KEEPING the shelves of our supermarket, shops and DIY stores stocked with our day-to-day requirements all year round depends on a slick supply chain involving efficient ships, ports, cranes, stevedores, trucks, haulage companies, rail operators … and, crucially, ICT.

Highly complex ICT systems have become an inextricable and vital part of the logistics network, and their importance is inevitably going to increase. The key role that ICT solutions can play in enhancing and developing existing and new transport systems is at the heart of the EU Interreg IVC Port Integration project, of which the Haven Gateway is a core partner.

Earlier this month, I attended a Port Integration workshop which discussed ‘Maritime Transport and Port Interfaces – ICT solutions for Motorways of the Sea’. The timing was ideal, coming immediately after the publication of the European Commission’s white paper entitled ‘Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area’.

Many of the central aspects within this document focus on the use of technology and electronic solutions to improve the competitiveness and efficiency of the transport system across Europe.

The Port Integration partners discussed Port Community Systems – which essentially provide a ‘spider’s web’ of electronic information for all port stakeholders, to speed the clearance and movement of freight through ports and beyond. 

A representative of the recently formed European Port Community Systems Association (EPCSA) explained how such systems can support the EC’s ambitious plans for a ‘Single Window’ for business-to-business e-transport solutions. Felixstowe-based Maritime Cargo Processing is a founder member of EPCSA.

As José Garcia, innovation director at the Port Authority of Valencia (one of the Port Integration partners), said: “Port Community Systems have significant potential to enhance existing transport systems, develop new transport solutions and play an increasingly important part in the development and achievement of the EC ‘road map’.”

Elsewhere in Europe, the Haven Gateway subregion has also been well represented in another important discussion area this month – at a Brussels workshop entitled ‘Winds of Change in the North Sea: the industrial, societal and governmental challenges of implementing offshore wind energy’.

This half-day session was organised by Essex County Council, the Central Denmark region, Mid Norway region and West Norway Regional Partnership.

Representatives from local councils, civic groups and the wind energy industry from these areas presented their views on implementing offshore wind energy.

The Haven Gateway has already established a strong reputation for the support of offshore wind farm construction, particularly out of Harwich International Port. Matthew Hill, managing director of Tendring Regeneration Ltd, gave a presentation to the Brussels workshop, focusing on ‘Wind Energy as a Catalyst for Economic Regeneration’.

Essex County Councillor Kay Twitchen, who is also East of England member of the EU’s Committee of the Regions, chaired the meeting and coordinated a question and answer session after the presentations.

It was good to see this event so well supported by Essex County Council and the East of England Brussels Office, and to hear the Haven Gateway’s obvious strengths in offshore wind energy highlighted to a wide audience.