Valencia, 24 September 2026 – A deep-tech material developed by Cooling Photonics has reduced the internal temperature of shipping containers by up to 22°C without energy consumption, in a pilot carried out this summer at Transbase Soler’s facilities with the support of Opentop.
The Valenciaport Sandbox has added a new pilot to its track record as a testing environment for innovation in the logistics and port sector. This time, the focus has been on a new passive radiative cooling film developed by the startup Cooling Photonics. The material was tested with highly positive results at Transbase Soler’s depot during the summer, and the results are now being presented.
The trial was made possible thanks to the collaboration of the port community, the Valenciaport Foundation and the support of Opentop, Valenciaport’s open innovation hub. Opentop acted as facilitator, connecting the innovative company with a real operating environment where its technology could demonstrate its value.
Testing under real summer conditions
Over fifteen consecutive days this summer, four identical 20-foot containers with the same level of sun exposure were monitored. One untreated container served as the reference. A second used a conventional internal thermal blanket. A third had the new material applied only to the roof, while the fourth had it applied to both the roof and sides.
Independent sensors recorded the internal temperature every 15 minutes, generating more than 5,600 measurements.
The results were significant. The standard container reached 53°C and spent more than a third of the time above 40°C, while the fully coated container never exceeded 34.2°C. Average daily peak temperature was reduced by 17.5°C, with a difference of up to 22°C recorded on the hottest day.
Instead of insulating and retaining heat, the tested material reflects solar radiation before it passes through the metal surface, while still allowing the container to cool naturally at night.
Benefits and opportunities for the logistics and port sector
A material of this kind opens up several promising applications for ports, terminals, logistics operators and depots:
- Protection of goods and equipment: it keeps internal temperatures below 35°C without energy consumption. It limits heat peaks and helps reduce thermal stress and material fatigue.
- Worker safety: it reduces heat stress in containers used as storage areas, workshops or offices.
- Application to other port assets: in cabinets and electrical equipment, lower temperatures can mean fewer stoppages and greater reliability of power electronics.
- Climate change adaptation: it provides an additional resilience tool in response to increasingly intense summers.
Juan Manuel Díez, Head of Innovation at the Port Authority of Valencia, highlighted:
“The Valenciaport Sandbox was created so that innovative ideas can demonstrate their value in a real port operating environment and with data gathered on site. This pilot is a great example: a technology tested in our port that delivers practical, measurable results and can help the entire sector become more efficient and sustainable. Every new pilot confirms that innovation adds value at Valenciaport.”
For his part, Salvador Furió, Deputy General Manager of the Valenciaport Foundation and Director of Innovation and Cluster Development, stated:
“This pilot is another example of the Valenciaport Foundation’s commitment to innovative startups and scaleups. Through Opentop, we facilitate their access to the Port Community so they can validate their solutions in a real environment and bring open innovation into Valenciaport’s day-to-day operations.”
Alfredo Soler, CEO of Transbase Soler, said:
“Within Valencia’s port community, we are clear that innovation is not only about major projects. It also means opening our facilities to test new solutions that can improve our day-to-day operations. Seeing a container go from 50 degrees to just over 30 without using energy is something that interests us all. We are delighted to have been part of this test and will remain open to future collaboration.”
Javier Achiaga, CEO of Cooling Photonics, added:
“Testing CoolPly in a fully operational depot in the middle of a Mediterranean summer was the best possible validation. The results show that the logistics and port sector has a real opportunity ahead: protecting cargo, improving working conditions and reducing energy consumption with a passive solution. We would like to thank Opentop, the Port Authority and Transbase Soler for giving us the opportunity to demonstrate it. At Cooling Photonics, we will continue developing new innovative materials.”
