Innovation and environmental improvement

Innovation and environmental improvement

Port Authority participates actively in many R&D projects, in the field of sustainability and environmental improvement and protection.

Recently, the following projects stand out:

SELF-SUFFICIENT 4.0 MARKET

This project is focused on the improvement of energy efficiency at the high-seas fishing market of the Port Authority.

The project, financed through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), has a budget of 2,437,667.77 euros financed at 80%, which means a financing of 1,950,134.22 euros.

In September 2020, the works were awarded to the company UTE Demain Obras y servicios Frimarte. These works are to improve the energy efficiency of the high-sea fishing market building in the Port of Vigo, including the renovation of the air conditioning installations and the execution of actions to reduce the energy demand in this area of the building. Action will also be taken on the lightning system and it will be complemented by the establishment of a self-consuming photovoltaic solar installation, that will generate a large part of the energy consumed in the building.

 

COLOGISTICS

CoLogistics, financed through the European program Interreg POPTEC and with a budget of 2,574,125 euros, aims to promote the logistic activity in Galice and the North of Portugal.

CoLogistics proposes to implement measures that unreservedly improve the organizational and technological capacities of the industrial and logistics sector of the Euroregion to increase competitiveness and technological and non-technological innovation in it.

The activities defined in the proposal emphasize boosting the strategic business vision, the technical improvement of processes, and the design and implementation of Smart-logistics tools and 4.0 solutions.

 

PORTFORWARD

This project, financed through the European program H2020, intends to address the technological problems of actual ports to take an important step towards what the EU calls the Ports of the Future. It intends to improve the operational and strategic capacity of the ports online with European purposes: a smart port, a connected port and a green port.

PortForward, with a budget of 4,994,311.23 euros, pretends to provide 4.0 solutions to improve the efficiency in the port operations with heterogenous freights, create real-time monitoring tools for port cargo flows, implement a remote operative system for port operations management, improve the interconnection with inland transport, develop an information exchange interface with the surrounding urban environment, reduce the impact of port operations using green technologies and improve the exchange of experiences and transferability to other intermodal transport centres.

 

 

ATLANTIC MARITIME ECOSYSTEM NETWORK-MARENET

This project, financed through the European program Blue Economy, intends to strengthen the competitiveness of our maritime, port and fishing industry through specific training actions and support for innovative and sustainable entrepreneurship.

MarEnet, with a budget of 867,922.61 euros and a two-year duration, aspires to adapt the academic training to the requirements and demands of the labour market to strengthen the competitiveness of the maritime, fishing and port sectors in the Atlantic façade under a blue growth approach.

A digital platform will be designed and made available to the public. There, we will find all the relevant information on project activities and progress. This platform will provide tools to facilitate the search for careers, training courses and workshops, as well as job offers and professional profiles in the blue economy sector.

 

 

PORTOS

This project, financed through the European program INTERREG Atlantic Area, aims to explore, develop and promote the implementation of marine renewable energies in the ports of the Atlantic Area.

PORTOS, with a budget of 2,625,180.56 euros and a three-year duration, aims to influence two major environmental priorities for European ports:

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution solutions based on marine renewable energy.

Improve the competitiveness of the Atlantic Area through the development, transfer and diffusion of innovative technologies and tools for decision-making in the implementation of sustainable energy systems.

The specific actions of this project are:

Diagnose the energy efficiency in the ports partnered with the project.

- Evaluate the potential of marine renewable energies in the target ports.

Develop technologies that facilitate the use of marine energy.

- Design tools for the selection of suitable marine energies.

Establish guidelines to apply the principles of energy self-sufficiency.

Define strategies to adapt port infrastructures to the future needs of the marine energy sector.

 

PROYECTO LIVING PORTS

 

The project, started in June 2020 and lasting 3 years, is financed through the European Horizon 2020 Fast Track to Innovation program. The consortium is formed by four partners from three countries: ECOncrete Tech Ltd, project coordinator, an Israeli company that provides green CMI solutions; the Port of Vigo, one of the greenest in Europe; CARDAMA SHIPYARD, a Spanish shipbuilding and repairing company; and the Institutes of Civil Engineering and Aquatic Resources of the Technical University in Denmark (DTU).

The actions will be taken in a dock, with sheltered waters, Portocultura. In this area, 310m2 of ECO Seawall-type panels will be installed with their respective control areas (formed by standard concrete) and an underwater visor designed by Cardama. This visor will serve to observe the existing flora and fauna in the Port of Vigo and will colonize the installed structures. It is a unique observation and monitoring tool with recreational, informative, educational and public awareness objectives.

 

ATIN-BLUECO

The ATIN-BLUECO project, implemented through the Atlantic Regional Initiative of the European Space Agency, aims to develop and demonstrate solutions based on Earth Observation (EO) data, which provide actionable information to entities, organizations, companies and associations of the coastal area.

The project is led by the GMV business group, and with the collaboration of the Vigo Port Authority, it evaluates the development of a tool for detecting marine litter and oil spills on the water surface.