Research Project PortSkill 4.0 Presented at the Port of Hamburg

As part of the research project PortSkill 4.0, the state-of-the-art digital training center was presented today at the HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA), specifically designed to meet the demands of digitized port work. The new “ma-co digital training center” offers cutting-edge learning technologies and tailored training solutions for the requirements of digitized port work.

(Hamburg) In the PortSkill 4.0 project, extensive analyses of the operational, administrative, and technical job profiles in German seaports have been conducted over the past two years to investigate how tasks will change due to digitization and automation. In addition to the expected changes in port jobs due to automation and digitization, new tasks and roles are also emerging that require specific, sometimes new competencies.

At the training center at CTA, which has been regarded as one of the most modern and efficient container terminals since its commissioning, the competencies needed in the future can be specifically trained. By combining state-of-the-art technology, connected learning, and the analysis of future job requirements, the “ma-co digital training center” provides a forward-looking platform for qualifying the skilled workforce of tomorrow’s port economy. The training and learning content will now be piloted as part of PortSkill 4.0 and will also be offered publicly after the project ends.

Port Work in Transition

Dr. Melanie Leohnard, Hamburg Senator for Economic Affairs and Innovation: “Port work is changing with the times. Continuous training and qualification of employees are crucial to benefit from the changes in the world of work. The PortSkill 4.0 project is an important milestone in the transformation of work. It pioneers valuable insights into the qualification profiles that will be expected and required in the future. Our goal is to prepare companies and employees for future challenges in the transformation process – especially due to the shortage of available skilled workers, we will face further changes that we can shape positively together.”

Torben Seebold, Chief Human Resources Officer of HHLA and Chairman of the Social Policy Committee of ZDS: “With the new digital training center from ma-co, we are setting new standards for the training and further education of our employees. The targeted and modern qualification development of employees is a critical success factor for maintaining and expanding the competitiveness of the German port economy.”

Preparing for the Future of Port Work

André Kretschmar, ver.di Head of Maritime Economy: “The future of port work will look different than it does today. We need to prepare for that. Current job profiles and tasks will change. Future competencies must be conveyed to employees in a target group-specific manner to make the technological advancements in digital transformation usable for colleagues and to secure good collective employment in the long term.”

In addition to incorporating tactile elements, the project primarily focuses on testing virtual learning environments. The centerpiece of the center is a large video wall with six screens, which, together with control panels, serves as a control room. Another room is equipped with a remote control station for, e.g., container bridges, storage, and rail cranes, while a separate room can be used for immersive training with virtual reality applications. The rooms at CTA are connected to the ma-co locations in Hamburg and Bremen, allowing participants to meet in a shared virtual training environment across locations.

The practical, application-oriented, and experiential presentation significantly enhances learning transfer. Additionally, hazardous and exceptional situations can be trained in a safe environment. Furthermore, training content and scenarios can be adjusted and managed much more flexibly, allowing for better consideration of individual learning needs and prerequisites.

Research Funding and Project Partnerships

The PortSkill 4.0 project is funded as part of the IHATEC II research initiative of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV). While IHATEC I focused on technical projects, the circle of applicants in IHATEC II was expanded in 2021 to include educational institutions and research facilities to develop qualification and further education offerings. As early as 2018, the port economy, led by ma-co, developed initial concepts for a human-centered project together with partners such as ver.di, ZDS, and other stakeholders. In 2020, the consortium was finalized together with HHLA, BLG including Eurogate, and PatientZero as partners. After the project concludes at the end of 2025, the training center will also be accessible to other maritime actors.

Researching Job Profiles and Socioeconomic Impacts

Not only does the PortSkill 4.0 project analyze new or changed job profiles and the corresponding qualifications, but it also places great emphasis on examining the socioeconomic impacts of digital transformation in the port economy. With funding from IHATEC II and close collaboration between social partners such as ver.di and ZDS, a project based on social partnership has been realized, actively accompanying the transformation of port work.

More information here

Photo: ©