Portuguese ports among the most technologically innovative in the world

A pioneering software tool developed by the Institute of Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology, and Science (INESCT TEC), 3Port supports the range of business processes carried out by port authorities, from port traffic to security and licensing. It also includes a public interface that allows all interested parties to monitor port activity in real time.

Since September, the ports of Leixões and Viana do Castelo have been using this innovative tool in a pilot initiative that makes them two of the most technologically advanced ports in the world. The expectation is that 3Port will become an indispensable tool for the technical services of port authorities, ensuring greater efficiency in processes, greater support for decision-making, and lower operating costs. Together, these effects could boost sustainable growth in port activities. 

The publicly accessible part of 3Port, based on the module Live Map (one of eight modules that make up 3Port), is an excellent way to promote the port to the general public. It offers free, real-time information on port traffic; this information is easily integrated with panoramic views of the port, with the Google and with the social network Facebook. Live Map also has the advantage of being adapted to mobile devices (tablets and smartphones), without having to download an application, as the system is adaptable to any browser. 3Port itself is based on technology open source web.

The INESC TEC team working on this project, led by Lino Oliveira, highlights the technology transfer triangle created, on which the success of the project is based: INESC TEC as the research center, producer of innovation; the company TRIEDE TTI as the innovation taker and solution producer; and the Port Authority of Douro, Leixões, and Viana do Castelo (APDL) as the solution taker and the party identifying the requirements. 

There are good prospects for expanding 3Port to other ports in Portugal and abroad. The tool has already been presented in Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Angola, where it has received high recognition; the objectives of the researchers and TRIEDE TTI include the CPLP countries and Latin America. 

This year, 2015, marks the 30th anniversary of INESCT TEC, one of the national research centers funded by FCT. Over the last three decades, INESCT TEC, which brings together 12 centers and 700 researchers, has been highly successful in applying the knowledge and results generated in fundamental research to technology transfer projects, with a significant impact on society and the economy. In the latest evaluation of R&D units carried out by FCT, INESC TEC was among the 60 centers classified as Excellent.

(Image credits: INESC TEC)