The SmartPort Summit 2025 not only celebrated SmartPort’s 10th anniversary, but also focused on Innovation with Impact for a future-proof port. With powerful keynotes from Hans Stegeman and Jitske Kramer, the importance of breaking through existing structures and navigating through ‘tricky times’ took center stage.
As a partner, we were involved in the design and implementation of the interactive breakout session that bridged the gap between these two themes. With the theme of Innovation with Impact as a starting point, the focus was on working together to tackle the challenges of tomorrow, based on current case studies.
Break-outs: real cases, real solutions
In five breakout sessions, participants dove into current innovation issues raised by companies, governments, and organisations from the port region. Under the guidance of professional facilitators, project developers from SmartPort and Maritime Sisters, the collective intelligence of the network was maximized. Participants worked together in teams on specific questions concerning:
Rotterdam Innovation Delta in collaboration with Port of Rotterdam & TWD
How can we make Rotterdam the epicenter for offshore wind innovation and talent development (innovation implementation hub)?
Delta21 – Reservoir in collaboration with Cooperatie Delta 21 & Van Oord
How can we create an innovative reservoir for water management, energy storage, and nature development on the coast of South Holland and beyond?
Space for nuclear energy (SMRs) in collaboration with Allseas and the Province of South Holland
What is the role of small modular reactors in making the port more sustainable and where can pilots take place?
Circular hubs for building materials in collaboration with Port of Rotterdam & Municipality of Rotterdam
How can we accelerate circular construction flows and smartly upgrade locations in the port region?
Making the local port fleet more sustainable in collaboration with Nederlands Loodswezen
What route should we choose for clean, future-proof ships in and around the port?
We identified these cases in collaboration with the SmartPort team and then brought in the case owners from the (port) business community, regional authorities, and/or knowledge institutions. We also activated our network to ensure that the right parties and knowledge came together during the Summit and the breakouts.
Working method: Wisdom of the Crowd
The strength of the breakout session lay, on the one hand, in the current, concrete cases of parties who dare to stick their necks out and, on the other hand, in the original working method: the ‘Wisdom of the Crowd Game’. In a one-hour pressure cooker, teams were challenged to make maximum use of the network and collective intelligence present to find answers to five sharp questions per case – from knowledge questions to creative visions of the future. This resulted in surprising insights, new connections, and directly applicable ideas for the case owners.
During the process, participants also experienced the importance of stepping out of their comfort zone under time pressure and the power of working iteratively. The format thus bridged the gap between Hans Stegeman’s message of breaking through existing structures by innovating with impact and “just starting to tinker,” and Jitske Kramer’s message about how to navigate through tricky times.
Result: action, network, and follow-up
The SmartPort Summit 2025 not only provided inspiration and new insights, but above all concrete follow-up steps for the parties involved. In line with SmartPort’s mission: by mobilising the network of innovators, companies, knowledge institutions, and policymakers, new collaborations and solutions are created that contribute to a future-proof port. On to the next Summit!
More about SmartPort
About the SmartPort Summit
The SmartPort Summit brought together more than 200 innovators, thinkers, and doers from the broad port and maritime ecosystem. The goal: not only to share knowledge and network, but above all to take concrete steps toward a sustainable, competitive port. This year, we also celebrated 10 years of SmartPort—a decade of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and impactful projects. Click here for more information (Dutch only).