Over the last few years, the logistics-port sector has understood that digital transformation and technological development are fundamental elements to face a scenario plagued by disruptions, geopolitical tensions, demands for environmental care and changes in consumption patterns. It is true that the use of technologies such as Blockchain and IoT have gained weight. However, we are currently facing the birth of a tool that will determine the present and future of the industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Stakeholders in the maritime and port business must focus sharply on how they can benefit from it and avoid waiting until it is too late to get on board. The potential of this technology will impact all areas of port management such as increasing the productivity of operations, improving the use and maintenance of equipment, maximising the use of port infrastructure, or increasing security in the facilities. All these actions will be performed by detecting patterns, congestions, and inefficiencies, which will allow the optimization of any process, the empowerment of current digital tools and, ultimately, the informed support on decision making at an operational and strategical level.
Many ports, shipping companies and terminal operators are already relying on AI, with proven cases, their pursuit of the desired competitiveness that generates improvements in the quality of service and traffic attraction. The next steps, leaving behind the belief that it will impact a multitude of jobs, must be aimed at ensuring the collection, quality and management of the data that nourish the power of AI, and advance in the collaborative integration of the rest of the actors in the supply chain, so that the data can flow, as well as the goods, for a holistic end-to-end optimisation.
“The main advantage of AI is the collaboration in port efficiency management and the real time decision making.”
The main inputs and contributions are:
- The impact that the use of Artificial Intelligence is generating in all markets and industries the imperative necessity of adoption in the port system, and predicts great improvements in its productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness.
- 70% of Spanish companies plan to invest in AI and automation tools before the end of the year, according to the Sales Report by HubSpot, the leading CRM platform for growing companies.
- Some AI use cases found in ports such as Rotterdam, Los Angeles or Singapore are predictive analytics to improve the planning and coordination of port operations; predicting the turnaround time of trucks as they transit through the port, the container loading and unloading times; or to improve the document management of custom processes.
- On the other hand, shipping companies such as MSC, MAERSK, CMA CGM or HAPG-LLOYD are using AI to monitor safety on board ships and the state of containers, carrying out preventive maintenance or optimising shipping routes and fuel consumption and emissions.
- Improving efficiency is one of the most common desires of public managers and private operators involved in the port sector, to the extent that it has become a basic and overriding objective.
- The use of AI in ports will lead to the rise of autonomous systems that will facilitate the optimisation of resources, the improvement of efficiency in management and processes, and enablement of real-time monitoring and decision making.
- Another field in which AI can provide added value is in the area of security. From the detection of intruders through the analysis of images collected by cameras, to the prevention and warning of machinery defects that could cause material or human damage.
- In order for ports to benefit from the use of AI, they must achieve, internally, a precise sensorisation system and a comprehensive data collection structure. Nevertheless, on the external side, they need to collaborate with all actors involved in cargo flows along the logistic chains to exploit the full potential behind data sharing.
- Data is the main “fuel” for AI, so systems must be in a place where they can be easily collected, stored, and analysed so that they can be used to generate models, not only at the level of cargo handling equipment or sensors, but also at the level of digitalisation of processes.
- For the collection and management of such huge volumes of data, it is essential to involve the staff from the outset and to understand the origin, utility, and value of the data.
“The application of AI to day-to-day port operations can be the beginning of a virtuous circle that can become another factor of competitiveness by attracting new cargo flows.”
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