{"id":13383,"date":"2017-03-08T18:50:03","date_gmt":"2017-03-08T17:50:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/timoelliott.com\/blog\/?p=13383"},"modified":"2017-03-08T18:50:03","modified_gmt":"2017-03-08T17:50:03","slug":"qitcom-2017-transforming-transportation-and-logistics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timoelliott.com\/blog\/2017\/03\/qitcom-2017-transforming-transportation-and-logistics.html","title":{"rendered":"QITCOM 2017: Transforming Transportation And Logistics"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>This week I’ve been in Doha, Qatar for the QITCOM 2017. It’s the fourth edition of Qatar\u2019s information and communication technology exhibition and conference and Qatar\u2019s biggest digital event, organized at the Qatar National Convention Center, under the theme \u201cQatar Towards a Smart Future.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The\u00a0conference opened with some of the most impressive audio-visual effects I’ve ever seen at a conference, with a huge screen that wrapped around the auditorium, and striking animated, augmented-reality slides with\u00a03D graphics that appeared to cast shadows on the stage next to the presenters.<\/p>\n

I participated in the panel session on Innovative Ideas Transforming Transportation and Logistics<\/a>, hosted by Mark Spelman<\/a> of the World Economic Forum<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Transport & Logistics Panel at QITCOM 2017. Photo by Pedro Pereira<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The panel discussed how the way in which we move people and goods around is changing thanks to with data and infrastructure transformation.<\/p>\n

I believe that it’s now clear that the best “infrastructure” investment that organizations can currently make is in better information systems. Despite losing my voice just before the start of the panel, I managed to squeak my way through some examples of organizations that have used the latest technologies to\u00a0get greater efficiencies out of existing transportation and logistics assets.<\/p>\n

For example, the Port of Hamburg is the largest port in Germany, and the second largest in Europe. The port authority is responsible for all of its infrastructure, and their biggest problem is their success. They currently have\u00a09 million containers arriving at the port ever year, and\u00a0that’s due to at least double\u00a0by 2025. But the port is in the center of a big city, with no space to expand. In order to get more throughput, they had\u00a0to take a more “intelligent” approach.<\/p>\n