The European objective to reduce CO2 emissions to zero by 2050, with steep ambitions in 2030, means that our society will need to move fast. This also applies to our ports, with their energy-intensive industry and transport.

This requires various measures:

• Energy efficient processes and buildings
• The reuse of residual heat
• Additional onshore and offshore wind and solar energy
• Cost-efficient production of green hydrogen
• Capture, storage or reuse of CO2
• Distributed energy storage systems using batteries and heat
• ...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can boost all of these solutions. The broad theme of sustainability is one of the three pillars of the COOCK Smart Port 2025 project.

In this Inspiration Session, three experts will discuss the benefits of AI and the smart use of data, to support sustainable strategies.

• Dr. Matthias Strobbe (IDLab Ghent) will share use cases in which AI is applied to identify flexibility in industrial processes, to charge electrical cars in a smart way, and to detect anomalies in wind turbines and solar parks.
• Evelyn Heylen (Centrica) will explain how her company uses AI to optimally control its portfolio of assets.
• Bart Huybrechts (CMB) will provide insights on the sustainability strategy of the Belgian maritime group, and how they use data to support it.

The inspiration sessions are open to everybody, and will be held in a hybrid setting (live audience of 20 people @ Studio Sonar, The Beacon ; and Vimeo Livestream). The audience is encouraged to engage in a discussion with the panelists.

Based on the topics and challenges manifested at this event, a Co-Creation Session will be set up on November 19.

Live audience: Sint-Pietersvliet 7, 2000 Antwerpen

Livestream: https://vimeo.com/event/1401320

COOCK Smart Port 2025 is a collective R&D and collective knowledge transfer program, funded by the Flemish Government (VLAIO). The objective of this program is to transfer the knowledge and capacity of research institutions University of Antwerp and Imec to companies and SMEs in the Flemish port & logistics community.