Porto do Açu, through the Coletivo de Ações em Inovação e Sustentabilidade (Cais Açu Lab), held on October 16 the 2nd edition of Conecta Cais, an annual event that brings together representatives from industry, startups, academia, and strategic sectors with the purpose of strengthening the port innovation ecosystem.
During the event, the companies JAQ H2 and Ocyan signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Porto do Açu, formalizing partnerships focused on innovation, sustainability, and technological development.
Panels
The program featured two thematic panels that addressed the challenges and opportunities of innovation in the port sector.
The first panel, “Innovation for the Energy Transition,” discussed how the topic is already impacting Brazil and the role of partnerships in advancing this agenda. The debate was moderated by Renata Machado, Innovation Coordinator at Antaq, and included Cassiane Nunes (Repsol Sinopec Brasil), Tétsu Koíke (Ministério dos Portos e Aeroportos), and Ernani Paciornik (Grupo Náutica / JAQ H2). At the end, Cais Açu Lab and JAQ H2 signed the MoU that establishes a strategic partnership for the development of new solutions in innovation and sustainability.
The second panel, “Connected Operations – How innovation is transforming Porto do Açu’s operations and driving efficiency and sustainability in port and industrial environments,” brought together Lucas Fernandes (AutoU), Rafael Aguírre (TideWise), and Rodrigo Lavieri (Argonáutica), moderated by Amanda Galvão, Innovation Coordinator at Ocyan. After the discussion, the MoU between Cais Açu Lab and Ocyan was signed, reinforcing the joint commitment to technological advancement and collaborative innovation.
The event was held at the Visitor Center of Porto do Açu, in São João da Barra (RJ), and brought together more than 15 companies and dozens of representatives from the innovation ecosystem.
“Our intention is to foster an ecosystem of collaboration and discussion, where everyone recognizes the value of working together. Innovation is about collaboration,” highlighted João Braz, Commercial and Terminals Director at Porto do Açu. “It is important that the innovation we develop at the port is connected to our surroundings — with society, companies, and the people of the region.”
Cais Açu Lab 2025 Award recognizes innovation and sustainability initiatives
Divided into three categories — Process Improvement, Digital Transformation, and Energy Transition — the Cais Açu Lab 2025 Award recognized innovative projects that stood out for proposing impactful solutions and promoting sustainability in the port and industrial sector.
🏆 Process Improvement
1st place: MadeInWeb, AWS, and Porto do Açu Operações – Generative AI for the evaluation of environmental monitoring reports at Porto do Açu Operações
2nd place: Ferroport – Dockflow
3rd place: Vast Infraestrutura, FCC, and Ferroport – Reuse of Concrete Slabs from T-Oil
💻 Digital Transformation
1st place: TechnipFMC – Transforming Data into Decisions: Accelerating the Digital Safety Journey at TechnipFMC
2nd place: GNA – Integrated modeling of thermoelectric plants and regasification terminal for LNG cargo nomination under operational uncertainties
3rd place: Ferroport – Intelligent System for Detection of Contaminant Materials
⚡ Energy Transition
1st place: GNA – Integrated System for the Production of Sodium Hypochlorite, Hydrogen, and Ammonia with Solar Energy
2nd place: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – An Advanced Big Data Digital Solution for Maritime Industry Decarbonization
3rd place: Ferroport – The energy transition triad at Ferroport: integrating renewable energy, biofuel, and the zero landfill concept to accelerate the reduction of atmospheric emissions
Conecta Cais
Conecta Cais is an annual initiative by Cais Açu Lab aimed at strengthening the port innovation ecosystem by promoting connections between companies, startups, academia, and government. The event serves as a space for exchanging experiences, generating ideas, and building partnerships that drive sustainable innovation at Porto do Açu and throughout the Northern Fluminense region.