ICEX Spain Export and Investment is firmly committed to companies working in the field of logistics and supply chain and, as part of its internationalisation strategy, is organising a ‘Conference on Technological Solutions for Global Value Chains’, with the collaboration of the Port Authority of València (PAV).
The conference, which is being held today 30 May in València, is the third in a series of travelling sessions throughout Spain that began last year in Madrid and Algeciras, to facilitate the adoption, by companies with an international vocation, of technologies applicable to transport, intelligent inventory management, warehouse automation and last-mile distribution.
Framework of logistics
Mar Chao explained that the Port Authority of València is committed to boosting initiatives
Mar Chao explained that the Port Authority of València is committed to boosting initiatives related to new technologies within the framework of logistics and promoting an innovative system. "Outside the fence, everything goes very fast, therefore, we have to incorporate technological solutions into the logistics chain because the Port is a service company to serve the business and export sector," she assured.
For his part, Pablo Conde stated that València has become the epicentre of the Spanish export sector and Valenciaport is an example, "the incorporation of disruptive technologies and the IoT (internet of things) are essential to improve the supply chain. This is why ICEX is focusing its support on companies in the field of logistics."
Importance of innovation and technology
Offering strong aid to the sector and trying to affect the competitiveness of Spanish companies
During the conference, Isabel Álvarez, head of the ICEX department; Juan Manuel Díez Orejas, head of Innovation at the PAV; Paloma Groizard, Ofecomes Sao Paulo analyst; Manuel Valle, Efecomes Bogotá advisor; and Jorge Marcos, director of Opentop, moderated round tables with business executives from all types of logistics companies in what was a great demonstration of the growing importance of innovation and technology for competing in the logistics world.
On the other hand, Elisa Carbonell, CEO of ICEX, together with Mar Chao closed the conference, thus offering strong support to the sector and trying to influence the competitiveness of Spanish companies, for their better internationalisation through the incorporation of disruptive technologies and the digitisation and automation of certain processes in their value chains.
Incorporation of new disruptive technologies
At the closing of the conference, the CEO of ICEX, Elisa Carbonell, stressed that "the adoption of new technologies in the supply chain is a present reality, not a future one." In this sense, she pointed out that "this has been verified by the representatives of the ports of Brazil and Colombia who are in Spain these days, getting to know the Spanish port system and the capacities of our business fabric, giving continuity to the Spanish participation in the Intermodal South America fair."
Participating companies and ports had the opportunity to share strategies and experiences
The conference brought together internationalised Spanish companies, logistics operators, freight forwarders and start-ups developing technological solutions applicable to logistics chains. The participating companies and ports had the opportunity to share strategies and experiences related to the incorporation of new disruptive technologies and the direct impact they have on the agility of supply chains. And this, from different perspectives: shipping companies, shippers, logistics operators, and startups developing technological solutions.
Mission of Brazilian and Colombian ports
The conference coincides with a reverse mission of Brazilian and Colombian ports that is taking place from 27 to 31 May and which arose from Spain’s participation in the Intermodal South America fair that took place last March in Sao Paulo (Brazil), where Spain Pavilion brought together fifteen Spanish companies and ports.
Aim of this mission is for the invited ports to learn about port technological development
The aim of this mission is for the invited ports to learn about port technological development projects and infrastructure projects that can be replicated in their respective ports. To this end, the members of the delegation, representatives of the ports of Santos, São Sebastião, Itajaí, Rio, and Paraná (from Brazil), and Cartagena, Santa Marta and Buenaventura (from Colombia), have started their programme with a presentation of Puertos del Estado which allows them to have a joint vision of the Spanish port system. The delegation then visited the port of Barcelona and the port of Valencia, as well as Insomnia, the business accelerator.
Internationalisation of the logistics and supply chain sector
They are also sharing their development and investment plans with Spanish companies in the sector, with the aim of identifying possible business opportunities at the "Conference on Technological Solutions for Global Value Chains" mentioned above, which will be held tomorrow 30 May, jointly with the Port Authority of València, as well as in a "Conference on port infrastructures" to be held on 31 May at the ICEX headquarters where the participating ports will present the challenges and projects related to solutions and technology for construction, dredging, electrification, automation, berthing infrastructures, cruise terminals, the use of hydrogen as fuel, and sustainability.
This activity, part of ICEX’s strategy to strengthen the internationalisation of the logistics and supply chain sector, is the result of ICEX’s active listening to companies in the sector that see ICEX as a strategic partner that supports them in their internationalisation process. On this occasion, it is also counting on Brazilian and Colombian ports as strategic partners for the international trade of goods between America and Europe.
