The Ashdod Port Company has signed a cooperation agreement with the Port of Barcelona in order to promote Israeli technological innovation in Europe.
As part of the agreement Israeli start-ups will be able to conduct a pilot programme at the Port of Barcelona after going through a similar process at the Port of Ashdod.
Orna Hozman Bechor, chairlady of the board of directors of Ashdod Port, said: “The Ashdod Port Company continues to act vigorously to expand collaborations on innovation with the world’s leading ports.
“The Israeli innovation that we foster in our technology incubators has a great deal to offer in a variety of fields that will make the world of shipping and ports more efficient, commencing with the field of logistics and transportation and up to and including control systems and green energy.”
As part of the agreement, Israeli start-ups will be able to conduct a pilot programme at the Port of Barcelona after going through a similar process at the Port of Ashdod.
Several start-ups travelled to Barcelona alongside the Ashdod Port Company and presented their ventures at the port.
Cyber 2.0 has developed technology to prevent the spread of cyberattacks within the corporate network, while Cyberview has developed an ongoing and effective information security management platform.
Other start-ups include Airwayz, which provides an operating system that controls a fleet of drones and enables effective supervision, and augmented technology and virtual reality provider EnWize.
Rounding off the delegation are Captain’s Eye, offering a network of advanced cameras and imaging processing that help identify and quickly deal with accidents and security threats, as well as seven other Israeli start-ups.
Damia Calvet, the president of the Port of Barcelona, said: “Innovation and digital transformation are creating a new paradigm in all sectors of the economy, and this down not skip over ports.
“At the Port of Barcelona, we are convinced that we must welcome the arrival of innovation and new technologies. Tools such as big data, blockchain, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) will allow us to become more efficient and improve our sustainability and competitiveness.”
Ashdod Port Company has already begun to operate a similar representation at the Port of Newark in the US, in cooperation with the port authority and the New York and Jersey Railways, with an annual budget of approximately of US$8bn.
The technology incubator at Ashdod Port was established in 2021 as part of the port’s innovation strategy, and, since its establishment, has accompanied over 60 start-ups in various fields, including operations, logistics, cyber protection, safety, etc.
Recently, the Ashdod Port of board directors announced an investment of NIS4.5m (US$1.3m) in four of the start-ups operating at the incubator, through the purchase of technologies and the signing of a royalty agreement.
Hozman Bechor said: “Expanding the activity of the start-ups to leading ports around the world is an important milestone for reinforcing the international, technological, and economic connections of the start-ups and their ventures, as well as the Port of Ashdod and the entire State of Israel as the start-up nation.”
