Portugal’s Minister of Sea Ana Paula Vitorino presented, on January 30, the first edition of the newly-formed 'Bluetech Accelerator'. 'Bluetech Accelerator – Ports & Shipping 4.0' aims to accelerate maritime-related start-ups.
The program focuses mostly on Ports, Maritime Transport and Maritime Logistics Scanning, identifying and supporting the most promising start-ups in the industry in search of innovative solutions for an industry which today faces enormous challenges such as overcapacity, energy security, developments in artificial intelligence and automation, or the need for change in the energy sector.
Mainly, the program embodies six business partners, including the nation’s top two lines and top two ports, to help select and finance the first batch of winning start-ups, who will be chosen in the last quarter of 2019.
This first edition of the program has as aim the digitization of the port sector, shipping and maritime logistics.
Moreover, the Bluetech Accelerator follows the signing of a MoU that gave rise to the Ocean Portugal Program, which aspires to develop a set of actions to promote the growth of the Blue Economy.
Concluding, Mrs Ana Paula Vitorino stated that…"With this initiative we hope that we better prepare our blue economy to do a new globalisation of knowledge and know-how.."
Source:safety4sea
