Day 12: 7/19/2023

Today we are flying back to Charleston. Unfortunately our flight got delayed about three hours so I had to rebook my connecting flight in Atlanta. Despite the delay, the rest of our trip home went smoothly and I arrived in Charleston around 9pm.

Day 11: 7/18/2023

This morning we woke up early to take a train back to Barcelona. The trip took about six to seven hours and we arrived back at the Arya Stadium hotel around 3:30pm. We then had class time at 4pm where we discussed our overall experiences with the trip organization and activities and also our remaining assignments due after the trip is finished. After class, we quickly changed and went to our farewell dinner at a yummy restaurant in downtown Barcelona. I ordered the veal steak which was delicious! After dinner we all took our time making our way back to the hotel where we packed the rest of our things and got a good nights sleep for our long travel day back to the US tomorrow.

Day 10: 7/17/23

This morning we took taxis to our next tour at a logistics operating company named Grupo Raminatrans.

Notes from the visit:

Company Structure

• Raminatrans is directly connected with the port of Valencia and receive nearly all of their goods directly from them
• Some of their goods include: washing machines, tvs, dishwashers, and pressed paper (which they store and send to one of the largest newspapers in Spain)
• They are one of the biggest companies in Spain that has opened a local office in China and imports from China
• They view logistics as a ways to adjust to customer needs.

Logistical Facts

• Truck + goods weight cannot exceed 42 tons (Spanish law)
• Most of the goods in their warehouses are not custom cleared until they leave the facility
• They used to sell their motorbikes to the retailers in the box, but because that was a hassle for sellers they began removing and mounting the bikes before delivery

Company Attributes

• They have palette and bulk warehouses with 41 docks total
• They use Valènciaport which is the biggest and most important port in Spain because they are closest to Madrid
• Their purpose is to manage the maritime import of containers like a buffer storage facility
• They operate 30 of their own trucks and drivers
• Their València location is their largest with 70 workers although they have locations worldwide
• They are currently working on getting a frozen warehouse, but already have a refrigerated warehouse
• This location began operating in 2005

After the visit we went and had lunch at a restaurant near our hotel where we ate some authentic Spanish cuisine. Then we had the entire rest of our afternoon free! Mae, Summer, and I visited the aquarium where we got to see lots of different animals including a beluga whale and penguins. The aquarium in Valencia is the largest aquarium in Europe! We then did a little shopping and had sushi for dinner. After, we headed back to our hotel to get some sleep for our travels back to Barcelona tomorrow.

1. Day 9: 7/14/23

We all packed up this morning for our flight to Ibiza today and left the hotel around 9:15 for our meeting/ tour at Valenciaport this morning. We took a private bus to our visit and began our tour.

Notes from the tour:

History:

• The port is far from the city center to avoid the attack of pirates long ago
• The name of the village at the time was Grau
• The port in 1835 only contained one arm and was not as accessible as the Barcelona port
• In the 80s the port expanded
• In 2019 the most recent terminal was added
• Valenciaport has 28 port authorities

Three subsidiaries

• Valencia
• Sagunto: an important city in the 80s because of coal, but 20,000 jobs were lost what’s the Spanish coal industry collapsed. They now produce electric batteries as a factory.
• Gandia: only fishing industry
• The port of València is much larger than its subsidiaries

Facts

• About 12 to 15 container ships come to the port each day
• Right now, Spain is importing gas from the US
• Their most important port allies are Italy and France
• Valencia only has to dredge about two times a year because ships don’t access their ports via river
• 38.16% of the containers designed for Spanish foreign trade are operated at the port of València

After our presentation we took a guided bus tour of Valènciaport and looked over the area from lookout points throughout the port. It was a really cool experience to see all of the port operating from up close! After the tour we headed off to the airport for our flight.

Day 6: 7/13/23

After breakfast at our hotel this morning we took public transportation to The Port Authority of València.

Presentation notes:

Valenciaport: autoridad portuaria de Valencia

• they manage three ports: Sagunto, València, and Gandia
• Valencia facilities: container terminal, future container terminal, liquid bulk, solid bulk, vehicles and Ro-ro cargo, passengers, and future passenger terminals
• 75.47% of traffic through the port is contained
• 40% of container traffic goes through the València port in Spain

New northern terminal

• Private investment: 1,021 mil
• Public investment: 400 mil
• Job creation or 5,000 new jobs
• Energy self sufficient

Influence

• Resides half of the Spanish population and generates 55% of the gdp

Project: zero net emissions by 2030

• Energy transitions
• Clean terminals
• Environmental bonuses
• Renewal of hybrid/electric vehicle fleet
• Use of LED technology in lighting both buildings and on public roads.
• Promotion of the circular economy

Question: On our way here we walked by a river outside with an odd color caused by pollution. I asked our presenter if that was caused by the port’s pollution to which he answered no because that is the end of a river which comes from another direction, but the port works to clean the river and they use cleaning systems to keep their port clean.

Foundation Valenciaport

• A center for applied research, innovation, and training
• Serves the port-logistics cluster

What they do

• Innovation
• RDI projects
• Training human capital
• Cooperate technical assistance worldwide
• Internationalization
• Market intelligence
• Supporting port logistics communities
• A collective social responsibility strategy

The numbers

• 500 partners
• 692 training courses
• 309 projects
• 60 countries

Clients

• International institutions
• Exporters and importers
• Governments
• Logistics zones
• Inland terminals and dry ports

Knowledge areas

• Port maritime market
• Port planning and management
• Port logistics
• Integration between the port and the city
• Digital transformation
• Sustainability and energy transition
• Security and protection

Question: Does Valènciaport use AI or artificial intelligence to analyze traffic data or predict vessel demand in the port. They answered that they are currently working on a project to incorporate more artificial intelligence into their ports everyday operations.

Working methods

1. Needs
2. Analysis and benchmarking
3. Market and innovation
4. Project organization
5. Coordination and management of high added value activities
6. Solutions development
7. Pilotage: implementation or deployment: market

Open top is an innovation hub that…

• Is used and created for Valenciaport
• Bring open innovation to Valenciaport cluster
• Connects startups and tech companies within the port sector

How they create connections

• Hackathon: idea and solution generation
• Incubation or acceleration program: early access to new technologies and business models for the partner, and access to potential customers for the startup
• Pilots: test and pilot technological solutions in a real-world environment
• Funding: investment opportunity in interesting startups

After our visit we went to lunch and ate some yummy chicken Paella! Finally, we headed back to the hotel for class and then enjoyed the rest of our free evening by going to dinner and shopping.

We woke up early this morning and left the hotel at seven am to get to the train station for our trip to València. After our long transport to València, between metros, taxis, and trains; we arrived at our new hotel and checked in. We then rested and went to our walking tour of The Ciudad De las Artes y las Ciencias. The buildings were designed by famous architect Coronado and were so cool to see. We then used the rest of the day to explore València and grab dinner at a local Italian restaurant before heading back to our hotel.

Day 6: 7/11/23

This morning we woke up at 7am and headed off to our first visit of the day at the Port de Barcelona. 

Notes from the port visit presentation:

• A port is a place with calm water where vessels can be properly operated 
• The owner of the port land is the state 
• The land is managed by local government agencies

The ports mission

• Create added value to the surrounding economy 
• Increase competitiveness to its users 
• Provide better logistics solutions end to end from the existing ones 
• This can be attained via: sustainable growth (economic, social, environment), and by digitalization/ small ports 

IV strategic plan 2021-2025

• Environmental sustainability- energy transition 
• Economic sustainability- competitiveness 
• Social sustainability- human capital 

Environmental sustainability

• Waterfront electric action program
• Bet on LNG for mobility 
• Rebates for green ships 
• Electrical mobility 
• Renewable energy program: solar wind

Increase of inter-modality

• Motorways of the sea 
• Railway motorways 
• Railway 

Logistics specialization 

• Warehousing
• Production services 
• Distribution services
• Aftermarket services 
• Specialized product segments: mango, desigual, custo, Bayer, Dow chemical, seat, ikea 

Social sustainability: human capital 

• Promoting training, employment, entrepreneurship and attraction of talent.
• Promoting equal opportunity
• Integration of the port in it’s urban
• Ensure people and facilities health and security 

After our presentation at the port we went on a boat tour of the port as well. We then headed to lunch and then back to the hotel for about thirty minutes. Then we were off to our next presentation at a company called Perinter. 

Notes from the presentation:

-they are a part of the Alonso group which strive to provide sustainable logistics.

Diversification 

• Divisions:
• Food and beverage 
• Furniture 
• Fashion 
• Forest products 
• Project cargo 
• Toys
• Pharma 
• E-commerce 
• Ceramic 

Range of services:

• Maritime transport
• Land transport 
• Air transport 
• Infrastructures
• Project cargo
• Picking and packing 
• Service e-commerce 

The digital age of logistics 

• Technology drives all operations and enhances customer experience 
• It also boosts their software to be Abel to complete tasks quicker and more efficiently

After our meeting at Perinter, we headed back to our hotel via public bus and started working on our article review due tonight.

Day 5: 7/10/23

This morning we ate breakfast at our hotel and then took the metro to our first activity of the day, a logistics lecture at the Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona. 

These are the notes I during the presentation:

• The objective of logistics is to maintain high quality organization while reducing costs and time.

Some logistics definitions 

• The careful organizations of a complicated activity do that it happens in an effective and successful way 
• The careful organization of a complicated military, business, or other activity so that it happens in a successful and effective way. 
• The process of planning and organizing to make sure that resources are in the places where they are needed, so that an activity or process happens effectively. 

What is logistics management?

• to plan to coordinate all activities necessary to achieve the desired level I delivered service and quality and at the lowest possible costs.
• The scope of logistics includes the entire gamut of activities starting from the procurement and management of Rae materials through to the delivery of the final product to the customer. 
• Satisfy customers by developing links or connections to people in various levels in organizations of your desired or current markets.
• Because products are so competitive, it so important to create distinction through quality customer service. 

The seven R’s of logistics and where we want to be

1. Right time: within hours
2. Right place: consumers (stores becoming dcs) (distribution centers)
3. Right price: greater willingness to pay for convenience and speed
4. Right product: wider scope of products being shipped or produced in transport
5. Right quantity: focusing on units of product not pallets or shipping containers 
6. Right customer: D2C
7. Right condition: perfect, no tolerance for slack

Video: The future of logistics

• Logistics originated in the military with Romans organizing the transport of weapons
• The video focuses on a logistics company named DHL based in the Netherlands
• DHL transports goods via trucks, ships, planes, and delivery bicycles. 
• DHL organizes the transportation of goods via smart warehouses which use robots and many employees to complete product processing, customs clearance, and placement
• Logistics is constantly progressing due to technologies AI, robotic labor, and parcel delivery by drone.

Question I asked during the lecture: 

• Do you think that it is smarter for large companies to provide their own logistics or to use another logistics company to transport their goods? For example Amazon provides almost entirely their own logistics like warehouse storage and organization, transportation, and delivery. 

Supply Chain

• Raw material 
• Supplier 
• Factory
• Distribution 
• Retail 
• Consumer 

Transport

• The most important form of global transport is ocean freight (70%)
• Types of cargo ships: bulk carrier (raw materials), oil tanker, container ship, chemical tanker, LNG (liquid natural gas) ship, VLCC, RORO ship, General Cargo, Livestock ship

Supply chain challenges 

• Rising freight prices 
• Raw materials shortage 
• Congestion at ports
• Inflation 
• Digital transportation supply chain ESG (environmental social governance)
• Demand forecasting 
• Rising freight prices 

After our guest lecture we took the metro to a nearby restaurant to grab some lunch. We then took the metro back to our hotel and had lecture time for three hours. Then Mae and I went back up to our hotel room and did schoolwork for the remainder of the day.