During the anniversary edition of the SmartPort Summit, it was officially announced that the SmartPort partnership will be extended by five years, until 2031. The news was festively unveiled by representatives from the partnership, in front of a room full of impact makers, forward thinkers and decision-makers from the port ecosystem.
SmartPort has been in existence for 10 years, and with this extension, the partners are underlining their shared ambition: to work together on smart solutions for the major transitions facing the port – in the areas of energy, digitisation, the circular economy, accessibility and climate adaptation.
Marlies Sikken, director of SmartPort: ''SmartPort is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. Our mission has always been to accelerate innovation in the Port of Rotterdam. By developing targeted knowledge that leads to renewal, we ensure innovation that contributes to a future-proof port. Because innovation should not only create economic value, but also have a social and ecological impact. Thanks to this extension, we can continue to do so with our partners for the next five years.''
Vivienne de Leeuw, CFO Port of Rotterdam and chair of the SmartPort board: ''We can only solve the major challenges in the port if we continue to connect government, business and knowledge institutions. SmartPort is an indispensable link in this. It ensures that knowledge questions come together, research is initiated and results find their way into concrete applications in the port.''
Connecting role in the port innovation ecosystem
As a knowledge hub, SmartPort is part of the innovation ecosystem in the Port of Rotterdam. SmartPort stimulates alliances, initiates and finances (applied) scientific research, and ensures public knowledge dissemination with the aim of accelerating innovation. The insights gained from this help the port move forward: from new business models to innovations in infrastructure, energy and logistics.
SmartPort's strength lies in connecting parties and translating complex challenges into shared knowledge questions. This makes it an important part of the innovation ecosystem of the Port of Rotterdam.
The non-profit partnership consists of the Port of Rotterdam, Deltalinqs, the Municipality of Rotterdam, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Delft University of Technology, TNO, Deltares and MARIN, and is supported by the Province of South Holland.
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