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“Situational awareness of port police in the port of Valencia: the case of dangerous goods”, Valenciaport challenge for Opentop’s Business Growth Program

10/01/2024. Opentop recently launched a new challenge for its Business Growth Program, continuing its commitment to open the doors of the port logistics sector to innovative and talented startups that want to tackle and overcome real industry challenges.

The Port Authority of Valencia is the entity behind this challenge «Situational awareness of port police in the port of Valencia: the case of dangerous goods», to which startups can submit their proposals until March 3rd, 2024.

We talked about this challenge with Rubén Marín Gallego, Subdirector of Operations at the Port Authority of Valencia.

How was this need identified and why is this challenge important for the APV?

The problem of situational awareness of people in a port environment where scales are enormous in relation to that of human beings has been a problem since the development of large port infrastructures over the last 3 decades.

Until now, this situational awareness was acquired on the basis of experience and the continuous use of simple graphic tools, such as plans, sketches, etc.

The development of new technologies such as augmented or virtual reality, or intelligent video analysis, allows us to think of a solution that is more effective, faster, and less dependent on the personal skills of each worker.

What market opportunities can the solution to this challenge have in the port logistics sector?

I think there are many, because it is not only applicable to Port Police, but to any worker, in public or private companies, who work in terminals, Depots, dry ports, logistics areas…

What kind of startups is this challenge looking for (startup maturity, TRL of the solution, technologies, …)?

Startups that want to address this challenge should have a handle on augmented reality technologies (to provide the police officer with a useful visualisation for situational awareness), intelligent video analysis (to identify number plates and characteristics of the container or truck the dangerous goods are in), and big data management (to be able to manage all the information related to the goods and port traffic).

Has any attempt been made to solve this challenge before, and how?

Work has been done with augmented reality in fixed installations, in which, by means of a viewing device (from smart glasses to tablets) the worker could detect where certain installations (pipes, electrical conduits, etc.) go and know their characteristics.

The main challenge here is to apply this technology to an absolutely dynamic environment such as maritime and land container traffic, and in real time, as it will be necessary to identify objects (containers, lorries, etc.) that are moving from one place to another.

The challenge in detail

In the dynamic environment of the port of Valencia, a crucial challenge is posed by the application of extended reality technologies to optimise the management of critical and complex situations, particularly with regard to the handling of dangerous goods. Port police are confronted on a daily basis with a variety of scenarios that require rapid responses and informed decisions. Therefore, the need to integrate real-time data from various sources (such as security cameras, IoT sensors and information systems among others) is an essential component to provide officers with a complete and up-to-date view on dangerous goods in the port environment.

This challenge invites startups to explore innovative solutions that leverage extended reality to transform the how port police perceive and respond to the complexities of dangerous goods in the port environment. The effective integration of emerging technologies will open up new opportunities to enhance the security and operational efficiency of dangerous goods in the port of Valencia. The emphasis is on creativity and disruptive approaches to overcome current challenges, providing agents with advanced tools for proactive port security management.

Don’t miss the opportunity and apply to this challenge before March 3rd, 2024!