© Copyright. 2005 Fundación Valenciaport.

Infoport Valencia, a key technological companyin the port community of Valencia with closerelations to the various stakeholders of themaritime, railway and road transport sector,provided the project with technological assetsand knowledge of business processes. Theexperimental assets developed were based onreal scenarios, making it possible as a result tovalidate the viability of the proposed solutionsand quantify the consequent improvement whencompared to regular operations.

Amongst the various assets developed one shouldhighlight the implementation of a prototype ofan artificial vision system that can read the numberplates of containers both horizontally as well asvertically without needing to stop vehicles. Theprototype was accurate in almost 100% of cases.Such a system could be used to detect errors inthe designation and loading of containers onvehicles which can result in serious economicconsequences and damage the reputation ofservice providers. Security and safety would beincreased in intermodal facilities whilst the tracingof equipment would be improved.

The participation of the Valenciaport Foundationprovided the project with key contributions inaspects such as the interoperability of systemsbetween terminals and railway operators. Therecurrently lack standardised procedures to followand ICTs are not very present in transportoperations combined with railway transport. Toalleviate this shortcoming processes to followwere defined for the various stakeholders of thetransport chain and the flow and exchange ofmessages was implemented to make themanagement of container traffic more efficientand secure, guaranteeing the quality of theinformation provided thereby.

The TIMI project has allowed us to explore newtechnologies advancing towards co-modality,resulting in more efficient, balanced andsustainable transport systems. It is howevernecessary for users, operators, technologicalcompanies and institutions to continue carryingout research in a coordinated manner to furtherpromote sustainable multimodal mobility. This isalso necessary to fulfil the technological challengesidentified to increase safety and security inintermodal nodes, eliminate paper flows inbusiness processes and bolster the competitivenessof railway transport by promoting interoperabilityand the automation of the processes of operators.Current management tools also need to be adaptedto the multimodal scenario with the final objectiveof increasing efficiency in the planning and useof resources.

The TIMI project (Intelligent Intermodal FreightTransport), forming part of the CENIT programmeof the CDTI (Centre for the Development ofIndustrial Technology), concluded this pastDecember. The project had a total budget of 23million Euros and counted on the participationof the Valenciaport Foundation and InfoportValencia, along with other companies andorganisations.

The TIMI project was launched in 2007 followingthe creation of a consortium composed ofbusinesses from the Spanish transport, logisticsand technological services sectors. Suchbusinesses included Atos Origin, AccionaTransmediterránea, Etra I+D, Fagor Electrónica,Ibermática, Infoport Valencia, Ingeteam, InstitutoIbermática de Innovación, Servimaps SIG and TBSolutions. They were joined by researchorganisations, technological centres anduniversities, such as the Valenciaport Foundation.

The project was conceived with the underlyingdesire to foster the development of intermodaltransport, optimise interoperability, security andsafety and increase the efficiency of processes.This was to be achieved by researching newcontrol and planning models and techniques anddeveloping new technologies to increase the levelof automation present in all operations. In thisrespect information and communicationstechnologies (ICTs) have a clear role to play inimproving the management of the logistics chain.This is particularly true in the case of intermodalchains whose intrinsic complexity result in moreprofound security and coordination needsbetween the various stakeholders and transportmodes that are involved. The objective of theproject consisted in analysing transport andlogistics needs from a multimodal perspective.Based on this analysis new systems and toolswere to be designed to make such transportoperations more “intelligent.”

The main focus of the project was:

- to increase the efficiency and quality ofintermodal freight transport systems and services;- to promote the use of alternative transport modesto road transport, limiting thereby the externalitiesprovoked by their massive use, particularly withrailway and short sea shipping (SSS);- to propose solutions for the coordination and

segmented treatment problems inherent tointermodal models;- to increase the safety, security and protection ofgoods and people whilst minimising the lack ofcontrol in tracking as perceived by many userswith respect to transport chains involving manystakeholders;- to promote a sustainable transport system froman economic, social and environmentalperspective.

To fulfil these objectives the research of the projectwas structured along five work packages focusedon responding to the principal needs identifiedfollowing the adoption of intermodal transport:

- Integrated planning. The majority of planningsystems currently in use focus almost exclusivelyon transport routes with only one mode oftransport, neglecting other aspects such as theenvironmental impact in order to plan specialtransport routes such as for dangerous goods.Dynamic optimisation algorithms have beendeveloped to re-plan routes in real time as wellas plan intermodal itineraries, integrating differenttransport modes such as road, railway and maritimetransport.- Assistance whilst in transit. The communicationstechnologies that can be employed by the variousdevices in vehicles have been analysed andvalidated to increase the capacity of currentsystems providing navigation assistance. This wascarried out especially for maritime and roadtransport, implementing new means of interactionbetween users and systems to facilitate swift andsecure transport communications.- Tracing and tracking. New means of tracing andtracking have been developed based on theintegration of different technologies (GNSS, ZigBee,WLAN, networks of sensors) and varioustechnologies have been assessed to optimisetracing and tracking in internal areas.- Safety and security. To cover all aspects relatedto safety and security this task was divided intodigital safety and security, designed to make ITsystems more secure and provide access toinformation only to users who have been identifiedand previously authorised, the control of accessesto facilities, the identification of freight (throughartificial vision and radio frequency technologies)and monitoring the state of loading operations(networks of sensors).- Intermodality. This work package focused on theintegration of services through standards to allowinteroperability between different infrastructure,information and processes. The tracing of freightwas improved by centralising the management ofthis task, making it possible thereby to trace freightin real time, independently of the mode of transportused in each transport leg.

working in container road transport inthe Port of Valencia, resulting in theneed to carry out a more specific studysuch as the one proposed in the project.

The project is due to last five months,finalising in May 2011.

The Valenciaport Foundation has startedworking on the project “Tecnomarket”,led by the Packaging, Transport andLogistics Research Centre (ITENE).Other project partners include thePackaging Innovat ion ClusterAssociation, the Port Study andCooperation Institute (Feports) and theValencian Federation of TransportBusinessmen (FVET).

Tecnomarket comes as a strategic jointreflection process between representativestakeholders of the transport and logisticssector of the Valencian region. Itsprincipal objective is to analyse jointlytrends of global change impacting theproductive sector as well as tendenciesin technological evolution that will shapethe future of the sector.

The completion of the project is expectedto provide a detailed vision of theevolution of the Valencian region inaspects such as the implementation ofinformation technologies (IT), safety andsecuri ty, quali ty in ports , theenvironment, transport, logistics,business organisation and training withinthe maritime sector.

The project is due to be completed inMay 2011 and is financed by theValencian regional government throughthe IMPIVA.

The Logistics and Intermodalitydepartment of the ValenciaportFoundation has started working, incollaboration with the Port Authorityof Valencia (APV), on the COTTECOproject.

The objective of this project is to reviseand update the analysis of the coststructure of container road transportcompanies and independent transportagents operating in the Port of Valenciathat was undertaken a few years ago bythe Valenciaport Foundation. Theanalysis will be complemented by thestudy and simulation of different

research to date in this domain hasbeen fairly descriptive and fragmentedfrom a modal and national perspective.Individual researchers and teams haveworked independently and focusedmostly on the particularities of specificcases.

The objective of this project, due toconclude in August 2014, consists indeveloping a theoretical referenceframework for PPPs in the transportsector based on a multidisciplinaryanalysis of a wide set of both trans-national and inter-sectorial empiricaldata.

This calls for shifting from a descriptivefocus to a normative focus, making itpossible thus to predict and forecastvariations, impacts and results.

In concrete the project aims to compileand pool together dispersed knowledgecurrently available in differentdisciplines and countries, using thenthis knowledge to define innovativeand sustainable strategies to procure,contract and provide public services.The project also will disseminate suchknowhow to foster training andeducation in PPPs.

The Transport Economics departmentof the Valenciaport Foundation hasstarted to work on the project “PublicPrivate Partnerships in Transport: Trendsand Theory.” The first business meetingof the project took place this past 12January in Lisbon, along with asymposium under the same title thesame day.

Public private partnerships (PPPs) arecurrently employed in a large numberof countries, manifesting a clearfinancing alternative for publicinfrastructure projects with high capitalneeds. In Europe the scheme wasdeveloped to fulfil the need to reduceexpenditure in the public sector,leverage public funds and capitaliseon the knowhow of the private sectorin management, operations andinnovation, as well as to share/transferrisks. Most of the member states of theEU, if not all, consider PPPs as anessential tool to lure financial resourcesto priority projects with certain sectors,such as the transport sector, havingbenefitted particularly from PPPschemes.

However, despite PPP schemes beingwidely employed internationally, most

invoicing schemes in function of radius,distances and typology of services. Theseare different to those being currentlyused in general.

The cost analysis will follow the samestructure as that used in the periodicreports made available by the SpanishMinistry of Public Works through theCost Observatory of freight transport.Whilst these reports analyse separatelythe cost structure of vehicles transportingcontainers, the information that theyprovide is too generic. It is not adjustedaccurately to the situation of companiesand independent transport agents

With this incorporation the ValenciaportFoundation further commits itself to itsstrategy to embark on innovativeinitiatives in two key fields of portactivities: the energy efficiency of portfacilities on the one hand, with a specialemphasis on the equipment used bycontainer terminals and safety andsecurity in ports on the other, one of themost topical subjects in EuropeanR&D&I.

Meeting of the Steering Committee of EUROPHAR this past14 December

Regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the ValenciaportFoundation on 17 December

The regular meeting of the Board ofTrustees of the Valenciaport Foundationtook place this past 17 December withthe objective of approving theprogramme of activities and budget for2011.

In accordance with its objectives as afoundation, the programme of activitiescontemplates various R&D projects inthe port and logistics domains, a clearcommitment to internationalisation, theprogramming of various training activitiesfor the port-logistics cluster and greatersupport for the implementation ofCorporate Social Responsibility (CSR)within its domain. From a practicalperspective this will mean focusing moreon European projects and internationalcalls for tenders given the importantreduction of funds of the SpanishNational R&D Plan and the relativelethargy of the Spanish market.

In his director's report Leandro Garcíacovered the various projects carried outsince the beginning of 2010 by the

undertaken in collaboration withcompanies of the Valenciaport cluster,including “Analysis of the logistics andtransport alternatives to improve thecompetitiveness of Valencian companiesin the car components and spare partssector.” He finished by commenting onthe growing importance of theinternational cooperation projectsundertaken by the foundation such as“Fomcrece: Creation of a common creditfund to facil i tate reimbursableeducational grants in Central America.”

The total budget of 2011 including allincome and expenses amounts to5,057,719¤.

The Valenciaport Foundation, the PortAuthority of Piombino (Italy) and theFEPORTS Foundation were admitted aspartners of the European EconomicInterest Association EUROPHAR duringthe last meeting of the SteeringCommittee of EUROPHAR in Valenciathis past 14 December.

EUROPHAR is formed by a group ofport authori t ies and Europeancompanies. Its principal objective is topromote sustainable development andenvironmental protection in ports whilstimproving the safety and securityconditions of industrial and logisticsoperations taking place in ports.

EUROPHAR operates through actionswithin the framework of R&D&I projectswith the final goal striking a balancebetween the economic and commercialgrowth of ports and the protection of

EUROPHAR

their surroundings, guaranteeing therebytheir sustainable development.

The actions of this group are centred ontwo main axes: ports and port-cityinterfaces.

EUROPHAR is composed of various portau tho r i t i e s r enown fo r t he i renvironmental protection and port safetyand security (protection and prevention)initiatives. These include the portauthorities of Genoa, Livorno andValencia as well as private companieswith a solid track record in this field suchas the consulting firms SINTESIS (Italian)and CREOCEAN (French).

different departments of the ValenciaportFoundation. He emphasised theincreased number of activities beingcarried out in Brazil with projects suchas “Feasibility study of the design andimplementation of a single administrativewindow in Brazilian ports.” He alsohighlighted the strategy being developedjointly with the Port Authority of Valencia(APV) to position the valenciaportpcs.netportal as a system of reference in theEuropean port and logistics domain.

This strategy has resulted in variousprojects financed by the 7th R&DFramework Programme of the EuropeanCommission and the MED InterregionalCooperation Programme being initiatedto be carried out from 2010 to 2014. Theunderlying objective of this strategy is toimprove the link between ports and therest of the logistics chain, favouring theintegration with the systems employedby shippers, customs, intermodalplatforms and other modes of transport(the railways for example). LeandroGarcía also mentioned a few projects,

More information on Courses:Tel.: 96 393 94 00 (Silvia Tarín or Pepa Ferrer)formacion@fundacion.valenciaport.com

not only depend on technical experiencebut also on how a project is managed.

Preparing oneself to know andimplement the methodology and toolsemployed by project management resultsin improved business results. Deliveringthe course online for the first time offersgreater flexibility, making it easier tofollow thereby from anywhere at anytime. This makes training interestscompatible with professional obligations.

Projects are a means of organisingactivities and project managers areprofessionals that have received specifictraining to provide them with thenecessary skills to successfully carry outprojects. According to Xavier Mulet “onecan not deny the fact that projectmanagement is trendy. Service providerscompete between themselves to hirecertified professionals, with graduates ofengineering degrees opting more andmore for this type of certification.”

Previous session of the Project Management course

The first online session of the UniversitySpecial ised Course in ProjectManagement managed by theValenciaport Foundation and endorsedby the University of Valencia will takeplace from 15 February to 20 June 2011.

The course, counting on 8 years ofaccumulated experience of the samecourse being given in class, can besubsidised up to 100% by the TripartiteFoundation. It will be coordinated byXavier Mulet I Baixauli, the president ofthe Project Management InstituteValencia Chapter and head ofinformation systems of the Port Authorityof Valencia (APV), together with Salvadordel Saz Salazar, a lecturer of theEconomic Structures department of theUniversity of Valencia and member ofthe Institute of International Economics.

Project management manifests a keydiscipline for all organisations wishingto focus their efforts on fulfilling setobjectives with specific resources, costsand a set timeframe.

A project can consist in the developmentof IT application, the construction of abuilding, the launch of a product, etc…The success of a project however does