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  • The new technological platform allows the Port Community of Barcelona to have more computing capacity, more processing speed and greater security measures for the provision of services through PORTIC, the Port of Barcelona's Port Community System (PCS)

  • Kyndryl has led and executed the server modernization project of the PCS with LinuxOne technology that, thanks to its consolidation capacity and high performance, uses less energy and will allow the elimination of more than 175 metric tons of CO2 emissions over the next five years 

MADRID, Spain, March 7, 2023 — Kyndryl (NYSE: KD), the world's largest provider of IT infrastructure services, has been commissioned to transform and modernize PORTIC, the Port of Barcelona's Port Community System (PCS). As a result, the operations of one of the main logistics hubs in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean are now carried out on a state-of-the-art technology platform running on mainframe with high capacity and processing speed managed by Kyndryl.

The ports manage all their critical operations through the Port Community System, technological platforms that manage vessel calls and services, such as supplies (water, electricity, fuel), waste collection, cranes, sheds, carriers and terminals, dangerous goods, etc. These platforms streamline and automate the processes of information exchange between the different actors of the port community, with more than 400 mail messages per minute, allowing secure communication and connectivity.

Faced with the increase in maritime traffic and greater needs for innovation and sustainability, the Port of Barcelona decided to undertake an ambitious technological transformation. The project would modernize its applications and give them greater efficiency and flexibility while also allowing it to be more environmentally sustainable and have greater cybersecurity and disaster recovery measures. Kyndryl was responsible for leading and executing the project.

For the renewal of the hardware technology, Port of Barcelona and Kyndryl have chosen Enterprise Linux Server technology, LinuxOne, which has the fastest processor on the market and is more efficient in terms of both economic and energy expenditure, which will allow significant savings and the elimination of more than 175 metric tons of CO2 emissions over the next five years, equivalent to the emissions of a car on a journey of 181,335 km.

For the renewal of the software technology, the Port of Barcelona and Kyndryl have chosen the open-source Red Hat Openshift Container Platform (OCP), which supports a variety of programming languages and services, from network frameworks, databases or connectors, to mobiles and external back-ends. The main benefits are the acceleration in the delivery of applications that will ensure communication between the different organizations involved in the port traffic logistics chain: authorities, consignees, shipping companies and terminals, among others.

The migration to the new high-security data processing center has been completed with the installation of a second backup data center that increases resilience and ensures business continuity in the event of unforeseen events. For example, in case of unavailability of services, the data center ensures a start-up in less than two hours without loss of data, and is also equipped with advanced management, monitoring and cybersecurity services. The risk of network security threats has also been reduced.

"Our collaboration with Kyndryl is proving key to underpinning the positioning and competitiveness of the Port of Barcelona. The technological and business knowledge of their teams has meant that, today, PORTIC is running on a more agile and modern infrastructure, with much higher performance and capacity, and with maximum guarantees in scalability and cybersecurity," said David Serral, CIO of the Port of Barcelona.

"We are delighted to be helping the Port of Barcelona in its transformation process. The capabilities of our consultants and their experience in mission-critical environments and application modernization have enabled the port entity to have a modern IT platform that will allow it to take advantage of IT innovations in improving its operations to be increasingly efficient and sustainable in the important logistical role it plays in our society,” highlighted David Soto, president of Kyndryl Spain and Portugal. 

"This modernization of our Port Community System is included in the IV Strategic Plan 2021-2025 of the Port of Barcelona and responds to the demands of the Port Community to have a platform with more capacity and more value-added services. In the coming months, PORTIC Barcelona will incorporate new professionals to its staff, providing more resources to take advantage of the new technical capabilities offered by the platform and helping to maintain the Port of Barcelona as one of the most innovative ports in Europe in automation and digitization of document processes," explained Javier Gallardo, general manager of PORTIC.

The transformation, which has been completed in less than a year, has stood out for its technical complexity and the need to combine it with a 24X7 operation of the systems of Port of Barcelona. To undertake it, Kyndryl has made available to the client its extensive knowledge in the areas of Applications, Data and AI, Core Enterprise, and Cyber Resiliency. From now on, the port entity will be able to take advantage of the latest technological advances in areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud technology or 5G networks, and thus be prepared to face future challenges, such as regulatory changes or innovation in their business processes.

About Kyndryl
Kyndryl (NYSE: KD) is the world's largest provider of IT infrastructure services serving thousands of enterprise customers in more than 60 countries. The company designs, builds, manages and modernizes the complex, mission-critical information systems that the world depends on every day. For more information, visit www.kyndryl.com.

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