The Port of Tyne is asking gamers and software developers to help it meet some of its biggest goals through a hackathon event.
As part of a 'Game Jam' event, developers from across the country are being asked to create games that help the Port tackle its Tyne 2050 strategy which was launched several years ago and sets out to make the business resilient in the face of changing markets. In what it has called an industry first for the ports and maritime sector, the one-day hackathon will see teams turn complex business strategies into game concepts using a "no-code" platform, which does not require traditional programming languages.
Teams of four are invited to select a theme from the Port's strategy, which includes innovation, sustainability, green energy, and safety. The 2D games, which must be built in a day, will ultimately be played by 350 of the Port's employees in a move designed to engage them with the strategy.
Read more: Northern Bear chairman Jeff Baryshnik set to retire from board amid £3.1m tender offer
Read more: North East deals of the week: key contracts, investments and acquisitions
The Port has suggested some ways in which it thinks the strategies could be imagined. For example, it has an ambition to become net zero by 2030 and has proposed that a game allocate money between different green energy sources with differing costs and carbon reduction impacts. The player that reaches net zero with the least amount of time and money spent would win.
Another idea is based around its quest for greater efficiency. A game concept could involve a container terminal holding 20 containers, 20 containers on the ship, and several free spaces where containers could be placed. The goal would be to move the 20 containers from terminal to ship and vice versa in the least number of moves.
Finished games will be presented to a judging panel of gaming experts including event partners Newcastle-based Ubisoft, who will nominate the ultimate winners for a £500 cash prize. The event on November 9, at the Port's 2050 Innovation Hub, is being staged as part of Maritime Innovation Week.
Ian Blake, head of Technology at the Port of Tyne, said: "We’re using the Game Jam format to bring our Tyne 2050 strategic objectives to life for port colleagues. Our vision is ambitious and we want game developers to inspire us, using novel concepts to drive home both the potential for change and its commercial relevance"
Damien Glorieux, general manager for Ubisoft’s Consumer Relationship Centre (CRC) based in Newcastle, said: "Business gamification is already widely adopted in many sectors, but this is the first time we’ve been part of a Game Jam supporting the future of maritime innovation. Through their 2050 Maritime Innovation Hub, the Port of Tyne has a future-focused culture that embraces new ways of working, this event is another example of their vision in action and we’re delighted to be involved."
