. On the tour, the teams saw in concrete terms what was happening in the port and heard the views of different actors. At the same time, they had the opportunity to ask questions. The tour started with a general introduction by Ville Kuitunen of HaminaKotka Satama Oy, after which VR Transpoint Oy’s Jani Liikanen told about the organization and challenges of rail traffic in the port. The next step was the container terminal, where Steveco Oy’s Mikko Raki introduced container operations and the underlying information systems. Finally, we visited the liquid harbor where Suvi-Tuuli Lappalainen from Oiltanking Finland Oy introduced chemical operations and safety issues.


Ville Kuitunen, Sales Manager of HaminaKotka Satama Oy, began a tour with a general presentation of the Mussalo port area on the roof terrace of the Merituuli office center

After lunch, teams were presented with pre-defined challenges:
1. Developing port digital situational awareness
2. Streamlining port traffic through digitalization
3. Digitalization of port security
4. Risk analysis of the port’s open data sources
5. Open challenge

To solve the challenges, students had been provided with various background materials such as links to open data guides and databases, and research data from the DigiPort project workshops in spring 2018 in Kotka and Turku.

Work started at the Merituuli office center was continued in the Villa Aava in the nearby Santalahti Resort. Teams worked overnight and the day changed on Wednesday 10.4. At noon, the teams spread apart to finish their work independently.

Thursday morning 11.4. they met in the center of Kotka in XAMK Xlab. Teams were offered pitch training for a smooth and interesting presentation of solution ideas. Teams were also able to practice in front of the test jury. On the basis of the feedback received from them, the teams finished their final performances.

In the afternoon, the actual pitching and award ceremony took place. Hackathon jury included Research Director Maria Hänninen from Merikotka, Logistics Manager Olli-Pekka Brunila from XAMK, Sales Manager Ville Kuitunen from HaminaKotka Satama Oy and Project Manager Antti Viitanen from *ship Startup Festival.

Team PowerSquare was chosen as the winning team. Their idea was to streamline port road traffic by digitizing the driving instructions to the port. Moving around in the port area is often perceived as confusing and navigation may not be successful with standard navigation applications. At the moment, drivers are getting a paper map at the gate for instructions to deliver their cargo. In Team PowerSquare application, drivers are sent an e-mail with an information package that includes driving instructions and information about the area’s security arrangements and services.

Second came Team Jaa-a. Their solution was also related to traffic management by processing data from port entry gates and data from open road data sources. The goal is to avoid peaks and to ensure that the available capacity of the port area road network is not exceeded.

The third place was divided between two teams. The idea of ​​the “SH Double” team “Connecting Port People” brought a human-centered perspective on port digitalization. It was a construction of a new digital ecosystem for the port community. The Hak5 team’s output was a machine-vision-based traffic control and management solution.


The atmosphere of the award ceremony with Xlab.

Award-winning teams have the opportunity to refine their ideas and present them to mentors and funders at the *Ship Startup Festival.