24-Hour Port Transition Challenge:
The Port Transition Challenge 2024 was an inspiring event that called on the talent and creativity of students from Erasmus University Rotterdam and TU Delft. Fifty-three young bright minds across ten multi-disciplinary teams ideated, had fun and presented their boldest solutions to help the Port of Rotterdam navigate towards a sustainable future.
The challenges
Challenge #1: Port of the Future
How can the Port of Rotterdam make the transition to circularity? With limited space and diverse stakeholders, transforming the Port into a circular hotspot is challenging. For this challenge the students focused on the circular plastics value stream, considering the spatial design of in the Port of Rotterdam, and the role of the regional partners play in achieving this. This challenge was brought in by the Gemeente Rotterdam, Port of Rotterdam and the Provincie Zuid-Holland.
Challenge #2: Smooth Sailing
Rotterdam’s port faces constant pressure to stay efficient and resilient as Europe’s largest port. Vessel traffic must flow smoothly, even after disruptions like severe weather. Delays and congestion can quickly arise, impacting port operations and vessel schedules. We asked students how we can make the port more attractive to customers by improving the service provided by the port to the carriers/vessels during and after disruptions and closures?
photography by Arie Kers
videography by Roelof van der Meer
And the winners are…
Challenge 1: Port of the Future
Team 10 “Rotterdam’s C-HUB” consisting of Alexander Wiesner, Anton Rothe, Jur Braakman, Rizkika Zulhijjiani, Musharraf Hassan, Ricardo van Oudenhoven van der Laan won the challenge. The team developed the concept of a special economic zone (or a special circularity zone!) called Circularity Bubble, an incubator for entrepreneurs right in the heart of Rotterdam. The aim is to nurture and strengthen circular businesses. They won a balloon ride over Rotterdam.
Challenge 2: Smooth Sailing
Team 4 “Port Dot Product” consisting of Vladimiris Kirils Bickovs, Ioannis Pantidis, Bartlomiej Nowak, Pravar Saran won this challenge. The team came up with an idea to develop a real-time data-model that predicts disruptions and delays during events such as bad weather. They won a boat trip through the waters of Rotterdam.
Public Vote:
Team 3 “Weather Wise” consisting of Gaia Vignoli, Roel Grootscholten, Thai Hang Vu, Igor Koster, Rick van Beek. The team developed a flowchart that enables harbor masters to communicate to ships about weather-delays, leading to a reduction of fuel costs and emissions. They won a surfing session at Riff 010.
In the end all teams won a great prize…. the challenge owners (the Port of Rotterdam, the Municipality of Rotterdam, the Province of South Holland) want to meet all teams to see if there are next steps that can be explored.
Read more about the solutions of the different winning teams:
“Rotterdam’s C-HUB” solution:
Team Rotterdam’s C-HUB came up with a circular solution to the mountains of plastic that are preserved as waste and not valuable. Their project, the Circularity Bubble, aims to create a special economic zone in the Rotterdam Port where end of life cycle plastic will be included in the value creation process. This hub will support circular businesses by fostering innovation and collaboration.
Located in central Rotterdam, the Circularity Bubble benefits from reconstruction plans that are already in place, making the port in the forefront of minds of others and creating new jobs. Proximity to manufacturers and universities like TU Delft and Erasmus ensures access to expertise and resources.
The economic zone will connect sustainability partners, improving resource sharing, communication, and cooperation. This streamlined network boosts efficiency and supports growth.
Team Rotterdam’s C-HUB ended strong with a very realistic 20-year plan that includes funding, testing, scaling, and expanding this model to other cities globally, setting the stage for a sustainable, circular economy
“Port Dot Product” solution:
Team Port Dot Product developed a solution to tackle inefficiencies caused by unexpected disruptions in the Port of Rotterdam. These disruptions waste fuel and time, add stress for ship crews and port staff, and increase CO₂ emissions.
Their solution aims to solve this problem by predicting disruptions before before it occurs and sharing real-time information with stakeholders and helping alleviate some of the negative effects. The data will be shared with all the ships and agents engage in the port process.
The team wants to built a real-time tool that refreshes in real time, providing high-accuracy predictions based on factors like wind speed, visibility, and water levels. Using advanced models, including neural networks, their system delivers precise, data-driven forecasts.
This solution is going to give many advantages to all the stakeholders that are involved in the port process.Benefits of this system include enhanced customer satisfaction, a healthier work-life balance for crews, and improved efficiency for the port—all contributing to a greener, more reliable supply chain. “And you will get your products a lot cheaper.”
“Weather Wise” solution:
Team Weather Wise came up with a solution to the lack of economic incentives for the Port of Rotterdam to communicate disruption, leading to inefficiencies and lack of transparency. Their solution is to encourage the port to sell delay details, creating economic incentives while improving clarity.
When ships know about delays due to weather or congestion, they can adjust their speed to save fuel and still reach the port on time. This benefits shipping companies by reducing costs and emissions.
The idea is simple: a low-tech standard procedure flow chart, used by harbor masters, based on weather predictions and historical data. For example, if storms cause a five-hour delay, the port shares this with incoming vessels, enabling them to slow down efficiently.
This approach offers multiple benefits: reduced fuel costs, lower CO₂ emissions, and greater customer satisfaction due to reliable communication. Quick to implement, the system could transform shipping operations globally with a trusted third-party facilitating cooperation.
About the Port Transition Challenge
The Port Transition Challenge is a 24-hour design and ideation event aimed at creating bold, practical solutions to shape the future of Europe’s largest port. Held at our very own Yellow Shack at Galileistraat 33 in Rotterdam, the challenge is unique for its fast-paced, intensive format, where students have only 24 hours to brainstorm, ideate, collaborate, and pitch their ideas.
Throughout this ideation-marathon, students were given lots of fun and energizers like, dance workshop, food and mocktails, bowling, silent disco, inspirational speakers, morning gym and a pitch workshop.
The challenge’s purpose was to encourage fresh perspectives and innovative thinking on issues critical to the port’s sustainability and efficiency. Supported by industry experts, facilitators and data sources such as maps and operational metrics, students developed solutions that could inspire real change in Rotterdam’s port operations.
And we succeeded! The event was organized by the Resilient Delta initiative’s Innovation Manager Marije Wassenaar and Port Theme Lead Vinzenz Baumer Escobar. But we could not have done this on our own. So here goes a big thank you to:
- Challenge owners for providing the challenges, maps, data and their time, Tamires Beltrão, Damian Gonsalves, Manolo de la Fuente, Laurens Gerlach, Resianne Dekker from the Port of Rotterdam, Marianne Mesman (Gemeente Rotterdam), Jeroen van Schaick and Dennis van Deursen (Provincie Zuid-Holland),
- Prof.dr. Karel van der Berghe (TUD) and Thierry Verduijn (Hogeschool Rotterdam) for their scientific advice to the students,
- Manoj Dsouza (former Captain) and Martijn ten Kate, founder of the Bin (a design recycling company) for their advice as experts in the field,
- Machiel Oskam (Online department) for his morning crash course in pitching,
- The facilitators Caroline LagersDresselhuys and Eric Biermann for their 24 hour dedication to the teams,
- Platform Zero (Ruben and Sophia) for the location and catering,
- Goda and Barbara for their help in organizing the event,
- RDi colleagues Gabrielle, Milky, Julia, Christiaan and Jelle.
- But above all the students for their enthusiasm and never-ending energy!
It’s a wrap!
