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From knowledge to experience with the Portlantis App

Portlantis

The result

Together with the Port of Rotterdam Authority and EIC Mainport Rotterdam, Harborn developed an app that elevates the Portlantis experience, the new visitor center on Maasvlakte 2 showcasing the Port of Rotterdam. The app provides visitors and students with an interactive and informative experience, both inside the building and throughout the surrounding port area.

Visitors can enjoy exclusive audio tours in five different languages while navigating with interactive maps. Students complete assignments that test and deepen their knowledge. This makes Portlantis not only an inspiring place, but also an innovative digital experience.

Challenge

Portlantis approached Harborn to develop a solution that would provide visitors with additional information and offer students an educational and interactive experience. The app needed to be informative while visually aligning with the building’s unique design. It was also important for the app to be multilingual, ensuring non-Dutch-speaking visitors have access to the same information. The addition of written transcripts for the audio tours also supports visitors with hearing impairments or those who prefer written information.

800+
active app users per month
3000+
app downloads in the first 3 months

About Portlantis

Portlantis is the new visitor center on Maasvlakte 2, showcasing the Port of Rotterdam. Here, (international) visitors are introduced to the workings of the port, its importance for the economy and daily life, and its future development. The center also has a clear goal: to inspire young people for careers in this innovative sector. Each year, hundreds of school classes visit, organized by EIC Mainport Rotterdam, to discover the diversity and opportunities the port offers.

Team

The project team consisted of experienced developers, designers, and project managers who collaborated closely with stakeholders from the Port of Rotterdam Authority and EIC Mainport Rotterdam. Thanks to short communication lines and an agile working approach, we were able to respond quickly to client needs. The app was developed with a strong focus on usability and accessibility.

Solution

The app is available for both Android and iOS devices and offers:

  • Audio tours inside the building, including transcripts.
  • GPS-based audio tours for boat and bus tours outside the building.
  • Interactive maps to help visitors navigate easily.
  • Educational assignments for students, with immediate feedback on their answers, and a module that allows teachers to review students’ results.
  • A management environment that allows Portlantis to easily update content, such as exhibits, audio tours, and school assignments.
  • Full multilingual support and a visual design that aligns with the building, ensuring a consistent and engaging user experience.
“Thank you for the enjoyable collaboration, in which we reached the core of the first release within planning and budget.”

What's next?

The foundation is set, but Portlantis is already looking ahead. Planned future enhancements include:

  • Adding school assignments per education level (MBO, HBO, etc.).
  • Automatically triggering audio tours inside the building using beacons.
  • Automatically triggering outdoor audio tours based on GPS location.
  • Displaying departure times for boat and bus tours in the app.

With these enhancements, Portlantis continues to innovate and inspire visitors to experience the port in new ways.

Technologies:

  • Flutter (iOS & Android app)
  • GPS / maps
  • Strapi CMS

Visit the:

Do you want to create a digital experience like this?

Do you want to inspire visitors or users in an interactive and accessible way? Harborn is happy to help you develop your digital project or custom solution. Contact Tim, project lead for this case!

+31 10 436 50 50tim.schuurmans@harborn.com

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