Around the world, port work is undergoing a profound transformation - but not everyone is keeping pace. How can we ensure that people and progress move forward together? This question was at the heart of the discussion during the eleventh edition of CONNECTING PORTS, the talk show hosted by HPC Hamburg Port Consulting (HPC) on 20 March 2025. Four international experts joined moderator Christina Prieser, Associate Partner at HPC, to explore how automation, digitalization, and sustainability are reshaping the industry. While these trends are often seen as putting pressure on traditional jobs, they also have the potential to make port careers more attractive - provided that those affected are involved early on and receive the right training.
What really matters is making sure that this transition is fair and inclusive for workers, creates decent jobs, and leaves no one behind,” says Ariane Colson from C40 Cities, a global network of mayors driving climate action. Based in London, she works with over 40 leading cities and ports worldwide to accelerate shipping decarbonisation and coordinates C40’s work on green jobs and just transition in shipping. She presented findings from a recent study on “Green Jobs in Ports and Cities.”
The good news: according to the Global Maritime Forum, decarbonizing shipping could create up to 4 million jobs by 2050, especially in the Global South. “However, we also found a significant skills gap,” Colson notes. A positive example, she says, is the Port of Seattle, which collaborates closely with the city of Seattle and local universities to support skills development for emerging and future green jobs such as low-carbon fuel technologies. More broadly, she points out that diversity remains an issue: gender, races and ethnic minorities are still underrepresented in the industry, especially in higher-paying positions.
Meanwhile, Günter Schmidmeir is confronted with questions about the impact of automation on jobs. But the Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) at FERNRIDE, Europe’s market leader in autonomous trucking solutions for port logistics, sees automation as an opportunity. The company employs a human-assisted approach to autonomy, which allows for remote takeovers of trucks when necessary. With one operator overseeing several autonomous trucks from the comfort of the office, this solution creates safer working environments in container terminals that are traditionally prone to fatal accidents. Additionally, Schmidmeir adds, the new opportunities for upskilling and inclusivity are created: These office-based roles could be taken by people with disabilities or someone who would typically not work in a container terminal. “We’re not taking away jobs - we’re creating jobs of different calibres.”
For Berardina Tommasi, the reality of port workers looks quite different. “In many cases, automation leads to significant job losses,” says the Port Workers’ Policy Officer at the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) in Brussels. As a negative example, she points to the Port of Rotterdam, where advancing automation has resulted in the loss of 1200 jobs between 1989 and 200, and around 300 jobs between 2000 and 2024, for a total amount of 1500 jobs cut.
Miguel Montesinos draws on extensive experience from digitalization projects in ports such as Valencia, Barcelona, Algeciras, Piraeus, and Malta. The CEO of Spanish digitalization specialist Prodevelop believes that digitalization is not about replacing jobs, but rather about “making work easier and enabling better decision-making.”
He also points out that emerging roles — such as AI specialists or cybersecurity experts — attract talent seeking innovation-driven careers. In his view, remote work, teleoperation, and hybrid models improve work-life balance and strengthen employee loyalty to the company.
Ariane Colson warns that the shortage of skilled workers could delay urgent climate action to decarbonise the sector. While demand for “green” skills is growing, she points out that “the workforce is not yet prepared — because there is a lack of proper planning.
She also raises a critical concern: despite net growth in the number of green roles through shipping decarbonization, jobs lost and jobs created “won’t necessarily be filled by the same people.” Colson cites the United Nations’ International Labour Organization (ILO), which estimates that 70 percent of jobs in transition could be saved through retraining and labor policy measures. This means there are real opportunities for workforce development, but we must actively invest in preparing workers so that port decarbonization is not only about technological change, but also about bringing people along in a way that is equitable and inclusive.
Günter Schmidmeir advocates for a more nuanced view of gradual automation, highlighting the terminal operators’ perspective. “Staying competitive means tackling labor shortages head-on” - and this is where FERNRIDE provides solutions. He even received an inquiry from a union leader in Japan, concerned about the country’s aging population. One of the major concerns highlighted in the 2024 report “Automation and Digital Innovation in Port Logistics”, published jointly with HPC, was that workforce resistance to automation could hinder progress. On the other hand, with hundreds of thousands of truck drivers expected to be missing in the coming years, Schmidmeir stresses that without automation, moving goods won’t be possible. Workforce engagement and training programs play a key role in the transition.
The audience actively joins the discussion in the chat. One suggestion reads: “Why not open port labor pools and register migrant workers?”
When people’s livelihoods and families are at stake, compromise is essential. That’s why the ETF union does not reject automation outright. “If ports invest in workforce training at the same time, automation can also create employment opportunities,” says Berardina Tommasi.
Miguel Montesinos also believes it’s crucial to involve those affected right from the start - otherwise, “they develop a defensive attitude.” He sees HPC’s “Health Check” approach - which includes staff interviews to address concerns, answer questions, or check whether tools are being used effectively - as a practical solution.
“Any system must be tailored to people’s real needs,” the engineer emphasizes. To ensure fair access to digital tools for everyone involved, a governance model is needed - and not just for the different port stakeholders.
At the heart of the transformation of port work lies one key challenge: funding. The ETF advocates for publicly funded training centers. When it comes to financing strategies that balance economic growth, job security, and social justice, Ariane Colson sees “funding gaps” in many ports - particularly a lack of private capital.
“The differences in opinion aren’t that great,” the moderator sums up. In the end, the participants paint a fairly united picture of what the ideal working environment in future ports should look like.
Günter Schmidmeir and Miguel Montesinos call for collaboration, including with private companies, while Ariane Colson highlights that a just transition is the only way to achieve our climate goals while ensuring no one is left behind. For Berardina Tommasi, what matters most is a fair framework for the transition - one that allows workers to actively shape the technological change.
You can watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv1-XxBdrBk
The text was written by journalist Kerstin Kloss on behalf of HPC.
