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Smart Digital Ports of the Future Europe 2025 returns to Amsterdam on 12–13 November for its 9th edition, a practitioner-led forum where advanced ports compare results, align on standards, and stress-test systems for scalability.
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The conference agenda is framed around four interlocking themes: digital decarbonization, resiliency and agility, PCS and digital tools, and digital transformation. Each theme incorporates the overarching mandate of converting shared architectures and metrics into standardized frameworks or operational blueprints. At the conference, NextPort, in collaboration with the Port Authority of Huelva, will showcase how they've collaborated to turn fragmented information silos into coordinated action across the port call lifecycle.  

The Port of Huelva project illustrates why interoperability matters. A FIWARE-aligned ecosystem and data-sharing culture allows an intelligence layer to seamlessly integrate without displacing incumbent systems, ensuring that insights land in the right workflow in time to change outcomes. Additionally, specific dashboards streamline the path from visibility to action. Some examples would be when arrival vessel draft exceeds the berth availability both on arrival or departure, DWT exceeds berth limits according to the local port compliance, vessel moves out of the port with a visit not properly finished or risk because two big vessels will cross in the navigation channel. Because unplanned disruptions are captured as first-class events, the digital twin learns from how port staff resolve those issues. This closes the loop between prediction and execution, thereby improving performance and making gains that translate directly into better resource utilization and lower operational disruptions.  

Underpinning this capability is a Port Info strategy, which is a coordinated method to consolidate infrastructure data (zones, bathymetry, approach constraints), metocean signals, local regulations, planned services, and operational records into a unified, machine-readable baseline. When grounded in international standards, such as IHO S-100 and recent alignments across IMO FAL, ISO, and Maritime Single Windows, Port Info turns static charts and scatters into interoperable datasets that are directly usable in operations, lowering the barrier to adoption across port facilities. This alignment enables control room operators to spend less time hunting for facts, and more time acting on validated intelligence.

Only with a precise understanding of the port call process based on data, can you be effective in optimizing coordination and planning at arrival and departure. This means being able to build the track-record of each port call based on data that is actually fragmented across multiple systems or simply not in place. That’s why, at NextPort, we put effort into generating data on pilotage, towage and bunkering, ensuring that the information for each vessel, including conditions, is recorded.  

Ángel Martínez Cavero, Product Adoption Manager, Ports, at NextPort

From this standpoint, we see the initial steps towards optimization as:

 (1) Transparency and visibility across stakeholders: this means the shipping line, ship agent and terminal can leverage the Port Authority’s ecosystem. For example, not only having at ETA at PBP, but also deviation on that ETA at specific points of time, distance or service unavailability.

 (2) Actionable awareness: these are issues where each stakeholder can take action, for example restrictions from sea-level and tides and the knock-on implications on draft conditions or berth suitability, or crossing vessels generating agitation hence mooring stress at specific berths.

 (3) Optimize by anticipating disruptions or by learning from past occurrences: at ports, many of the contingency situations are not properly instrumented or registered for learning purposes, for example how to incorporate a congestion or metocean condition into operations.

FIWARE as our reference architecture lets us federate data across stakeholders and allow partners such as NextPort to deliver event-driven insights as well as to add an operational intelligence layer on top of our infrastructure, enhancing situational awareness and enabling proactive port-call coordination.

Manuel Francisco Martínez Torres, Chief Technology Officer at Port Authority of Huelva

Industry consensus is moving towards this way of thinking. As highlighted in the 2025 PCO Plenary discussions, Port Call Optimization (PCO) has progressed from proof of concept to operational reality, but scaling requires shared standards and structured data across ship, shore, and sea. However, a practical maturity path is emerging that allows us to achieve this ambition. First, we must institute common Port Call events to establish shared situational awareness; second, enrich vessel particulars for stronger feasibility checks; and third, integrate real-time and forecasted metocean to improve predictability. The result is next-generation PCO, that fuses Port Info with Digital Twins and AI to deliver proactive recommendations and event-driven coordination across stakeholders.  

These elements map directly to SDP 2025 key topics. For digital decarbonization, the digital twins expose avoidable emissions embedded in waiting time and identify inefficient sequences. For resiliency and agility, short-horizon predictors surface conflict before it happens, such as weather windows, resource clashes, or agitation-driven mooring stress, so plans can pivot without cascading delays. Looking ahead, the goal is to shorten the interval between sensing, deciding, and execution, so that coordination becomes proactive by default. In Amsterdam, we will share insights from Huelva to make the approach more concrete and reusable. For ports pursuing SDP 2025’s themes, an event-centric, standards-aligned digital twin provides the most direct route from data to operational advantage, offering a portable intelligence layer that seamlessly integrates into your port community ecosystem to improve safety and predictability and measurably advance efficiency, sustainability, and resilience.  

At NextPort, our vision is to make ports data-driven by default. We fuse Port Infrastructure, metocean data, vessel state, and marine services into an operational twin, then deliver prescriptive insight to people and systems through governed event streams. Fully interoperable with PCS/TOS/PMS/GIS (incl. FIWARE-aligned interfaces), our platform augments, but does not replace, your stack, which works to improve safety, predictability and efficiency, while laying a measurable path to decarbonization and resilience.

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Digital twins are proving to be a key driver of effective operations, providing users not just with data, but with actionable insights that would previously have gone unseen.

Alongside this, Latin America’s port landscape is expanding quickly, with countries like Brazil, Colombia, and Panama among the highest for year-on-year container growth in 2024, with Brazil up 19.6%. We’ve also seen Chancay Port in Peru come into operation, and Brazil’s STS 10 and Chile’s Puerto Exterior de San Antonio on the horizon.

But progress in the region isn’t without obstacles. Drought at the Panama Canal in 2023 caused major rerouting of maritime traffic. Economic strain in Argentina and drought in the Paraná River—critical for inland container transport—resulted in a container traffic decline of -29.5%, exposing how quickly established trade patterns can shift.

Even as growth rebounds, the mix of rapid expansion and episodic disruption is redefining the needs of the industry landscape. Ports and terminals that can read conditions early and adapt in real-time will be best positioned to capture periods of growth, and best prepared for potential disruptions.

Digital twin technology’s potential for the industry is clear, but its adoption across the Americas has been uneven. Many operators remain cautious, questioning whether their existing digital infrastructure is robust enough to handle the vast quantities of data that digital twins depend on. Others point to the urgent need for stronger cybersecurity measures to protect these new, advanced systems from emerging threats. Along with these concerns, a common question among many in the industry is: how will digital twin technology shape the industry’s future operations?

These are the questions that will define the next stage of digital transformation for ports in the Americas, with real-world examples being central to this discussion. In San Antonio, Chile, NextPort’s deployment at Hanseatic Global Terminals Latin America demonstrates how digital twins are already helping operators improve visibility and decision-making across their operational landscape. NextPort integrates real-time data from across the terminal and generates alerts when disruptions occur, or even when they are likely to occur in the near future. This includes logistics at quay, yard and gate. With access to advanced disruption notification, as well as detailed data on the disruptions themselves, operators can troubleshoot these problems before they become major issues within the port or terminal. Additionally, NextPort records and learns from historical operational data, which provides the foundation for continuous improvement across the system. For our partners, this technology is revolutionizing the way that ports and terminals operate.  

At Hanseatic Global Terminals Latin America, we believe Artificial Intelligence begins with understanding operations. By turning data chaos into intelligent operations, we’re empowering our teams to make faster, smarter decisions grounded in clarity and control.”

— Iván Deosdad, Senior Vice President of Operations, Hanseatic Global Terminals Latin America.

The next step is to further refine the system to filter, prioritize, and summarize these alerts, ensuring that operators receive the most relevant insights first and can focus their attention where it matters most.

TOC Americas 2025 provides an opportunity to move this conversation forward with others in the industry. At its core there is a shared recognition that, if thoughtfully integrated, digital twins can serve as both a driver of efficiency and resilience by positioning ports and terminals for long term growth amidst an evolving landscape. From forecasting demand to managing disruptions, this technology has the power to reshape how terminals operate, but the challenge lies in how quickly industry can put this into practice.

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This summer, NextPort will prototype a new app to integrate biodiversity data into its digital twin solution. The app will help safeguard marine mammals such as dolphins and whales, by enabling maritime traffic in the Strait of Gibraltar to see the likely locations of their habitats.

The app will be developed as part of a new research and development project with the Port Authority of Algeciras Bay (APBA) aimed at safeguarding cetaceans – whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals – from maritime traffic. The project, called Guardianes del Mar (“Guardians of the Sea”), is entering its second phase in 2025.

Launched by APBA in 2023, Guardianes del Mar began with the trial of an underwater monitoring system to track cetaceans in the Strait of Gibraltar. This system enabled the creation of digital risk maps consisting of data gathered by habitat types, to help identify areas of conflict between maritime traffic and marine mammals.

As one of APBA’s next steps for this project, NextPort will develop a mobile application to support the initiative. Working in close collaboration with APBA and other local partners, the app will help people at sea to easily report cetacean sightings to enable broader and more accurate data collection on marine mammal movements and habitat data. Once gathered, this data will be analyzed and integrated into NextPort’s digital twin; bringing an intelligent, digital layer of protection to marine mammals throughout the Strait.

“Guardianes del Mar reflects how ports can leverage digital tools to protect marine life while improving their operations,” said Oscar Pernia, Chief Technology Officer at NextPort. “It’s a great example of the type of challenge NextPort was built to support, and our wider company purpose – with Moffatt & Nichol – to support our industry sustainability and environmental goals,” said  Miluše Tichavska, GreenPorts & Sustainability Director at Moffatt & Nichol.

The project is part of the wider APBA’s Green Strategy and it’s focused on expanding knowledge and awareness of cetacean presence in the Strait, which is one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors, through which more than 100,000 vessels pass annually.

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How much more efficient could your teams be if they could see every move as it happens, and act on it immediately? For many terminal operators, this question is no longer theoretical. The answer lies in the next wave of operational control: cloud-based digital twins that let users see, understand, and manage performance at every level, helping control room users identify and remedy problems at the source in real-time.

When Terminals are running operations with tractor trailer (TT) fleets, the entire system hinges on one thing: flow. Performance depends on how fluidly tractor trailers are positioned at the ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, how quickly they’re able to move containers to the stack, and how efficiently they return to repeat the process. If tractor trailers experience delays at the stack or are not in position for the STS, productivity drops, moves per hour decline, and vessel departure is delayed. But what if you knew exactly where every TT was at all times? What if delays were visible to operators the moment they occurred, or before they even happened?

This kind of insight allows operators to react immediately. Operators can check in with a driver, identify the source of delay and dispatch a replacement if needed, resulting in fewer disruptions, smoother operations, and less uncertainty across the supply chain. Creating the environment for a fast, efficient supply chain is the key to increasing customer satisfaction and reducing costs.

Efficiency across the terminal is non-negotiable. From forecasting demand and planning vessel arrivals to stacking, storage, and throughput at the gate and rail, each stage must operate in sync. However, with disruptions being a daily reality, operators must find a way to remain agile when problems arise.

Staying agile requires a full ecosystem of technologies, such as Terminal Operating Systems (TOS), equipment control systems, GPS, OCR, gate systems, and more. But with these systems often operating in silos, the data they generate cannot be easily combined to present a full picture for the user. To make real-time decisions, operators need a complete unified operational view that can consolidate and contextualize this data and show where the problems are coming from.

A connected TT, for example, can tell us how long a move takes and where the trailer is located. Using this data, users can clearly see whether the next move is on time or will be delayed. With smart workflows and a digital twin, control room teams gain a clear picture of both the forest and the trees, tracking macro-level trends while diving into the smallest operational detail.

This connected view also enables operators to replay and review past operations. By combining data across systems, users can discover previously hidden inefficiencies such as planning strategies or execution parameters that impacted vessel turnaround time. What once required hours of analysis across separate tools is now visible in one clear interface.

When you empower control teams and continuous improvement teams to identify and act on root causes in real time, the whole process improves. Operational flow becomes smoother, decisions become smarter, shippers receive freight on time, and operators reduce both cost and emissions. And the potential goes even further; consider the impact of reducing unladen vehicle traffic, which often accounts for up to a third of transport costs and a significant portion of CO₂ emissions. In a terminal running 100+ TTs per vessel visit, the environmental and economic savings add up fast.

The holy grail of the supply chain has always been total transparency, knowing where your cargo, containers, and equipment are at any given moment. With digital twins, embedded sensors, advanced workflows, and increasingly intelligent platforms, that reality is now finally within reach.

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Digital-First, Decarbonization-Ready

Port terminals around the world are navigating an increasingly complex operating environment: evolving emissions regulations, rising energy costs, tighter margins, and growing pressure from customers and investors to demonstrate progress on sustainability. Yet many terminals still face a common roadblock: they lack the tools and insights needed to turn these challenges into action.

For most operators, decarbonization is not an abstract ambition — it’s an immediate business need. But the path forward can feel uncertain and cost prohibitive. With limited time, tight resources, and an evolving regulatory landscape, how can terminals cut emissions without disrupting performance or increasing OPEX?

At NextPort, we believe that progress starts with better visibility. More specifically, it starts with the ability to monitor and understand—in real time—how energy is consumed, and how emissions are produced across every layer of terminal operations. This is where terminal-level digital twins come in.

Digital twins can help bridge the gap between sustainability goals and operational decision-making. By combining real-time equipment telemetry, activity profiling, and energy modeling, terminals gain the ability to:

• Build credible emissions baselines aligned with upcoming compliance requirements

• Identify inefficiencies and energy hotspots

• Model the operational and financial impact of electrification or automation investments

• Demonstrate funding-readiness to public or multilateral financiers

The road to net zero starts with knowing where you stand. With digital twins, operators possess the clarity to act.

Cutting carbon without raising costs

In today’s port terminal landscape, the question is no longer if operators should act on decarbonization — but how they can do so without compromising efficiency or profitability. The good news is that meaningful emissions reduction doesn’t always require large capital outlays. For many terminals, the first step is using data more effectively.

With better visibility into how terminal equipment consumes energy and emits CO₂ across daily operations, operators can unlock measurable gains — both environmental and financial. But, achieving this requires moving beyond static reports or annual carbon footprints.

Targeting operational inefficiencies

Terminals already generate large volumes of data, yet most goes unused for sustainability or performance insights. By creating a digital twin of terminal operations — connecting equipment profiles, schedules, and telemetry — operators can begin to answer critical questions:

• Which activities are contributing most to energy consumption?

• Are peak emissions linked to certain shifts, equipment types, or inefficiencies?

• What short-term changes could reduce fuel use or idle time?

Through real-time energy and activity modeling, the platform surfaces actionable insights: from improving equipment dispatching and reducing idle times, to identifying low-cost behavior changes that lower carbon intensity immediately.

Understanding the ROI of visibility

Rather than relying on assumptions or outdated averages, digital twins enable precise and dynamic energy analysis. This means terminals can:

• Quantify emissions per move, per shift, or per equipment type

• Benchmark performance across different yards or operating conditions

• Simulate how changes — like electrification or automation — would impact both carbon and cost

By connecting emissions with operational performance, terminals can evaluate the cost-benefit of sustainability decisions. The platform becomes not just a compliance tool, but a source of business intelligence — helping to align environmental goals with cost management.

From reporting to actionable decisions

For years, sustainability efforts in the terminal space have centered around reporting — emissions audits, carbon footprints, and regulatory disclosures. While these are important, they are inherently retrospective. They show where you’ve been, but not how to change course.

To meet today’s operational and environmental demands, terminal operators need tools that support real-time decision-making — not just compliance.

Beyond Compliance: Operational Intelligence for Sustainability

Digital twins give operators the ability to move from lagging reports to leading insights. Instead of reporting emissions after the fact, the platform allows teams to see how today’s activities are contributing to carbon output — and where to intervene.

For example:

• Live equipment usage can highlight inefficient routing or excessive idle times

• Shift-level energy profiles can inform more balanced workload distribution

• Peak emission moments can be correlated with container flow or gate congestion

These insights allow terminals to act on what matters most, when it matters — improving both sustainability and service delivery without waiting for the next audit cycle.

Compliance that supports business

Both EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and FuelEU Maritime make it necessary for terminal operators to understand and report carbon impacts with increasing precision. Accurate emissions accounting will soon affect financial exposure, especially for terminals involved in ship loading, unloading, or energy supply.

A digital twin supports this by:

• Establishing a credible and verifiable baseline of terminal emissions

• Enabling continuous emissions tracking, not just annual reporting

• Supporting collaboration between terminals and shipping lines to account for onshore power, fuel switch impacts, and energy use at berth

For FuelEU, which pushes toward cleaner marine fuels and shore power, this data is equally crucial — helping terminals plan infrastructure upgrades with clarity.

Making ESG actionable

Terminals are being asked:

• What progress are you making on Scope 1 and 2 emissions?

• Are your assets aligned with science-based targets or net-zero pathways?

• How are sustainability metrics linked to your investment plans?

With a digital twin, terminals can answer these questions with precision — and use the same data to support grant applications, public-private partnerships, and green financing opportunities.

Informing smarter investments

One of the biggest barriers to decarbonization is uncertainty: Where should we invest first? What pays off? What are the operational trade-offs?

By simulating the impact of electrification, automation, or energy efficiency upgrades before implementation, terminals can:

• Prioritize high-impact actions

• Avoid stranded assets

• Justify funding proposals with data

• Build confidence across internal and external stakeholders

The result is not just compliance readiness — but strategic alignment between sustainability and business performance.

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About NextPort by Moffatt & Nichol

NextPort is a digital innovation unit launched by Moffatt & Nichol. Created to bridge the gap between infrastructure design and operational performance in the era of decarbonization. Leveraging our 75+ years as a global leader in maritime and transportation engineering, NextPort delivers digital services that help ports and terminals make smarter, faster, and more cost-effective decisions.

At NextPort, we’ve seen firsthand how data-driven planning and visibility unlock fast, cost-effective wins — from fully manual operations to semi-automated environments. Whether preparing for EU ETS, answering customer ESG requests, or simply trying to reduce fuel costs, the same principle applies: you can’t change what you can’t see.

NextPort’s digital twin enables that visibility — providing the foundation for smarter decisions. The road to net starts with action, guided by insight.

Together, NextPort and FlexTerm reflect Moffatt & Nichol’s commitment to smart, scalable, and sustainable port infrastructure — where engineering and data work side by side to deliver better outcomes for our clients and the communities they serve.

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Maritime Innovation Week 2024 focuses on sustainable innovation.

The announcement of Maritime Innovation Week 2024, with its emphasis on sustainable innovation, could not come at a better time for our industry. As global shipping faces increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact, this event will bring together thought leaders, innovators and industry stakeholders to explore ways to achieve a greener future for maritime logistics.

At NextPort®, we are 100 percent aligned with this vision. Our solution equips ports with the tools they need to optimize their operations and minimize resource use and therefore emissions. Being able to provide real-time, data-driven information helps ports and terminals reduce their carbon footprint without compromising the efficiency of their processes. With sustainability and innovation at the heart of everything we do, we are excited to see the conversations and solutions coming out of Maritime Innovation Week 2024 and look forward to driving positive change in the maritime sector.

Read more here.

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