Designing for Scale: Legal, Funding and Ecosystem Instruments for Port Innovation in Spain

Abstract

Port authorities sit at the intersection of public policy, complex logistics, and rapid technological change. While innovation is widely recognised as essential for competitiveness and sustainability, turning ideas into operational solutions depends less on the technology itself than on the institutional tools that enable adoption and scaling. This paper explores the mechanisms available to port authorities to bring innovation into practice, and how these can be combined to move from pilot projects to full operational deployment. It analyses key legal, funding, and ecosystem instruments, including public procurement frameworks and innovation funding programmes. Based on a structured review of legislation, sectoral initiatives, and national guidance on Public Procurement of Innovation, the study shows how these instruments can interact to reduce risk and support scaling beyond the pilot phase. The paper offers a structured overview of the innovation tools available to port authorities and highlights key gaps in the current framework, such as misalignment between funding and procurement cycles, regulatory rigidities, and coordination challenges, ultimately providing a strategic perspective on how port innovation systems can better support effective implementation and scale.