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Let’s create net-zero emission ports!

4/07/2022. Ports’ facilities represent crucial hubs in the logistics network, linking maritime transport to the hinterland and finally to the customers through different transport modes. Air pollution has an important impact on the environment of ports and their surrounding city areas, though. By providing dedicated solutions within ports, air pollutants can be reduced significantly, leading to healthier cities.

On the other hand, over the last decade, the European Commission has stressed the urgent need to decarbonise the transport sector and improve environmental performance in the fight against climate change, committing to cutting emissions by at least 55% by 2030. Valenciaport goes beyond this ambitious target, and aims to achieve net-zero emissions by that time.

Achieving net-zero emissions is one of the most critical challenges for ports around the world, which are already seeking solutions to mitigate the environmental burden of their operations. To meet that goal, ports must adaptate their facilities to the evolution of the different transport modes. Within this context, innovations across the entire logistics chain have become the central axes of the new smart-port paradigm.

We are looking for early stage startups with tech solutions that can provide a significant step forward in the reduction of net gas emissions in ports.

The Opentop Incubation Call for access to this program is open until July 31st, 2022: we look forward to your participation!

We chatted with Eva Pérez, Director of innovation promotion and environmental sustainability at Fundación Valenciaport.

What needs does this challenge address?

The challenge is totally open to any type of technological solution that is disruptive and innovative.

We are looking for a significant advance in the reduction of gas emissions in any of the following areas of activity of a port: any type of transport (maritime, rail or road), terminals and their loading and unloading processes, technical-nautical services, buildings and infrastructures, or the generation, storage and distribution of clean energy, among others.

What role does innovation play in the future of the port sector?

Innovation plays an essential role in the sector, as it will have a great influence on the main strategic lines towards which the future of the port logistics sector is heading. These lines are the reduction and/or elimination of polluting gas emissions and the search for new ways of generating clean energy, ensuring environmental and energy sustainability. Also, the automation, efficiency and adaptability of the logistics chain in the face of any type of unforeseen event in the infrastructural, operational or service provision areas; the digitalization of processes and new services and the creation of intelligent platforms; and the safety and security of all the agents in the sector.

Currently, we are in a situation where there is a high demand for solving needs and challenges in the sector. And therefore, innovation plays a key role in solving them, since through the contribution of new technologies and techniques that are applied collaboratively by various agents in the sector, it will be possible to provide solutions to all the challenges and needs that arise. With all this, we will contribute together to build a better future for the port logistics sector.

What kind of startups are being searched?

We are looking for startups in pre-seed phase that provide innovative technological solutions that may represent a significant advance in the reduction of gas emissions in ports as well as in the generation of new energies and in the capture or compensation of emissions.

This is a great opportunity for the sector, which is already on track for this same goal of reducing net emissions from ports, but taken to the extra mile. We hope to generate interest from the most talented startups!

We invite you to take a last look at our incubation call and register now, we are waiting for you!

Apply for the Incubation Call!