In Port of Rotterdam 30,000 vessels are docking faster than ever

THE MAGIC OF SOPRA STERIA HIGH PERFORMANCE TEAM

To solve huge challenges, you need bold ideas and forward thinkers

CO2 emissions in shipping must be reduced to contribute to sustainability and climate goals. With more than 30,000 ships a year, the Port of Rotterdam can take an essential step in this direction. To realise this ambition, a team of developers from Sopra Steria joined forces with the client to develop a unique and sustainable solution.

Road to a smart, carbon-neutral port

The Port of Rotterdam is continuously exploring new ideas to make the port smarter, more efficient, safer, and more sustainable. A smart, carbon-neutral port requires radical innovation and new technologies.

The Challenge: Can we reduce the waiting time for 30,000 vessels?

Timing is everything for port calls. Each docking requires numerous actions to be performed at the right moment. The Port of Rotterdam receives about 30,000 ships annually. About 30% of global shipping is delayed in port or between ports. This leads to wasted time, money, and fuel. Providing real-time information on planned, expected, and completed times helps avoid bottlenecks and enables optimisation of port calls. As a result, delays can be avoided and port calls become more predictable, efficient, and sustainable.

The Goal: Reduce CO2 emissions with every call

By exchanging real-time information, all operations can be planned with unprecedented efficiency. It eliminates unnecessary early arrivals, reduces anchoring time, and allows ships to reduce their carbon footprint.

Additional Goals 

• Lower CO2 for each port call
• Streamline port operations
• Increase predictability in planning
• Decrease expenses

The Synergy: All hands-on desktop

For the Port of Rotterdam's ambition to be realised, the client needed a team of headstrong developers—one that could work autonomously and very closely with the customer team. Sopra Steria’s High-Performance Team and the Port of Rotterdam worked closely together, trusted each other, and were all eager to put some elbow grease into it, which led to excellent results.

Expertise X Autonomy = Excellence

Working synergistically together strives to maximise output and take responsibility. The High-Performance Teams create a shared mindset and focus on continuous improvement. This enables autonomous work and builds the foundation of trust and experience.

Impact: 20% Time Saving in Waiting for Each Port Call

The first quantitative benefits of using PortXchange have already been demonstrated: a completed pilot with shipping companies, terminals, and agencies generated a 20% saving in waiting time. Research by TNO has shown that 4% of emissions (134,000 tonnes of CO2 per year) can easily be reduced in this way.

Solution: Reduce CO2 emissions and digitalise port calls

The PortXchange Synchroniser ensures that the exchange of planned, expected, and realised times allows a port call to be scheduled smarter, faster, and more efficiently.