Technology, management and applicability
Large data files are playing an increasingly important role in the water sector. Sensors are constantly providing new information, datasets are becoming more extensive and issues increasingly require combinations of multiple data sources. In practice, this raises a very concrete question: how do you deal with this effectively as a public party, knowledge institution or market party?
During this DigiShape day, we will look at that question from the perspective of technology, management and applicability. How do you collect data smartly? How do you unlock, combine and enrich that data? And how do you ensure that large data files are available and can be used for digital innovation?
With contributions from Rijkswaterstaat, Deltares and the KNMI, we are exploring what working with large data files requires in practice. What choices are large public organisations already making? What do they run into? And what can other parties learn from this?
Keynotes Rijkswaterstaat and KNMI
The keynotes show two different perspectives. Floris Langeraert discusses how Rijkswaterstaat is dealing with this development, what challenges play a role and what lessons this provides for the sector. Wim Som de Cerff explains how the KNMI deals with ever-increasing amounts of data, including points of attention and pitfalls that are also relevant to other organizations.
Parallel sessions
In the parallel sessions, which you can all follow in three rounds, we translate those insights into concrete examples.
- In the session on MIVSP, attention is paid to data collection in the North Sea, where the amount of data is increasing rapidly due to smart sensors.
- In the session on the DigiShape Open Source Platform, you will hear about removing important barriers to digital collaboration: trust, interoperability and shared infrastructure. See review DigiShape day D-OSP on October 19, 2025
- The session on data lakes focuses on the question of how to organize large amounts of measurement data in such a way that they can be searched quickly and used flexibly.
DigiShape seedmoney
During lunch, we will listen to the new ideas for the seedmoney call in 2026. At the end of the afternoon, we will look back at three seedmoney projects from 2025: PortVision, Klic at Sea and Digital Dike. In doing so, the day also shows how ideas from the network can grow into concrete experiments and applications.
For whom?
This meeting is interesting for professionals working on data, digitization and innovation in the water sector, from policy and programming to implementation and technology. Think of people from governments, knowledge institutions and market parties who have to deal with data collection, data management, modelling and digital applications in their work.
We will discuss this in more detail on 22 May. We look at the collection, management and organisation of data, and also at the question of how you can apply large data files smartly for digital innovation in the water sector.
Program
- 9.30 a.m. – Walk-in and reception at Port of Rotterdam
- 10.00 a.m. – Opening by David van den Burg of DigiShape and introduction by Bunno Arends of Port of Rotterdam.
- 10.20 a.m. – RWS keynote by Floris Langeraert
- 10.50 a.m. – keynote KNMI by Wim Som de Cerff
- 11.20 a.m. – explanation of parallel sessions and coffee break
- 11.50 a.m. – parallel sessions round 1
- Data-lakes (Peter Thijsse, Maris)
- MIVSP (Diane Dorreboom, Rijkswaterstaat)
- DigiShape Open Source Platform (Gert-Jan Schotmeijer, Deltares and Floris Langeraert, Rijkswaterstaat)
- 12.30 pm – lunch and seedmoney pitches
- 14.00 – parallel sessions round 2 and 3
- 15.20 – Feedback seedmoney projects 2025
- Portvision
- Klic at Sea
- Digital Dike
- 16.00 – Wrap up and closing
- 16.15 – Drinks