BSEC-URTA Visit to CERTH Highlights the Urgent Need for Digitalization in Road Transport
With the valuable support and hospitality of OFAE, the BSEC-URTA delegation carried out its first technical field visit within the framework of the BSEC-URTA Spring Events on 21 May 2026 at the CERTH Research Institute in Thessaloniki.
The delegation was welcomed by Centre for Research & Technology Hellas (CERTH) experts and researchers, who presented advanced smart mobility and artificial intelligence applications currently being implemented in the city of Thessaloniki. During the visit, participants were informed about how local authorities monitor and manage urban traffic through AI-supported systems, real-time traffic analysis and digital information technologies.
CERTH experts explained that through the support of scientific institutions, public authorities and European Union-funded projects, Thessaloniki is able to monitor city-wide traffic movements, evaluate different traffic scenarios and optimize urban mobility with advanced technological tools.
During the discussions between the BSEC-URTA delegation and CERTH specialists, one of the key conclusions was the growing necessity of integrating technology and artificial intelligence into the transport sector, particularly in international road transport operations.
The visit highlighted an increasingly important question for the future of global logistics and border management:
“How and when can artificial intelligence be effectively integrated into border crossing operations, transport documents?”
The BSEC-URTA delegation emphasized that this question should not only concern the transport sector itself, but also policymakers, border authorities and transport administrations across all countries, as transport remains one of the most strategic sectors for economic connectivity and supply chain continuity.
The visit further demonstrated that when technology is used correctly, it can become one of the greatest facilitators for humanity, trade and modern transport systems.
BSEC-URTA expressed its sincere appreciation to CERTH Institute and OFAE for the excellent organization of the visit and for the valuable exchange of knowledge and experience on the future of smart mobility and digital transport systems.
