The Ports of Barcelona and Singapore Share Innovative Initiatives within the Framework of the Smart Port Challenge 2026

The Ports of Barcelona and Singapore held a joint event yesterday with the aim of sharing projects and initiatives through the start-ups that form their respective innovation ecosystems. The event was part of a visit by a delegation from the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) to the Port of Barcelona to learn firsthand about its innovative ecosystem and the start-ups being developed.

The visit took place within the framework of the Smart Port Challenge 2026, the innovation program promoted by PIER71, the start-up incubator founded by the Asian port together with the National University of Singapore. This program, which started almost a decade ago, is an annual innovation challenge to find the best ideas and solutions from technology start-ups to address innovation challenges or opportunities posed by companies in the maritime sector in Singapore.

The main event of the day, in fact, was a round of presentations that about ten start-ups from the BlueTechPort ecosystem, the Barcelona Port Innovation Foundation, and the Port of Barcelona as a whole made before representatives of the MPA, PIER71, and the National University of Singapore.

These start-ups, selected by the Innovation team of the Port of Barcelona, offered solutions to the challenges posed in the Smart Port Challenge 2026, which this year revolves around four main vectors: green maritime technologies; next-generation ports; smart maritime navigation; and digitalization (AI, cloud, cybersecurity).

The presentations, however, were not solely directed at the representatives of the Asian delegation. Their visit also included two PIER71 start-ups, Nexus Ocean AI and OneCare Group, which presented their projects and services to representatives of the Port of Barcelona and the Port Logistics Community.

The day concluded with a round table on global innovation trends in the port sector, focusing on new models and collaboration opportunities.

"Events like today's allow us to continue expanding the innovation network of the Port of Barcelona. Establishing synergies with ecosystems like that of the MPA, which has collaborated with more than 160 start-ups from more than 20 countries, multiplies the impact of our projects and acts as a catalyst for initiatives such as BlueTechPort and the Barcelona Port Innovation Foundation," said Emma Cobos, Director of Innovation and Blue Economy at the Port of Barcelona.