OPEN INNOVATION AS A COORDINATION MECHANISM IN PORT ECOSYSTEMS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF EUROPEAN SEAPORTS

Abstract

European seaports are undergoing transformative changes driven by digitalisation, sustainability demands, and increased interdependence in maritime logistics. As multi-actor systems within global supply networks, ports require innovative strategies to coordinate diverse stakeholders, knowledge flows, and institutional frameworks. This paper investigates how Open Innovation serves as a coordination mechanism in European port ecosystems and examines the influence of different governance configurations on sustainability-oriented value creation. Using a semi-structured literature review and qualitative comparative analysis, four case studies—Rotterdam, Valencia, Barcelona, and Motril-Granada—are examined alongside small and medium-sized Baltic ports. The findings reveal that Open Innovation varies based on port scale, ecosystem maturity, governance capacity, institutional mediation, digital readiness, and strategic focus. Rotterdam illustrates a distributed innovation ecosystem; Valencia represents an institutional model; Barcelona exemplifies smart-port and business-model innovation; Motril-Granada highlights a Blue Economy approach; and Baltic ports emphasise capacity building. While Open Innovation promotes stakeholder alignment and shared agenda-setting, challenges such as fragmented governance and varying resource capacities constrain its overall impact. This paper contributes to research on port innovation and maritime logistics by proposing a conceptual framework that views Open Innovation as a key coordination mechanism for sustainable port transformation.