António Carvalho started his work in innovation when he joined Portugal Ventures – he is now leading Bluetech, the first Blue Economy accelerator backed by the Portuguese Ministry of the Sea.
With a background on Corporate Finance & Management, António first came in contact with innovation projects when he joined Portugal Ventures in 2012. Joining this ambitious project that aimed to launch a Startups ecosystem in Portugal that barely existed at that time, is still something he is proud of.
When he joined Beta-i, back in 2017, he took on the challenge of launching The Journey, an open-innovation program tackling the challenges of tourism, as he believed that innovating is the only way the main Tourism and Travel players can be consistently on the lead of the industry.
I’m one of those who believes Portugal can do way more to take advantage of its vast maritime border, so when the opportunity to launch a program in this field arrived, I just couldn’t say no.
When he was challenged to direct Bluetech program, he took the challenge head-on, as he believes there’s so much Portugal can do with its coast. Bluetech accelerator is an initiative of the Portuguese Ministry of the Sea and Fundação Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento (FLAD). They aligned the Portuguese Ocean Industry strategy with the interests of the six corporate partners. Which resulted in the definition of the challenges affecting Ports & Shipping 4.0 – which is the program’s first vertical. These challenges go from for Ports activity, Shipping operations and the Digital areas that connect both.
“After the needs assessment meetings with the corporate partners, four main challenges were defined: Process Optimization in Port Hinterland, which includes the concept of extended gateways, data analytics for complete vessel situational awareness and security profiling illicit activity at sea, etc; Cargo and Fleet Performance Management, which includes use of data to upgrade efficiency, use of digital twins, and product innovation; Future Shipping connectivity, which includes enabling ports to be connected and linked and creating new marketplaces; and Environmental Sustainability, challenging to reduce the environmental footprint of ports and vessels.”
Keeping these challenges in mind, the maritime industry is poised for change, and “Bluetech Accelerator can really change the industry by leveraging ocean science and R&D services for generating innovation and entrepreneurship. We can use ports as acceleration platforms for developing ocean advanced industries, integrated into global value chains, thus transforming the value matrix of Portugal’s ocean economy – and ultimately have an impact on the Portuguese economy.”
António believes that an open innovation program like this it the right way to kickstart this change, as it brings added value to all the intervenients: “The corporate partners are able to tap into the global source of innovation in their specific sector and test new disruptive solutions in collaboration with startups and other program partners. We’re actually seeing a budding capacity between the corporate partners themselves, using the program’s key moments to discuss the major innovation trends of the industry. As for startups, they get access to a group of experienced industry players, typically hard to reach, and the potential to test a solution with them and eventually get a partner that can give them easy access to the market and jumpstart their growth.”
It’s a huge opportunity for business – Ocean amounts for 97% of Portugal’s territory but only 3,1% of the gross value added
Startups, “who are looking forward to validating their product, experiment their product or solution with a big player of the industry and make it resonate with clients, it’s a huge opportunity – not only the program that allows them to strike a deal with a big client, that may get them access to a larger market, but the industry itself, as Venture Capital funds are investing heavily in Ports, Shipping and Logistics Digital startups – shipping and logistics startups focused on digital technology have risen $3.3 billion from January 2012 to September 2017.”
Portugal’s strategic guidelines will play into this investment boom, with a focus on strengthening traditional ocean economic activities (fishing, aquaculture and maritime transport), empowering emerging economic activities (like deep sea mining, biotechnology and ocean energy) and maximising Atlantic geostrategic centrality of the Portuguese Maritime space, in particular its deep and ultra-deep environments.
“It’s a huge opportunity for business – Ocean amounts for 97% of Portugal’s territory but only 3,1% of the gross value added”, concludes António.
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Bluetech accelerator aims to connect the most innovative tech and ocean startups with leading players in the industry to create a new blue economy – one that is modern, data-based, technologically advanced and environmentally friendly.
Behind the program are 6 Bluetech pioneers – companies that are leaders in the market and are ready to partner up with startups to pilot groundbreaking solutions.
APDL
The Port of Leixões is the largest port infrastructure in Northern Portugal and one of the most important in the country, equipped with modern facilities and advanced ship management systems.
Why Bluetech?
There’s a focus on improving not only the performance of the physical port but also of the digital port. Bluetech is an opportunity to expand on the concept of port tech clusters, which can contribute to the development of their port and maritime services.
APS
The Port de Sines is the leading national port in volumes of cargo handled and is also the leading container port in the country. They have an history of over 20 years and were pioneers in the Information Systems development in Europe.
Why Bluetech?
APS believes they are in the service of the economy – Bluetech accelerator is an opportunity to develop and implement technology that will help them be more efficient in reaching this goal.
Grupo E.T.E.
Since 1936, ETE Group is the national leader in developing competitive services for the port, maritime and inland water transportation sectors. Very transversal in the sector, ETE group acts in several areas: port operations, maritime and fluvial transportation, logistics, naval engineering, naval construction, and maintenance. They have a experienced path in the field and are present in 3 different continents.
Why Bluetech?
ETE Group has innovation in its DNA. Their longtime success is based on having always believed in innovation, technology and being open to always renewing themselves, investing in new knowledge and new companies in order to become more sustainable, productive and efficient and able to provide the best service to their clients.
Portline Ocean Management
Portline Ocean was created in 2016 to operate in the complex market of shipping high-value cargo. With a deep focus on the international market, Portline Ocean has developed remarkable expertise in the transport of dry bulks and containers, together with all the related shipping activities.
Why Bluetech?
Portline Ocean aims to be in the vanguard to give the best to its clients. They are irreverent in the way approach the market and maritime shipping business, so sharing knowledge and developing solutions with like-minded startups is a not-to-miss opportunity.
Inmarsat
Inmarsat is the pioneer and world leader in mobile satellite communications, powering global connectivity for nearly four decades.
They provide governments, commercial enterprises, and humanitarian organizations with mission-critical voice and high-speed data communications on land, at sea, and in the air.
Why Bluetech?
Because it’s around ports, Bluetech represents the joining of two of Inmarsat’s business units, land and maritime, in the incredibly important hub that is a maritime port. They are ready to join Inmarsat’s capabilities in these two areas, and with their digital incubation team, and program partners, together to innovate and create new solutions to help digitalize the maritime industry.
Tekever
Tekever develops advanced technology and products in areas such as the digital economy, aerial vehicles, and space industries, always with a mindset of Continuous Innovation.
Why Bluetech?
Tekever’s business is intimately linked to the sea, especially where it concerns drones and space. In both cases, they’re building infrastructure that allows for new services in the maritime area – in safety, infrastructure compliance, etc – so it makes sense for them to part of this initiative, and make this structures available for startups innovating with them.
The ports and shipping industry is ready to step into the future. Bluetech accelerator has arrived, looking to build the ports of the future: autonomous systems for ports and smart shipping, with seamless processes between sea and land, digital data that will make decisions easy and informed, and new techs that will allow for environmental sustainability. Ready to be a part of it?
Bluetech Accelerator
Born out of the partnership of the Portuguese Ministry of the Sea and FLAD – Luso-American Development Foundation, and powered by DGPM and Beta-i, Bluetech accelerator aims to connect the most innovative tech and ocean startups with leading players in the industry to create a new blue economy – one that is modern, data-based, technologically advanced and environmentally friendly.
To achieve it, the programme will have 3 editions – Ports and shipping, aquaculture and fishing, and energy and sustainability.
Ports and Shipping
The first edition of the programme will focus on Ports and Shipping 4.0. Innovation is arriving in the industry, and as a strategically positioned country, Portugal has a sea of opportunities: startups joining the programme will work directly with Portugal’s biggest ports, relevant players in the shipping industry and leaders in the mobile satellite communications and digital economy – get to know the Bluetech Pioneers here.
The goal is to work towards the ports of the future: a seamless process of shipping, connection and cargo transport to land and accessible information across the supply-chain.
Bluetech Accelerator is looking for startups technologies ranging from smart shipping and sea surveillance to big data and analytics. Get to know all the technologies Bluetech is looking for here.
A whole new generation of ocean startups
The challenges presented by the program, are relevant all around the world and can be industry changing. Today is more important than ever to work on changing vital industries to be more efficient, more connected and more sustainable, to better serve our economy and our planet.
Bluetech aims to build a new generation of ocean startups that will be the catalyst of this change and the builders of a modern ocean economy.
Often seen as a stagnated industry, the ports and shipping industry is now waking up to the challenges they face, and the new opportunities based on technology that is in their reach. Their importance in the geo-spatial economy is now as important as it was in the Silk Route Map.
Why is the ports revolution happening now?
Pollution: It is, unsurprisingly, the biggest motivator towards the necessity to innovate in this area. Although it has been banned in every other industry, the shipping industry is still allowed dangerous low-grade, high-sulfur fuels (cheaper than low-sulfur fuels) – it produces 13% of the world’s sulfur emissions and 15% of nitrogen oxides.
Regulation: Health is the main concern behind the International Maritime Organization’s decision to slash the permitted sulfur content in ships’ fuel from 3.5 to 0.5 percent. It is estimated that shipping’s cheap fuels cause around 400,000 premature deaths a year through heart and lung diseases and asthma in 14 million children, and the use of cleaner fuels could reduce these number by half.
Ocean protection: The world has awakened to the destruction of our oceans and maritime life, and its implications in the economy.
Maritime accidents: the need for using technology to reduce and extinguish maritime accidents that result in the loss of money, life and maritime species.
Three big innovation trends emerging
Autonomous shipping
The biggest impact of tech in shipping will have to do with the automation of shipping and autonomous ships. 78% of maritime professionals expect the first autonomous ships in the next 10 years and 56% believe that autonomous ships will be commonly deployed in merchant shipping in the next 11 to 20 years.
Autonomous shipping would bring great benefits to the industry: they could serve isolated islands, inhospitable routes navigated and remote areas accessed, much of it with diminished risk to seafarers. And since 80% of maritime accidents are the result of human error, autonomous shipping would be a safer solution than crewed shipping.
Ports of the future
It’s safe to say that the ports industry is no longer a stagnated one. Ports are becoming hubs connecting sea and land and striving for efficiency, supporting customers, promoting frictionless trade and enabling highly efficient processes for cargo movement. The goal is clear: to maximize efficiency and support international supply chains.
“Modern ports have become multimodal distribution megahubs which link sea, river, canal, road, rail and air transport routes, vital for international trade and linchpins for the global economy.”
Racounter.net
Digital & Robotics
Digitization in its many forms will be a key asset of the revolution happening in ports and shipping. Data, information and how it’s handled will be at the core of the way ports operate in the future.
Not only robotics will take physical tasks away from humans (directing them towards more safe and high skilled jobs), they will also embark on tasks that cannot be undertaken by humans (deep-sea exploring, for example).
Complex systems of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to collect data around tidal streams, wind strength and visibility, will help reduce vessel waiting times and automatically guide crewless ships. The availability of such data-driven analytics increases operational efficiency by improving tactical decisions. Further uses of such technology include providing shippers with greater visibility into market and pricing trends and helping minimize the dramatic boom-and-bust cycles that have traditionally plagued the industry.
The importance of the Blue Economy
The revolution in ports and shipping is closely connected to the desire to drive the blue economy. The blue economy represents the exploitation of ocean resources and preservation of the marine environment for economic growth. According to the Foresight Future of the Sea Report, the gross value added of the blue economy is projected to double to $3 trillion by 2030. This value is linked to industries such as trade, tourism, aquaculture and renewable energy.
The benefits of this growth are important to sea connected countries: the creation of jobs, reducing poverty and building resilience against environmental challenges, like natural disasters and climate change.
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BlueTech Accelerator is opening up this Wednesday, 30th January. It’s an open innovation program connecting talented startups with key players in the sector to create a pioneering ecosystem of innovation and business acceleration for the Blue Economy sector. The first edition will focus on Ports and Shipping 4.0.
What is the Blue Economy?
Blue Economy relates to the exploitation and preservation of the marine environment – it aims for sustainable use of the ocean’s resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and the health of the maritime ecosystem.
The Blue Economy is reflected in several different activities: renewable energy, marine transport, fisheries, waste management, climate change, and tourism.
BlueTech aims to leverage new technologies to help impact positively in these activities, with new technology or new models.
The first edition of the programme is focussed on Ports and Shipping 4.0, and looks for technologies that can be applied for solutions in the following areas:
Smart Shipping
E-navigation
Artificial Intelligence
Undersea Cloud Computing
Nanotech
Sea Traffic Management
IT for Green shipping
Ocean IoT & Sensors
IT for Energy Efficiency
Ports Automation & Robotization
Autonomous Ships
IT for Propulsion and Power Generation
AI/Machine Learning
Robotics
Scuba Droids
Big Data & Analytics
IT for Green Ports
Autonomous Systems
Drones
Self-cleaning and Self-repairing Materials
Why should you apply?
A challenging industry
The maritime industry is a big and old one, which means that there are plenty of opportunities for innovation and digitization in all its activities. The focus of this edition in ports and shipping is also an opportunity: integrating the ocean and land logistics is a huge challenge and one that is relevant around the world.
An impact in the future
The ocean is a valuable resource for humanity and has invaluable importance to our ecosystem. Coming up and establishing new, more sustainable, ways of exploring our oceans can be your contribution towards a life-long positive impact on protecting our environment.
Opportunity to work with industry players
Portugal’s economy and history have always been intrinsically connected to the ocean: it’s a country with vast maritime resources, where the maritime economy has always been a political priority. Through BlueTech accelerator, startups will have the opportunity to work in a government-backed programme, and with the key players of the port industry.
