C-Ports: A proposal for a comprehensive standardization and implementation plan of digital services offered by the “Port of the Future”

Abstract

In this paper we address the topic of a possible path to standardize the ICT services expected to be delivered by the so-called “Port of the Future”. How the most relevant technologies and Information Systems are used by the Port Communities for their businesses is discussed together with a detailed analysis of the on-going actions carried on by Standard Setting Organizations. Considering the examples given by the C-ITS Platform and the C-Roads programme at EU level, a proposal of contents to be considered in a comprehensive standardization action is given. The innovation services are therefore grouped into four bundles: (i) Vessel & Marine Navigation, (ii) e-Freight & (Intermodal) Logistics, (iii) Passenger Transport, (iv) Environmental sustainability. The standardized version of these applications will be finally labeled as C-Port services. Alongside the standardization plan, a proposal for ranking the ports on the basis of a specially-defined C-Port vector is discussed with the purpose of addressing the well-known lack of consensus around the mathematical definition of the Smart Port Index. Considering the good practice and the background offered by the Port of Livorno in terms of innovation actions, the prospected final user applications are then labeled as Day 1, Day 1.5, and Day 2 services in consideration of the technical and commercial gaps to be filled. As a case study about the evolution in the C-Port vector experienced by the Port of Livorno in the last years will also be discussed.