• They assist in ship maneuvers carried out within the port - the drone will capture real-time images and transmit them to a tablet inside the ship to assist the pilot in these maneuvers, with transmission also to the command and control room, which will also support the pilot.
• They support infrastructure maintenance in tasks typically performed with cranes and infrequently, as it requires the support of scaffolding and various human resources. With the use of drones, the need for maintenance can be assessed at any time, inspecting any infrastructure in detail and reporting any deficiencies or corrosion detected to initiate maintenance.
• Support APDL in the security of the entire Porto de Leixões - drones can provide security for the entire perimeter of Porto de Leixões, with much lower costs and greater flexibility.
• Support APDL in the management and coordination of resources in the event of an incident, obtaining precise and real-time situational information about the incident, thus allowing for a more effective, targeted response and better coordination of resources.

5G, through functionalities enabled by the fifth-generation network, supports automation and inspection actions, promoting and enhancing the quality of detections and their corresponding data capture for future improvement analysis. Also, through intelligent automatic detection systems and high-resolution videos, with automated identification of intruders at APDL facilities and immediate transmission of this information to security personnel, 5G will make Porto de Leixões a much safer location.

The drone's flight path can be pre-configured or dynamic, utilizing computer vision and real-time transmission. The devices can be controlled through a control center on-site or remotely by an operator who detects or suspects an anomaly, or through a quality control schedule. With hyperconnected networks at Porto de Leixões, operations and safety can be significantly improved, along with environmental aspects such as real-time monitoring of air quality and noise.

"In summary, technologies are changing ports, making them more sustainable both economically, as they become more integrated into intelligent logistics chains, faster, smoother, more predictable, agile, safer, and with lower costs, and environmentally, as they become greener, heading towards decarbonization and towards a green logistics network," concluded Hugo Bastos.

Once again, 5G emerges as a fundamental response to the Industry 4.0 paradigm. This pilot project at Porto de Leixões, implemented from scratch by NOS, is just another step towards the technological era in logistics networks, built upon a digital architecture with foundations of security, flexibility, efficiency, reliability, cost reduction, and sustainability. An innovative endeavor that arises in the present with an eye on the future, yet another example of a country that does what no one else has done.

Nearly 90% of global trade takes place via maritime transport, according to the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS). Therefore, it's widely agreed that ports constitute a fundamental pillar in the economies of countries. Portugal is no exception. National ports, serving as transportation, energy, industry, and part of the "blue economy" - an integrated vision of the sea with a more sustainable and inclusive approach - add value to the Portuguese economy and society at large, ensuring prosperity.

In an increasingly competitive and globalized context, ports are adapting to the new market demands to respond as effectively as their competitors and to keep pace with the technological evolution of the sector itself. Developing and modernizing infrastructure, offering competitive logistics platforms, and investing in digitization and decarbonization to optimize maritime transportation, maximize employment in the sector, and increase exports are some examples of how ports worldwide have been evolving to face the future.

In 2020, despite the pandemic's effects, Porto de Leixões handled over 17 million tons, reaching a new historic high of 703,919 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), growing by 2.6% compared to 2019. This not only suggests resilience among importing and exporting companies operating within its influence area but also the port ecosystem's ability to adapt rapidly to changes in market conditions. Leixões is the country's leading port in containerized cargo exports and globally contributes to 7% of employment in Portugal and 6% of the national GDP.

This growth has been paralleled by the port's ongoing modernization efforts, both in terms of infrastructure intervention and digitization, featuring notable projects and the adoption of technologies such as:

• Implementation of the Single Window Project for Leixões (3PL), employing computer vision technologies in the automation of cargo entry and exit processes;
   
• Development of the Integrated Logistics Single Window Platform (JUL), in collaboration with other national ports, updating and extending the Port Single Window (JUP) to the entire national logistics chain, interconnecting with land transport, dry ports, and logistics platforms in an intermodal logic;
   
• APDL's simulation center, equipped with the latest simulation equipment for maritime, river, and land operations, including Full Mission Bridge Simulators and Land Equipment Simulators, allowing professionals to train in realistic scenarios;
   
• Development of a digital twin, enabling the monitoring and management of hazardous cargo risks.

As stated by Hugo Bastos, APDL's director of information systems, "Technology is already fundamental in supporting port business. However, we are witnessing a digital transformation, where, similar to other industries and businesses, the introduction of new potentially disruptive digital technologies is radically changing ports." Bastos specifically mentions 5G, Blockchain, IoT, Smart Sensing, Big Data, Analytics, AI (Machine Learning/Deep Learning), simulation, among other technologies, which are "about to radically change how ports operate, how they become more efficient, greener, and how they integrate into logistics chains."

Riding on the wave of the country's first 5G city in Matosinhos, created by NOS in 2019, Porto de Leixões is also part of the Technological Free Zone of this 5G mobile network pilot project in Portugal, which also includes other areas of this municipality. In a partnership between NOS and APDL, Porto de Leixões is further advancing the digital transformation of national maritime ports, with the introduction of drones connected via 5G technology. This technology allows for the remote and real-time manipulation of these drones, transmitting high-definition images to the command and control room of Porto de Leixões. This technological solution will play a crucial role in this port, enhancing security, reducing costs, improving efficiency, and increasing predictability.